Hawai'i's cruise industry took another hit today as NCL Corp. announced plans to remove the second of three American-flagged ships from the state as of May 11.

The Miami-based company told crew members today that the 2,002-passenger Pride of Aloha will leave Hawai'i in just three months.The ship is being transferred to Star Cruises and will be re-flagged and deployed in Asia this summer.

The remaining year-round ship in Hawai`i will be the Pride of America, introduced in 2005, a vessel specifically designed and built for Hawai'i cruising.

The ship is being transferred to Star Cruises, the parent company of NCL.

"Withdrawing Pride of Aloha was an extremely difficult but necessary commercial decision; however we see a strong future for the long-term flagship in Hawai`i, Pride of America," said Andy Stuart, NCL's executive vice president of marketing, sales and passenger services. "In Pride of America, we have created a commercially successful modern U.S. Flag cruise ship home ported in Hawai'i — the first time that has ever been achieved," he said.

The state hasn't even begun to feel the full impact of last week's final Hawai'i interisland voyage of sister ship Pride of Hawai'i. The state's top business economist estimated that ship's departure could cost the state as much as $542 million a year in lost revenue.

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.