Cruising into Singapore on an early Tuesday morning, the Royale Star (ex-Dimitry Shostakovich, ex-Paloma, ex-Paloma I) makes her way towards Singapore Cruise Centre. Built in 1980 for the famous Black Sea Shipping Company, the Royale Star was the 1st in a series of septuplets born in Poland under the constructive care of Stoczina Szczecinska. Originally built as passenger ferry, the Royale Star displays a boxy, utilitarian design that is functional and efficient.  

In the photograph below, the Royale Star glides past Tanjong Berlayar in the foreground on her way out to the Straits of Singapore. The Royale Star started her tour of duty in Singapore as a gambling ship in 2007. At 12,856 tons, she is the smallest of the Singapore Gambling Trio with Leisure World at 15,653 tons and Long Jie the largest at 18,455.

Having been part of the Black Sea Shipping Company for the better part of 16 years, if you look closely below, the old Hammer and Sickle can still be seen on the funnel. 

The Royale Star is a frequent visitor to Singapore making arrivals 3 times a week. Like her fellow gambling cohorts, she spends the better part of her days at anchor in the Singapore Straits where she can make money for her owners. No one who appreciates ships likes to see them go to the breakers. The year 2010 promises to be a very auspicious one in Singapore with the opening of 2 huge integrated resorts, the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World at Sentosa . Hopefully the ease of access to these land based mega-casinos will not spell the end for the Singapore Gambling Trio. With the recent conversion of her sister Lev Tolstoy into Easy Cruise Life, perhaps Royale Star will continue to have a bright future well after 2010.