Norwegian Cruise Line
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Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is a company operating cruise ships, headquartered in Miami, Florida. It began operations in 1966 under the name Norwegian Caribbean Line. The company is best known for its Freestyle Cruising concept, which means that there are no set times or seating arrangements for meals, nor is formal attire required. Norwegian Cruise Line has a daughter company, NCL America. NCL itself is jointly owned by Star Cruises.
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History
The company was founded as Norwegian Caribbean Line in 1966 by Knut Kloster and Ted Arison, with just one 830-ton car ferry offering low-cost Caribbean cruises. Arison soon left to form Carnival Cruise Lines, while Kloster acquired additional ships for Caribbean service. NCL pioneered many firsts in the cruise industry like: the first Out Island Cruise, the first combined air-sea program (marketed as "Cloud 9 Cruises") which combined low cost air fares with the cruise, first shipline to develop new ports in the Caribbean, like Ocho Rios in Jamaica. Like the original Sunward of 1966, NCL's second ship, the Starward had the capability to carry automobiles through a well concealed stern door. Later, this area was turned into cabins and a two deck movie theater, which is now a casino. NCL was responsible for many of the cruise innovations that have now become standard throughout the industry.
NCL made headlines with the acquisition of the France in 1979, rebuilding the liner as a cruise ship and renaming her Norway. The conversion cost more than $100 million USD. The Norway was at the time significantly larger than any existing cruise ship, and exploited the extra space available by adding a greater than usual variety of onboard entertainment. Her success paved the way for a new era of giant cruise ships. Sadly a boiler explosion in May 2003 forced NCL to withdraw the Norway from service and has since been scrapped.
NCL has expanded to other parts of the world, including Alaska, Europe, Bermuda, and Hawaii, (NCL America, Inc.). Between 1997 and 2001 the company also operated cruises out of Australia under the name Norwegian Capricorn Line.
Its subsidiary Orient Lines, founded in 1991 to run the Marco Polo, was acquired in 1998. NCL itself was acquired by the Star Cruises, subsidiary of Malaysia-based Genting Group, in 2000. In 2007 Star Cruises sold the Marco Polo to Transocean Tours, to be delivered in early 2008. Orient Lines will cease trading when the ship is delivered to its new owners.
In August 2007 Star Cruises took the market by surprise when it sold 50% of NCL for $1 billion to US-based Apollo Management (owners of Oceania Cruises) in order to strengthen NCL's financial position.
Current Ships
| Ship | Built | Refurb. | Registry | Tonnage | Pax (Basis 2) | Pax Decks | Crew | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwegian Dawn | 2002 | 2005 | Bahamas | 91,740 | 2,224 | 11 | 1,086 | Dawn Class |
| Norwegian Dream | 1992 | 2005 | Bahamas | 50,764 | 1,748 | 10 | 721 | Dream Class |
| Norwegian Gem | 2007 | - | Bahamas | 93,500 | 2,394 | 12 | 1,162 | Jewel Class |
| Norwegian Jade | 2006 | 2008 | Bahamas | 92,000 | 2,466 | 12 | - | Jewel Class |
| Norwegian Jewel | 2005 | - | Bahamas | 93,000 | 2,376 | 12 | 1,111 | Jewel Class |
| Norwegian Majesty | 1992 | 2004 | Bahamas | 40,876 | 1,462 | 9 | 660 | - |
| Norwegian Pearl | 2006 | - | Bahamas | 93,000 | 2,380 | 12 | 1,154 | Jewel Class |
| Norwegian Spirit | 1999 | 2004 | Bahamas | 75,338 | 1,996 | 10 | 882 | - |
| Norwegian Star | 2001 | 2006 | Bahamas | 91,740 | 2,240 | 11 | 1,084 | Dawn Class |
| Norwegian Sun | 2001 | 2004 | Bahamas | 78,309 | 1,936 | 10 | 935 | - |
| Pride of Aloha | 1999 | 2004 | USA | 77,104 | 2,002 | 10 | 920 | - |
| Pride of America | 2005 | - | USA | 81,000 | 2,138 | 11 | 921 | - |
Stored ships
- SS United States (Currently laid up at Pier 82 in Philadelphia)
Past Ships
- Sunward 1966-1976 (scrapped April 2004 at Chittagong)
- Starward 1968-1995 (now Orient Queen for Louis Cruise Lines, Cyprus) - sistership to Skyward
- Skyward 1969-1991 (now Leisure World for New Century Cruises, Singapore) - sistership to Starward
- Southward 1971-1994 (now Perla for Louis Cruise Lines, Cyprus)
- Sunward II 1977-1991 (now Coral for Louis Cruise Lines, Cyprus)
- Norway 1979-2003 (renamed Blue Lady beached August 15 2006 at Alang, India to be broken up.
- Seaward 1988-1997 / MS Norwegian Sea|Norwegian Sea 1997-2005 (now SuperStar Libra for Star Cruises)
- Westward 1990-1993 (now Black Watch for Fred. Olsen Cruises)
- Sunward (2) 1991-1993 (now Boudicca for Fred. Olsen Cruises)
- Windward 1993-1996 / Norwegian Wind 1996-2007 (now SuperStar Aquarius for Star Cruises)
- Leeward 1995-1999 (now Cristal for Louis Cruise Lines)
- Norwegian Crown 1996-2000, 2003-2007 (since 2008 Balmoral for Fred. Olsen Cruises)
- Norwegian Star 1996-2004 (now Albatros for Phoenix Reisen)
- Norwegian Dynasty 1997-1999 (now Braemar for Fred. Olsen Cruises)
- Independence 2003-2006 (never entered service for NCL. Currently laid up in Dubai as Oceanic)