Star Pisces

Star Pisces was a cruiseferry operated by Star Cruises that spent most of its commercial life offering short leisure cruises from Hong Kong. The vessel was completed in 1990 in Finland as Kalypso for Rederi AB Slite, one of the companies operating within the Viking Line ferry system. It was designed for regular international ferry service rather than as a purpose-built cruise ship, and initially connected Turku in Finland with Mariehamn in the Åland Islands and Stockholm in Sweden. The ship was ordered during a period of intense fleet renewal in Baltic Sea ferry transportation. Construction began under Wärtsilä Marine, but that shipbuilder entered bankruptcy during the building process. Construction was continued by the newly established Masa-Yards at the Turku New Shipyard, and Kalypso was delivered on April 30, 1990. It became the final new vessel delivered to Rederi AB Slite. The ship operated normally for approximately three years, but the financial position of its owner deteriorated after the Swedish krona was devalued and the planned delivery of the larger Europa became financially untenable. Rederi AB Slite entered bankruptcy in April 1993, and Kalypso was sold at auction later that year. The successful purchaser was the newly established Malaysian cruise operator Star Cruises, which also acquired Kalypso's sister ship. The vessel left Viking Line service in January 1994, was renamed Star Pisces, and underwent conversion at Finnyards in Rauma, Finland. The work adapted the former cruiseferry for cruise operations, including casino-oriented itineraries. In April 1994, Star Pisces began operating casino cruises from Singapore. The ship was subsequently repositioned to Hong Kong, where it became associated with Star Cruises' short day-and-night cruise programme. Its appearance changed over time: an original dark-blue hull with a narrow red stripe was later replaced by an all-white livery consistent with other Star Cruises vessels. The vessel's deployment was not continuous. In May 2009, its Hong Kong operations were suspended and the ship was laid up. It was later moved to Port Klang for another period out of service. Star Pisces returned to commercial operation in February 2010 with cruises from Penang. That deployment ended in December of the same year, after which the ship was refurbished in Singapore in January 2011. The refurbishment included new hull artwork, making Star Pisces the first vessel in the Star Cruises fleet to feature hull art. It returned to Hong Kong in late February 2011 for daily high-seas cruises and continued to serve the short-cruise market. A further major renovation took place in drydock in February 2013. The vessel's career ended after the financial collapse of Star Cruises' parent company, Genting Hong Kong. In April 2022, Star Pisces and the Star Cruises ships SuperStar Aquarius and SuperStar Gemini were sold for demolition. Star Pisces was sent to a scrapyard in Alang, India, and was beached on July 12, 2022, under the temporary name Pisc. It therefore represents both the conversion of a Baltic ferry into an Asian cruise ship and the eventual winding down of an older vessel in the Star Cruises fleet.

Star Pisces began life as the cruiseferry Kalypso, ordered by Rederi AB Slite in 1988 for Viking Line service. The vessel was designed by Per Dockson as the second of a pair of sister ferries, following Athena, which entered service in 1989. Its construction was disrupted by the bankruptcy of Wärtsilä Marine in October 1989. A successor company, Masa-Yards, continued work at the Turku and Helsinki shipyards, although the disruption contributed to a final construction cost higher than originally agreed. Kalypso was delivered on April 30, 1990, and entered service between Turku, Mariehamn, and Stockholm. The ship operated on the Baltic route until the financial crisis of its owner. Rederi AB Slite had intended to take delivery of the much larger Europa, but a devaluation of the Swedish krona undermined the company's ability to complete the transaction. Europa instead entered the rival Silja Line fleet, and Rederi AB Slite was declared bankrupt in April 1993. Kalypso and its sister ship were auctioned in August 1993, attracting bids from several ferry operators before being purchased by the newly established Malaysian company Star Cruises. Kalypso remained in Viking Line service until January 1994. It was then moved to Naantali, renamed Star Pisces, and converted into a cruise ship at Finnyards in Rauma. The conversion shifted the vessel's commercial purpose from scheduled transport to leisure cruising. In April 1994, Star Pisces began casino cruises from Singapore. It was later redeployed to Hong Kong for short day and night cruises. Star Pisces operated in a succession of Asian markets rather than following a single uninterrupted route pattern. Its Hong Kong service was suspended in May 2009, after which the ship was laid up and subsequently moved to Port Klang. It was reactivated in February 2010 for cruises from Penang. At the end of that year it moved to Singapore for refurbishment, returning to Hong Kong in late February 2011. The refreshed vessel carried hull art, a first for Star Cruises' fleet, and resumed daily high-seas cruises. It entered drydock again for a major renovation in February 2013. The vessel remained part of the Star Cruises fleet until the financial failure of Genting Hong Kong, the parent group associated with Star Cruises. In April 2022, Star Pisces was sold for demolition along with SuperStar Aquarius and SuperStar Gemini. It was sent to Alang, India, and beached on July 12, 2022, under the name Pisc. The ship's history consequently spans three distinct identities: a Viking Line cruiseferry, a Star Cruises casino and leisure ship, and a scrapping candidate following the collapse of its corporate parent.

