MIAMI -- Norwegian Cruise Line launched Norwegian Capricorn
Line, a regional line that will offer year-round cruises in
Australia and New Zealand starting in December. The joint-venture
company will be owned 50% by Norwegian Cruise Line and 50% by a
group of Australian partners headed by former Cunard executive
Sarina Bratton.
Norwegian Capricorn Line will charter and reposition the
Norwegian Star, an 800-passenger ship that NCL currently operates
on seven-night Caribbean cruises from Houston. In Houston, NCL will
replace the Norwegian Star with the Norwegian Sea, which can
accommodate 1,534 passengers, nearly doubling NCL's capacity out of
Houston.
Hans Golteus, president and chief operating officer of NCL, said
the Australian cruise market is "virtually untapped," and
represents "tremendous potential" for the new company. Eventually,
Norwegian Capricorn Line wants to expand its offerings to include
Asia/Pacific, Golteus added. The Australia cruises will be marketed
to Australians as well as to passengers from the U.S. and Europe,
officials said.
Before it repositions to Australia, the Norwegian Star will
undergo a three-week drydock for technical and interior
improvements. The ship is the subject of a lawsuit by passengers,
who said they experienced electrical, air-conditioning and/or
plumbing problems on their sailings. Its final cruise out of
Houston will be on Oct. 4.
In Australia, the ship will offer itineraries of seven to 14
nights. Summer cruises will include Tasmania and New Zealand, while
winter itineraries will feature the Queensland coast, Australia's
Top End and the Coral Sea.
The Norwegian Sea, which has been used on 14-night southern
Caribbean itineraries from San Juan, Puerto Rico, will offer its
last itinerary in that market on Nov. 21, before being redeployed
to Houston in December. Its first sailing from Houston is slated
for Dec. 13. Because of the ship's larger size, Calica, Mexico,
will be dropped from the itinerary, but otherwise the Norwegian Sea
will operate the same routing as did the Norwegian Star, including
port calls in Cancun and Cozumel, Mexico, and in Roatan,
Honduras.