Norwegian Cruise Line unveils schedule for 2009

[mercedes]

Already planning for the summer of 2009? If you're a Norwegian fan, your choices are a trip to Europe, Bermuda, Alaska or Hawaii.

That's the word from Norwegian president and CEO Colin Veitch, who unveiled the line's 2009 schedule today at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention in Miami.

The big news is that the line will move a newer ship, the Norwegian Spirit, to Boston for the summer of 2009 to sail to Bermuda. Built in 1998, the Spirit is an upgrade for the city from the 16-year-old Norwegian Dream, which is doing the Boston-to-Bermuda run this year. The Dream, in turn, is an upgrade from the Norwegian Majesty, which sailed between Boston and Bermuda from 1997 to 2007.

"People are really taking to the Dream this year," Norwegian executive Andy Stuart tells me. "This is the first time a big, modern ship has done Bermuda from Boston. And I think Spirit (in 2009) is going to be a big hit, too."

In addition to Spirit, Norwegian will have two other ships heading to Bermuda. The Norwegian Dawn will once again offer seven-night trips to the island out of New York from May to October. And the Norwegian Majesty will sail 5- to 7-night trips to Bermuda from Baltimore, Philadelphia and Charleston, S.C.

Veitch says the line also is sending three ships to Alaska for the summer of 2009. Three other ships will sail to Europe. Details:

-- Alaska. The line once again will send the Norwegian Pearl, Star and Sun to Alaska for the summer season, just as they are doing this year. All three will operate seven-night cruises between May and September -- the Pearl and Star out of Seattle; the Sun out of Vancouver.

-- Europe. The Norwegian Gem will sail a seven-night Western Mediterranean itinerary out of Barcelona from May to November, while the Norwegian Jade will sail 9- to 21-night trips out of Barcelona (as previously announced, staying in Europe year-round). The Norwegian Jewel will sail 12-night Baltic cruises out of Dover, England between May and September.

As for Hawaii, Veitch says NCL America's Pride of America will sail seven-night trips out of Honolulu that are very similar to what the soon-to-depart Pride of Aloha has been doing. The ship is the line's last remaining in Hawaii in the wake of a drastic cutback in its struggling Hawaii operations, which until a few months ago included three year-round ships.

Veitch says the scaled-down Hawaii operation should be profitable, and the line already has announced plans to keep the Pride of America in the region through at least 2010.