ROYAL
CARIBBEAN CRUISES plans to buy a third Ultra-Voyager
vessel -- a 160,000-ton, 3,000-passenger ship that would be
identical to the Freedom of the Seas. The company signed a letter
of intent with Aker Finnyards to build a third Freedom class
vessel, which would enter service in early 2008. The agreement is
subject to certain conditions, including board approval, Royal
Caribbean said. The company estimated that the cost of the third
ship, including contract price, capitalized interest,
owner-delivered items and engineering and construction oversight,
would be about $828 million.
IN OTHER
SHIPBUILDING NEWS, Aker said it has again extended a
letter-of-intent with NCL Corp. regarding a prototype ship that
would put balconies on all the outside cabins. That deal, which was
to expire at the end of February, was extended for another few
weeks as the yard and the line mutually agreed to continue the work
related to the finalizing of the new design and other outstanding
issues.
THE
NORWAY, Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) storied ocean liner
(formerly the France), may be headed for the scrap yard. NCL CEO
Colin Veitch estimated the company has spent $10 million
maintaining the ship at a berth in Germany after it was damaged in
a 2003 boiler explosion. Weve done our bit in giving the ship the
best chance of finding [new owners], he said. Lots of people want
it, but they havent got any money.
CRUISE
SHIPS were the talk of the town in Washington last week.
The Supreme Court heard the case Spector v. Norwegian Cruise Line,
which seeks to determine whether foreign-flagged cruise ships
should abide by the Americans with Disabilities Act. During the
presentation, the Supreme Court justices took an active interest in
the issue, although it was unclear which way the justices were
leaning.
FOR THE
CRUISE LINES, the issue is whether U.S. laws could, and
should, apply outside U.S. boundaries. The issue is, really,
whether Congress intended to apply the domestic ADA statutes to
foreign-flagged vessels, said International Council of Cruise Lines
CEO Michael Crye during a post-hearing interview. If they did, how
do you reconcile safety treaties and other accessibility laws? An
enforceable international regime is the way to go, he added.