Star Legend (ship)

Star Legend
Star Legend in the Kiel Canal, 2022
History
Bahamas
Name
  • 1992-1995: Royal Viking Queen
  • 1995–1996: Queen Odyssey
  • 1996–2015: Seabourn Legend
  • 2015–present: Star Legend
Operator
Port of registry
BuilderSchichau-Seebeckwerft
Yard number1071
Laid down26 April 1990
LaunchedMay 1991
Completed1 February 1992
Commissioned29 February 1992 as Royal Viking Queen
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics
Tonnage12,995 GT
Length159.6 m (523 ft 7 in) (2019),[1] 134 m (439 ft 8 in) (as built)
Beam20.50 m (67.3 ft)
Draught5.415 m (17.77 ft)
Installed power7280 kW
Speed
  • 19.2 knots (35.6 km/h; 22.1 mph)
  • 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) (service)
Capacity312 passengers (2019),[1] 208 passengers (as built)
Crew164

Star Legend (formerly Royal Viking Queen, Queen Odyssey and Seabourn Legend) is a cruise ship constructed by Schichau-Seebeckwerft in Bremerhaven, Germany and operated by Windstar Cruises.

She is the identical sister ship of Star Pride and Star Breeze, all designed by Petter Yran and Bjørn Storbraaten.[2]

History

Star Legend as Royal Viking Queen in 1994 crossing under Tower Bridge in London

The construction of the ultra-luxury cruise yacht Royal Viking Queen began in 1990 by Schichau-Seebeckwerft in Bremerhaven, Germany. She was originally planned and ordered for Seabourn Cruise Line in 1990, but was delayed due to investors' financial constraints and was ultimately purchased by Royal Viking Line. She was the last ship to be built for Royal Viking Line and the smallest. She was launched in May 1991, and was completed in February 1992. She was put into service for Kloster Cruise. She operated her sea trials and her maiden voyage began on 11 February 1992 and was finished on 29 February 1992. The ship operated on various crossings for Royal Viking Line, a Kloster subsidiary.

Star Legend as Seabourn Legend in 2010

In 1995, the vessel's name was changed to Queen Odyssey after it was assigned to Royal Cruise Line, another Kloster subsidiary. It remained in operation for Royal Cruise Line until January 1996, when It was sold to Seabourn and joined her sister ships.

Seabourn Legend was featured in the 1997 film Speed 2: Cruise Control.

She departed the Seabourn fleet in April 2015, and entered service for Windstar Cruises in May 2015.[3]

In 2018, Windstar Cruises announced that Star Breeze, Star Pride and Star Legend would be lengthened by adding a new midship section at Fincantieri in Palermo.[4] Construction of the new section started on 6 September 2019[5] and works on the ship started in March 2020. The lengthening was originally scheduled to be finished in June 2020, but was delayed because of Asbestos found in the engine room of Star Breeze as well as the COVID-19 pandemic and completed in May 2021.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b "$250M Star Plus Initiative will upgrade our three power yachts".
  2. ^ Petter Yran and Bjørn Storbraaten
  3. ^ "Windstar Completes Purchase of Three Seabourn Ships". 19 February 2013.
  4. ^ "FINCANTIERI AWARDED A CONTRACT OF OVER 200 MILLION EUR BY WINDSTAR CRUISES". 15 November 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  5. ^ "Windstar cuts steel for second Star-class ship with Fincantieri, marking the beginning of Star Legend's journey to transformation". 6 September 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  6. ^ "Fincantieri: Star Legend delivered in Palermo". 26 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
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