Colin Veitch News

Former Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Colin Veitch has filed suit against Richard Branson for $300 million claiming that Virgin essentially stole his ideas and business plans to enter the lucrative luxury cruise industry by building a pair of state-of-the-art ships capable of carrying 4,200 passengers each. Veitch claims he planned the start-up operation, lined up financing to build the first ship and worked out a tentative commitment with a German shipyard, according to an article by Curt Anderson, legal affairs writer for the Associated Press. Veitch was CEO of Norwegian from 2000 to 2008. According to the AP, Veitch is asking for $300 million in damages in the lawsuit filed Wednesday in Miami federal court. He is also asking the court to shut down Virgin Cruises.

The former chief executive of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd sued Richard Branson's Virgin Group in federal court in Miami for $300 million on Wednesday over plans by the British billionaire to launch his own luxury cruise line.   The lawsuit by Colin Veitch, who oversaw Norwegian from 2000 to 2008, claims that Virgin muscled him out of a joint venture to break into the industry with massive ships capable of carrying thousands of passengers and operating as floating resorts, according to court documents.     (Reporting by Zachary Fagenson; Editing by David Adams and Eric Walsh)

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced the early introduction of the new Pride of Aloha. The ship will take over the Pride of America's published program of seven-day inter-island Hawai`i cruises, commencing July 4th of this year. According to NCL, it is still too early to know the new delivery date of Pride of America following the January 14th incident at Lloyd Werft in Germany; however, after two days of investigation it is now clear that there will be a substantial delay - months rather than weeks.

Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Colin Veitch Responds to GAO Report on NCL’s Project America. The GAO report released today confirms what Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has known from the beginning – Project America is good for American workers and for consumers. It means more competition in the cruise industry and will result in more choices for vacationing families. It is good for the U.S. economy because it has already created more than 1,000 new jobs and will add badly needed tax revenues to federal and state treasuries. Once fully implemented, this project will generate more than 20,000 jobs and over $800 million annually in economic activity. NCL made the decision to have a real presence in Hawai`i despite its bigger and more established competitors.

NCL Corporation will be the first cruise line to bring passengers on North American cruises the ability to use their cell phones even when communications towers are oceans away. The company is providing the innovative new offering through Wireless Maritime Services, a joint venture of AT&T Wireless and Maritime Telecommunications Network (MTN). Leading the way in shipboard technology, NCL pioneered the industry's first Internet access on the high seas with its Internet cafe in 1999. In 2002, NCL became the first cruise line to provide remote wireless Internet (also known as Wi-Fi) to its guests. Both services are now standard throughout NCL's entire fleet. "Cutting-edge onboard technology is important to our guests," said Colin Veitch, NCL's president and CEO.

As a result of its voluntary reporting of irregularities, Norwegian Cruise Line Limited (NCL) has reached an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida and the US Department of Justice to plead guilty to a single count of violation of Title 33, U.S.C., Section 1908, for the knowing failure to maintain an accurate Oil Record Book aboard the S.S. Norway prior to May 2000. Under the plea agreement, NCL has agreed to pay a fine of $1 million, be placed on probation, and maintain a comprehensive environmental compliance plan. NCL discovered reporting irregularities and improper use of on board oil/water…

Globalization of shipping will be the theme of the 11th annual Hellenic-American and Norwegian-American annual conference. Entitled “Shipping without Borders: Has National Identity Become Irrelevant?”, the conference will be held on Thursday, February 10th at the New York Helmsley Hotel starting at 0815 with conference registration.. The conference will explore developments and shifts in the international maritime community, and how they relate to doing business in America. Comparative Greek and Norwegian perspectives on identity…

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 Port of Shanghai is getting a new cruise passenger terminal. Southeast Asian nations are teaming up on a Web site for cruise travelers. Officials from China are using the 2008 Olympics to promote a triangle of northern cruise ports. And don't forget about us, says Taiwan. Here's Asia, cruising's new frontier. Accordng to The Ledger, representatives from the Asia-Pacific region attended the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Conference this week, beginning an aggressive marketing campaign with the goal of making Asia a competitor in the world cruise market. Many of them toured ports in Miami and Port Everglades to get a sense of U.S. port operations. Today, the Asia-Pacific region lags behind the Caribbean, Europe and Alaska in notoriety as a cruise destination.

At a ceremony at the Port of Miami, talk show host Rosie O'Donnell served as Godmother and christened Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) newest ship, Norwegian Pearl. The new 93,530-ton Freestyle Cruising vessel boasts an industry first -- a four-lane ten-pin bowling alley; and two NCL firsts -- a rock-climbing wall and two top-of-the-ship Deluxe Owner's Suites. Norwegian Pearl and included remarks from Star Cruises Chairman Tan Sri KT Lim, NCL Corporation President and CEO Colin Veitch and O'Donnell. Approximately 2,400 guests were in attendance for the ceremony that also commemorated the company's 40th birthday and kicked off a year-long birthday celebration.

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.

