Disney’s Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is not quite like anything you’ve seen. An immersive experience that unfolds over two nights, it takes its passengers on a journey that puts them in the position to live inside the Star Wars universe. Aboard Chandrila Star Line’s luxurious ship, the Halcyon, guests interact with the crew, a whole cast of characters, to engage in special activities, missions, and/or events. Nerdist joined a small group of reporters to take a first look at the Halcyon. If you’d like to learn more about some of Galactic Starcruiser’s food and merch, you can do that here. Or if you want to read more about my hands-on experience aboard the Halcyon, here you go. But now, we’re going to look at some of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser’s characters.
Captain Riyola Keevan
Arguably the most key figure on the voyage, Captain Riyola Keevan, a Pantoran, leads the crew. Wendy Anderson, executive creative director for Disney Live Entertainment, told us Captain Keevan started her career on the Halcyon as the quartermaster. Anderson said, “As a quartermaster, she may have made some relationships and understood that some of the spaces on the ship could maybe be used to help the Resistance, perhaps. And you’ll find that out as a passenger. You may find that out at some point in the journey pretty quickly.”
From my interactions with Captain Keevan while participating in a playtest aboard the Halcyon, she possessed a commanding but not intimidating presence. She confidently directed the passengers in crews in intense moments while also emanating a firm kindness. I was ready to do whatever she said.
Cruise Director Lenka Mok and SK-62O
Anderson described Cruise Director Lenka Mok as Captain Keevan’s right hand person. Her associate is an astromech droid, SK-62O. Both work together to deliver the best possible cruise experience for the passengers.
“They [Mok and her droid] love the world of being a cruise director. They love this job of making sure that the passengers are having a great time,” Anderson said. “Lenka can tell you anywhere to get a great drink in the galaxy, or have a fabulous experience. She loves travel. But her faithful companion also is hiding some secrets that we discover really quickly. And in fact, he’s connected to this larger droid network that has a lot of information about the Resistance.”
Sammie the Mechanic
Aww, Sammie. He’s the Halcyon‘s new mechanic. But as Anderson told us, he’s not really a mechanic. From his place on Corellia, Sammie saw where the First Order was going. He learned that the Halcyon potentially served as a place that could take him to meet up with the Resistance. Anderson explained, “He’s more of a stowaway than a mechanic, but he has to behave as a mechanic, so he needs your help because he doesn’t necessarily know how to fix everything.”
Like Han Solo, Sammie is fluent in Shyriiwook. Which may come in handy.
I worked with Sammie throughout the playtest, and he gave me Cousin Greg vibes from Succession in the best way. Sammie’s trying his best, despite being thrown into a situation he was maybe not prepared for.
Lt. Harman Croy
First Order Lt. Harman Croy is not aboard the Halcyon to relax in the Sublight Lounge. Anderson told us about his purpose. “When Lieutenant Croy boards—he[‘s] noticed that everywhere the Halcyon ported there was a little pocket of the Resistance as well. So he has boarded the ship under the authority of the First Order with a couple of stormtroopers, and he’s going to get to the bottom of what is happening on this ship.”
I encountered Lt. Croy in my playtest, and he intimidated me. Did I still lie to his face about my true allegiance to the Resistance? Absolutely. But I felt nervous.
D3-O9
Last but not least, here’s D3-O9. She appears through the Halcyon‘s viewscreens as she works behind the scenes running ship logistics. Chandrila Star Line’s founder built D3-O9 centuries ago. It doesn’t seem like she’s had her memory wiped, so D3-O9 carries a ton of history.
Anderson reassured us this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser’s characters. She said, “There’s more than four, trust me. And there are more that we’ll reveal at later times.”
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser opens on March 1, 2022.
Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of A Kid’s Guide to Fandom, available now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
