MIAMI
- May 25, 2006 – NCL Corporation (“NCL”)
today announced that its parent company, Star Cruises,
has agreed to sell Norwegian Crown to Fred. Olsen Cruise
Lines Pte. Ltd., Singapore effective August 2006. Star
Cruises will concurrently charter the vessel back from
Fred. Olsen and NCL will continue her announced deployment
through to November 2007.
Norwegian Crown is presently owned by Star
Cruises along with four other mid-sized vessels also operated
by NCL and Orient Lines. These vessels are on inter-company
charter between Star and NCL. Last week, NCL announced
that Norwegian Wind will be transferred in late April
2007 to Star Cruises to become SuperStar Aquarius, based
in Hong Kong.
“Although a beautiful and well-maintained
vessel, Norwegian Crown’s smaller size is less suitable
for Star Cruises’ ambitions in Asia,” said
Colin Veitch, president and CEO of NCL Corporation. “Fred.
Olsen Cruise Lines specializes in operating smaller and
mid-sized upscale vessels and this ship should fit perfectly
in their fleet.”
This summer and fall, Norwegian Crown is
sailing seven-day Bermuda cruises from Philadelphia and
New York and will sail her popular 14-night South American
cruises throughout the winter season of 2006/2007. In
summer 2007, she will again offer a full season of Bermuda
cruises from New York and Philadelphia and will end her
deployment as an NCL ship at the close of the Bermuda
season at the end of October 2007.
The 34,000 gross-ton Norwegian Crown, which
entered service in 1988 for Royal Cruise Line, accommodates
over 1,000 guests (double occupancy) and features six
restaurants, six bars and lounges, the Crown Club casino,
the Mandara Spa & Fitness Center, a Kid’s Center
and an Internet Café. Norwegian Crown has also
operated in both the Norwegian Cruise Line and Orient
Lines brands as Crown Odyssey and Norwegian Crown.
The departures of Norwegian Wind and Norwegian
Crown from the NCL fleet are designed to occur within
the same period as the scheduled delivery and entry into
service of two new purpose built NCL Freestyle Cruising
ships of approximately 2,380 lower berth capacity each,
Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Gem.
NCL Corporation Ltd. (“NCL”)
is an innovative cruise company headquartered in Miami,
Florida, with a fleet of 15 ships in service and under
construction. The corporation oversees the operations
of Norwegian Cruise Line, NCL America, and Orient Lines.
The company christened its newest ship, Pride of Hawai`i
on Saturday, May 20, 2006, the largest and most expensive
U.S. flagged passenger ship ever built. It is currently
building two ships, Norwegian Pearl scheduled for delivery
in the fourth quarter of 2006 and Norwegian Gem scheduled
for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2007.
For further information, please contact
NCL in the U.S. and Canada at (800) 327-
7030; visit NCL’s website at www.ncl.com or on AOL
at keyword: NCL; or to download
high-resolution photography, visit www.ncl.com/hires.
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