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About Norwegian Cruise Line
By www.cruisecritic.com
Owned by Star Cruises of Malaysia since March 2000, Miami-based (NCL) is notable for revolutionizing the cruise experience by introducing "Freestyle Cruising," which translates to dine-as-you-like options by way of a variety of restaurants and your choice of casual or formal attire. NCL has also carved itself a niche in the homeland cruising specialty, featuring a number of continental U.S. homeports. As such, NCL offers the only year-round service out of New York on its Norwegian Dawn and Norwegian Spirit --- and, in October 2006, was the first cruise line to homeport in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina.
With its newest ships, NCL is testing a number of land-based amenities, like luxury villas, martini and champagne bars, interconnecting cabins and an electronic restaurant reservation system. Another distinction is NCL's revolutionary (for mass-market cruising) disembarkation policy, so relaxed that it is more resort-like than cruise-like. In addition, it is the only cruise line to offer year-round Hawaiian itineraries. Beyond that, NCL's earned quite a distinctive coup with its NCL America program. With U.S.-flagged ships, the company is the only cruise line in the industry to offer year-round seven-day inter-island Hawaii cruises with roundtrip itineraries from Honolulu.
Starting with one ship in 1966, NCL was first established by Oslo-based Klosters Rederi A/S, one of Norway's oldest and most respected shipping firms. Its first ship (M/S Sunward) repositioned from Europe to the then-obscure Port of Miami for Caribbean cruising. Adding four more vessels by 1971 and the former S/S France (renamed the Norway) in 1979, NCL was on its way to becoming an industry leader and one of the largest cruise companies in the world. NCL acquired Orient Lines in 1998. Its one ship, Marco Polo, underwent a million dollar refurbishment of public rooms, restaurants, pool deck and fitness center in November, 2005. The ship offers destination-oriented cruising to exotic ports of call.
NCL operates under three brands: (NCL), NCL America and Orient Lines.
The Fleet
NCL operates under three brands: Norwegian Cruise Line, NCL America and Orient Lines. The nine current ships (plus three in NCL America) range from ultra-contemporary to older and refurbished. Cumulatively, in 2005, the ships sail to some 200 ports around the world. NCL ships can be divided into the following categories:
Older -- Expanded and/or Refurbished -- Vessels. Numerous ships in NCL's fleet have been expanded via the stretching of their mid-sections. These include Norwegian Dream (launched in 1992), Norwegian Majesty (1992) and Norwegian Wind (1998). Norwegian Crown (1998) hasn't been stretched, but has recently received extensive refurbishments.
Regardless of the improvements, NCL has announced that it will cull these ships from the fleet by 2010, to be replaced by designed-for-Freestyle vessels. According to President and CEO Colin Veitch, NCL's mission is "to offer the youngest fleet in the industry by 2010."
"Freestyle"-Designed Ships. Norwegian Sky (now Pride of Aloha), built in 1999, was the first ship in the fleet to incorporate "Freestyle Cruising" -- though Norwegian Sun, launched in 2001, was actually the first vessel to be designed with the concept in mind (the big difference is that the latter has two more restaurants than the former). The procession continued with relative sister ships Norwegian Star, which debuted in 2001, and Norwegian Dawn, which premiered in 2002.
NCL has nabbed an additional "Freestyle"-designed ship; parent company Star Cruises has traded in its SuperStar Leo in exchange for Norwegian Sea (which left NCL's fleet in fall 2005). Leo, renamed Norwegian Spirit, moved to New York in December 2005. Norwegian Jewel made its debut in August, 2005, introducing upscale courtyard villas and the "bar central" concept.
NCL's newest ship, Norwegian Pearl, was added to the fleet in December 2006. The vessel sports a bowling alley, part of a sports bar and nightclub concept, and a rock-climbing wall.
NCL America. This spin-off subsidiary offers inter-island Hawaii sailings on the company's trio of American-flagged vessels, Pride of America, Pride of Aloha and the new Pride of Hawaii (launched April 2006), sister ship to the Norwegian Jewel. All three ships have been designed specifically for "Freestyle Cruising" and have all-American crews. However, in early 2007, NCL announced that because of increased competition in the Hawaii market, continuing staffing problems and large losses related to its NCL America product, the company would move Pride of Hawaii into the NCL fleet (the ship will be renamed Norwegian Jade and deployed to Europe in spring 2008).
