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**Ally** · 06-14-2006, 09:32 AM

Star Cruises, the Leading Cruise Line in Asia-Pacific, is pleased to announce the arrival of SuperStar Libra in Valletta, Malta on 6 June 2006. The arrival is a landmark occasion for Star Cruises as this is the first time that a ship from its Asian fleet is deployed to Europe offering scheduled cruise itineraries during the summer in the Eastern Mediterranean. Star Cruises is also the first major cruise line to base a ship in Malta, the heart of the Mediterranean.

Star Cruises has been registering growth and increasing popularity since its pioneering efforts to introduce cruising in Asia with the setting up of cruise hubs in Singapore and Hong Kong and expanding to include Mumbai, India where SuperStar Libra completed her maiden season in May 2006.

The arrival of SuperStar Libra heralds the beginning of a new era in cruising for Asia's pioneering cruise line as it embarks on an expansion of the company's brand in new international markets.

"Located in the heart of the Mediterranean, Malta presents an ideal and strategic hub for our cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean. It allows us to plan interesting and diverse 7-night itineraries along the west and east coasts of Italy, the Aegean sea and islands of Greece, Croatia and further east and southwards to exotic Istanbul and Alexandria", said Mr. Chong Chee Tut, Star Cruises' Chief Operating Officer at the welcoming ceremony.

The 42,000-gross tonne vessel with a passenger capacity of 1,900 berthed at the recently opened Passenger Cruise Terminal at the Grand Harbour of Valletta, on the morning of 6 June 2006. She arrived after a 15-day relocation cruise from Mumbai, India which included calls at Dubai and Bahrain where the ship was showcased to more than 600 members of the media, travel trade, corporate representatives and officials from the Middle East region.