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Norwegian Cruise Line
 
Page 4: NCL Mega-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 NCL Mega-Ships (delivered since 1999) in chronological order.
 
NCL Page 1 covers the first generation of purpose-built cruise ships, along with the Norway. Page 2 will cover the later generations of new cruise ships. NCL Page 3 covers the recent fleet of NCL which survived to receive the new dark blue funnel colours. This page covers the 70000grt and over ships delivered since 1999.
 
Following the takeover of NCL by Star Cruises, a massive newbuilding programme was undertaken. Whilst most were originally intended for the Star Cruises fleet, the majority have been switched to NCL. The only mega-ship in the Star Cruises fleet in 2005 is SuperStar Virgo.
 
 
Ships on This Page:-
Independence - (NCL: 2003-2008) ex-American Export Lines and Amenican Hawaii Lines
Norwegian Dawn - (NCL: 2002- ) ex-SuperStar Scorpio
Norwegian Jade - (NCL: 2008- ) ex-Pride of Hawaii
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: 2006-2008) - later Norwegian Jade
 
Newbuilding: Aker Finnyards 93000gt No.1 - (NCL: 2007- )
 
 
Ships on NCL Page 1:-
Sunward
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
 
NCL Pages:-
NCL Header Page
NCL Page 1 - First generation NCL ships
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 - this page!
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
 
 
 
 
 
Table of Ship Histories

Name

Other names

 Built
 Independence  Oceanic Independence

 1951
 Norwegian Jade  Pride of Hawaii

 2006
 Norwegian Pearl  

 2006
 Norwegian Sky  (originally ordered for Costa Crociere)

 1999
 Pride of Hawaii  Norwegian Jade

  2006
 
 
 
 
 
NCL Fleet List
 
Page 4: NCL Mega-ships
 
 
 
Norwegian Sky (NCL: 1999-2003)
Pride of Aloha (NCL: 2003- )
 
The NCL cruise ship Norwegian Sky was delivered in June 1999. She was intended to become the Costa Olympia, a sister to the Costa Victoria, but was not completed due to the bankruptcy of the builders Bremer Vulkan. The hull was sold to NCL, and completed three years after her "sister", although design changes have given the two ships very different appearances. She was designed to operate 7-day cruises in the Caribbean and Alaska. She is 78,200 gross tons, 258.67 metres long and carries 2002 passengers (2450 max). 6 MAN diesels of 68930 total bhp drive her at 23 knots. In 2003, Norwegian Sky was renamed Pride of Aloha.
 
Additional postcards and photographs of Norwegian Sky are shown on this link.
 
 
This is the first NCL official postcard issued of Norwegian Sky.
 
In 2000, NCL issued a new series of official postcards of their fleet, including the two of Norwegian Sky shown below.
 
 
 
 
An oversized official postcard of Norwegian Sky.
 
 
An oversized official postcard of Norwegian Sky, showing the revised blue logo.
 
 
Attractive Prospect postcard (serial: 19261) of Norwegian Sky in the Hardangerfjord.
Photo: Ole E.Helo
 
 
NCL America official postcard of Pride of Aloha.
 
 
An oversized official advertising postcard of Pride of Aloha.
 
 
Photograph of Pride of Aloha at San Francisco.
Photo: © Marvin Jensen.
 
 
 
 
 
Norwegian Sun (2001- )
 
Norwegian Sun is a sister to Norwegian Sky, and was delivered from Lloyd Werft (Bremen) in 2001.
 
 
An oversized official postcard of Norwegian Sun.
 
 
 
 
 
Norwegian Star (2) (2001- )
 
91740gt - 294.1 m long - 2240 Pax (4066 Max) - Meyer Werft No: 648
 
Norwegian Star (2) was delivered in 2002, having originally been ordered for Star Cruises, under the planned name of SuperStar Libra. It was decided 6 months before delivery to transfer he to the NCL fleet, for use on services from Honolulu in Hawaii. She was the first of a series of 93000grt ships delivered to NCL/Star by Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany. Subsequent deliveries of sisters are:- Norwegian Dawn (2002), Norwegian Jewel (2005), Pride of Hawaii (2006) plus a Newbuilding due in 2007.
 
 
An oversized official postcard of Norwegian Star (2).
 
 
 
 
 
Norwegian Dawn
(NCL: 2002- )
 
92250gt - 294.1 m long - 2256 Pax - Meyer Werft No: 649
 
 
Norwegian Dawn was delivered in December 2002.
 
