2 ships to begin cruises in 2004
By Kelly Yamanouchi
Advertiser Staff Writer
Norwegian Cruise Line's first U.S.-flagged ship will sail in Hawai'i next year, starting July 4, and a second reflagged ship will begin U.S-flag cruises here in October 2004.
Advertiser library photo • Dec. 15, 2001
The new ships will contribute to Norwegian's carrying nearly 200,000 passengers around Hawai'i next year, a 40 percent increase over cruise passengers in the Islands this year.
The Norwegian Star, based in Hawai'i since December 2001 for cruises around the state and to Fanning Island, will be redeployed to Seattle after April next year for Alaska cruises.
Norwegian plans to call its U.S.-flag brand NCL America. The fleet will include three Hawai'i ships and two ships for Mainland cruises. The Miami-based line said the U.S.-flag ship due in the Islands in the summer of 2004, still unnamed, will be the first new oceangoing U.S.-flag passenger ship in nearly 50 years.
Under legislation spearheaded by U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawai'i, and approved by Congress in February, Norwegian will be able to fly U.S. flags on three ships that would not typically qualify as U.S.-built under the Passenger Vessel Services Act.
Two of the ships will be completed in foreign shipyards from remnants of a U.S. shipbuilding project started by American Classic Voyages with the help of legislation also spearheaded by Inouye.
Norwegian's first U.S.-flag ship will be used for seven-night cruises from Honolulu stopping in Nawiliwili, Kaua'i; Hilo and Kona on the Big Island; and Kahului, Maui The second U.S.-flag ship will be the 2,000-passenger Norwegian Sky reflagged into the U.S. registry to offer three-day cruises calling at Nawiliwiliand Kahului, and four-day cruises stopping in Nawiliwili, Hilo, and Lahaina or Kahului.
Norwegian plans for the third ship to be in operation in Hawai'i by 2007, although details have not been announced.
The Norwegian Wind, which sailed here September through April, will return for a permanent stay with 10- and 11-day cruises stopping at Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati starting May 19, 2004. The Norwegian Star, based in Hawai'i since December 2001 for cruises around Hawai'i and to Fanning Island, will be redeployed to Seattle after April next year for Alaska cruises.
Norwegian Chief Executive Colin Veitch said Norwegian will announce partnerships with Hawai'i organizations to "add to an authentic experience of Hawaii" on the U.S.-flag ships here. Norwegian said it plans to hire Hawai'i residents for "a great majority of the crew" of those ships.
While Veitch has said the interisland cruises will "command a premium" price compared with current Norwegian cruises in Hawai'i that have a crew of mostly non-U.S. citizens, starting prices on the NCL America ships will be about the same as Norwegian Star promotional prices for the launch.
Reach Kelly Yamanouchi at kyamanouchi@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 535-2470.
