Company Overview:
A few people in cruising deserve special recognition, and the original founder of NCL, Knut Kloster, is certainly one of them. Another is Ted Arison, the founder of Carnival Corp and father to present day Carnival CEO, Micky Arison. The Norwegian, Kloster, and the Israeli, Arison, started selling Miami to Nassau cruises together under the name "Norwegian Caribbean Line." And so was humbly born not only what became two huge companies, but also an entire industry. It all began with a tiny 830-ton steamer, the Sunward, originally built for ferry service in Europe. Of course, there was a "disagreement" and Arison left only to eventually start competitor Carnival Cruise Lines, but Kloster kept the company going, soon changing the name to Norwegian Cruise Lines, adding more ships, making waves and sometimes enduring rough seas.
Some of the landmark achievements in the history of NCL include buying the SS France in 1979, once the fastest ocean liner ever built (by the French Government), and re-naming it the SS Norway, then the largest cruise ship in the world. NCL pioneered the first combined low cost air fares with cruises which helped transform cruising from a Florida novelty into a national industry. It was the first cruise line to develop new ports in the Caribbean, like Ocho Rios in Jamaica, and their own "private island" in the Bahamas.
Despite a common notion of NCL being something of a "budget" cruise line, Knut Kloster also once owned the now famously retired Royal Viking Line and operated it for several years (the final Royal Viking build is now sailing for Holland America as the Prinsendam). Many of the concepts, and indeed many of the people who worked for Royal Viking, including Knut's son and namesake, are today vitally involved in running the various luxury cruise lines in the world. Knut's son, (Knut Kloster Jr.) created the idea behind "The World of ResidenSea," the world's first passenger-owned all-condo ship.
NCL also started Orient Lines in 1991, still in operation, but recently acquired by entrepreneur Wayne Heller.
In the year 2000, after a fierce battle for public shares in which all the major cruise lines were players, NCL was acquired by a surprise victor, Star Cruises of Malaysia. Star sold a one-half interest in NCL to U.S. investment company Apollo Management in August 2007 and gave them majority control of the board of directors.
In the last six years Norwegian Cruise Line divested its older ships and purpose-built new ones specifically for their trademarked "Free-style" service, introduced in 2001. It now operates a modern fleet that sails to New England, Canada, Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, Bermuda, and the Caribbean, where it all began, and enjoys a reputation as a strong number three behind the massive Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean International, surviving because of its ability to adapt and innovate.
NCL revolutionized the cruise experience by introducing "Freestyle Cruising", making itself very attractive to cruisers who see strict dining times and dress codes as counter-intuitive to being on vacation. NCL's Free-style service, now in operation on all of their ships, offers open seating dining, no pre-assigned tables or mealtimes, in a huge selection of onboard restaurants. Passengers can still opt for traditional dining procedures with meals included in the cruise fare served at specific times at reserved tables in the dining room, or they can dine in the open table and time main dining room, also included in the cruise fare. They can also choose from several onboard alternative restaurants offering a variety of cuisine, most of them carrying a service charge.
In response to the 9/11 attack, when many U.S. travelers simply stopped flying, NCL introduced "Homeland Cruising", and was the first in decades to deploy a ship sailing out of New York City for warmer climates all year-round, deploying Norwegian Dawn on year-round Bahamas/Florida itineraries.
NCL introduced a subsidiary company NCL-America after Congress gave the line exclusive rights to operate inter-island Hawaii cruising without having to call at a foreign port. In order to do this, the line agreed to sail under the U.S. flag, hire American crewmembers and to be subject to American taxation and environmental regulations.
The first NCLA ship, Pride of Aloha, began weekly sailings from Honolulu on July 4, 2004. Pride of America joined her in 2005 and Pride of Hawaii joined in June, 2006. Unfortunately, sailing three American-flagged cruise ships was not profitable due to the payroll requirements for U.S. union crew. In 2007 Pride of Aloha was returned to Star Cruises and Pride of Hawaii was re-flagged to the regular NCL fleet as Norwegian Jade, sailing in Europe and the Caribbean. The only remaining NCL-America U.S.-flagged ship sailing fulltime in Hawaii is Pride of America.
The Norwegian Cruise Line Experience:
The average age of NCL ships has become much younger in the last few years as they phase out the older ships (mostly sending them to obscure Asian ports to sail for Star Cruises) and introduce newer models to the fleet. As of February 2008, NCL claims to have the "youngest" fleet in cruising, meaning the average age of all their ships is lowest in the business.
Norwegian Sun, (2001), was the first purpose-built vessel as a "Free-style" ship. Norwegian Star , Norwegian Dawn, and Norwegian Jewel are lovely, new ships built for Free-style cruising. NCL also 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) and renamed it Norwegian Spirit.