As of February, 2008, NCL America will continue with Pride of America operating the seven-day roundtrip cruises from Honolulu, and Pride of Aloha operating 10- and 11-day cruises, which include longer stayovers on some islands and trips to Fanning Island in the Republic of Kirabati.
In expansion news, NCL is adding another new-build to its fleet: Norwegian Gem is slated for delivery in October 2007. The ship is being built at Germany's Meyer Werft shipyard and is inspired, by and large, by the design of Norwegian Jewel.
For a cruise line that's consistently making news, there is an even bigger development on the horizon for NCL. The line has announced that it will build 150,000-ton, 4,200-passenger twins -- as yet unnamed -- to be delivered in 2009 and 2010. The ships will be expanded versions of Norwegian Jewel.
Onboard
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a hybrid cruising experience, mixing traditional with innovative features, amenities and ambience. Decor is a mix of glitz and traditional. Service can be inconsistent. The dress code is flexible and casual, (not quite
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as elegant as country club casual). It's not unusual to see T-shirt clad passengers dining among the tuxedoed.
All the ships have multiple restaurants, bars and lounges. NCL is serious about entertainment and offers exuberant musical productions, live bands, lounge singers, piano bars and D.J.'s in the discos. The casinos are a good size and offer the expected games. The requisite libraries, game rooms, shuffleboard, Ping-Pong, art auctions, perfume seminars, gaming lessons and port talks are available every day. Steiner-run Mandara Spas offer luxe treatments at luxe prices, with recent additions of teeth whitening and acupuncture sessions. All have fitness centers.
Well-trained counselors staff the children's programs; age-appropriate activities range from parties and video arcades to kid-friendly learning sessions. There are teen centers, discos and kids' pools too. The newer ships in the NCL fleet are particularly kid-friendly, and although standard cabins run substantially smaller -- at an average of 160 square ft. -- than those on other new vessels, NCL does boast a large number of adjoining staterooms and family-centric suites.
All ships have multiple dining venues ranging from French bistros to steakhouses and sushi bars. Room service is available around the clock. Specialty dining generally comes with $10 to $20 cover charge and/or a la carte menus ranging from $8 to $25. All specialty dining rooms require reservations. Another don't miss is NCL's signature Chocoholic's Buffet, held once per cruise on each ship. It's a magnificent sight to behold.
Norwegian Dawn and Norwegian Star each offer two spacious three-bedroom garden villas. The newest ships in the fleet, Norwegian Jewel, Pride of Hawaii and Norwegian Pearl, add to these with courtyard villas, also luxury in orient (but a tad more affordable) and featuring stylish decor and butler and concierge service.
The under-construction Norwegian Gem will offer similar accommodations.
Internet cafes are currently on all ships. Internet services are offered at 75 cents per minute, but packages bring the per-minute charge down to as low as 40 cents. If you use your ship e-mail address, it's an expensive $3.95 per transmission. Printing is 25 to 50 cents per page. Wireless Internet services are also available on all ships; laptops are available for rent. There's a myriad of Internet-related charges onboard, so it's important to read the information carefully before logging on. Newer ships offer in-cabin internet access.
Smoking is allowed in the staterooms (including private balconies), but NCL recommends that guest exercise caution at all times. Smoking is also permitted in designated areas in most bars (the non-smoking Bliss Ultra Lounge, Sports Bar and bowling alley on Norwegian Pearl is an exception and may be heralding a new era of non-smoking venues) and outside on open decks. All other areas -- including show lounges, restaurants and food service areas -- are non-smoking.
Itineraries
NCL is the leader in roundtrip seven-day cruises from U.S. and Canadian ports with its homeland cruising program. Ships sail seasonally from Boston, Charleston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Miami, Seattle and Vancouver, and year-round from New York. NCL America homeports in Honolulu, currently offering seven-day cruises on Pride of Aloha, Pride of America and Pride of Hawaii (through to February 2008 for POH).
In addition to Hawaii, Alaska and the Caribbean, NCL sails to Mexico, Europe and South America. In 2008, the line will deploy three large ships to Europe, offering cruises to the Baltics, Eastern and Western Mediterranean, and British Isles.
Fellow Passengers
The crowd is diverse -- primarily American -- ranging in age from young families to old folks, and a good many with special needs. NCL has cultivated a broad appeal, which means its ships are oriented to both families and couples, and appropriate for gay and lesbian travelers too.
Geographically speaking, there are quite a few passengers from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England and Canada (notably, all English-speaking countries), but longer Caribbean cruises have been attracting a fair amount of passengers from Germany and Italy as well.
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