NCL: for sale?

Is NCL up for sale? According to this news web site, it might be (rumors).

http://www.lloydslist.com/

Excerpt:

NCL stays tight-lipped over takeover speculation

Norwegian Cruise Line yesterday refused to comment on market rumours suggesting that a potential sale of the Miami company to MSC Cruises was being negotiated “behind closed doors” by parent Star Cruises.

Also it appears Royal Caribbean is buying the Spanish cruise line Pullmantur for 700 million Euros, or 818 million Dollars. So, cruise lines are continuing to be buying each other out, but not always the larger buying the smaller.

If Star Cruises sells NCL to MSC, what do you think might change? Would it be for the better or worse?

Presently, MSC has eight ships, and three new ships under construction at Chantier's de l'Atlantique.

A sister of the Musica to be called the Orchestra at 89,000 gross tons, and two new larger 133,500 gross tons ships to be called the Fantasia (due spring 2008) and the Serenata (due spring 2009). Would MSC give th elarger 133,500 gross tons ships to NCL in exchange for two of NCL's older ships, possibly the Sun, Spirit, Dawn and Star which probably will fit the Meditterranean market better?

Or possibly, because rumors are often wrong, what about NCL/Star Cruises buying out MSC?

Here's the MSC Cruises web site for more information:

http://www.msccruisesusa.com/home.asp

Well, they have a fantastic onboard product, and it's hard to imagine that a new owner wouldn't want to capitalize on the only all-freestyle line--it certainly has a strong niche market. So I'd hope the improvements all have to do with seriously upgrading land-based customer service and their website!

Could it possibly be NCL America???

Wouldn't it be great if MSC pulled a Star Cruises deal, like when Star sent their new underconstruction ships that eventually became the Star and Dawn, and send those two new 133,500 gross tons ships to Miami and New York in 2008, and 2009 under NCL liverly?

NCL will eventually need larger ships of that size to compete in those two major American ports. The six NCL sister ships at 92,000 tons could compete for a long time to come at NCL's other home based ports.

Here's what the 133,500 gross tons ships will look like:

333 metres (1092 feet) in length, 38 metres (135 feet) wide, with a cruising speed of 23 knots. They will each have a total of 1,650 cabins of which 1260 will have balconies. The post Panamax construction offers highly competitive design in size and speed, with an innovative space concept for the lounges and public areas. MSC Fantasia and MSC Serenata will each carry a maximum of 3,900 passengers (double occupancy 3400 passengers) and 1,313 crew.

Any thing is possible.

Of course it is possible or it could be visa versa. Of course as someone said, maybe it is NCLA? That being said, I will just wait and see what develops. As a retiree from a major hotel chain I remember living with these types of rumors all the time. The company was up for sale, the company was buying another company, etc. Eventually the company did purchase several other hotel companies. I guess anything is for sale for the correct price, even my house but don't tell DH!!! LOL

NMNita

Of course it is possible or it could be visa versa. Of course as someone said, maybe it is NCLA? That being said, I will just wait and see what develops. As a retiree from a major hotel chain I remember living with these types of rumors all the time. The company was up for sale, the company was buying another company, etc. Eventually the company did purchase several other hotel companies. I guess anything is for sale for the correct price, even my house but don't tell DH!!! LOL

NMNita

I guess anything is for sale for the correct price, even my house but don't tell DH!!! LOL

 

NMNita

My house isn't for sale but I would consider trading it for a cruise ship! ;)

BTW, I see your stutter has returned. :p

My house isn't for sale but I would consider trading it for a cruise ship! ;)

 

BTW, I see your stutter has returned. :p

It's my computer that stutters, not me; I think I need to take it to a speech theropist. (maybe to spelling school as well) LOL

NMNita

Here's what the 133,500 gross tons ships will look like:

 

333 metres (1092 feet) in length, 38 metres (135 feet) wide, with a cruising speed of 23 knots. They will each have a total of 1,650 cabins of which 1260 will have balconies. The post Panamax construction offers highly competitive design in size and speed, with an innovative space concept for the lounges and public areas. MSC Fantasia and MSC Serenata will each carry a maximum of 3,900 passengers (double occupancy 3400 passengers) and 1,313 crew.