 
Norwegian Dawn was delivered in December 2002.
 
 
Norwegian Dawn was delivered in December 2002.
 
 
Norwegian Dawn was delivered in December 2002.
 
 
An oversized official advertising postcard of Norwegian Dawn (or sister).
 
 
An oversized official advertising postcard of Norwegian Dawn (or sister).
 
 
 
Independence
(NCL: 2003-2008)
 
In 1947, American Export Lines announced plans for three 30000 ton liners for for their New York to Italy service. When the order was placed with Bethlehem Steel, the number had been reduced to two ships, the first of which was the Independence. Independence entered service on February 11th, 1951, sailing from New York to Gibraltar, Naples and Genoa. At the time of delivery, she was the fastest American-built liner, achieving over 26 knots. additional calls were added to the itinerary (Algeciras, Cannes etc) and the voyages were increasingly advertised as 21-day cruises during the 1960s. In 1959, both ships received major refits, including the the move of their bridges further forward and upwards.
 
In 1960, the Isbrandtsen Company acquired a controlling interest in American Export Lines, and in 1962 the name was changed to the unwieldy American Export and Isbrandtsen Lines. Jet aircraft, union problems, plus competition from newer Italia Line ships made the services uneconomic, and Independence was withdrawn from Atlantic service in 1967, followed by sistership Constitution the following year. In 1968, Independence received a garish psychedelic livery, and ran cruises for travel agents called Fugazi to the West Indies and Mediterranean, but these were not a success. I do not have a postcard of Independence in these psychedelic colours. If you can assist, please email:- simplon@simplon.co.uk. (To digress, the name Fugazi puzzled me since there is also a post-punk rock band with this name. The website www.acronymfinder.com says that this is a British military acronym for "Fouled Up, Got Ambushed, Zipped In").
 
Independence was laid up until 1974, when she was sold to the C.Y.Tung group and renamed Oceanic Independence. She was briefly used for cruising, but then laid up in Hong Kong as Sea Luck I from 1976. American Hawaii Cruises were formed in 1980 by C.Y.Tung, who wished to enter the American cruise scene. The service started using Sea Luck I, again renamed Oceanic Independence, on 7th June 1980, operating a 7-day cruise out of Honolulu. An American subsidiary had been created, allowing the ship to be US-flagged. The service was a success, and the sistership Constitution joined the service in 1982, following a substantial refurbishment. During the winter of 1983, Oceanic Independence also received internal refurbishment, returning to service under original name Independence. In 1987, the cruise line was bought from the C.Y.Tung group by Peter C.R.Huang for $20million. American Hawaii Cruises filed for bankruptcy in 2001 following poor trading in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Independence was laid up in San Francisco. She was bought by Norwegian Cruise Line in 2003, with the suggestion that she might be restored as a US-flag cruise ship, but she remained untouched at San Francisco at the end of 2007. In 2008 she was towed out of San Francisco, presumed to be destined for the breakers.
 
Complete history of Independence
 
 
Independence in drydock at San Francisco.
Photo: © Marvin Jensen, January 2006.
 
 
Independence in drydock at San Francisco.
Photo: © Marvin Jensen, January 2006.
 
 
 
 
 
Norwegian Spirit
(NCL: 2004- )
 
78583gt - 268.6 m long - 1966 Pax (3760 max) - Meyer Werft No: 646
 
Norwegian Spirit was previously the SuperStar Leo of Star Cruises (owners of NCL).
 
 
An NCL postcard of Norwegian Spirit.
Click to open larger image in new window
 
 
An NCL pocket guide to Norwegian Spirit.
 
 
An oversized official advertising postcard of Norwegian Spirit (or sister).
 
 
 
 
 
Norwegian Jewel
(NCL: 2005- )
 
 
Meyer Werft postcard 1508 of Norwegian Jewel building in Papenburg, Ems.
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Meyer Werft postcard T40 of Norwegian Jewel building in Papenburg, Ems.
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Meyer Werft postcard T39 of Norwegian Jewel building in Papenburg, Ems.
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Meyer Werft postcard 1506 of Norwegian Jewel building in Papenburg, Ems.
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Meyer Werft postcard 1503 of Norwegian Jewel.
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Meyer Werft postcard 1501 of Norwegian Jewel.
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Meyer Werft composite postcard 1507 including Norwegian Jewel.
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NCL image of Norwegian Jewel.
 
