NCL acquires United States, Independence
14/4/2003

In a startling move, Norwegian Cruise Line has acquired the vintage ocean liner S/S United States as well as the S/S Independence and plans to refurbish both ships for cruise operations.
NCL said it will convert the 1950-built United States into a modern vessel that will likely offer mainland US itineraries ‘where cruise products are currently not available.’ The refurbishment of the hull and superstructure will be done at US shipyards with the outfitting completed overseas.

‘The ship is a classic, she was built in America and is eligible to operate in domestic service under existing law and regulation,’ said NCL president and ceo Colin Veitch. ‘The S/S United States would be a phenomenal addition to our US flag operation down the road.’ Veitch said NCL remains focused on completing Project America for 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.’

On her maiden voyage, the United States set an unbroken record by crossing the North Atlantic Ocean in three days, 10 hours and 42 minutes. Her service speed exceeded 35 knots and she was rumored to be capable of 50 knots.

I do NOT think it is a joke!

Great News

Norwegian Cruise Line Acquires U.S. Flagship S/S United States

Company to Build on New U.S.-flag Operation

Miami, April 14 - Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced today 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."

The announcement comes on the heels of NCL's recent commitment to begin a US flag operation in Hawaii. A new federal law will allow NCL to complete the stalled Project America as a US flagged and US manned operation for inter-island Hawaii cruise service. NCL purchased the partially completed first Project America ship and substantial materials and related components for the second Project America ship from Northrop Grumman Ship Systems (NGSS) in September 2002. The legislative initiative was designed to recover the US investment in Project America, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and tax receipts, and creating more than 20,000 US jobs.

On her maiden voyage, the S/S United States set an unbroken record by crossing the North Atlantic Ocean in 3 days, 10 hours and 42 minutes. Her service speed exceeded 35 knots and she was rumored to be capable of 50 knots. Designed by William Francis Gibbs, the ship is the longest passenger vessel ever built in the United States, at 990'6", was considered an engineering marvel at the time, and held a near perfect operating schedule.

NCL also announced today the purchase of another classic, American-built ship, the S/S Independence, which until October 2001 was sailing in the Hawaii trade but which was a victim of its owner's post-September 11th bankruptcy. NCL purchased the vessel at federal auction from the US Maritime Administration saving her from almost certain scrapping. The potential addition of the S/S Independence as a fifth vessel in NCL's US flag operation is being evaluated.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ðraikar:
Must be a joke

---

If it is... It is a sick joke... Seeing it is not 1 April which is when I posted mine ... But I do not think it is! This is downright surreal but NCL is a daring company and furthermore I have seen it posted - not as a rumor but as a fact - by a respected member who is in the travel industry on another group.

I am not saying it is true - we of course cannot be for sure right now - but there is a good chance it is, I think, though it sounds unbelievable to me.

I agree with Fairsky though - I sure hope it all works out... Or it could be the end of NCL. While INDEPENDENCE is basically in turn-key condition... SSUS would of course take a huge investment to get up and running... I am guessing they will put in new engines... And she will thus be basically a new ship... But we will have to see.

This is bigger news than QM2 I think... Because that we could see coming and it was not a surprise (at least to me). This sounds like a crazy if exhilirating idea and aside from my April Fool's joke (believe me I did not know anything ) there was of course no indication - not even idle speculation - that such a thing might happen.

But, stranger things have happened...

Colin Veitch, NCL's president and CEO, said. "The S/S United States WOULD BE a phenomenal addition to our US flag operation down the road. "

"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."

-emphasis mine

[ 04-14-2003: Message edited by: Fairsky ]

[ 04-14-2003: Message edited by: Fairsky ]

Can we see your renditions of how you think these two liners will look - or how you envision them?

quote:

---

Can we see your renditions of how you think these two liners will look - or how you envision them?

---

I'm quite jubilant and just waiting to find out where I can sign up for a cruise on the SSUS! I do also think of poor QM2, I think this will put a damper on her being the PR story of the year. Sorry Cunard, but I think this even one-up's the QM2. The timing is great, as of course American's are in a very patriotic mood at the moment and what better PR move then to bring back the pride of United States Lines and sail her around the US. NCL's "homeland"
cruising at it's very best. Of course this all sounds so amazing that I'm just waiting for the release saying it's not true. I hope that doesn't happen.

