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Norwegian Spirit Renovation

November 20, 2008 by Paula ·

Norwegian Cruise Line today announced that Norwegian Spirit is undergoing a multi-million dollar refurbishment focused on enhancing the total guest experience. The 2,376 passenger Freestyle Cruising ship is receiving a total renovation to its public areas, staterooms and suites. These refurbishments are in addition to the enhancements already made as part of Freestyle 2.0, the company’s fleet-wide initiative to further improve the guest experience across all guest touch points from food and beverage to staterooms.

“Norwegian Spirit’s multi-million dollar renovation will enrich the overall guest experience by making significant enhancements to the ship overall,” said Andy Stuart, NCL’s executive vice president and chief product officer. “With the combination of our recent Freestyle 2.0 enhancements and all of the refurbishments being made, Norwegian Spirit will emerge refreshed and revitalized for her winter season sailing seven-day Exotic Western Caribbean cruises from New Orleans.”

Norwegian Spirit’s total refurbishment includes:

  • 11 new staterooms are being added, eight of which are balconies;
  • one diesel engine is being replaced;
  • the Stardust Theater, with a capacity of approximately 700, is receiving all new seating and chairs;
  • seating throughout the ship is being reupholstered;
  • more than 21,000 sq meters of carpet is being replaced in public areas, stairwells, suites and staterooms;
  • new wallpaper is being installed in suites, corridors and public areas;
  • new curtains are being added to all suites;
  • tile in 300 bathrooms throughout the ship is being replaced;
  • all open decks including the main pool, kid’s pool and four hot tubs are undergoing refurbishment;
  • the Roman Spa & Fitness Center is being upgraded with new doors, panels and seats;
  • more than 60 windows are being replaced;
  • the onboard phone system is being upgraded to a state of the art wireless system.

Following the completion of the refurbishment, Norwegian Spirit will re-enter service on November 23, 2008 and begin a series of 21 seven-day Exotic Western Caribbean cruises from New Orleans, her homeport for the winter season, with calls in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Santo Tomas De Castilla, Guatemala; and Belize City, Belize.

Norwegian Spirit offers Freestyle Cruising with the flexibility of 11 restaurants, seven bars and lounges, multiple entertainment venues, two pools, extensive children’s facilities, a sports deck, casino, spa, and a variety of spacious public rooms. The ship joined the NCL fleet in 2004 and underwent a previous dry dock in 2005.

For more information or to book a sailing on Norwegian Spirit, call your travel professional, go to www.ncl.com or contact NCL at 866-234-0292.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is the innovator in cruise travel with a 42-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising, most notably with the introduction of Freestyle Cruising which has revolutionized the industry by allowing guests more freedom and flexibility.

Today, NCL has the youngest fleet in the industry with 12 purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea.

NCL is presently building a new third generation Freestyle Cruising project known as F3, for delivery in 2010.

High resolution, downloadable images are available at www.ncl.com/pressroom. For further information on NCL, visit www.ncl.com or contact NCL in the U.S. and Canada at (866) 234-0292.

Official Press Release Norwegian Cruise Line dated 4th November 2008.

Most Improved Cruise Line

September 29, 2008 by Paula ·

Norwegian Cruise Line (”NCL”) was voted “most improved cruise line” by CruiseOne, a leading U.S. franchise operation of more than 550 independent cruise-only travel professionals, and Cruises Inc., the nation’s original host agency network with nearly 500 independent contractors, at the agency’s 15th annual 2008 national conference which took place at sea on September 14-22, 2008.

“For more than 15 years CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. (CTC) has been a preferred partner with NCL. In 2008, we have seen significant enhancements with Partnership 2.0 - so much so that our more than 1,000 cruise agents voted NCL “Most Improved Cruise Line” for 2008,” said Dwain Wall, CTC senior vice president, general manager, CruiseOne & Cruises Inc. “The voting, done in August, was one of the highest participations we’ve seen and NCL was definitely number one in this important category. On behalf of all CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. agents, we thank NCL for their commitment to travel agents. It is clear that Partnership 2.0 has been a great success for both of us.”

