Norwegian Spirit is a cruise ship currently operated by Norwegian Cruise Line. She was built for Star Cruises as SuperStar Leo.

History

The vessel was constructed by Meyer Werft in Germany. Named SuperStar Leo in 1998, the vessel was the first of Star Cruises' Leo-class. She was then homeported in Singapore in 1998 and operated 2-5 Night Cruises to Malaysia and Thailand. One year later, SuperStar Virgo arrived in Singapore. She was then based in Hong Kong in 10 September 1999 and offered 1-5 night cruises to China, Hainan, Vietnam and the South China Sea.

In 2003, SuperStar Leo was transferred to Australia due to SARS in Asia and she returned to Hong Kong afterwards.

In 2004, Norwegian Cruise Line was planning to launch Pride of America. However, just prior to completion, the vessel partially sank when a storm hit the Lloyd Werft shipyards. To meet the already booked cruises for Pride of America, the Norwegian Sky was immediately rushed into service as Pride of Aloha. To compensate for the unexpected events, SuperStar Leo was immediately transferred to the NCL fleet, her planned cruises cancelled (thus forcing Star Cruises to refund or rebook passengers), and after only two weeks of refits, the vessel emerged as the Norwegian Spirit, ready to assume the planned cruises of Norwegian Sky.

Vessel class

Norwegian Spirit is the first ship of this design. She was followed by SuperStar Virgo, her twin sister ship which is with Star Cruises. No other ships of this particular design were constructed. She was designed for an Asian clientele, so curiously the ship is generally on a shorter scale in height than most cruise ships. This also means shorter deck chairs for lounging, hand rails in the corridors and so on.

Propulsion

Four 14-cylinder MAN B&W 14V48 medium speed diesel engines, each producing 14,700 kilowatts (19,700 hp), driving ABB electric propulsion motors coupled to twin propellers.

Cruises

Norwegian Spirit currently offers two different itineraries, based year-round in Europe; 12-night Grand Mediterranean cruises in the summer and autumn, and nine-night cruises to the Canary Islands in the winter and spring. She was designed for an Asian clientele, so curiously the ship is generally on a shorter scale in height than most cruise ships. This also means shorter deck chairs for lounging, hand rails in the corridors and so on.

Norwegian Spirit will be deployed seasonally to China beginning in summer 2020. Before this, the ship will undergo an extensive renovation.

Media

In the 2003, Japanese TV drama "Netsuretsu teki chuuka hanten" take place on SuperStar Leo.

In the 2012, movie 21 Jump Street (film) the Norwegian Spirit can be seen while they pass the bridge in the hijacked pink Volkswagen New Beetle.