:eek: Too big, and awfully ugly - Who's nightmare is this anyway??

If this happens I see it as a good thing. I know that MSC has a lot of shipping money behind it. It would be advantages if they could separate NCLA in the deal and sell it separately. JMO:)

:eek: Too big, and awfully ugly - Who's nightmare is this anyway??

Looks a lot like a ship NCL ordered then canceled. The NCL ship was smaller and not post Panamax construction. I have bet the MCS ship is not being build with 10 restaurants for Freestyle

Looks a lot like a ship NCL ordered then canceled. The NCL ship was smaller and not post Panamax construction. I have bet the MCS ship is not being build with 10 restaurants for Freestyle

I would agree that with MSC they wouldn't have as many restaurants, but that could be changed while under construction if they were "loaned" to NCL. The Sky, now the Pride of Aloha, was successfully adopted from an initial Costa Cruises design with fewer restaurants. That's also assuming MSC is interested into buying NCL, were willing to allow NCL to remain an independent operation, and if they are willing to part with these giants. Although I couldn't imagine them not going to cruise line meccas such as Miami and New York City.

MSC home ports presently are Venice, Genoa, Trieste, Rome (Civitavecchia), Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Kiel, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Fort Lauderdale, and Rio de Janeiro. Except for Ft. Lauderdale (Miami), they were sailing from locales where NCL doesn't.

I wonder where MSC was planning on sailing the new giants from as a part of MSC operations? Their newest ship Musica at 89,000 gross tons is sailing from Venice, and it's sister under construction will probably sail from Genoa, as both Venice and Genoa have multiple ship operations, and is their major Italian hubs. Obviously, that's where MSC were going to sail the giants from, which allows them to eliminate their older and smallest ships as their four fairly new 58,000 gross tons mid sized ships being bumped down as replacements. With Honolulu, Miami and New York City as major hubs with the acquistion of NCL, what better homeports would there be for you place either of these giants?

Along with NCL's six 92,000 gross tons ships, and four 76,000 to 80,000 gross tons ships, you could cover both the American and Europe cruise markets with mega sized or larger ships.

You could also eliminate some of the speciality restaurants aboard NCL's ships, if dropping Freestyle is in their plans. Changing ships' layouts either way is easy to accomplish. The Crown will be losing it's casino and Le Bristo restaurant when it transfers over to Fred Olsen.

Alas, I'm speculating way too much over rumors. Never-the-less, around 133,500 gross tons is about the size ship NCL needs to remain a major player in the Miami cruise market. Here's two ships being built that NCL could use, and get them much sooner. Otherwise, NCL will have to wait until at least 2010 to get a ship this size from Aker's French shipyard Chantiers, or later from Aker's shipyards in Finland.

If MSC would buy NCL I do not think that they would do away with Freestyle. I strongly believe it would be in their advantage to keep that concept.

Rick Sasso, formerly of Celebrity, is a very dynamic president with great ideas. He was brought in to MSC to jack up the American market and I think that he knows a good idea when he sees one.

Looks a lot like a ship NCL ordered then canceled. The NCL ship was smaller and not post Panamax construction. I have bet the MCS ship is not being build with 10 restaurants for Freestyle

This one is definitely more attractive.

Being a novice cruiser, could any one tell me how the general public feels about these huge ships, if any opinions have actually been heard?

To me, they look unwieldily, too tall, and not very seaworthy. I know this is a very naive statement, but anything that tall, causes a little fear when thinking of rogue waves, rough seas, and other events at sea.

Personally, I feel that many pax, regardless of the size of the ship would increase problems aboard.

Any enlightenment on these thoughts would be appreciated. Please don't quote the technical jargon - I have read that, and understand some of it.;)

This one is definitely more attractive.

