February 14:

NCL have announced that the SS NORWAY, (ex FRANCE) will be sailing for their Orient Lines division. After a "final transatlantic" farewell crossing from Miami and New York to Glasgow, Dublin, Le Havre and Southampton last September, it was announced that the ship would in fact be refitted in Germany and return to Miami to resume her Eastern Caribbean service on December 23, 2001.

Orient Lines wouldn't know what to do with this ship and Orient passengers would not step foot aboard her.

I had a meeting with Orient recently and they still plan on deploying the Ocean Voyager in the spring of 2003.

I dont - or rather wont - believe this story. The Norway has absolutely nothing in common with the Orient Lines niche. Star-NCL are not that stupid.
I hope.

cruisemole, I heard the Orient Line news from maritime matters.

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Originally posted by cruisemole:
MALCOLM - WHERE DID YOU GET THE PRESS RELEASE ?

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It appears on several web sites, such as Maritime Matters.

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Orient Lines wouldn't know what to do with this ship and Orient passengers would not step foot aboard her.

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I don't know, Tim. I've cruised Marco Polo and am cruising on the Norway next month. A big part of the attraction of a cruise for me is the ship itself. Also, Orient seems to know what they are doing when it comes to rehabbing and maintaining classic liners. I'm sure the Alexander Pushkin was a fright before Orient overhauled her.

Orient would have to charge double the per diems that NCL is getting for Norway to turn a profit. Additionally, Orient's focus always has been and is on providing an intimate cruise experience. They pride themselves on operating smaller ships and unique itineraries.

Also, Orient would love to unload the MP as even though she was heavily rebuilt in 1993, her engines are old and she has a relatively small passenger space ratio when compared to Crown Odyssey and positively pales compared to the Ocean Voyager.

Forget it folks, it 'aint happening.

I last saw one of its operations on Thursday (Valentine's Day) after a £170 ($240)circular excursion of three and a half hours duration being whizzed round the Pennines in thirty five year old coaches that were taken off front line service seventeen years ago behind a diesel that was even older.

That would be about the rate per day including all meals and accommodation that you are suggesting Orient would need to charge for a

"Unique opportunity to travel on the last ocean going liner on a choice of several unique itineraries..... combining the best of the former SS France with the availability to visit many of the world's premier cities in the style and comfort of a bygone age...... with the space to relax in modernised facilities but the intimacy to be pampered in surroundings of your choice".

And don't tell me it can't be done - it can and its called niche marketing - not Walmart bargain basement selling as practiced out of Miami.

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Originally posted by Tim @ Cruisepage:
Namlit,

Also, Orient would love to unload the MP
Tim

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If Orient could find a more modern, more spacious ship with the same capabilities as MP, they'd be rid of her in a heart beat! The trouble is there are few ships, if none at all, available that have an ice strengthened hull and ultra long cruising range.

She's a unique ship, so she will be hanging around for while, but they would like something more modern and efficient.

I'm not saying that Orient is dumping MP, simply the fact that IF they could find a suitable replacement for her that was just as capaple but more spacious, modern and efficient, they would.

I was just using her as an expample of how OCL is NOT interested in picking up another old ship; especially one as inefficient as the Norway when they are going to deploy the Ocean Voyager and make oddles and oddles of money with her.

The Orient Lines deny that SS NORWAY will be joining their fleet.

The story is that NCL staff had 'allegedly' announced, that the SS Norway will leave NCL for Orient Lines, following her last Caribbean cruise starting December 29, 2002.

I can't imagine the Norway being added to the Western Caribbean where there are so many ships now that I'm waiting for two of them to collide.

Where would NCL redeploy the Norway??

Just an FYI...

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Originally posted by gohaze:
...she's way too big and awkward...

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Dambrosi, Gohaze is technically right. The SS Norway's length (the longest of all cruise ships) prevents her from docking in many of the World's ports. She is also not too Manoeuvrable, in fact she hit the dock at NY in September causing some damage to her stern!

On the other hand the state-of-the-art Carnival ships have a shallow draft allowing access to most ports and are highly manoeuvrable. Technically they leave the SS Noway way behind.

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Originally posted by BigUFan:
The added decks ruin her lines, and always did. The launches up front make her look like a floating junkyard.

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I agree, but these features are also responsible for saving her! Which the modifications, she would have been scrap metal years ago.

When I cruised on the Norway, an American guy said the same to me. He said that he wished they had kept her in a more original condition. I asked him which cabin he was staying in, thinking that being a traditionalist and liner fan, he may have picked one of the original first class cabins, (which are small by today's standards). He said he was in one of the new upper deck 'veranda Suites' - as he would settle for nothing less!