Re-imagined Series
A liner within the Colonial fleet, the Rising Star saw the first birth of a Colonial since the Cylon Attack (33). Ellen Tigh was unconscious on it for three weeks following the Cylon attack before Adama, William located her (Secrets and Lies).
Original Series
A former luxury liner the Rising Star was used to ferry people to all of the Twelve Colonies, allied home worlds and outposts. The Rising Star survived the Cylon Attack because she was in transit between worlds when the attack began and is now one of the primary food/recreation vessels in the rag-tag fleet.