NCL Corporation announced last week that its parent company, Star Cruises, has agreed to sell Norwegian Crown to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Pte. Ltd., Singapore effective August 2006. Star Cruises will concurrently charter the vessel back from Fred. Olsen and NCL will continue her announced deployment through to November 2007. Norwegian Crown is presently owned by Star Cruises along with four other mid-sized vessels also operated by NCL and Orient Lines. These vessels are on inter-company charter between Star and NCL. Last week, NCL announced that Norwegian Wind will be transferred in late April 2007 to Star Cruises to become SuperStar Aquarius, based in Hong Kong.

At an official ceremony at the Port of Miami, Melania Trump christened NCL's Norwegian Jewel. lounges, three swimming pools and a state-of-the-art spa. Godmother Melania Trump. Isles. restaurants, three swimming pools, a contemporary spa and more. passengers to enjoy. Miami through April 2006.

Star Cruises will add another 2,000-guest purpose-built ship for Freestyle Cruising to the rapidly modernizing Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) fleet. The yet-to-be-named ship will be delivered in spring of 2004 in time for the summer season. NCL has contracted with Northrop Grumman Ship Systems (NGSS) to buy all of the materials and equipment and the work performed to date on the two "Project America" vessels under construction at Northrop's Ingalls shipyard in Mississippi. The substantially completed hull of the first vessel, plus all of the associated equipment and materials, will be transported to Europe, where work will be completed in one of the major cruise ship building yards. NCL is in advanced discussions with European yards to determine which one will complete the ship.

The saga of the now-defunct American Classic Voyages' U.S. Lines has seemingly come to a close with Northrop Grumman Corporation reaching an agreement on August 19 to sell all structures and material associated with the cruise vessel program at the company's Ship Systems sector to Norwegian Cruise Line. Under the agreement, Norwegian Cruise Line will take possession by Sept. 30, 2002 of the nearly half-complete first ship and all associated equipment and materials, as well as material acquired by Northrop Grumman for a planned second ship. Approximately 350 Ship Systems employees are currently preparing the cruise ship for launching and towing. These ships were to have been known as the first cruise ships to be constructed in the U.S. in more than 30 years.

It was a Memorial Day Weekend tragedy onboard the famed 50-year old S.S. Norway, when an explosion rocked 2,000 passengers from their bunks, an accident which killed eight and injured 22. While thoughts immediately turned to terrorism, reports indicate that the explosion eminated from one of Norway's four boilers. The explosion and its aftermath is sure to put the spotlight on older ships and their maintenance habits, though it is far too early to predict any tangible changes. Basking in the limelight of its highly-publicized purchase of the S.S. United States (as seen in MR’s June 2003 Yearbook edition), Norwegian Cruise Lines' (NCL's) moment was short-lived when the Norway incident occurred on May 25…

Kim Cattrall of HBO’s Sex and the City was named Godmother of Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) newest ship. The Norwegian Dawn, set to call New York home, will be christened in a ceremony aboard the ship in New York on December 16. The 92,250-ton Norwegian Dawn is NCL's third ship purpose-built for the groundbreaking Freestyle Cruising concept. According to Colin Veitch, NCL's president and chief executive officer, "Kim embodies the spirit of New York and the distinctive style of Freestyle Cruising. Cattrall is a Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actress who has received worldwide critical acclaim for her portrayal of femme fatale Samantha Jones on Sex and the City.

Every March, the cruise industry gathers in Miami, Fla. for the Sea Trade Cruise Shipping Convention - which usually sometime during March. Just in time to relieve the mid-winter blahs, this year's Convention will be held from March 3-6, 2003 at its "homeport" of the Miami Beach Convention Center. With last year's total attendance tallying in at 10,041, and 1,216 conference delegates, the conference boasted more than 1,000 exhibitors. Beginning on Tuesday, March 4, from 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Featuring some of cruise's heavy hitters, such as Pam Conover, president & COO of Cunard Line; Bob Dickinson, president Carnival Cruise Lines; Howard Frank, vice chairman & COO Carnival Cruise Lines; Gregg Michel, president Crystal Cruises; Richard D.

New York City rolled out the red carpet to welcome Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) latest addition to its fleet. In December, NCL debuted the 92,250-ton Norwegian Dawn, with NYC style reminiscent of the ship's new homeport. The christening ceremony aptly included a celebration amidst a few celebrities, a taste of Broadway and entertainment that truly characterize the Big Apple. "Size does matter," said actress Kim Cattrall, who was chosen to serve as the Norwegian Dawn's godmother. The 'Sex and the City' star entertained the crowd at the christening ceremony during the official naming of the ship and pronounced the Norwegian Dawn the biggest ship in NYC.

As a child, I often noticed a framed postcard that hung in the living room of my parents' home in Long Island. It was a simple silver rimmed frame with blue matting that showed back and front of the postcard — the front depicting a large ship with red, white and blue smokestacks — the back holding an autograph of former President Dwight Eisenhower (see photo below). For years, I passed this by as if it were of no significance. However, I would have never thought that one day I'd be writing about this framed postcard. The "large ship" to which I am referring is the United States Lines flagship, the S.S. United States, which my mother, Evelyn (Sullivan) Ciardiello, traveled on from New York to Europe in 1963 — 11 years after the vessel held its maiden voyage on July 3, 1952.