NCL has announced that Pride of Aloha will leave its US-flag NCL America fleet on 11 May 2008. The ship will be reflagged and will move to the Star Cruises fleet for cruising in Asia. (Star Cruises owns 50% of NCL.)
The 77,104 GT, 2,002-berth Pride of Aloha was built in 1999 as Norwegian Sky and became NCL’s first US-flag ship in 2004. Star Cruises has not yet announced the ship’s new name or what itineraries she will operate after joining its fleet.
This move will leave NCL with only one US-flag ship, the 80,439 GT, 2,174-berth Pride of America, built in 2005. The 93,558 GT, 2,466 berth Pride of Hawai’i, built in 2006, recently completed her last NCL America cruise and is being refitted prior to joining NCL’s international fleet as Norwegian Jade next month. According to NCL, moving Pride of Hawai’i was a temporary move; however, Pride of Aloha will not return to the NCL fleet.
In an effort to reinforce its commitment to the US-flag market, NCL also announced itineraries for Pride of America to 2010. It is believed that she will enter NCL’s international fleet if NCL decides to end its US-flag operations at some time in the future.
Click here for a press release from NCL.
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