![]() ![]() ![]() In addition to the Norwegian Sun, Star Cruises had ships already on order for their own fleet at Meyer Werft, which would be transferred to Norwegian during construction, with the first two debuting as the Norwegian Star in 2001 and Norwegian Dawn in 2002. With the financial backing of Star Cruises, the struggling Norwegian Cruise Line was able to begin to replace much of its older and second hand fleet with new ships. The Norwegian Star – first new build under Star Cruises ownership This concept freed passengers from fixed formal dining times, instead there was relaxed attire, several distinct dining options, relaxed disembarkation and more lounges, bars, theatres and other entertainment and activity options, a change that would have a ripple effect across the cruise industry. Under the new ownership a new concept was introduced with the newly completed ship, Norwegian Sky, freestyle cruising. Norwegian was sold by Kloster to Star Cruises in 2000, a subsidiary of Genting Hong Kong, part of the Malaysia-based Genting Group. Acquisition by Star Cruises & Freestyle Cruising Between 19, the company also operated cruises out of Australia under the name Norwegian Capricorn Line and acquired Orient Lines in 1998. Norwegian has expanded to other parts of the world, including Alaska, Europe, Bermuda, and Hawaii. During this time Norwegian would rename all its ships with the "Norwegian" prefix (excluding SS Norway), and change its livery for the second time to a dark blue funnel with gold NCL logo. In 1997 Norwegian acquired Majesty Cruise Line, and added their two ships, which became the Norwegian Majesty and Norwegian Dynasty. In 1996 the Crown Odyssey, which was part of NCL's subsidiary line Royal Cruise Line, was transferred and became the Norwegian Crown. The line would continue to acquire second hand ships in the mid-1990s, with the addition of the Leeward in 1995. Norwegian would also continue with further orders of new ships in the early 1990s, not competing with large-sized cruise ship building trend of competitors, but with the smaller with the Dreamward and Windward to offer better flexibility with itineraries. Kloster would acquire Royal Cruise Line in 1989–90, and would eventually transfer the Westward to their fleet. Norwegian parent company Kloster would transfer two of the recently acquired Royal Viking Line ships to Norwegian, which became the Westward and Sunward (III). With an aging, small ship fleet by the late 1980s compared to the larger modern ships being built for competitors Carnival and Royal Caribbean, Norwegian attempted to catch up with an order of a new ship in 1987, the new Seaward, NCL's first new build since 1971. They would purchase the former Cunard Adventurer in 1977, refitting her with the trademark NCL funnels, and renamed Sunward II. The line would sell its original ship the Sunward in 1973, being too small and inadequate for the modern cruise market. This would be the Southward in 1971, and an intended identical sister the Seaward, that would never be delivered to the line, and would be completed for P&O Cruises instead. Norwegian would order two additional ships, that would be their first true cruise ships without any car carrying capacity. Norwegian was responsible for many of the cruise innovations that have now become standard throughout the industry. Later, this area was turned into cabins and a two-deck movie theater, later to be used as a casino. Like the original Sunward of 1966, they had the capability to carry automobiles through a well-concealed stern door. Norwegians's second and third ship, the Starward and Skyward, were the first newly built ships designed for the cruise line. Starward and sister Skyward were the first purpose-built ships for NCL Norwegian pioneered many firsts in the cruise industry, such as the first exclusive private island, Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, the first combined air-sea program (marketed as "Cloud 9 Cruises"), which combined low-cost air fares with the cruise, Freestyle Cruising, which is a form of relaxed and informal cruising, and first shipline to develop new ports in the Caribbean, such as Ocho Rios in Jamaica. Arison soon left to form Carnival Cruise Lines, while Kloster acquired additional ships for Caribbean service, with the line renamed and marketed as Norwegian Caribbean Line. ![]() The Sunward was first managed under the Arison Shipping Company, and marketed as Ensign Cruises. The cruise line was founded in 1966 by Norwegian Knut Kloster and Israeli Ted Arison, with the 8,666-ton, 140 m long cruise ship/car ferry, Sunward, which in 1966 operated as a car ferry between Southampton UK and Gibraltar, for that one short season only. Norwegian Caribbean Line's first ship Sunward ![]()
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