NCL America is born - Cruise News

Cruise Travel, Sept-Oct, 2003

Norwegian Cruise Line just unveiled its new U.S.-flag brand, NCL America, under which all of its U.S.-flagged/U.S.-crewed ships will operate. In addition, the company has developed its largest Hawaii deployment ever, with two NCL America ships sailing inter-island cruises and two NCL ships sailing Hawaii/Fanning Island itineraries.

Though the itineraries and crews will be very different, the common theme across all four ships is NCL's trademark "Freestyle Cruising," the completely flexible resort-style cruise experience. This new deployment will take NCL's projected passenger-carry in Hawaii to almost 200,000 in 2004, a 40 percent increase over 2003.

NCL's first Project America ship, to be named Pride of America, will be the first new ocean-going passenger ship in nearly 50 years to sail under the American flag. She will begin service in Hawaii in July 2004, offering seven-night inter-island cruises roundtrip from Honolulu. The second NCL America ship, to be known as the Pride of Aloha, will be the former Norwegian Sky, the first NCL ship to offer "Freestyle Cruising" when she was introduced in 2000. The 2,000-passenger vessel will be re-flagged into the U.S. register, 100 percent U.S. crewed, and begin Hawaiian service in October 2004, offering three- and four-night inter-island cruises roundtrip from Honolulu.

For more information contact your travel agent or Norwegian Cruise Line (Cruise Travel Magazine), 7665 Corporate Center Dr., Miami, FL 33126; or log on to www.ncl.com