Fanstar Dream Opens the Era of Coastal Cruises with the Introduction of the Cruise Concept
Over 1.6 Million Passengers on the Busan-Osaka Cruise, More Than 200,000 on the One Night Cruise
Baton Passed to Korea's First Luxury Cruise Ferry, Fanstar Miracle
Fanstar Group has officially delivered the Fanstar Dreamho, the first-generation vessel of Korea's cruise industry, to a Japanese shipping company.
On the morning of July 10, Fanstar Group announced that it had delivered the Dreamho to Shosenyaima, a shipping company based in Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan. This comes about eight months after the sale contract was signed in November of last year. Representatives from Fanstar Line.com and Shosenyaima attended the delivery ceremony held in Osaka, Japan, on the same day.
Shosenyaima has sent staff to Busan to proceed with the takeover process. Once administrative procedures such as vessel registration, change of classification, and temporary navigation permits are completed, the Dreamho will be moved to Ishigaki. The Dreamho is scheduled to operate on a route connecting Ishigaki and Keelung, Taiwan.
With a gross tonnage of 21,688 tons, 115 cabins, and a passenger capacity of 545, the Dreamho was introduced by Fanstar Group in April 2002 on the Busan-Osaka route. It is a symbolic vessel that first introduced the concept of a cruise where the journey itself is the main experience in Korea. The ship gained popularity with its convenient facilities such as lounges, cafes, duty-free shops, saunas, and a performance hall that also served as a restaurant, as well as a variety of entertainment programs.
Since 2004, the ship has also operated a "One Night Cruise," a one-night, two-day course utilizing weekends, ushering in the era of coastal cruises. The "Korea Strait One Night Cruise," which allowed passengers to enjoy duty-free shopping while sailing near Tsushima, was held on the third weekend of each month and became very popular. According to Fanstar, approximately 1.6 million passengers traveled on the Busan-Osaka cruise using the Dreamho, and about 200,000 passengers experienced the One Night Cruise.
The Dreamho has passed the baton to the Fanstar Miracleho, Korea's first domestically built luxury cruise ferry. Launched on April 13, the Miracleho has a gross tonnage of 22,000 tons, measures 171 meters in length and 25.4 meters in width, and features 102 cabins with a maximum capacity of 355 passengers. It is equipped with five-star hotel-level interiors and amenities, including balcony cabins, an outdoor swimming pool, a grass garden, a sauna, a therapy room, a GX room, and a VIP lounge.
The Miracleho is scheduled to operate not only the existing Busan-Osaka cruise and the weekend One Night Cruise, but also a variety of non-regular routes, including international cruises linked to famous Japanese tourist destinations and cruises to islands along Korea's southern coast.
A Fanstar Group representative said, "The Dreamho laid the foundation for pioneering and developing Korea's cruise industry. Now, the Miracleho will usher in a new era of high-quality cruise travel and lead the popularization of cruises."
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