NCL
Norwegians have a long history of adventure - sailing across the azure
ocean to distant continents. From the days of the Vikings to the modern
era, Norway has been known to extol the glory of the sea. Norwegian Cruise
Line honored that seafaring tradition in 1966 when one of Norway’s oldest
shipping companies Klosters Rederi A/S first purchased the M/S Sunward and
repositioned the ship from Europe to the then obscure Port of Miami. With
the formation of the new cruise line called Norwegian Caribbean Lines, the
travel industry was revolutionized overnight.
NCL’s new concept was to offer single-class informal luxury, giving
guests an exciting and affordable vacation. Instead of viewing ships as a
means of transportation, NCL offered ships as vacation destinations, with
the idea of visiting different ports for sight-seeing.
The popularity of cruising prompted NCL to expand its fleet. Other
cruise lines also began to build new vessels to accommodate this expanding
market. Needless to say, Port of Miami is now a bustling port with cruise
ships departing daily to Caribbean destinations.
In May 2000, NCL announced the concept of “Freestyle Cruising” which
offered open seating and extended hours in the main restaurants,
alternative dining facilities and many other amenities to make cruising
more flexible for the passengers.
Norwegian Cruise Lines presents a fleet of ships with itineraries
departing from ports all over the United States, including Alaska and
Hawaii. They also offer a European season and an exciting itinerary in
South America. For a complete list of their ships and itineraries visit
their website at www.ncl.com
Wishing you happy days at sea with “To Sea With Z”!