Being a novice cruiser, could any one tell me how the general public feels about these huge ships, if any opinions have actually been heard?

 

To me, they look unwieldily, too tall, and not very seaworthy. I know this is a very naive statement, but anything that tall, causes a little fear when thinking of rogue waves, rough seas, and other events at sea.

 

Personally, I feel that many pax, regardless of the size of the ship would increase problems aboard.

 

Any enlightenment on these thoughts would be appreciated. Please don't quote the technical jargon - I have read that, and understand some of it.;)

The answer is quite simple for me. When all cruise lines go to these megaships, I will find somewhere else to spend my vacation dollars. I go to vacation, not become part of a cattle herd.

Wouldn't it be great if MSC pulled a Star Cruises deal, like when Star sent their new underconstruction ships that eventually became the Star and Dawn, and send those two new 133,500 gross tons ships to Miami and New York in 2008, and 2009 under NCL liverly?

 

NCL will eventually need larger ships of that size to compete in those two major American ports. The six NCL sister ships at 92,000 tons could compete for a long time to come at NCL's other home based ports.

 

Here's what the 133,500 gross tons ships will look like:

 

333 metres (1092 feet) in length, 38 metres (135 feet) wide, with a cruising speed of 23 knots. They will each have a total of 1,650 cabins of which 1260 will have balconies. The post Panamax construction offers highly competitive design in size and speed, with an innovative space concept for the lounges and public areas. MSC Fantasia and MSC Serenata will each carry a maximum of 3,900 passengers (double occupancy 3400 passengers) and 1,313 crew.

Isn't this going from a general 2 to 1 passenger to crew ratio to a 3 to 1 ratio. That doesn't sound so good to me but I'm still a little new to cruising so maybe I'm missing something.

The answer is quite simple for me. When all cruise lines go to these megaships, I will find somewhere else to spend my vacation dollars. I go to vacation, not become part of a cattle herd.

Thats why I chose to leave the big ship lines and go with Fred Olsen...no ship over 1000 passengers...and that includes the soon to be transferred NCL Crown when she becomes Olsen's Balmoral....950 maximum on a ship NCL throw over 1200 onto at present.

I went on NCL Jewel last year...lovely ship if you like that sort of floating resort type thing. I hate them.

Glad to see you back 'on board' - have you been on a round the world cruise in your absence?:) Do let us know! :D

I heard this info last week from a friend who seemed to think they knew what they were talking about, but they said it was the sale of NCLA! It will be interesting to see what happens. I'm really curious because we will be on the POH Thanksgiving week.

Question.

Aren't MSC part of the Carnival group?

Question.

 

Aren't MSC part of the Carnival group?

Don't believe so. MSC is a privately-owned container shipping line, founded in 1970, one of the leading global carriers of the world.

The answer is quite simple for me. When all cruise lines go to these megaships, I will find somewhere else to spend my vacation dollars. I go to vacation, not become part of a cattle herd.

Bingo. Besides there's plenty of alternatives such as rolling your own, for example. :eek:

There's a reason why all the NCL ships are panamax sized.

I can see it now the former MSC Fantasia now the NCL Saturn tendering 3900 passengers to GSC. This is a place that was developed when the ships held less the 2000 passengers.

It would be a new chance to increase revenue - reserved seating for $25 ;) :D Standing room no additional charge:eek:

This one is definitely more attractive.

Being a novice cruiser, could any one tell me how the general public feels about these huge ships, if any opinions have actually been heard?

 

To me, they look unwieldily, too tall, and not very seaworthy. I know this is a very naive statement, but anything that tall, causes a little fear when thinking of rogue waves, rough seas, and other events at sea.

 

Personally, I feel that many pax, regardless of the size of the ship would increase problems aboard.

 

Any enlightenment on these thoughts would be appreciated. Please don't quote the technical jargon - I have read that, and understand some of it.;)

I think you are right.

It's the elephant in the living room.

Most of them look like Motel 6 on a raft.

But the cruise lines like the premium prices for the balconies.