Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line

Type	Publicly traded
Traded as	NASDAQ: NCLH
Industry	Transportation
Founded	1966
Headquarters	Bermuda (domicile), Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States (HQ)
Key people	Frank Del Rio, CEO
Products	Cruises
Owner	Genting Group (28%) Apollo Global Management (20%) TPG Capital (7.9%)
Website	www.ncl.com

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (Norwegian) is a Bermuda-incorporated, US-headquartered^[1] company operating cruise ships, headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.^[2] 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 is a publicly traded company with 44.1% publicly listed on NASDAQ, with major shareholders including Genting Group (28.0%), Apollo Global Management (20.0%), and TPG Capital (7.9%) as of 30 June 2014.^[1] Norwegian Cruise Line controls approximately 8% of the total worldwide share of the cruise market.^[3]

History

Norwegian headquarters in Miami-Dade County

The cruise line was founded as Norwegian Caribbean Line in 1966 by Knut Kloster and Ted Arison, with just one 8,666-ton, 140m cruise ship/car ferry, Sunward, which in 1966 operated as a car-ferry between Southampton UK and Gibraltar, for that one, short season only. Arison soon left to form Carnival Cruise Lines, while Kloster acquired additional ships for Caribbean service. Norwegian 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, Norwegians'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. Norwegian was responsible for many of the cruise innovations that have now become standard throughout the industry.

Norwegian 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. A boiler explosion in May 2003 forced Norwegian to withdraw the Norway from service, later being laid up in Bremerhaven, Germany until 2005 when she was towed to Port Klang Malaysia with the claimed intent to use her as an anchored casino or slow overnight casino cruises on her remaining boilers. Instead, she was sold for scrap and renamed the SS Blue Lady^[4] and later beached at Alang, Gujarat, India in August 2006 with claims that she had not been cleaned of toxic materials.^[5] On September 11, 2007, the India Supreme Court issued an order permitting her to be broken-up at Alang, despite the presence of large amounts of hazardous asbestos remaining on board.^[6][7]

Norwegian has expanded to other parts of the world, including Alaska, Europe, Bermuda, and Hawaii. 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. Norwegian 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 2002, Norwegian purchased the half-complete hull of the first Project America ship, at the time under construction at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, USA, which was towed to Germany to be completed at the Lloyd Werft shipyard. Subsequently Norwegian acquired the rights to move two ships built entirely outside the United States under the US flag, making it possible to start a US-flagged operation under the brand name NCL America.^[8][9] In 2003 the company announced the purchase of the famed American-flagged liners SS United States and SS Independence. Although it has promised to restore the United States to service, the future of the ship remains uncertain to this day. In their July 2007 fiscal report, Norwegian noted the sale of the Independence, renamed SS Oceanic some time before. On July 1, 2010, the SS United States Conservancy struck a deal to buy the SS United States for $3 million.^[10] On February 1, 2011, the ownership was officially transferred to the SS United States Conservancy.

In August 2007, Star Cruises sold 50% of Norwegian for $1 billion to US-based Apollo Management (owners of Oceania Cruises) in order to strengthen Norwegian's financial position.^[11] Subsequently Norwegian reported in February 2008 that the Pride of Aloha, one of the two remaining NCL America ships, would be withdrawn from service in May of the same year. Initial reports suggested she would be transferred to the fleet of Star Cruises,^[12] but it was later announced that she would return to the Norwegian international fleet as the Norwegian Sky,^[13] while the Norwegian Majesty and Norwegian Dream would be sold to Louis Cruise Lines.^[14] The sale of the Norwegian Dream was subsequently cancelled.^[15] It was announced in September 2012 that the Norwegian Dream will become the Superstar Gemini for Star Cruises, she will start service in January 2013.

In January 2013, Norwegian Cruise Lines filed for an IPO.^[16] As of 30 June 2014, Apollo Management only has a 20% stake and the Genting-Group-owned Star Cruises only had a 28% stake in the cruise line.^[1][17] In September 2014, Norwegian Cruise Line announced that it had purchased Prestige Cruise Holdings, the parent company of both Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises in cash and stock for a total transaction consideration of $3.025 billion, including the assumption of debt.^[18]

On 11 March 2014, Norwegian announced that it was cancelling all future port calls at Tunisia following an incident where the country forbade Israeli nationals from disembarking.^[19]

On 9 January 2015, it was announced that Kevin Sheehan, President and CEO, had been succeeded by Frank Del Rio, co-founder of Oceania Cruises.^[20]

Future

Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian's former CEO, was featured on the January 2, 2011 episode of Undercover Boss. He was also the first boss to be nearly "outed" by a co-worker (Silvia, a waitress in the Manhattan Room aboard the Norwegian Epic, recognized him as she had served him previously).

