SuperStar Gemini (2012)

The Dreamward was the first in a pair of two identical cruise ships ordered by Kloster Cruise for Norwegian Cruise Line from Chantiers de l'Atlantique. The sisters were planned with a gross tonnage of approximately 40,000, and maximum passenger capacity of 1246 persons.[1][7] However, they were also designed from the start with the concept of lengthening in mind, making it possible for the company to easily expand their capacity without having to order entirely new ships.[11]

Norwegian Dream departing Galveston Bay.

The lengthening was eventually carried out in March—May 1998 at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany, where the ship was cut in half and a new 40-metre (131 ft 3 in) midsection was inserted.[12] In addition to the lengthening, the ship's funnel and radar mast were adapted so that they could be folded down, allowing her to pass under the bridges of the Kiel Canal.[1][5][13] Coinciding with the lengthening the Dreamward was renamed Norwegian Dream.[1] She re-emerged at 50,764 GT[8] and with maximum passenger capacity of 2,156.[5] A documentary film about the lengthening has been broadcast by ARTE Television on 19 January 1999[14]

The Dreamward was delivered on 4 November 1992. She was named on 5 December 1992 at Port Everglades and started on her first cruise to Bermuda the following day.[1] Subsequently, the ship was used for cruising from New York to the Bahamas and from Florida to the Caribbean.[7] Her sister was a year later named as Windward.[15] Originally both the Dreamward and Windward carried the early-90s Norwegian Cruise Line livery with a white funnel and red and blue decorative stripes on the hull.[7][16] Some time before 1998 they received the new NCL livery with a dark blue funnel and an all-white hull.[13]

Afterward, she also used for cruising around Europe.[13] On 24 August 1999, the Norwegian Dream was involved in a collision with the container ship Ever Decent while en route from Zeebrügge, Belgium to Dover, England. Following the accident, the Norwegian Dream was repaired at Lloyd Werft.[1]

In 2004 the ownership of the Norwegian Dream was transferred to NCL's parent company Star Cruises, in preparation for possible sale or transfer to the Star Cruises fleet.[2] On 10 December 2007, the Norwegian Dream was involved in a further collision with a barge while leaving the port of Montevideo, Uruguay. The collision caused some damage above the waterline that did not appear to be serious. The collision caused several cars and five containers to fall off the barge, which closed the port for some time.[17]

On 23 April 2008 Star Cruises entered an agreement to sell the Norwegian Dream, as well as her fleetmate Norwegian Majesty, to the Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines, which was reportedly willing to pay $218 million for the ship.[3][18] International Shipping Partners was also interested in the Norwegian Dream.[19] Louis was supposed to pay the entire $218 million upon the ship's delivery,[18] but by 29 September 2008, when the ship should have been delivered to Louis, they canceled the deal due to "technical issues relating to the vessel."[20] The deal for the Norwegian Majesty, however, was completed in July.[18] In November 2008, the Norwegian Dream was laid up in Freeport, Bahamas awaiting a buyer.. The ship had a brief spell in the port of Piraeus, before relocating to Kalamata on 13 June 2011 for inspection by Louis Cruise Lines and Pullmantur Cruises. Shortly thereafter, she returned to the anchor point off Piraeus. Later, on the move yet again, Norwegian Dream was sighted at anchor in Singapore Harbour in June 2011. Star Cruises confirmed that the vessel was in Singapore for a technical dry-dock. She was also seen anchored in the harbor in Penang, Malaysia, in May 2012.

On 10 September 2012, Star cruises announced that it would refurbish "Norwegian Dream", and rename it to SuperStar Gemini.[9][21] The refurbished SuperStar Gemini now houses new onboard facilities including restaurants of Chinese, Asian and international cuisines, open-deck barbecue, show lounge, karaoke, spa & health club, beauty salon, children's playroom and swimming pool. With a passenger capacity of 1,532, the vessel will house 766 guest cabins in a variety of layouts including ergonomic ocean view rooms, stylish junior suites and deluxe executive suites.[22] The estimated cost of this refurbishment was US$50 million.