One last thing to all the members out there ready to pounce on NCL for how they will deface SSUS.. please don't. I really don't care if NCL has to add balconies or what ever as this is a dream come
true... especially in this age of laying up anything old (like the recent Concorde announcement). NCL will obviously have to make some significant changes to SSUS to make her a viable cruise ship that can compete with what is out there today (NORWAY unfortunately, is not as is reflected in her pricing). Just remember what the alternative might have been ..... we could have all been shaving
with the SSUS.

Ok, let the refurbishment debates begin. I hope NCL contacts Onno, as he already has a great SSUS reincarnation plan that blends the
best of the old and new.

Yes Pam. "Foodcourt Dining" is my sarcastic name for "Freestyle Dining".

I have a bid of a hard time thinking what will be come of the ships will they loose every little sparkle of originality that they have left or will they be restored to original beauty. Either ways it is a very big gamble even more so then QM2. At the time of QM2 I had a feeling it could succeed but this time my feeling says me that it is too big of a gamble and there won’t be a profit. The only problem is that if this won’t be success full a cruise company is more likely to get rid of the losing objects that easily that selling them for scrap is more easily don then the current condition that Big U is under.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Onno:
Who ever imagined that this would happen.

---

Me, I guess . Well, not really... Mine was just an April Fools joke, I certainly never imagined that it could really happen!

I have just gotten an e-mail from Martin Cox, the owner of Maritime Matters... Someone had been e-mailing this story to him all day and he insisted that it was only my April Fools' joke . I would have said the same thing though... It just doesn't sound true!

quote:

---

Originally posted by eroller:
One last thing to all the members out there ready to pounce on NCL for how they will deface SSUS.. please don't. I really don't care if NCL has to add balconies or what ever as this is a dream come true... especially in this age of laying up anything old (like the recent Concorde announcement). NCL will obviously have to make some significant changes to SSUS to make her a viable cruise ship that can compete with what is out there today (NORWAY unfortunately, is not as is reflected in her pricing). Just remember what the alternative might have been ..... we could have all been shaving
with the SSUS.

---

Couldnt agree with you anymore! I AM SOOO HAPPY she will be sailing once again! GO NCL!!!!!!!

~Brian~

quote:

---

Originally posted by Onno:

I have a bid of a hard time thinking what will be come of the ships will they loose every little sparkle of originality that they have left or will they be restored to original beauty. Either ways it is a very big gamble even more so then QM2. At the time of QM2 I had a feeling it could succeed but this time my feeling says me that it is too big of a gamble and there won’t be a profit.

---

I am much more optimistic. NCL has been an innovator in the past, and going forward it looks as though they will be an innovator again. All this brings back memories of NCL purchasing FRANCE and turning her into the longest running, and probably most successful ship in NCL's history. NORWAY changed the cruising industry forever, at a time when large ships cruising the Caribbean were unheard of. People scoffed at the conversion plan, but look how long NORWAY as survived.

Of course times have changed, but that does not mean there is no room in this world for forward and innovative thinkers.

I truly think the US flagged ships (1 or 2 newbuilds from Project America), ssUS, and INDEPENDENCE will all come under a new brand NOT to be called NCL. NCL will be the parent, just as Cunard Line Ltd. is the parent of Cunard and Seabourn.

I'm sure this new name will be forthcoming soon from NCL, once they get all their plans finalized. My guess is that preliminary plans for INDEPENDENCE and ssUS have already been created, along with
profit forecasts etc. Star Cruises does not just throw their money away on frivolous acquisitions. I'm certain NCL has a sound business plan in place for these great ships, or they would have never purchased them to begin with.

quote:

---

Originally posted by cruiseny:

Me, I guess . Well, not really... Mine was just an April Fools joke, I certainly never imagined that it could really happen!

!

---

I think any ship lover hoped this would happen in the back of our hearts, but never imagined it would.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Onno:
I have a bid of a hard time thinking what will be come of the ships will they loose every little sparkle of originality that they have left or will they be restored to original beauty.

---

I was onboard the SS Norway speaking to an American guy. He was telling me how much he love the ship and the original feel, which is still left in some public rooms.

I asked him which cabin he had booked (thinking that he would have selected one of originl first class one) and he replied one of the new veranda suites which was added in the refit. He said would not be comfortable in a tiny dark old cabin!

It would probably be a big mistake (and waste of money) for NCL to try and exactly recreate the original SS United States interiors. On the other hand, it would be an even bigger mistake to completely ignore her heritage.