Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line has its origins in a company named Klosters Rederi, yes, from Norway. This company, headed by Knut Kloster and Ted Arison, ordered a car ferry for service between the South coast of England and Spain. The ferry was named Sunward, a name chosen because the English could go 'to the sun' in Spain with the new ship. But the route had many difficulties and it was abandonned soon after it had opened and new work had to be found for the new ship. Klosters had the idea to open up a cruiseservice from Miami, because cruising was booming at that moment. So a new company named Norwegian Caribbean Lines was formed and the Sunward went to the sun itself and started up the new service. This proved to be a very succesfull move, and soon two more ships, now not designed as carferries but as cruiseliners, entered service for the NCL. These ships were named Starward and Skyward and a fourth ship, Southward, was built in 1970 and entered also in this lucrative market. NCL, with four ships operating out of Miami, was a big succes. In these years, a financial dissagreement between the two owners resulted in Ted Arison leaving the company and setting up one of his own, hoping to get success too, although his first vessel ran aground unhappily. But don't worry, all went well with him and his company Carnival Cruise Lines. His story can be found here. 

A fierce competition started to unveal in the Caribbean, after Norwegian Caribbean Lines, Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Viking Line, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and several others all wanted a piece of the pie. Most of these new companies were Norwegian owned or had a Norwegian background, but the only one to use the name of the home country was Kloster. In 1979, he hit the jackpot when he bought the former transatlantic liner and at the time the largest passengership in the world, the former France. The ship had been in lay-up since 1974 and Kloster saw a huge potential to outdo his rivals. In 1980, the ship was only to have one name, and she entered service as Norway, a vessel that was three times as large as any cruiseship then in Caribbean service. It was thought that the giant ships of the transatlantic age were unsuitable for the new role that they had to play, but Norway was an instant succes and she paved the way for large purpose-built cruiseliners. So Norway really started it all, and Kloster was the big man in Miami at the time. 

Freestyle cruising, a new way of cruising introduced by Norwegian Cruise Line in 2001, aboard their first freestyle-designed ship the Norwegian Sun. The goal of this is to have the passenger really enjoying their holiday by offering a lot of dining options, very relaxing atmosphere and to let them really do what they like at times they like to do it. NCL threw overboard the somewhat traditional 'rules' of cruising because they found that these rules spoiled the true holidayfeeling from the passengers.

Four years later, Kloster aquired another company, also from Norway, the very upmarket Royal Viking Line. He did not merge it into his own company, it stayed independent. At least, for the time being. In 1990, also the Royal Cruise Line was bought, including their one-ship operation. But financially, it was a different story. Klosters rivals had all built large, new ships to compete with the succes of Norway and Kloster was not longer unique with his great, but old ship. Financial cracks began to appear and he had to close and sell Royal Cruise Line and Royal Viking Line to keep NCL afloat. In 1997, the company adopted a new name, although the initials were still the same. They became Norwegian Cruise Line. Also in the late 1990's, the company was bought by a joined venture between Star Cruises from Malaysia and Carnival Cruise Lines, the company started up by Ted Arison. Carnival was way better financially equipped and so finally, Kloster lost the battle. In 2000, Carnival backed out and Star Cruises became the sole owner. But financially, NCL was still not a success although a lot of new ships and a totally new theme, Freestyle Cruising, had been introduced. In 2007, Star Cruises sold 50% of its shares in NCL to Apollo Management, together with the management of the company. Under Apollo management, it seems NCL is finally getting their financials right again the last years and with one of the most modern fleets in the world after losing older tonnage, NCL is back on track.