“Earlier this year, NCL set out to strengthen its relationships with its travel partners through Partnership 2.0, so it is gratifying to see that those initiatives have resonated with them,” said Kevin Sheehan, NCL’s president. “We want our travel partners to know that we are continuously listening to their feedback in order to better improve the way we do business together.”

Partnership 2.0 initiatives launched to-date include: earlier processing of group commissions, a seven-day a week resolution desk, simplified and consistent pricing quotes, improved credit card policies, electronic payment processing, enhanced confirmations and a premium flight-assistance desk.

NCL Corporation Ltd. is the holding company for various subsidiary companies involved in owning and operating the ships of Norwegian Cruise Line.

NCL is building a new third generation Freestyle Cruising project known as F3, for delivery in 2010. NCL today has the youngest fleet in the industry, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy the flexibility of Freestyle Cruising on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea, and has recently added its latest new ship, the 2,400 passenger Norwegian Gem.

Official Press Release Norwegian Cruise Line dated 25th September 2008.

New Tropical Storm Update

September 7, 2008 by Paula ·

Norwegian Cruise Line have been closely monitoring the paths of Hurricane Ike and Tropical Storm Hanna to ensure the the safety and security of all guests and crew.

Norwegian Sky that departed Miami today will cancel its scheduled stop at Great Stirrup Cay. Further modifications may have to be made to the itinarary for tomorrow dependant on the paths of the storms.

Tropical Storm Update

September 5, 2008 by Paula ·

The paths of Hurricane Ike and Tropical Storm Hanna are being closely monitored by Norwegian Cruise Line to ensure the safety and security of all of their passengers and crew members.

At present all ship itineraries remain unchanged, however modifications may have to me made dependant on the path of the storms.

Norwegian Sky’s intinerary for Monday 8th September 2008 may have to change.

NCL Tropical Storm Update

September 1, 2008 by Paula ·

Tropical Storm Hanna is being closely monitored by Norwegian Cruise Line to ensure the safety and security of their guests and crew onboard cruise ships Norwegian Spirit and Norwegian Sky.

The expected path of the storm has caused NCL to alter their itineraries.

Norwegian Spirit’s six-day Bahamas and Florida sailing that was due to depart from New York on 31st August 2008 will now call on the island of Bermuda.

Norwegian Sky’s four-day Bahamas sailing due to depart Miami on 1st September 2008 will sail a Western Caribbean itinerary calling at Cozumel, Mexico and Key West.

NCL Leader in Social Responsibility

August 20, 2008 by Paula ·

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has been named a finalist in Condé Nast Traveler magazine’s 2008 World Savers Awards. The awards honor 38 travel companies from around the world for their leadership in social responsibility in five key areas: poverty alleviation, cultural and/or environmental preservation, education, wildlife conservation and health.

The 2008 World Savers Awards are featured in the September issue of Condé Nast Traveler, which hit newsstands on Tuesday, August 19. The World Savers Awards finalists will be recognized during an award ceremony on September 23, 2008, at the 2nd Annual Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Congress in New York City.

“Sustaining maritime ecosystems is among NCL’s highest priorities,” said Colin Veitch, NCL’s CEO. “The protection of the oceans on which NCL makes its living is of paramount importance to the company and so it is with great pride that we accept this recognition from Condé Nast Traveler for our efforts.”

Last year, the company recycled 96 tons of cardboard, 206 tons of wood pallets, 275 cubic meters of cooking oil, 364 tons of plastics, 909 tons of scrap metal, and 1,813 tons of glass. This recycling effort avoided manufacturing from virgin materials, which further conserved precious natural resources. NCL also managed 253 tons of trash and food waste at a Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facility which generated enough electricity to fulfill the monthly needs of more than 575 homes.

In 2007 alone, the recycling program saved 2,200 mature trees, 2,300 gallons of gas and 672,000 gallons of water. This translates to enough saved timber resources to produce more than 27.28 million sheets of newspaper; enough gasoline to drive more than 64,500 miles; and enough fresh water to meet the daily fresh water needs of more than 8,960 people.

