Ncl America News

Holland America Line has promoted Amy Barnett to the position of division sales director for the East. In her new role, she will be responsible for planning, organizing and directing sales programs, as well as analyzing and implementing strategic and tactical initiatives to increase sales in North America. Barnett will manage a team of 16 business development managers and four sales coordinators. She will report to Eva Jenner, vice president, North America sales. Barnett joined Holland America Line in 2004 as a business development manager covering northern Florida where she was responsible for cultivating relationships with top-producing travel agency owners and travel professionals. Previously, she worked for Norwegian Cruise Line, Orient Lines and NCL America.

The Passenger Vessel Services Act has been eviscerated by foreign cruise lines who have been evading the law on Hawaii cruises with sham foreign port calls in Mexico, sometimes for as little as one-hour, in the middle of the night, and with no passengers going ashore. These sham port calls allow these foreign cruise lines to avoid being subjected to U.S. laws and regulations, including Federal tax, labor, and employment laws, thereby enabling them to operate at a fraction of the cost of American-flagged ships. The maritime cabotage laws were enacted to create a level competitive playing field in U.S. domestic trades by ensuring that everyone operating in those trades was subject to the same U.S. laws and regulations as their competition.

NCL Corporation announced the temporary withdrawal of Pride of Hawai`i from the Hawai`i market effective February 2008. The ship will be deployed to Europe for the summer of 2008 as part of the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet. NCL's substantial 2006 losses, reported in February of this year, have been caused by downward pricing pressure in the Hawai`i market following the addition of Pride of Hawai`i to the fleet last summer, and the steep increase in the amount of foreign flag competition entering the Hawai`i market from the west coast. According to Colin Veitch, NCL Corporation's president and CEO, NCL America has grown very quickly over three years, and its competitors have also surged, starting in 2006, offering almost 80 percent additional capacity days on top of NCL America's in 2007.

the Year at the organization’s 80th Annual International Convention in Norfolk, Virginia. furthering and promoting the maritime industry. large passenger cruise ship industry, operating the only three large U.S.flagged cruise ships in the world. the United States generating hundreds of millions of dollars and creating thousands of American jobs. The individuals employed by NCL America help sustain a pool of qualified seafarers who can be called upon to assist the U.S. military in times of need or national emergency. In July 2004, NCL America christened Pride of Aloha, the first new U.S.flagged cruise ship in nearly 50 years. largest U. S.flagged passenger ship ever built. NCL America again made U.S.

NCL America made U.S. maritime history by christening Pride of Hawai'i, the largest and most expensive U.S.-flagged cruise ship in history. The historic presentation of this new U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed passenger ship continues NCL America's dynamic revival of the U.S.-flagged cruise industry that had seemingly been extinguished in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. At the official christening ceremony at the Port of Los Angeles, Star Cruises Chairman Tan Sri KT LIM and NCL Corporation's President and CEO Colin Veitch were joined by the Honorable Daniel K. Inouye, senior United States Senator from Hawai'i, who sponsored and named the vessel at the pier side event.

The United Seamen’s Service (USS) 2006 Admiral of the Ocean Sea Awards will be presented to container shipping pioneer Paul F. Richardson, President of Paul F. Richardson Associates Inc., and Colin Veitch, President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, which has commenced new American-flag passenger ship activity. The maritime industry honor will be awarded at a gala industry dinner and dance to be held at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers, New York City, on November 3, 2006. John Bowers, Chairman of the USS AOTOS Committee and President of the International Longshoremen’s Association, AFL-CIO, made the announcement on Maritime Day May 22, 2006. Richardson and Veitch led the field of nominees for the award, sought by USS from over 150 maritime management, labor and government officials.

NCL Corporation (NCL) has taken delivery of Pride of Hawai’i as the newest member to the NCL America fleet, with a handover ceremony in Eemshaven, Holland. At the onboard ceremony, Star Cruises Chairman Tan Sri LIM Kok Thay was joined by Colin Veitch, NCL President and CEO; and Bernard Meyer, managing partner of Meyer Werft, the shipyard that constructed the vessel. Pride of Hawai`i is the ninth in a series of 11 such Freestyle Cruising ships delivered as part of a U.S. $5 billion cruise ship building program undertaken by Star Cruises and NCL since 1998. Pride of Hawai`i is also the third in a series of U.S. flag cruise ships, built for the Hawai`i market.

Michael Carthew, President, Chevron Texaco Shipping and Dean Taylor, President and CEO, Tidewater Marine were elected to the ABS Board of Directors, by the ABS Council, following yesterday's Annual Members Meeting of the classification society in New York. General Dynamics announced the appointment of John F. "Dugan" Shipway, 60, as president of Bath Iron Works, reporting to Michael W. Toner, executive vice president of General Dynamics Marine Systems group. Shipway succeeds Allan C. Cameron, 57, who has announced his retirement. Cameron had been president of Bath Iron Works since 1996. Edwin W. Stephan, a founder and former longtime president and vice chairman of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., will retire from the Board of Directors following the company's May 20 annual meeting in Miami.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced the names for its first two Project America ships, which will begin sailing Hawaii inter-island cruising next year. Project America 1 will be named "Pride of America", reflecting the "Best of America" theme on board. The line's second Project America ship, currently sailing as Norwegian Sky, will be reflagged into the U.S. registry, and will be renamed, "Pride of Aloha" reflecting the strong Hawaii theme to be incorporated during a complete refurbishment in September 2004. The ships will sail under the company's new U.S. Flag brand - NCL America sm- with 100 percent U.S. officers and crew. Pride of America will be the first new ocean-going passenger ship in nearly 50 years to sail under the American flag.