• 2022

  Sold for demolition

  [1]Star Piscesen.wikipedia.org

  The ship was sold for demolition after the collapse of Genting Hong Kong and was later beached at Alang as Pisc.

• 2013

  Major drydock renovation

  [1]Star Piscesen.wikipedia.org

  Star Pisces entered drydock in February for a major renovation.

• 2011

  Refurbished and returned to Hong Kong

  [1]Star Piscesen.wikipedia.org

  After refurbishment in Singapore, Star Pisces resumed Hong Kong operations and became the first Star Cruises ship to receive hull art.

• 2010

  Reactivated from Penang

  [1]Star Piscesen.wikipedia.org

  The vessel returned to service in February with cruises from Penang, completing that deployment at the end of December.

• 2009

  Hong Kong service suspended

  [1]Star Piscesen.wikipedia.org

  Star Pisces ceased its Hong Kong sailings in May and entered a period of lay-up.

• 1994

  Renamed Star Pisces and converted for cruises

  [1]Star Piscesen.wikipedia.org

  Star Cruises acquired the vessel, renamed it Star Pisces, converted it at Rauma, and began casino cruises from Singapore in April.

• 1993

  Rederi AB Slite bankruptcy and auction

  [1]Star Piscesen.wikipedia.org

  Rederi AB Slite entered bankruptcy, leading to the auction and sale of Kalypso and its sister ship.

• 1990

  Kalypso delivered and enters Viking Line service

  [1]Star Piscesen.wikipedia.org

  Delivered on April 30, Kalypso began operating between Turku, Mariehamn, and Stockholm.

• 1989

  Construction continues after Wärtsilä Marine bankruptcy

  [1]Star Piscesen.wikipedia.org

  Masa-Yards took over continuation of the vessel's construction after Wärtsilä Marine entered bankruptcy.

• 1988

  Rederi AB Slite orders Kalypso

  [1]Star Piscesen.wikipedia.org

  Rederi AB Slite ordered the future Star Pisces as a sister ship to Athena for Viking Line's Baltic ferry operations.

A converted Baltic cruiseferry positioned for short-duration leisure, casino, and high-seas cruise itineraries in Asian markets.

• Cruise ship · 1994

  Star Pisces cruise service

  Star Pisces provided short-duration leisure cruises rather than scheduled ferry transport during its Star Cruises career. Its services included day and night sailings, high-seas cruises, onboard accommodation, dining, entertainment, and casino-oriented offerings. The ship operated from Singapore, Penang, and Hong Kong at different stages, with Hong Kong becoming its best-known base.

• Cruiseferry · 1990

  Kalypso ferry service

  Before its conversion, the vessel operated as Kalypso in Viking Line service. It was built for Baltic Sea passenger and vehicle transportation and connected Turku, Mariehamn, and Stockholm. This original ferry role shaped the vessel's design and distinguished it from ships purpose-built for the cruise market.

• 2022

  Sale for demolitionOther

  Background

  The collapse of Genting Hong Kong's cruise business left older Star Cruises vessels without continued commercial deployment.

  Action taken

  Star Pisces was sold for demolition along with SuperStar Aquarius and SuperStar Gemini and sent to Alang, India.

  Aftermath

  The vessel was beached on July 12, 2022, under the name Pisc, ending its operational history.

  Source

• 2010

  Reactivation and Penang deploymentStrategy

  Background

  After being laid up following the suspension of its Hong Kong service, Star Pisces was brought back into operation.

  Action taken

  Star Cruises reactivated the vessel for cruises from Penang in February 2010.

  Aftermath

  The Penang deployment ended in December 2010, after which the ship was refurbished and returned to Hong Kong service.

  Source

• 1994

  Conversion from Baltic cruiseferry to Asian cruise shipStrategy

  Background

  After acquiring the ship from the auction of bankrupt Rederi AB Slite, Star Cruises sought to use it in its expanding leisure-cruise business.

  Action taken

  The company renamed Kalypso as Star Pisces and converted it at Finnyards in Rauma for cruise and casino operations, initially deploying it from Singapore.

  Aftermath

  The conversion allowed the vessel to move from scheduled Baltic ferry service into the Asian short-cruise market, followed by later deployments from Hong Kong and Penang.

  Source

1. 1Star Piscesen.wikipedia.org