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Originally posted by Ernst:
That does not sound good.
Are you going to volunteer? (and at least bring back some pictures )

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If this report is correct it looks as if NCL are again going against what was suggested they would do with the two ships they bought when they set up their Hawaii cruises division.

It leads one to wonder just how much any statement from NCL can be trusted and also wonder why those that gave NCL permission to run the cruises to Hawaii are now backing down by letting them employ cheap labour in place of the agreed American crews for the ships.

Why is it that the American authorities are letting them get away with not keeping to the aggreements made when permission was given for this cruise service to Hawaii was set up ?

Lets hope the Indian Supreme Court make a stand against NCL and Star Cruises and tell them that the ex SS Norway has to be removed from Alang.

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Originally posted by Cunard Fan:
I think it would be un-wise for NCL to just abandon the BigU with so many people watching them now.

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Yes, scrapping the Big-U It would be a PR disaster for NCL in ship-nuts eyes, but I don't suppose the general public will even know about the Big U or care. It's not as if NCL's cruise product is aimed at liner fans, is it?

I think NCL have bigger problems that a rusty old liner at present. The odds of her ever returning to service have now dropped from a 'million to one' to 'Zero'.

One theory is that NCL though that Hawaii would be very profitable for them. However, they we scared than a rival cruise line might buy the Big-U just to get an American hull and set-up in competition with them. Buying the Big-U and laying her up simply took her off the market.

Why not scrap her? Well I suppose it easier to lay-up a national monument than risk a degree of out-cry for the liner fans and preservation societies? They are right, just look at the Norway’s scrapping. It has (and still is) being a painful and prolonged process.

[ 03-03-2007: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

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Originally posted by Frosty 4:
I wonder where all the steel goes after the dismantling?

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Originally posted by Frosty 4:
I wonder where all the steel goes after the dismantling?

Frosty 4

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:

Yes, scrapping the Big-U It would be a PR disaster for NCL in ship-nuts eyes, but I don't suppose the general public will even know about the Big U or care. cruisepage ]

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Aboard Costa Classica on deck staring at Dream I was talking to this lady who was a many time cruiser over years. I mentioned Sundream in conversation as we chatted, and got 'Oh we have sailed her a couple of times'. Next thing is the lady is asking if I had ever seen or heard of Dream before, 'that ship over there'. The lady hadn't got a clue it was the same ship; similar names hadn't clicked. I related the story of why she was there, and had to repeat it when her husband came along and she told him that that ship over there was one they had sailed on twice. He hadn't realised either.

Unless it is someone 'into' ships they just haven't any idea.

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Originally posted by Cunard Fan:
I actually think that she is pretty well know in the US at least, even among non ship lovers...

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I'm not so sure.

Official Press Release - Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced on April 14, 2003 that it has purchased the S/S United States, one of the country's most venerable ships built in the glory days of trans-Atlantic sea travel.

NCL intends to convert the vessel to a state-of-the art, modern cruise ship and to add her to NCL's planned US flagged fleet. A relaunched S/S United States will add more than 1,000 American maritime jobs and 5,000 shoreside jobs to the 3,000 maritime jobs and 17,000 shoreside jobs that NCL's US flag initiative with Project America is predicted to generate.

Widely considered to be the greatest superliner ever built in this country, the S/S United States was engineered to be faster, safer and more technologically advanced than anything else afloat when she was christened. To this day, her Atlantic crossing record has never been matched and she remains the holder of the fabled Blue Riband.

Knowing that S/S United States faced an uncertain future, NCL moved swiftly to purchase the vessel. NCL is now evaluating options for use of the ship under US flag and determining the extent of renovations needed to convert her to a state-of-the-art, modern cruise ship that will appeal to today's vacationer. The ship is expected to offer mainland US itineraries where cruise products are not currently available.

The refurbishment of the hull and superstructure will be done at US shipyards with the outfitting completed overseas. NCL is no stranger to such conversions, having converted the fabled North Atlantic liner the S/S France into cruising's first Caribbean megaship, S/S Norway.

"When we discovered this American icon was in jeopardy, we saw a unique opportunity and acted immediately. The ship is a classic, she was built in America and is eligible to operate in domestic service under existing law and regulation," said Colin Veitch, NCL's president and CEO. "The S/S United States would be a phenomenal addition to our US flag operation down the road. We remain focused on completing Project America and successfully introducing our innovative US flag cruise ships in Hawaii, but we will now organize a project team to work with US yards, naval engineers and architects to develop plans for what should be the fourth vessel in our US flagged fleet."

[ 03-03-2007: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:

I'm not so sure.

Why don't you do a mini-survey and ask your family and friends, then report back to us.

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