For the best in Free-style, seek out Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Gem which were launched in February and October, 2007. Both are 93,502-tons and feature modifications in both technical and passenger areas. The new "Bar Central" connects three venues - a martini bar, champagne and wine bar and beer and whiskey pub. The new ships have 10 restaurants, a passenger capacity of 2,376 and are capable of 24-25 knot speeds. And Norwegian Pearl has something which is a first at sea - an actual bowling alley. Norwegian Jade (formerly Pride of Hawaii) is the same design, but no bowling alley.
Lavish Broadway-style entertainment is on offer. Singer Jane L. Powell, she of the big, memorable voice, is regularly featured across the fleet. While the main dining rooms are unlikely to serve you anything to make you swoon with delight, there's a wide variety of alternative dining on all the ships in as many as eleven total dining venues on each vessel. These restaurants almost all offer excellent cuisine and service well worth the additional service charge. And if all else fails, there's a "Chocoholic Buffet" on every cruise to pacify your sweet tooth.
Fitness and sports programs vary by ship. Europe, Hawaii, Bermuda and Caribbean cruises offer golf instruction on special Tee-Up golf cruises, The Dive-In Snorkeling program is a popular feature of Caribbean, Bermuda, and Hawaii cruises. There are courts for paddleball, volleyball or basketball, golf nets, and jogging tracks.
Fellow Passengers:
Especially in its Caribbean itineraries, NCL attracts many first-time cruisers seeking a low- to mid-price cruise vacation. Dress code is flexible, which is to say a couple of large steps down from country club casual. Don't be shocked to glimpse T-shirts among the tuxedoes in the dining room. Expect many first-time cruisers and honeymooners; during summer vacations and school vacations, families with children; Europe- and New England/Canada-bound cruises attract mostly couples over 55. Lots of different countries are typically represented - all of them English-speaking including Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Special Programs:
NCL's tours run the gamut from bus rides to private helicopter tours. "Dive-in Snorkeling" and the Sports Afloat programs help scuba and snorkel enthusiasts prepare for their destination dives while still onboard the ship. Shore excursions are outlined on the NCL web site.
Taking The Kids:
Except on Europe sailings NCL offers "Kid Crew" -- age-appropriate activities ranging from parties and video arcades to learning sessions -- to Junior Sailors, ages 2-5; First Mates aged 6-8; Navigators, aged 9-12 and Teens aged 13-17. Staff members won't change diapers, but you'll be given a beeper so the staff can let you know that your Junior Sailor has committed an indiscretion. There are cribs for younger passengers.
In-cabin private babysitting is no longer offered, but group babysitting for ages two to 12 is available from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. each evening and on port days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a fee.
NCL insists that visitors to its casinos be at least 21. There are no casinos on NCL-America ships. There is one NCL ship (Norwegian Wind, currently) that does sail the Hawaiian islands on an 10 or 11-day (alternating) itinerary that includes a visit to distant Fanning Island. This ship is not U.S,-flagged and therefore has foreign crew-members and a casino.
Past Passenger Program:
Latitudes, the past passenger program, is comprised of four levels depending on number of cruises you have taken Bronze,(1-4), Silver, (5-8), Gold (9-13), and Platinum (14+). NCL and NCL-America sponsor special member cruises world-wide throughout the year. Other benefits include access to a Latitudes Customer Service desk; a
complimentary subscription to Latitudes, a quarterly members-only magazine; exclusive pricing on all
sailings; Latitudes Check-in Desk at the pier; a Latitudes ship pin; a members-only cocktail party hosted by the Captain; and a Latitudes onboard liaison to ensure that all past guests receive their benefits.
Additionally Silver Members receive an invitation to an exclusive gathering on board and treats
delivered to their stateroom twice during the cruise; Gold Members receive VIP service, which includes
priority boarding, an in-stateroom welcome basket upon embarkation; priority restaurant reservations;
priority tender tickets; priority disembarkation and an invitation to the Captain�s VIP cocktail party.
Platinum members receive all of the above and enjoy the added benefit of a complimentary dinner in
NCL's signature restaurant, Le Bistro. For more information call 800-343-0098.
Latittudes members will occasionally receive upgrade coupons by mail. Book the category you want, and either you will either be upgraded (if available) or you will pay only the cost of the category below the one you are assigned.
Tipping:
NCL automatically adds a fixed service charge of $10 to the shipboard accounts of passengers over 13 to make service personnel feel appreciated; children between three and 12 are charged $5. Those under three get off scot-free.
While further tipping is not compulsory, NCL recommends a 15 percent gratuity for bar service and urges the beneficiaries of concierge or butler services to come up with a little something extra. All else is at the passenger's discretion.
