STAR-BULLETIN / SEPTEMBER 2002
The Norwegian Wind will stay as a foreign-flagged vessel in Hawaiian waters, Norwegian Cruise Line said yesterday. Norwegian is adding two U.S.-flagged ships for isle cruises in 2004.
Norwegian’s 2004
isle cruises to grow
by one-third
Norwegian Cruise Line will increase its Hawaii cruises next year by more than one-third, with two U.S.-flag ships operating entirely within Hawaiian waters and one foreign-flag ship that adds Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati to round-the-islands cruises.
Announcing its 2004 schedule, the Miami-based but foreign-owned cruise line yesterday showed details for the first time of how it plans to mix its U.S. and foreign vessels in the Hawaii cruise business.
By the second half of 2004, NCL will have three ships in Hawaii. It now has two.
Under federal legislation enacted recently, NCL is having a German shipyard finish two ships that were started in a Mississippi yard.
Although they are being completed in a foreign country, they will be considered American ships, operated by American crews under all applicable American rules.
Putting into action the "Project America" development started by now-bankrupt American Classic Voyages, NCL will have the first of those 1,900-passenger liners working in Hawaii in July 2004, running seven-night cruises around the islands from a Honolulu base. The ship has not yet been given a name and is referred to within NCL as PA1.
In October, NCL will base its Norwegian Sky in Hawaii, doing three- and four-night island cruises out of Honolulu. Under the U.S. exemption, that ship will be reflagged as an American vessel, also carrying an American crew. It can carry up to 2,400 passengers.
Because of the U.S. registry, neither ship will have to make a call at a foreign port during a voyage, a requirement that foreign-owned ships must meet.
However, NCL will keep foreign-flagged vessel Norwegian Wind operating in Hawaii, meeting the requirements of the Passenger Services Act by making a call during each voyage at Fanning Island. U.S. law prevents foreign ships from operating between U.S. ports, making a foreign stop necessary.
The 1,748-passenger Norwegian Wind has been in Hawaii for the fall season and will return to run year-round 10- and 11-day cruises out of Honolulu, starting May 19, 2004.
The 2,240-passenger Norwegian Star, which pioneered NCL's Hawaii business in December 2001, will run its Hawaii and Fanning Island cruises through April, after which it will be refitted with a casino and used for Alaska cruises out of Seattle.
The ships will all operate NCL's "Freestyle Cruising" system, with a variety of restaurants, no fixed seating for meals, casual dress and no tipping.
NCL has come up with a new name for the Project America system of reflagging the ships, calling its new brand NCL America.
The line said it expects to bring nearly 200,000 passengers to Hawaii in 2004, a 40 percent increase from its 2003 Hawaii passenger count.
The company has not said what it will do with the second Project America ship being completed in Germany and referred to within NCL as PA2. It will, however, sail under the American flag.
