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Norwegian Caribbean Line
 
Page 1: First Generation Cruise Ships
 
 
These pages are devoted to postcards and photographs of the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) fleet (previously the Norwegian Caribbean Line). NCL is now owned by Star Cruises. NCL are also owners of Orient Lines. The Table below shows complete postcard histories of selected ships. Below the table are official and commercial cards of the NCL fleet in chronological order. This page covers the first generation purpose-built cruise ships, along with the Norway. Second generation new cruise ships will be dealt with on NCL Page 2. NCL Page 3 shows the fleet which received the latest dark blue funnels colours. NCL Page 4 covers the 70000grt and over mega-ships delivered since 1999.
 
The Kloster family of Norway were long-established shipowners, but only entered passenger services with the building of the Sunward (1) in 1966. Sunward was built to operate on a new cruise-ferry service from Southampton to Vigo, Lisbon and Gibraltar, her design being an enlarged version of the typical Scandinavian ferries being built at the time. The new line was called Klosters Sunward Ferries. Despite great promise, the route was not a success, and Sunward was soon moved to Miami to operate for Ted Arison (later to form Carnival) as Norwegian Caribbean Line on sailings to Nassau. The venture was so successful that additional ships were soon ordered, Starward, Skyward and Southward (although a sister for Southward to be named Seaward was cancelled and eventually delivered to P&O as Spirit of London). In addition, the Cunard Ambassador was bought, becoming the Sunward II. The next stage in the company's growth was the bold step of buying the famous France, the world's longest liner, and converting her into the what was then the world's largest cruise ship, the Norway.
 
In 2006, three of the first generation of NCL ships were together again in the fleet of Louis Cruise Lines - Orient Queen (ex-Starward), Perla (ex-Southward) and Sunward II.
 
 
Ships on This Page:-
Sunward (1)
Starward
Skyward
Southward
Sunward II
Norway
 
Ships on NCL Page 2:-
Dreamward - 1992-1998
Seaward - 1988-1998
Sunward (2) - 1991-1993
Westward - 1990-1993
Windward - 1993-1998
 
Ships on NCL Page 3:-
Dreamward
Leeward
Norway
Norwegian Crown
Norwegian Dream
Norwegian Dynasty
Norwegian Majesty
Norwegian Sea
Norwegian Star (1)
Norwegian Wind
Seaward
Windward
 
Ships on NCL Page 4:-
Independence - (NCL: 2003- ) ex-American Export Lines and Amenican Hawaii Lines
Norwegian Dawn - (NCL: 2002- ) ex-SuperStar Scorpio
Norwegian Jewel - (NCL: 2005- )
Norwegian Pearl - (NCL: 2006- )
Norwegian Sky - (NCL: 1999-2003) ex-costa Olympia, later Pride of Aloha
Norwegian Star (2) - (NCL: 2001- ) ex-SuperStar Libra
Norwegian Sun - (NCL: 2001- )
Norwegian Spirit - ex-SuperStar Leo
Pride of Aloha - (NCL: 2003- ) ex-Costa Olympia, Norwegian Sky
Pride of America - (NCL: 2005- )
Pride of Hawaii - (NCL: 2006- )
 
Newbuilding: Aker Finnyards 93000gt No.1 - (NCL: 2007- )
 
 
NCL Pages:-
NCL Header Page
NCL Page 1 - First generation NCL ships - this page!
NCL Page 2 - Second generation NCL ships
NCL Page 3 - Postcards in the new blue livery and names with the "Norwegian" prefix
NCL Page 4 - Postcards of NCL meg-ships delivered since 1999
Orient Lines
Star Cruises
 
Associated Pages:-
Festival Cruise Line
Premier Cruise Line
Princess Cruise Line
Royal Cruise Line
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
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Table of Ship Histories

Name

Other names

 Built
 Norway  France

 1962
 Seaward (1)  Spirit of London, Sun Princess, StarShip Majestic, Flamenco

 1972
 Skyward  Shangrila World, Asean World, Fantasy World, Leisure World

 1969
 Southward  Seawing, Perla

 1971
 Starward  Bolero, Orient Queen

 1968
 Sunward (1)  Ile de Beaute, Grand Flotel, Saudi Moon, Ocean Quest

 1966
 Sunward II  Cunard Adventurer, Triton, Coral

 1971
 
 
 
 
 
NCL Fleet Postcards
 
An oversized NCL official card of Starward, Skyward, Southward, and Sunward II.
 
A set of ship's stamps from the NCL official card shown above.
 
The Norwegian Caribbean Line fleet , just after the delivery of Norway.
 
 
 
 
 
Sunward (1)
(NCL: 1966-1972)
 
Sunward (1) was designed to operate on a new cruise-ferry service from Southampton to Vigo, Lisbon and Gibraltar, her design being an enlarged version of the typical Scandinavian ferries being built at the time. The new line was called Klosters Sunward Ferries, being run by the long-established Norwegian shipowners, the Kloster family (there is a 'K' for Kloster logo on the dummy funnel). Despite great promise, the route was not a success, and Sunward was moved to Miami to operate for Ted Arison (later to form Carnival) as Norwegian Caribbean Lines on sailings to Nassau. The venture was so successful, that additional ships were soon ordered.
 
