The ship is 156.6m (513.8feet) long, with a beam of 23.8m (78.1feet) and a draught of 6.7m (22feet). She is powered by two Burmeister & Wain 6DPH45 diesel engines, rated at a total of 8700kW. They propel the ship at 18kn.[1]
The ship was built in 1993 as yard number 668 by Sudostroitelnyy Zavod Severnaya Verf, Saint Petersburg, Russia. The IMO Number 9087116 was allocated. She was laid up after launch and was sold in 1999. She was completed in 2000 by Palumba SpA, Naples, Italy for MCL SrL, Naples. Her port of registry was Naples. She entered service in March 2000 on the Savona–Catania route. In September, she was chartered by Grimaldi Ferries and entered service on the Salerno–Palermo–Valencia route.[1]
In December 2003, Regal Star was sold to Hansatee Shipping, Tallinn, Estonia. She was transferred to the Estonian flag and placed under the management of Tallink Group. On 13 March 2003, the ship started operating on the Paldiski–Kapellskär route. In March 2006, she was transferred to the Tallinn–Helsinki route. She collided with the quayside at Helsinki and damaged her stern. Following repairs, she returned to service in January 2007 on the Paldiski–Kapellskär route.[1] From June 2010, Regal Star operated on the Turku–Stockholm route.[2] She returned to the Paldiski–Kapellskär route on 1 September 2010.
In November 2017 MS Regal Star had an additional section added which raised her tonnage to and increased her passenger capacity.