Newest U.S. Flagged Ship Salutes Historic Vessel!

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Newest U.S. Flagged Ship to Salute Historic Vessel S.S. America by
Dedicating Onboard Library

Miami
NCL America today announced it will salute the S.S. America by naming
its onboard library on the Pride of America, the S.S. America Library
and featuring memorabilia and artifacts from the historic ship.

As the first new ocean-going cruise ship in nearly 50 years to hoist
the Stars and Stripes, the Pride of America will be christened in
Hawai’i on July 4th, 2004 and will sail under Norwegian Cruise Line’s
(NCL) NCL America brand. The 100-percent U.S. crewed ship will sail in
Hawai’i year round and is designed to celebrate the Best of America.

“As a gesture to the U.S. cruise industry and a salute to former U.S.
Flagged vessels, we felt honoring the S.S. America through the onboard
library was an appropriate dedication,” said Colin Veitch, president
and CEO of NCL America. “We know how beloved U.S. flagged vessels are
to maritime enthusiasts and many modern day cruisers and we wanted to
work that into our new ship. I think our guests will be pleased with
the library.”

The S.S. America Library will be located on deck six with a large
selection of books and magazines for guests. NCL America is currently
working with ship historian Bill Lee to develop the library, which
will feature historic maps, oil paintings, an S.S. America scale model
and a selection of books about her as well as photographs that depict
the different stages of her life. The library will also feature
memorabilia from the original ship, including crockery, cutlery and
menus all displaying the ship’s regal logo and historic photographs of
passengers onboard enjoying their time onboard.

A plaque in the Library will list the ship’s details, including the
length, tonnage, the date the ship went into service, dry-docks,
Atlantic crossings, etc. Finally, a sign that will read “S.S. America”
is being created especially for the library from a piece of her
original teak deck salvaged and donated by Steven L. Tacey, a former
passenger who immigrated to Australia onboard the vessel.

To continue the homage to ships of yesteryear, the Lifestyles card
room next door will feature oil paintings of other United States Lines
ships.

The S. S. America was completed in 1940 and served as America's
symbolic Ship of State as an early foray into the realm of the great
ocean liners. She was built in the grand tradition and was an
unmistakably American ship, sailing under the United States Lines
fleet.


She was fast, comfortable and modern in design and décor, yet opulent
and luxurious with grand salons and unique detailing in every public
room. Known affectionately as the Queen of the American Merchant
Marine, the S.S. America was christened by then first lady Eleanor
Roosevelt.

The US Maritime Commission subsidized the cost of the ship’s
construction and certain ‘defense features’ had been inconspicuously
incorporated into her design. After sailing in the Caribbean for less
than a year, World War II delayed the ship’s entry into the
transatlantic passenger trade. During an intense 11-day period, the
ship was converted into a troop transport vessel capable of carrying
more than 8,000 soldiers at a time. The S.S. America was renamed the
USS West Point (AP 23) and made 15 Pacific crossings and 41 Atlantic
crossings, transporting over a half million soldiers without loss of a
single passenger.

The USS West Point was relieved of Naval duty in 1946 and underwent a
multi-million dollar restoration to replicate the S.S. America’s
original specifications. In November 1946, the S.S. America finally
made her maiden voyage to Europe and then settled into a routine of
transatlantic crossings, averaging 15-18 round trip voyages each year.
By the time her service with the United States Lines ended, the ship
had completed 288 Atlantic crossings, steamed 2.8 million nautical
miles and carried over 500,000 peacetime passengers.

In November 1964, the S.S. America was sold to Greek shipping company
Chandris, for use in emigrant service from England to Australia. She
was renamed the RHMS Australis -- The Australian Maiden. Typically,
every three months the RHMS Australis would sail from Southampton to
ports in Australia and New Zealand. Under the Australian Government’s
heavily subsidized migrant contract, her passengers could pay as
little as 10 pounds each for their adventure of a lifetime – a
multi-week cruise more than halfway around the world.

Taken out of service in 1979, she languished at anchor in a Greek
harbor for 15 years. On Christmas Eve of 1993 the ship left Piraeus
for what was planned to be a100-day tow to Thailand to become a
floating hotel. However, off the Canary Islands, the weather quickly
deteriorated and the towline snapped. After several attempts to
recover control of the ship, she was driven hard aground on the west
coast of Fuerteventura Island on January 18, 1994, where she has
remained.

Pride of America

Pride of America will feature the innovative attributes of NCL’s
newest Freestyle Cruising fleet. She features eight restaurants
offering traditional dining experiences in two main restaurants plus
multiple alternative dining venues, from formal to casual and 24-hour
room service.

With over 660 balcony staterooms, Pride of America offers the broadest
range of family-friendly interconnecting cabins available,
state-of-the-art entertainment venues, three pools, extensive
children’s facilities, an abundance of spacious public rooms, and the
largest dedicated meeting facilities at sea. All inspired by the
diverse regions of America. The ship will also include several firsts
for NCL including a Conservatory, a new category of family suites,
tennis court and an art gallery.

Pride of America will also feature a vibrant artistic interpretation
of the Stars and Stripes combined with the United States’ national
bird – the Bald Eagle – on its hull. The eagle artwork, splashed with
stars and stripes in striking red, white and blue colors will run on
both sides of the hull in a dynamic celebration of America.

On April 14, 2003 Norwegian Cruise Line announced the purchase of two
American Maritime flagships built in the glory days of transatlantic
sea travel, the S.S. United States and S.S. Independence. Though NCL
has not yet announced plans for the vessels, they too are a part of
NCL America, the company’s U.S. flagged brand.

For further information on NCL,, please contact a travel agent.