NCL America will add a new ship, the Pride of Hawai`i, to its U.S. Flagged fleet in April 2006. She will be the largest US flagged passenger ship ever built, and will join Pride of Aloha and Pride of America offering seven-day, inter-island cruises visiting the beautiful 50th state's four main islands. Pride of Hawai`i, will depart Honolulu on Mondays and will feature the line's extremely popular itinerary with a full day in Hilo, Hawai`i; two days in Kahului, Maui; a day in Kona, Hawai`i and two days in Nawiliwili, Kaua`i.
Built specifically for NCL's signature Freestyle Cruising, the Pride of Hawai`i will feature a vast array of accommodations including two luxurious Garden Villas with their own private gardens and sun decks, 10 Courtyard Villas sharing a private courtyard, pool and sundeck on deck 14, and a spectacular top-of-the-ship Owner's Suite. The ship will also feature multiple lively public rooms, 10 restaurants and impressive onboard amenities.
"Pride of Hawai`i completes our plan of bringing three U.S. Flagged passengers ships to Hawai`i by 2006 and creating 4,000 new seafaring jobs in the US merchant fleet," said Colin Veitch, NCL America's president and CEO. "Consumers will now have the choice to sail inter island Freestyle cruises on three different NCL America ships and one NCL international ship (Norwegian Wind), each with its own personality and style but all delivering an incredible Hawai`i experience."
On June 19, 2006, Pride of Hawaii will begin sailing her regular schedule of roundtrip seven-day Hawai`i Island voyages from Honolulu. From the Aloha Atrium to the Waikiki Pool to the Keiki Kids Club to the comprehensive golf program, the Pride of Hawai`i will capture the beauty and spirit of the Hawaiian Islands.
Norwegian Cruise Lines is known for its signature Freestyle Cruising program, and the new ship will offer guests a wide variety of dining options. Pride of Hawai`i will feature 10 restaurants including NCL passenger favorites such as Cagney's Steak House, Blue Lagoon and NCL's signature restaurant, Le Bistro. In addition, she will also offer:
· Grand Pacific - A grand restaurant inspired by the first-class designs from the Matson Liner ships that sailed from San Francisco to Honolulu;
· Alizar - A contemporary restaurant featuring colorful, modern artwork inspired by Mark Rothko inspired by abstract art of the late 20th Century and special, colorful lighting effects which create an exclusive ambiance;
· Jasmine Garden - A modern Asian restaurant touting Hong Kong and Shanghai-influenced architecture. The restaurant will feature popular Asian dishes, including Shabu Shabu, an entertaining cooking method where thin slices of beef are “Swished” back and forth in a pot of boiling broth; a sushi bar and a Teppanyaki area offering seating for 32;
· Paniolo - A Spanish-influenced restaurant featuring a Hawaii cowboy-theme and bright colors featuring tapas and Tex-mex cuisine;
· Papa's Italian Kitchen - Dedicated Italian restaurant that resembles a farmhouse kitchen with a long wooden table running through the center of the room to create the feel of traditional home style Italian dining;
· Aloha Nui Café and Lana`i - An indoor/outdoor buffet-styled eatery with a Hawai`i theme making it bright and cheerful. Aloha Nui means "much Aloha." Features "food action stations" including prepared-to-order omelets, waffles, fruit, soups, ethnic specialties, and pasta; offers extensive and varied selections.
In addition to her dining offerings, Pride of Hawai`i will also feature NCL's innovative Freestyle Dining information system. This allows guests to view all restaurants on board and make reservations for the entire cruise or just a specific night and restaurant. Plasma screens will be placed in high-traffic areas around the ship and outside each restaurant that illustrate the status of each restaurant. Indicator bars reflect when each restaurant is "full," "moderately busy" or "empty."
If a restaurant is full at a specific time, the screens will also indicate to guests an estimated wait time in that restaurant and what table sizes are available. If a restaurant is full and guests would like to wait for an opening, they will be quoted a wait time and issued a pager that works everywhere on the ship, so they can sit down in a bar, enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail, and listen to one of the ship's many entertainers until their table is ready.
Passengers can relax at one of Pride of Hawai`i's 12 bars including the Bar Central area, NCL's popular new entertainment concept first introduced on Norwegian Jewel. Bar Central features a martini bar, a champagne and wine bar, and a beer and whiskey bar all connected but touting three distinct personalities:
· Mixers Martini and Cocktail Bar, a 1960's-inspired lounge decorated with silhouettes and artwork reflecting the jet set dressed for the cocktail hour;
· Magnum's Champagne and Wine Bar, an Art Nouveau bar using Charles Rennie Mackintosh inspired design elements and colors;
· Tankards Beer and Whiskey Bar, a contemporary bar with low seating and tables along with mood lighting that compliments the backlit artwork of whiskey bottles/brands from around the world.