NCL began recycling used cooking oil from its ships at the Port of Miami in early 2007. More than 15,000 gallons of used cooking oil have been offloaded and donated to an organic farmer in Vero Beach, Fla., who converted the oil to 870 gallons of usable bio-diesel for his farming equipment.

NCL pioneered the recycling of used lube oil, and routinely recycles plastics, aluminum, steel, batteries, oil sludge, and a wide variety of consumer products. NCL ships recycle whenever and wherever it is feasible.

The company has invested heavily, not just on new environmental protection technology, but also on a shore-side environmental department and has placed trained environmental officers on board every NCL ship. The company has also undertaken environmental training for all of its crew members, who make it a priority to separate recyclable materials from regular waste on board.

Each of NCL’s ships has state-of-the-art solid and liquid waste processing equipment on-board. The Advanced Wastewater Treatment System has been described as better than most land-based systems and the effluent from the system meets even the most stringent discharge standards of the U.S. Coast Guard and the State of Alaska.

NCL tries to instill positive environmental habits amongst its young cruisers. Children who participate in Kid’s Crew can learn about the importance of clean water, and the effects and prevention of marine pollution through Officer Snook’s Water Pollution Program. Elements of the program are incorporated into the NCL Kid’s Crew and include activities for kids of all ages. For kids ages 2-5, there are story-telling, coloring books and games. For pre-teens, there are crafts, a simulated “Beach Clean Up” activity, a “Catch or Release” game identifying endangered species, and an environmental poster contest. The program’s teen component allows high school students to earn between one and five community service hours depending on their level of involvement in the program. These hours may be used at the teen’s school as part of their community service allotment.

In 2008, Norwegian Pearl received the Port of San Francisco’s Cruise Ship Environmental Award and in 2007, Norwegian Sun was honored with the same award. The Port’s program recognizes annually those cruise ships whose on-board environmental systems help decrease air and water pollution.

World Savers Awards Methodology: To determine the award finalists and winners, Condé Nast Traveler editors reviewed 142 applications and narrowed them to 38 finalists. An independent panel of 17 judges, comprised of leaders from the travel industry and non-governmental organizations, rated how applicants exercised social responsibility in five key areas: poverty alleviation, cultural and/or environmental preservation, education, wildlife conservation and health. There were seven categories of travel companies: airlines, cruise lines, hotel chains, individual city hotels, large resorts, small resorts, and tour operators.

NCL Corporation Ltd. is the holding company for various subsidiary companies involved in owning and operating the ships of Norwegian Cruise Line. NCL is building two new Third Generation Freestyle Cruising (”F3″) ships for delivery in 2010. NCL today has the youngest fleet in the industry, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy the flexibility of Freestyle Cruising on the newest, most contemporary ships in the market, and has recently added its latest new ship, the 2,400 passenger Norwegian Gem.

For high resolution, downloadable images, please log onto NCL’s Web site at www.ncl.com/pressroom. For further information on NCL Corporation, contact NCL in the U.S. and Canada at (866) 234-0292.

Official Press Release Norwegian Cruise Line dated 20th August 2008.

Norwegian Sky May Face Storm

August 17, 2008 by Paula ·

Norwegian Cruise Line is closely monitoring the path of Tropical Storm Fay as the safety and security of our guests and crew is of the utmost importance.

At this time, we are not altering any of our ships’ itineraries. However, the weather conditions may necessitate that Norwegian Sky leave Miami earlier than scheduled tomorrow, August 18, 2008. Therefore, we are requesting that all guests scheduled to board Norwegian Sky tomorrow, Monday, August 18, 2008, arrive at the Port of Miami and be in the boarding process between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

NCL will continue to closely monitor the weather conditions and will update this information by tomorrow at 10:30 am EST. We thank our guests for their cooperation and understanding.

Official Press Release Norwegian Cruise Line dated 17th August 2008.