On June 1, 2012 Norwegian announced the signing of a memorandum of agreement to exercise its option to purchase Norwegian Sky. The purchase price is approximately $260 million, financing is being provided by the seller.^[21]

On October 17, 2012, Meyer Werft and Norwegian reached a second agreement for the construction of two new vessels. Slated for delivery in October 2015 and 2017, respectively. The project is under the code name "Breakaway Plus Class" and it is expected for the vessels to be 163,000 tons and hold 4,200 passengers. The Norwegian Escape entered service in November of 2015 and weighs 164,600 tons. Norwegian is expected to confirm its option for the 2017 vessel soon.^[22] Two more vessels were ordered on July 14, 2014, they will enter service in 2018 and 2019 and will be slightly bigger at 164,000 GT.^[23]

Norwegian Cruise Line ships

Sun Class

Ship	Built	Entered service for Norwegian	Last Refurbishment	Tonnage	Class	Flag	Notes	Image
Norwegian Sky	1999	1999-2004/2008	2009	77,104 tons	Sun Class	Bahamas	Previously Sailed as NCL America Pride of Aloha 2004-2008, constructed as Costa Olympia, but sold to NCL during construction
Norwegian Sun	2001	2001	2011[24]	78,309 tons	Sun Class	Bahamas

Spirit Class

Ship	Built	Entered service for Norwegian	Last Refurbishment	Tonnage	Class	Flag	Notes	Image
Norwegian Spirit	1998	2004	2011[24]	75,338 tons	Spirit Class	Bahamas	Previously SuperStar Leo (Leo Class) Sister to the SuperStar Virgo

Dawn Class (Libra Class)

Ship	Built	Entered service for Norwegian	Last Refurbishment	Tonnage	Class	Flag	Notes	Image
Norwegian Star	2001	2001	2015	91,740 tons	Dawn Class	Bahamas	Originally ordered as Superstar Libra(Libra Class)
Norwegian Dawn	2002	2002	2011[25]	92,250 tons	Dawn Class	Bahamas	Originally ordered as SuperStar Scorpio(Libra Class)

Jewel Class

Ship	Built	Entered service for Norwegian	Last Refurbishment	Tonnage	Class	Flag	Notes	Image
Norwegian Jewel	2005	2005	May 2014[26]	93,502 tons	Jewel Class	Bahamas
Norwegian Jade	2006	2006	2011[24]	93,558 tons	Jewel Class	Bahamas	Previously named The Pride of Hawaii
Norwegian Pearl	2006	2006	April 2013	93,530 tons	Jewel Class	Bahamas
Norwegian Gem	2007	2007	November 2015	93,530 tons	Jewel Class	Bahamas	Refurbishment postponed from Nov 2014 to Nov 2015

Epic Class (F3 Class)^[27]

Ship	Built	Entered service for Norwegian	Last Refurbishment	Tonnage	Class	Flag	Notes	Image
Norwegian Epic	2010	2010	2015	155,873 tons	Epic Class (F3 Class)	Bahamas	Sixth largest cruise ship in the world after Norwegian Escape.

Breakaway Class

Ship	Built	Entered service for Norwegian	Last Refurbishment	Tonnage	Class	Flag	Notes	Image
Norwegian Breakaway	2013	2013	N/A	144,017 GT	Breakaway Class	Bahamas	This ship was delivered on April 25, 2013 and is homeported in New York City.[28] Largest ship to be based year-round out of New York City.
Norwegian Getaway[29]	2014	2014	N/A	144,017 GT	Breakaway Class	Bahamas	This ship was delivered on January 10, 2014 and will be homeported in Miami, FL year-round[30]

