Campaign, Special Cruises To Mark Norwegian’s 50th Year

Norwegian Spirit. Photo: Piergiuliano Chesi

People were watching “Batman” and “Star Trek” on TV, gas cost 32 cents a gallon, the average price of a house was $14,000, and the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” was on the radio.

It was 1966, and the owner of a Norwegian ferry company, Knut Kloster, and his pal Ted Arison, who went on to found Carnival Cruise Line, bought a ship called the Sunward and moved it from Europe to Miami, operating under the name Norwegian Caribbean Lines.

The vision to provide vacation cruises to the Caribbean eventually evolved into Norwegian Cruise Line (it officially changed its name in 1988), and today it has 14 ships sailing around the globe with three more slated to launch in the next few years.

Marking its 50^th birthday in December, Norwegian has rolled out NorwegiansFirst50.com, a campaign web site that invites past cruisers, travel agents and employees to upload their photos and stories to the site, which showcases a timeline of pictures and facts spanning the brand’s first half-century.

“We are celebrating 50 years of incredible moments aboard our ships and it’s the people—our guests, travel partners, team and crew members—who make our history so special.  We wouldn’t be here today without their loyalty and dedication,” said Andy Stuart, president and CEO for Norwegian Cruise Line. “We invite everyone who has sailed with us, commemorated a special occasion with us or made memories onboard to share their favorite moments and celebrate our first 50 years along with us.”

Looking back over the line’s history, Matthew Eichhorst, president of Expedia CruiseShipCenters and head of Global Cruise, Expedia Inc., said that Norwegian’s Freestyle Cruising was an industry game-changer when the concept launched in 2000.

“It provided cruisers with alternative restaurants, many different entertainment options and resort casual attire. They got to do what they wanted, when they wanted, which was really revolutionary at the time,” he said.

“Customers loved and embraced the change so much that freestyle is now the norm on most of the lines. For us as retailers, it helped us to get a whole new type of cruiser onboard who wasn’t keen on the regimented structure that came with dining and formal nights,” added Eichhorst.

Michelle Fee, CEO and co-founder of Cruise Planners, also touted Freestyle as a huge success.

“Norwegian Cruise Line has consistently been a cruise line for a variety of targets since the line truly offers Freestyle cruising – there is something for everyone. Each traveler can create an individualized experience – and with new innovations on the Breakaway class ships, which have been designed with the cruiser in mind,” she said.

Fee also gave Norwegian high marks for its luxury experience, in The Haven,  along with its “sky-high thrills of the ropes course and even solo cabins.”

“As travel agents, we love being able to confidently sell a brand that makes our clients happy,” said Fee.

There were some challenging times for frontline travel sellers, the executives recalled.

Fee noted that, after Sept. 11 and again after the recession, consumer budgets were tight, but people still wanted to travel. “Norwegian Cruise Line remained a top pick for travelers thanks to their competitive pricing and accessible departure ports, many a few hours’ drive away from U.S. travelers,” she said.

Eichhorst said Norwegian’s Hawaii product was “very hard for us to sell” when the line had three ships in the islands, operating short and long cruises.

“The guest experience between ships and sailings was very inconsistent and customer satisfaction suffered as a result,” he recalled. “They’ve since improved their Hawaii experience dramatically, however, and we hope this leads to further expansion in the Hawaiian islands.”

Both executives said they are thrilled that Norwegian is building its new Norwegian Bliss specifically for the Alaska market – an industry first. The ship will debut next March.

“Alaska is a unique destination.  I’m excited to see how this ship blends the characteristics of small-sized expedition ships with the modern luxuries of a Norwegian ship. I’m continually amazed by the gorgeous hull designs on Norwegian’s fleet and I look forward to seeing the marine-themed work of Wyland on the Norwegian Bliss,” she said.

Eichhorst predicted that Norwegian Bliss will be an easy sell.  “We now have five Expedia CruiseShipCenters franchise locations in Washington so the fact that it’s sailing roundtrip from Seattle will be especially appealing to their customers.” 

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, parent of Norwegian, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and the Port of Seattle last year signed a 15-year lease that enables it to manage cruise operations at the port’s Pier 66, and gives it priority rights to the cruise berth.

The agreement includes a $30 million improvement investment,  to be shared equally by NCLH and the port. The cruise terminal’s passenger processing areas will be expanded significantly, the port said. Along with Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Pearl also will sail from Seattle next summer.

Several 50^th anniversary cruises are scheduled, including eight-day sailings departing on Dec. 18 from New York to Florida and the Bahamas on Norwegian Breakaway; from Miami to the Western Caribbean on Norwegian Getaway, and from Tampa to the Western Caribbean on Norwegian Jade. On Dec. 19, cruisers can set sail from the Big Apple on Norwegian Gem to the Eastern Caribbean on a 10-day holiday cruise and from Miami on Norwegian Pearl, for a 10-day Panama Canal voyage.

Norwegian Historical Tidbits

1966
Norwegian is established under the name Norwegian Caribbean Lines when one of Norway’s oldest shipping companies, Klosters Rederi, buys the 8,600-ton Sunward, originally built and used as a ferry, and repositions it from Europe to Miami.

1977
Norwegian becomes the first cruise line to have a private island with the purchase of Great Stirrup Cay from Belcher Oil Co.

1979
Norwegian buys the former France and rebuilds it in Germany. Renamed the Norway, the 76,000-ton vessel becomes the line’s flagship.

1988
The line changes its name to Norwegian Cruise Line.

1997
NCL’s ship names are changed to include the Norwegian prefix.

1999
Norwegian launches the industry’s first internet cafe aboard the Norwegian Sky, with nine computer terminals for guests.
Fitness gyms aboard NCL ships expand hours to 24-hour access.
Norwegian launches an online booking engine, enabling agents to make real-time bookings and changes to existing bookings.

2000
Internet cafes are installed fleet-wide.
Star Cruises Plc acquires NCL.
The line creates Freestyle Cruising, which features  up to 10 dining venues, open seating and extended hours in the main restaurants, resort casual attire and operational changes such as more leisurely disembarkation procedures.
NCL announces plans to have Mandara Spas on all ships.

2001
Norwegian offers its first cruises and cruise-tours to Southeast Asia.

2002
NCL provides wireless internet for passengers.
The line adds a U.S. flag brand, NCL America, which will operate the U.S.-flagged and U.S.-crewed Pride of Aloha, formerly the Norwegian Sky, in Hawaii.

2004
Norwegian’s Freestyle Connection program partners with Amtrak to package transportation to the line’s homeports.

2006
NCL offers cellphone service fleet-wide.
Norwegian Sun is the first cruise ship to homeport in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

2007
Star Cruises sells 50% of NCL to Apollo Management.

2013
Norwegian files for an IPO.

2014
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings buys Prestige Cruise Holdings, parent of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.