Norwegian Cruise Line Returns to Miami

July 7, 2008 by Paula ·

Today, Norwegian Sky returns to Miami and will begin sailing three and four-day Bahamas cruises next Monday, July 14, 2008. The ship recently underwent a two-month wet dock in Freeport, Bahamas and now features a casino and NCL’s Freestyle 2.0 enhancements*, the company’s fleet-wide initiative to further improve the guest experience across all guest touch points from food and beverage to staterooms.

“Norwegian Sky offers guests the youngest and highest quality ship sailing three and four-day cruises from Miami to the Bahamas,” said Colin Veitch, NCL’s president and CEO. “On Norwegian Sky, guests will find all that Freestyle Cruising has to offer: a variety of accommodations, including balconies and suites, a choice of seven restaurants, a multitude of on-board amenities and our new Freestyle 2.0 enhancements, such as a bubbly welcome, Lobster Galore, new linens and bedding, themed parties and much more.”

Norwegian Sky’s first Bahamas cruise departs Miami next Monday and the ship is set to sail four-day Bahamas cruises on Mondays with full-day stops in Grand Bahama Island, Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas. On Fridays, the ship sails a weekend getaway three-day Bahamas itinerary, departing Miami at 5 p.m. with all-day stops in Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay, returning to Miami at 7 a.m. on Monday mornings. Fares are from $219 per person for an inside stateroom and from $329 per person for a balcony stateroom. Sailings are currently scheduled through April 17, 2009.

Official Press Release Norwegian Cruise Line dated 7th July 2008.

Norwegian Cruise Line Reveals Hottest Nightlife

June 17, 2008 by Paula ·

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has revealed its vision for the future of nighttime experiences at sea designed specifically for its two next generation of Freestyle Cruising ships, F3, set to debut in 2010. From Riviera chic and Ibiza style to Miami trendy and Vegas flair, the nightclubs on NCL’s new F3 ships will create never-before-seen experiences at sea and feature multiple uses for day or night, along with exclusive, adult-only venues.

Five of the ships’ distinct hotspots were revealed at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas at the hotel’s private Venus Pool to press, NCL’s Partnership 2.0 Advisory Board, local travel partners and consumers flown in for the event. The five venues include the industry’s first true Ice Bar; POSH Beach Club, a first of its kind beach club at sea that offers an exclusive, adults-only setting at the top of the ship; Halo, the Ü ber Bar, a private bar and lounge in the ship-within-a-ship villa complex; Bliss Ultra Lounge, NCL’s all-day entertainment and nightclub complex with four-lane bowling alley; and Spice H20, an adults-only aft pool deck experience. With these signature outlets, NCL’s nightclub experience will rival even Vegas’ energy and passion for nightlife.

“There is nothing ordinary about these ships. The F3’s are unconventionally extraordinary,” said Colin Veitch, NCL’s president and CEO. “Every experience on board will be unique and like no other. F3 won’t have massive void spaces and rooms only used for one thing. What’s particularly unique about these spaces is they will have multiple uses - sunning, bowling, dining and, of course, party playgrounds. But this is just the beginning. We have a lot more to reveal in the upcoming months so stay tuned.”

Official Press Release Norwegian Cruise Line dated 17th June 2008.

Norwegian Cruise Line Adjusts Fuel Supplement

June 5, 2008 by Paula ·

As oil prices have continued to rise since NCL’s earlier announcement of a fuel supplement, the company announced today an increase to its current fuel supplement. The new fuel supplement will be $11 per person per day for the first and second guests in a stateroom and $5 per person per day for any additional guests in the same stateroom, based on the guidelines below.

Individual reservations
The increased fuel supplement applies only to new individual reservations made on or after June 20, 2008.

Group reservations
The increased fuel supplement applies to any group reservation booked on or after June 20, 2008. The increased fuel supplement will also apply to group space held prior to June 20, 2008 without specific names and full confirming deposit by June 19, 2008.

NCL Corporation Ltd. is the holding company for various subsidiary companies involved in owning and operating the ships of Norwegian Cruise Line. NCL is building two new Third Generation Freestyle Cruising (”F3″) ships for delivery in 2010.

Official Press Release Norwegian Cruise Line dated 5th June 2008.

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