News

STAR Cruises is pressing ahead with a £207 million loan to buy a ship for Norwegian Cruise Line, despite the impact of SARS on its Asian business.

The flu-like virus has forced Star Cruises to relocate its two largest ships, SuperStar Leo and SuperStar Virgo, to Australia. But the cruiseline’s senior vice-president Gerard Lim has claimed SARS is just a ‘minor aberration’ for the industry.

The loan will pay for a new-build vessel for US-based NCL, with repayment over 12 years