Blue Dream Star

Blue Dream Star as Explorer in Lerwick
History
Name
  • 2001–2004: Olympia Explorer
  • 2004–2015: Explorer
  • 2015–2016: Celestyal Odyssey
  • 2016–2020: Glory Sea
  • 2020–present: Blue Star Dream
Operator
  • 2004–2015: V.Ships
  • 2015–2016: Celestyal Cruises
  • 2016–2020: Diamond Cruises International
  • 2020–present: Blue Dream Cruises China
Port of registry
BuilderBlohm + Voss, Hamburg, Germany
Yard number962
Launched19 May 2000
Completed2001
Maiden voyage2001
In service2001
Identification
Statusin active service
General characteristics
TypeCruise ship
Tonnage24,318 GT
Length180 m (590 ft 7 in)
Beam25 m (82 ft 0 in) or 26 m (84 ft)
Draft7.3 m (24 ft)
Decks7 total, 6 passenger
Propulsion4 × Wärtsilä 9L46C, 45,360 bhp (33,820 kW) (11,340 bhp, 8,460 kW per engine)
Speed30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Capacity836 passengers

Blue Dream Star was a Liberia-registered passenger ship. The ship was built in Germany in 2001 by Blohm + Voss and originally named Olympia Explorer. The ship was later renamed Explorer when it began sailing for the Semester at Sea program in 2004 and remained with them until 2015.

In May 2015, the ship was renamed Celestyal Odyssey and began sailing for Celestyal Cruises, under the flag of Malta.

In September 2015 it was announced that Celestyal Cruises had terminated their three-year contract of owning Celestyal Odyssey. The ship left the fleet in late October 2015.

The ship was replaced with MS Gemini, renamed Celestyal Nefeli. In March 2016 it was reported that Celestyal Odyssey had been sold to be used as the first ship of Diamond Cruises International, a China-based cruise line, and due to enter service in April as Glory of the Seas. The ship entered service in July 2016, named Glory Sea, with cruises from several Chinese ports, with destinations in eastern Asia. In March 2019 the ship was arrested following claims for unpaid crew wages and sold at auction in 2020 to Blue Dream International Cruise.

When group travel restrictions in China were relaxed after the Covid-19 pandemic in August 2023, Blue Dream Cruises immediately began their cruise programme with Blue Dream Star, sailing from Shanghai.