The pioneering Sunward was sold to the French state-owned ferry operator CGTM in 1972, entering service as the Ile de Beaute, in 1973. In 1976, registered owners became Societe Nationale Corse-Mediterranee (SNCM), but Ile de Beaute was sold the following year for use as the hotel ship Grand Flotel in Saudi Aradia. A year later she pased to Saudi Maritime Transport Company, Jeddah, as the Saudi Moon I, for a service Suez-Aqaba-Jeddah. In 1984 she was sold to Sabah Maritime Services Co., Jeddah. In 1988 Saudi Moon I was sold Ocean Quest International, New Orleans, and renamed Ocean Spirit. After rebuilding, she undertook cruises on routes New Orleans-Cozumel-Belize-Cancun and St. Petersburg-Belize Reef-Cozumel-Roaten-Guanaja. In 1990 Ocean Spirit was chartered to SeaEscape as the Scandinavian Song. In 1991-93 Scandinavian Song was chartered to the Danish Cruise Line, returning to SeaEscape briefly in 1993 on their Port Canaveral-Freeport service. She has since operated as Santiago de Cuba and The Empress for Empress Cruises.
 
Complete history of Sunward.
J.Arthur Dixon postcard of Sunward issued for Southampton-Vigo-Lisbon-Gibraltar service.
 
 
 
 
 
Starward
(NCL: 1968-1994)
 
Following the success of Sunward (1), two larger cruise ships were ordered, the Starward and Skyward. Starward was completed in 1968 by AG Weser of Bremerhaven, for the Kloster subsidiary NCL (Norwegian Caribbean Line, later Norwegian Cruise Line). She operated out of Miami, on seven day cruises to the Caribbean islands. She originally had a stern car door and garage space to take trailers, particularly to Jamaica. This space was later converted to cabins. She is a sister to Skyward (later Leisure World). Starward was sold to Festival Cruises in 1994, becoming their second ship, Bolero.
 
Complete history of Starward
 
 
NCL official postcard of Starward.
 
Detail from an oversized NCL official card of Starward, Skyward, Southward.
 
 
NCL card of Starward, published by Editions FISA of Barcelona (serial 501).
 
Two later NCL oversized postcards of Starward, shown reduced in size to speed loading. These show the later NCL colours.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Skyward
(NCL: 1969-1991)
 
Skyward was a sister to the Starward, and was completed in 1969 by AG Weser of Bremerhaven. She was sold in 1991 to Singapore owners, receiving the subsequent names Shangrila World, Asian World, Fantasy World and Leisure World. She operates under this last name for New Century Cruises in 2000, still sailing out of Singapore.
 
Complete history of Skyward
 
 
An official NCL card of Skyward.
 
An official NCL card of Skyward.
 
Two official NCL cards, printed by FISA in Spain, are shown below. Both have the serial number S502.
 
 
 
Two versions of an oversized postcard of Skyward.
The first shows the original NCL colours, with a 'K' (for Kloster) on the dummy funnel, and sun logo on the hull. Both features were later removed, as shown on the second card.
 
 
This card shows the Skyward in later service as Fantasy World.
The card uses a retouched early NCL image, which retains the sun logo on the hull, already removed during NCL service.
 
 
 
 
 
Southward
(NCL: 1971-1994)
 
A second pair of sisters were ordered from Italian builders, to be named Southward and Seaward. The cost of the second ship increased following the nationalisation of the builders, and the order was cancelled. She eventually appeared as P&O's Spirit of London. Southward entered service in 1971, and operated until sold to Airtours in 1994, becoming their Seawing.
 
Complete history of Southward
 
 
Two early official NCL cards of Southward are shown below.
 
 
Southward with Starward and Skyward.
 
An Astral Graphics postcard of Southward, serial SC11, printed by FISA in Spain.
 
 
Two oversized NCL postcards of Southward, shown reduced in size to speed loading.
 
 
 
Chantry Classics serial number CC/S148 of Southward, photographed by Charles S. Kuntz.
 
 
Catalina Island Postcard Co serial number B19488 of Southward.
This card shows the later colours with red funnel logo.
 
 
California Scene serial number SD268 of Southward, at San Diego.
The widening of NCL operations resulted in the name change from Norwegian Caribbean to Norwegian Cruise Line. This card shows the later colours with red funnel logo.
 
 
 
 
 
Sunward II
(NCL: 1977-1991)
 
Sunward II was was built as the Cunard Adventurer, in 1971 and was bought by NCL in 1977. She was sold to Epirotiki in 1991, becoming their Triton.
 
Complete history of Sunward II
 
 
This is an Editions FISA card for NCL, serial 500.
 
 
Chantry Classics serial number CC/S87 of Sunward II, photographed by Peter C.Kohler.
 
 
Two versions of an oversized postcard of Skyward.
The first shows the original NCL colours, whilst the second shows the addition of the red flag logo to the funnels.
 
 
 
 
 
Norway
(NCL: 1980- )
 
The France entered service in 1962, and was the longest (but not largest) Atlantic liner at 1035ft. She was withdrawn in 1974 on the removal of government subsidies. She was laid up at le Havre until 1979, when she was bought by Norwegian Caribbean Line and renamed Norway. The postcards on this page are all official NCL releases. Star Cruises have announced that Norway will be transferred to their own fleet.
 
Additional commercial cards of Norway
Earlier history as the France
 
 
Four oversized Norwegian Caribbean Line postcards of Norway are shown below (size reduced).
 
 
 
 
One of the more unusual Norwegian Caribbean Line postcards of Norway.
 
Editions FISA card of Norway produced for Norwegian Cruise Line.
 
Two oversized postcards of Norway produced after the name change to Norwegian Cruise Line. The first shows her original NCL condition, whereas the second shows the additional upper decks which were added.
 
 
Six standard-sized postcards of Norway produced for Norwegian Cruise Line, showing additional upper decks. Norway did not receive the revised, and extremely dull, NCL colours of white funnels with a red flag design which were adopted by the rest of the fleet shortly after the name change from Norwegian Caribbean to Norwegian Cruise.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three more recent oversized postcards of Norway produced for Norwegian Cruise Line, showing additional upper decks. The last of the three shows the third NCL funnel livery of dark blue with a golden NCL logo.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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