Breakaway Plus Class

Ship	Built	Entered service for Norwegian	Last Refurbishment	Tonnage	Class	Flag	Notes	Image
Norwegian Escape	2015	2015	N/A	164,600 tons	Breakaway Plus Class	Bahamas	Fifth largest cruise ship in the world after Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas. This ship was delivered and put into service in November of 2015.[22]

Pride Class

Ship	Built	Entered service for NCL America	Last Refurbishment	Tonnage	Flag	Notes	Image
Pride of America	2005	2005	March 23 - April 5, 2013	80,439 GRT	United States	First large, newly built US-flagged cruise ship in nearly 50 years; the only ship in its class

Future ships

Ship	Class	Inaugural Run	Tonnage	Flag	Notes
Unnamed Ship	Breakaway Plus Class	2017	164,600 GT[29]	Bahamas	Formally named Norwegian Bliss, she will be introduce as the first ship customized for the Chinese market in 2017.[31][32] [33]
Norwegian Bliss?	Breakaway Plus Class	2018	164,600 GT[29]	Bahamas
unnamed	Breakaway Plus Class	2019	164,600 GT[29]	Bahamas	[23]

Former ships

Ship	Built	In service for NCL	Tonnage	Status as of 2016.	Image
Sunward (1966)	1966	1966–1976	8,666 GRT	Scrapped in 2004 at Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Starward	1968	1968–1995	12,948 GRT	Since 2006 Orient Queen for Louis Cruise Lines.
Skyward	1969	1969–1991	16,254 GRT	Since 2000 Leisure World for New Century Cruise Lines.
Seaward	1970	Never entered service owned 1970 – 1972	17,042 GT	Hull sold to P&O Cruises in 1972
Southward	1971	1971–1994	16,607 GRT	Since 2008 Aegean Pearl for Golden Star Cruises. Scrapped in 2013 at Aliaga, Turkey.
Sunward II	1971	1977–1991	14,151 GRT	Since 2005 Coral for Louis Cruise Lines. Scrapped in 2014 at Aliaga, Turkey.
Norway	1961	1979–2003	70,702 GRT 76,049 GRT	Sold after 2003 boiler explosion, scrapped in 2008 at Alang, India.
Seaward Norwegian Sea	1988	1988–1997 1997–2005	42,276 GRT	Since 2005 SuperStar Libra for Star Cruises.
Westward	1972	1991–1993	28,221 GRT	Since 1996 Black Watch for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.
Sunward (1991)	1973	1991–1992, 1992–1993	28,078 GRT	Since 2005 Boudicca for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.
Dreamward Norwegian Dream	1992	1992–1998 1998–2008	39,172 GT 50,764 GT	Since 28 Dec 2012 SuperStar Gemini for Star Cruises.
Windward Norwegian Wind	1993	1993–1996 1996–2007	39,127 GT 50,760 GT	Since 2007 SuperStar Aquarius for Star Cruises.
Leeward	1980	1995–1999	25,611 GT	Since 2007 Cristal for Louis Cruise Lines.
Norwegian Crown	1988	1996–2000, 2003–2007	34,242 GRT	Since 2008 Balmoral for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.
Norwegian Dynasty	1993	1997–1999	19,089 GRT	Since 2001 Braemar for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.
Norwegian Majesty	1992	1997–2009	40,876 GT	Originally 32,396 GT, lengthened 1999. Is now known as the Thompson Majesty and owned by Louis Cruise Lines.[34]
Independence	1951	Never entered service owned 2003–2006	20,221 GRT	Wrecked while being towed to Alang for scrapping.
SS United States	1952	Never entered service owned 2003 – 2011	53,330 GT	Sold to SS United States Conservancy on 7/1/10, Ownership transferred on 2/1/11

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Norwegian Cruise Line.

• Official website
• Cruise Critic review

Norwegian Cruise Line fleet Leo class Norwegian Spirit Sun class Norwegian Sky Norwegian Sun America class Pride of America Dawn class Norwegian Dawn Norwegian Star Jewel class Norwegian Jewel Norwegian Jade Norwegian Pearl Norwegian Gem Epic class Norwegian Epic Breakaway class Norwegian Breakaway Norwegian Getaway Breakaway Plus class Norwegian Escape Future Fleet TBA (Spring 2017) TBA (Spring 2018) TBA (Autumn 2019)