The cruise line plans to start sailings in May 2015, and visit places such as Grenada, Barbados, Tortola and St Lucia. Cruises are currently priced from $395 as an early booking special.
The ship has laid dormant at the port of Tilbury, since her previous owners, Quail Travel Group filed for bankruptcy in 2011. The ship was then put up for sale by current owners, International Shipping Partners, but no interested buyers were found.
Recently, in July 2014, the Gemini has been chartered to Petrofac. The ship is being used to accommodate over 400 oil workers, based in the Shetland Isles.
When contacted by Cruise Capital, Joshua Schwartz, president of Sterling Cruise Lines, revealed:
"We are planning to begin our cruises out of Aruba in early May 2015. Aruba is awaiting our arrival eagerly and we have opened an operations office pier-side in Aruba with the help of our port agent.
Our early booking strategy will provide future guests with low deposits and some on-board credits. Less than four percent of the traveling Latin Market has ever taken a cruise - we are targeting a ripe, hungry market of future cruisers. Aruba VISA requirements for entry from Latin American countries does not exist, so rather than traveling to the USA where VISA's would be required, our guests will save hundreds of dollars by averting this expense."
Sterling aims to offer a more traditional and boutique approach to cruise operations. The cruise line's 'Sterling Service' will give guests an excellent standard of service, with personal touches, which are rarely found on today's modern cruise lines. Crew will be fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Joshua Schwartz, also added:
"Sterling will expand its business within three years by adding tonnage (more ships) to sail from other ports throughout the Caribbean targeting the Latin, and other markets. Sailing from the Caribbean gets our guests to the best destinations quickly."