Star Pisces

The 1990-built Star Pisces cruise ship was owned by GHK (Genting Hong Kong, part of Genting Group Malaysia) and managed by GHK's subsidiary Genting Cruise Lines via the Star Cruises brand. Fleetmates included SuperStar Aquarius, SuperStar Gemini, and SuperStar Libra.

The vessel (IMO number 8710857) was last Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311000164) and registered in Nassau. The previous flag state was Panama (MMSI 352861000).

History - construction and ownership

Star Cruises is part of Genting Cruise Lines (a subsidiary of GHK-Genting Hong Kong Corporation), the world's fifth-largest cruise shipowner after Carnival Corporation, RCG-Royal Caribbean Group, MSC, and NCLH-Norwegian. The company (listed on the Singapore Exchange and Hong Kong Stock Exchange) dominates the Asia-Pacific cruising market. Star Cruises was established as a subsidiary and travel brand of Genting Group Malaysia (incorporated in Bermuda in 1993), with corporate headquarters in Hong Kong China.

The fleet's first ships were two cruiseferries acquired from Rederi AB Slite (founded in 1947 and bankrupt in 1993; see VIKING LINE). In the following years, Star Cruises purchased several additional second-hand vessels, followed by two newbuilds - SuperStar Leo/Norwegian Spirit (1998) and the sistership SuperStar Virgo (1999).

In late April 2022, it was announced that the ships Star Pisces and SuperStar Gemini (both docked in George Town Penang) and SuperStar Aquarius (in Port Klang) were listed for scrapping and would be beached at Alang India. According to online media sources, the liners' last crew signed off on May 17, after which skeleton crews were hired to sail them to the scrapyard for dismantling and recycling.

The 32-year-old Star Pisces left Penang on May 29, arriving at Port Klang anchorage on May 30. On June 2, the ship departed Klang en route to Colombo Sri Lanka, arriving and anchoring off the coast on June 14. On June 21, the vessel arrived and anchored off Port Cochin India.

Star Pisces' AIS transmitted for the last time on July 12, 2022 (at 19:03 UTC), showing the vessel anchored off Alang. Later the same day, she was beached and dismantling operations commenced.

The 1900-passenger ship Star Pisces was originally designed as the cruiseferry "MS Kalypso" and built by Masa-Yards (Turku Finland) for Rederi AB Slite's brand VIKING LINE. In 1993, Star Cruises purchased Kalypso (later Star Pisces) along with the sistership Athena (Star Aquarius/Pearl Seaways). Both vessels are easily recognized by their distinctive funnel design, first introduced with Star Pisces and later adopted across the fleet.

Decks and Cabins

Star Pisces staterooms (776 total) were available in 13 categories. The largest accommodations were the Genting Suites (600 ft2 / 56 m2). While most cabins were relatively compact, they were efficiently designed and offered the modern amenities expected of contemporary ships.

The vessel had 12 decks, of which 9 were passenger-accessible and 4 featured cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Star Pisces was operated as a "freestyle" cruise ship, allowing passengers to dine when, where, and with whom they preferred. Food presentation was consistently of high quality.

Follows the complete list of Star Pisces restaurants and food bars.

• Mariners Restaurant (buffet-style restaurant offering high-quality international cuisine prepared with fresh ingredients—a hallmark of Star Cruises)
• Ocean Palace (Chinese cuisine restaurant featuring a selection of Cantonese specialties)
• Tai Pan (a la carte Chinese restaurant, a section of Ocean Palace offering a more upscale dining experience)
• Rua Thai (serving authentic Thai cuisine)
• Umigawa (a la carte Japanese restaurant)
• Blue Lagoon (serving fast food and snacks)

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

After Star Pisces was acquired by Star Cruises, the company refurbished her and introduced the vessel into service in Hong Kong in 1994. Over the years, Star Pisces operated primarily in waters near Hong Kong and remained highly popular, frequently sailing at near full capacity. The ship offered short South China Sea cruises, typically one-night voyages, ideal for travelers seeking a lively weekend getaway.

The Galaxy of the Stars theater featured the "Carnaval De Brazil" production show, with talented dancers from Brazil and Europe performing well-known street and Latin ballroom routines. Additional entertainment was available in the Galaxy show lounge, where the Summer Star Canton Band performed three sets nightly.

Follows the complete list of Star Pisces lounges, clubs, and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Star Club; Star Karaoke
• The Health Club; Oscar's Beauty Salon
• Star Boutique
• Maxim's Lounge; Premium Club
• Entertainment Lane; Piano Bar
• Genting Palace; Genting Club; Genting Lounge
• Galaxy of the Stars
• Pool Deck, 2 pools, 3 Jacuzzis; Sun Deck; Star Track

Itineraries

Star Pisces' itinerary program was primarily based on Southeast Asia short breaks and mini-cruises, with homeport Hong Kong, visiting ports in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Occasionally, the ship operated 3-day/2-night roundtrips to Xiamen China.

Following the Coronavirus crisis, Star Pisces resumed operations on December 22, 2021, with a Malaysia-based program featuring roundtrips from homeport Georgetown (Penang Island, Malaysia). The program included the 2-night/3-day "Langkawi Escape" itinerary, alternating with the 1-night/2-day "Straits of Malacca" itinerary.