 
 
Norwegian Jewel on first visit to Dubrovnik.
Photo: © Ivo Batricevic, 10th September 2006.
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Norwegian Jewel on first visit to Dubrovnik.
Photo: © Neven Jerkovic, 10th September 2006.
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Norwegian Jewel on first visit to Dubrovnik.
Photo: © Neven Jerkovic, 10th September 2006.
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Norwegian Jewel on first visit to Dubrovnik.
Photo: © Neven Jerkovic, 10th September 2006.
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Norwegian Jewel on first visit to Dubrovnik.
Photo: © Neven Jerkovic, 10th September 2006.
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Norwegian Jewel on first visit to Dubrovnik.
Photo: © Neven Jerkovic, 10th September 2006.
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Norwegian Jewel at Dubrovnik.
Photo: © Neven Jerkovic.
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Norwegian Jewel at Dubrovnik.
Photo: © Neven Jerkovic.
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Pride of America
(NCL: 2005- )
 
 
 
Pride of America at San Francisco on inaugural call.
Photo: © Marv Jensen, 11th July 2005.
 
 
Pride of America at San Francisco on inaugural call.
Photo: © Marv Jensen, 11th July 2005.
 
 
Pride of America at San Francisco on inaugural call.
Photo: © Marv Jensen, 11th July 2005.
 
 
Pride of America at San Francisco on inaugural call.
Photo: © Marv Jensen, 11th July 2005.
 
Pride of America at San Francisco on inaugural call.
Photo: © Marv Jensen, 11th July 2005.
 
 
 
 
 
Pride of Hawaii (NCL: 2006-2008)
Norwegian Jade (NCL: 2008- )
 
In 2008, Pride of Hawaii was renamed Norwegian Jade and transferred to Europe. She was overhauled in Los Angeles and Cadiz before re-entering service in the Mediterranean in April 2008.
 
More images of Norwegian Jade
 
 
Meyer Werft postcard of Pride of Hawaii building in Papenburg, Ems.
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Meyer Werft postcard of Pride of Hawaii building in Papenburg, Ems.
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Meyer Werft postcard of Pride of Hawaii building in Papenburg, Ems.
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Meyer Werft postcard of Pride of Hawaii building in Papenburg, Ems.
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Meyer Werft postcard of Pride of Hawaii building in Papenburg, Ems.
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Meyer Werft composite postcard 1507 including Pride of Hawaii.
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In 2008, Pride of Hawaii was renamed Norwegian Jade and transferred to Europe after overhauls in Los Angeles and Cadiz.
 
 
Norwegian Jade arriving at Cádiz for overhaul, without hull decoration
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th March 2008
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Norwegian Jade arriving at Cádiz
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th March 2008
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Norwegian Jade official oversized postcard, with new hull decoration.
Scan: Ivo Batricevic
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Norwegian Jade at Dubrovnik, with new hull decoration.
Photo: © Ivo Batricevic
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Norwegian Jade at Southampton
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th June 2008
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Norwegian Jade at Southampton
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th June 2008
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Norwegian Jade passing Calshot
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th June 2008
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Norwegian Jade passing Calshot
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 14th June 2008
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Norwegian Pearl
(NCL: 2006- )
 
Norwegian Pearl was completed in November 2006, and arrived in Miami on 13th December 2006.
 
More images of Norwegian Pearl
 
 
Meyer Werft postcard 1515 of Norwegian Pearl building in Papenburg, Ems.
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Meyer Werft postcard 1512 of Norwegian Pearl.
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NCL postcard of Norwegian Pearl
Scan: Tien-Yun Lao
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NCL pocket guide to Norwegian Pearl
Scan: Tien-Yun Lao
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Norwegian Pearl in Rotterdam
Photo: © Tien-Yun Lao, 29th November 2006
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Norwegian Pearl in Rotterdam
Photo: © Cees de Bijl, 30th November 2006
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Norwegian Pearl in Rotterdam
Photo: © Cees de Bijl, 30th November 2006
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Norwegian Pearl in Miami, on arrival after maiden Atlantic crossing from Southampton
Photo: © Bob Wingrove, 13th December 2006
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Newbuilding: Aker Finnyards 93000gt No.1
(NCL: 2007- )
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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