Ms Norwegian Gem, at 93,530gt, is NCL's latest newbuilding, delivered by Meyer Werft in 2007. One 150,000gt F3 Freestyle Cruise ship is under construction. (Photographs: Norwegian Cruise Line)
Kevin Sheehan, NCL's President and CEO. (Photographs: Norwegian Cruise Line)
Hawaii and Pride of Aloha were renamed Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Sky respectively and transferred to the company's international operations. Most of NCL's fleet, 11 ships as of January this year, together with over 23,000 berths, are built for the company's Freestyle Cruising program. The two oldest vessels, Norwegian Dream and Norwegian Majesty, were to be sold to Louis Cruise Line in a two-ship deal, but the deal is apparently on hold. Norwegian Dream is already taken out of the NCL fleet. The freestyle cruising program provides guests the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea. During much of last year headlines were made through the dispute with STX Europe in France about the new third generation freestyle cruising project known as F3. Two 150,000gt 4,200 passenger vessels, each with a reported price of some $940m, were originally ordered from the yard in St. Nazaire, but due to disagreements on the first vessel on project costs, an agreement was reached in November to build only one of the vessels, for delivery in May 2010. The vessel is to be named
Norwegian Epic. This outcome cannot have turned out very profitable for the yard, at least (for now) losing the cost-benefits of serial production; a factor which was surely originally calculated into the price. For NCL the outcome should fit well in the current recession. The latest newbuildings received by the company was ms Pride of America, at 81,000 gt, delivered from Lloyd Werft in 2005, and a series of four 93,500 gt cruise ships; Norwegian Jewel, Pride of Hawaii (now Norwegian Jade), Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Gem, delivered between years 2005 to 2007 from Meyer Werft, each with a price tag of some Euro 390-395m. Earlier deliveries were Norwegian Spirit (former Superstar Leo) in year 1999, Norwegian Star in 2001 and Norwegian Dawn in 2002 from Meyer Werft, and Norwegian Sun in 2001 from Lloyd Werft. The vessels intended for Louis Cruise Line, Norwegian Majesty and Norwegian Dream, were built in Finland and France both in 1992. NCL arranges cruises, in all with over 60 itineraries to choose from, in the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, South America as well as Bermuda and Hawaii.
February 2009
www.marinelink.com
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