Pride of Hawai'i will also feature the Corona Cigar Club and the Medusa Cabaret Lounge and Nightclub featuring an underwater, tropical coral reef theme.
The ship will feature a Kumu Cultural Center designed by Mary Philpotts, a well-respected designer from Hawai`i whose vision and work has been instrumental in the remodeling of Pride of Aloha and the Kumu Cultural Centers on Pride of Aloha and Pride of America.
Pride of Hawai`i will offer an extensive choice of cabins including some of the most luxurious accommodations afloat. Guests will have the opportunity to cruise in style in one of the impressive Garden Villas, each spanning about 4,000 square feet. These extravagant Garden Villas will offer a spacious living room, dining room and three separate bedrooms, each with a private bathroom. Garden Villa guests also enjoy their own private Jacuzzi and steam room in their private garden, plus their own butler and concierge service.
A new category of stateroom accommodation to NCL with the introduction of Norwegian Jewel and also featured on Pride of Hawai`i is the Courtyard Villa, 10 of which share a private courtyard, complete with swim-against-the-current lap pool, Jacuzzi, male and female steam rooms and a small gym. These villas will also share a private sundeck with sun beds and hammocks. Positioned high atop the vessel, the villas will tout sweeping views of the ocean and an impressive assortment of amenities typically found at five-star land-based resorts. Together with the Garden Villas, the Courtyard Villas comprise the most luxurious suite complex at sea.
High above everything else is a new Owner's Suite, with commanding views of the ship and the surrounding ocean and scenery. This suite offers a master bedroom, en-suite bathroom, and dining/living area, together with not one but two private sun terraces, one connected to the living/dining area, and one directly accessible from the master bedroom.
Also onboard are NCL' s latest amenities in standard staterooms with rich cherry wood finishing, hair dryers, safes, refrigerators, tea and coffee makers in every room, a larger bathroom unit than many other ships, containing separate WC, shower, and washstand compartments separated by sliding doors in the outside, balcony and suite staterooms. For families of all sizes, Pride of Hawai`i will offer a large number of cabins (including suites and mini-suites) that can interconnect to create a two, three, four or five bedroom area.
Pride of Hawai`i will offer the latest in relaxation and fitness at the contemporary Japanese-themed, tranquil Ying & Yang Health Spa and Beauty Salon. Hawai' i-based Mandara Spa, the world' s leading operator of landside resort spas, operates the spa, pampering NCL America guests with an exotic menu of spa and beauty treatments combining the best of East and West. The ship will also feature The Galleria Shops, offering a wide selection of brand name watches, jewelry and accessories.
As on all NCL America' s Hawai`i based ships, Pride of Hawai`i will feature an NCL Golf Pro Shop and the NCL Golf Hawai`i Program offering golfers an opportunity to indulge their golf fantasies on some of the world's most fabulous courses. Guests will be able to rent equipment, book tee times on all four islands and consequently, can play up to eight rounds of golf on one week-long Pride of Hawai`i itinerary.
The Sports Deck will contain a basketball, volleyball and tennis court, while the Body Waves Fitness Center will boast state-of-the-art cardiovascular workout equipment – each with its own flat-screen TV -- aerobic and yoga area with a sprung wooden floor, steam and sauna rooms and a whirlpool and hydrotherapy pool.
Pride of Hawai`i will also offer a new, advanced Internet Café and Photo Gallery with kiosks to print photos from digital cameras as well as the latest laptops, which guests can rent to use around the ship. Passengers will be able to take advantage of NCL' s signature WiFi capabilities. This family-centric ship will also feature the Keiki (Kids) Club as well as the surf-themed Wipe Out Teen' s Club.
The U.S. registry of Pride of Aloha, Pride of America and Pride of Hawai`i enables NCL America to offer inter-island itineraries in Hawai`i all year long, with up to 100 hours in port.
When she begins her regular service in the summer of 2006, Pride of Hawai`i will sail seven-day, round-trip itineraries from Honolulu, departing on Mondays. Pride of Aloha, which began Hawai' i service in July of 2004, offers seven-day itineraries from Honolulu, departing on Sundays. She also features seven-day voyages roundtrip from Maui, departing on Saturdays. Pride of America, which was christened earlier this summer, started Hawai' i service in June of this year and features year-round, seven-day Saturday to Saturday sailings roundtrip from Honolulu. Norwegian Wind sails a series of 10- and 11-day cruises around the Hawaii Islands from Honolulu featuring a call at Fanning Island from September to April.
For further information, please contact NCL in the U.S. and Canada at (800) 327-7030; visit NCL’s website at www.ncl.com or on AOL at keyword: NCL.
