Zambie: Does the look of the ship effect it's stats?

Cryptic: Not within each tier, no. For instance, if you're flying a Heavy Escort – the Commander-level Escort – the stats on each configuration within the Heavy Escort classification remain the same. You have three different hulls to choose from: the Akira, the Zephyr and the Norway. They're different cosmetically, and you can do even more to change the way the look using our Total Customization technology, but they are functionally the same.

Siphaed: With the Klingon Empire now consisting of the Orions, Gorn, and Nosskin as well as the Klingons, there seems to be only Klingon ships available to players. After launch will we see added content that makes ships of these races available to players?

We're definitely planning to add more and more ships to the game as we move on. It's the nice part about designing an MMO – it's never really finished. This means we can add all kinds of new ships and skills to the game, depending on what players ask for.

Thunder_Child: It's been recently reported that Klingons will have the Bird of Prey, Raptors, Battle Cruisers and a Carrier. What are the major differences in how these ships handle?

The Bird-of-Prey is a fast-attack ship that is equipped with a battle cloak, slipping on and off sensor readings while within combat to deliver bursts of damage. Raptors are highly versatile due to their flexible bridge officer seating configuration. Battle Cruisers are sturdy and powerful, yet not very maneuverable. Carriers rely on their nimble fighter squadrons to cover their own lack of agility.

UltimateQ, -Drexel-: Will we be able to explore the interior of our ships alone or with other players (IE Captain's Quarters, "Earl Grey, hot!") in any detail?

Ship interiors are definitely something we're working on, but likely won't make it into the game by launch. We definitely want people to be able to meet with their friends on their bridges in the future, though. We realize it's a very important part of the social experience we can offer in Star Trek Online.

(Editor's note: As of this feature, Cryptic has revealed ship bridges will in fact be accessible. We hope captain's quarters are next on the list!)

Kassie2k4: I would like to know if the Intrepid class will be available, not the new replacement for it, but the original Intrepid class from Voyager. Also, will the Delta Flyer be available? Or other shuttles/small ships?

The Intrepid will be there, with bells on. If you check our Ships of the Line page on our website, you'll be able to see all the ships available to you in game. As of this answer, only the Federation side is filled out, but we'll be filling people in on the Klingon side of things soon.

Corky, -Drexel-: Will we be able to keep lower level ships and will flying smaller/lower level ships have an advantage or will bigger always be better?

Any ship you acquire is yours for the rest of your career. And while more advanced ships are generally better than the ones you fly early on, our power curve isn't as extreme as it is in other MMOs. Your skills and strategy have a much greater effect on your ship's performance than their base stats, especially at endgame. For instance, Admiral-level ships tend to offer more bells and whistles (think optional upgrades in a new car), but don't increase a ship's performance that greatly. They just give you more to work with.