The Final Fjord?
March 17: Norwegian Cruise Line's laid up NORWAY is, indeed, finished as announced by NCL's website, "Veitch announced that regretfully the S/S Norway would not return to the North American cruise market. The company continues to evaluate appropriate options for the vessel". It was decided not to re-engine the ship due to the expense. It is reported that plans for her use as a static hotel ship are being examined but that she will not be docked in the US. The former FRANCE, once the longest liner in the world, has been laid up at Bremerhaven, Germany since July following a fatal engine room explosion in Miami, FL on May 25th, 2003.

Here's the NCL link.

I now see a very dark clouds hanging over Big U and I’m not sure to believe NCL’s sincerity anymore. Maybe the CT members who go the annual Big U meeting can find out what is really going on.

Some years ago the SS Norway was sent to France, with a lot of hoopla about 'last transatlantic voyage', the ship was chartered to a french travel company for some cruises, marketing her as the "last cruises on the France/Norway".

(here was even an airplane accident as a light plane crashed when trying to see her near Brittanny).

It was then said she would go to the Far East to become a (hotel ?)/casinoship, but instead it was decided by the powers that be, that the ship should return (without passengers) to the Caribic for her routine voyages.
I remember there was a lot of nostalgia and press attention then in France, with documentaries on TV, reruns of 1974 documentaries, interviews with former staff, strike leaders, articles etc etc

If only the French government could buy her, and restaure to 'France' glory, as a museumship in Le Havre or St-Nazaire (there is already a passenger liner museum in southwestern france, but it is on land).

Perhaps with a gaullist president as Chirac...(though I think he was a minister of economy at the time the French government decided to pull her out of service - I am not sure)

After all there aren't that many big classic liners around, and they ARE part of our modern historical, cultural, economical en social heritage,as much as buildings on land. At the time they were the pinnacle of nautical and artistic creativity.

Let 's hope.

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Onno posted:
...so why couldn’t NCL just organise a public and spectacular retirement for Norway. That would have been better PR than pretending the ship would return to service and afterward disappoint a lot of Norway fans.

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I wouldn't agree that from the beginning that NCL already decided not to reengine the ship. Probably they are weighing on the options and it looks like now it would cost too much to put her back in service...

I still have faith that the BIGU could come back...Who would want to buy a gutted ship?

Anyhow, LONG LIVE THE BLUE LADY!!!

[ 03-18-2004: Message edited by: Keitaro ]

I suppose with a damaged Norway, one rusty hull (the Big-U) and Project America, they are aware of the risks of stretching their finances too thinly.

The SS Norway was just another burden.

-Re engineer a 40 year old ship with few balconies, small cabins, and outdated features (Norway)
-Totally rebuild a 50 year old rusted hull (Big U)
and
-Re design a laid up small-ish liner (Indy)

When for the same money, or even less, NCL could:

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Originally posted by Fairsky:
Totally rebuild a 50 year old rusted hull (Big U)
and
-Re design a laid up small-ish liner (Indy)

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1) Because of the US laws about American flagged ships operating to Hawaii.

2) It is cheaper than trying to build new American ships.

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:

1) Because of the US laws about American flagged ships operating to Hawaii.

2) It is cheaper than trying to build new American ships.

3) To gain a monopoly on Hawaiian cruising

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Aging cruise ship won't sail in America
AP Business Wire
March 18, 2004

MIAMI -- The aging cruise ship Norway, which suffered a fatal boiler explosion last year, won't sail again in North America, Norwegian Cruise Lines said.

The 44-year-old cruise liner doesn't fit into NCL's plans to compete with rivals Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises, company president Colin Veitch said Wednesday.

Launched as the France in 1960, the 2,000-passenger Norway sailed from Miami until May, when a boiler exploded, killing eight people. The ship was later towed to Germany.

"The Norway will not be coming back to North America," Veitch said.

Cruise executives say the 1,035-foot ship still has potential in Asia, where NCL's parent company, Star Cruises, is the primary operator. Veitch said NCL also has discussed selling the Norway to a buyer who wants to make it a floating hotel.

Veitch said the Norway is being worked on in Germany. The boilers have not been fixed, partly to maintain access for the National Transportation and Safety Board, and partly because it wasn't clear they would be needed, he said.

The NTSB's investigation is ongoing, spokesman Keith Holloway said.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

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She could still end up in Asia with Star, however if she has no engines she can only be anchored somehwere as a casino ship or floating hotel. That would be a waste.

As for the NTSB's investigation, how long does it take? Or is this just an excuse?

Also no news regarding the staff being trained for Pride of America, etc.

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Cruise executives say the 1,035-foot ship still has potential in Asia, where NCL's parent company, Star Cruises, is the primary operator. Veitch said NCL also has discussed selling the Norway to a buyer who wants to make it a floating hotel.

Veitch said the Norway is being worked on in Germany. The boilers have not been fixed, partly to maintain access for the National Transportation and Safety Board, and partly because it wasn't clear they would be needed, he said.

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Originally posted by eandjracquet:
...I hope there is an eccentric billionaire out there that buys both her and the Rotterdam/Rembrandt and markets them to the ResidenceSea people...

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I was thinking of this also, but it doesn't have to be a billionaire who acquires her. Would people invest in a cabin? How much? Would they be happy with something smaller than today's staterooms? Ultimately she would need propulsion. What are the costs, and can she be converted to diesel or gas turbine? Mmmmh.

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It was the first time 4 sea days were not enough!

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I have an old trolling motor that I would be more than happy to give to NCL to repower Norway, it would be slow but I sure had fun catching those bass at that speed.Amagine 29 days at see Miami to Key West!

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