IS the POA really a new ship?

[jenniferCP]

I've read that is uses the original haul of another cruiseship that went bankrupt? I know it has been completely re-done but does explain some of the poorer design qualities to the Jewel.

[brittany21]

Pride of aloha or Pride of America?? Pride of aloha is formerly the Sky, and is just completely redone. Im pretty sire the Pride of America is brand new. But im not the best to ask, another more informed person would know for sure.

[jenniferCP]

i was thinking pride of america but your question make me think that i was wrong in the first place.

[mbisson]

but does explain some of the poorer design qualities to the Jewel.

 

????

 

-Monte

[jenniferCP]

pool isn't as nice as jewel.

[brittany21]

pool isn't as nice as jewel.

 

well just to mention, i was a lil disapointed with the pool on the pride of aloha

[KeystoneCruiser]

The Pride of Aloha (POA) was entered service in 1999 as the Norweigan Sky. In 2004, she was completly refurbished and reflagged at the Pride of Aloha. The first cruise ship to fly the American flag in 50 years.

 

The Pride of America (POAm) was launched in 2005 and was the first newly built US flagged cruise ship in 50 years. The base hull of the POAm was indeed originally built for a cruise line here in the United States that went bankrupt. NCL bought the hull, towed it to Germany and built the POAm.

 

The other true story is that the POAm was supposed to be launched first, in June 2004 with the POA being launched in September after refurbishment. In January 2004, the POAm sank in drydock in Germany due to a storm. It made it so the POAm could not launch until 2005. NCL then moved the Sky's refurbishment up to May and launched the Pride of Aloha in June, 2004 instead. Those of us who had signed up for the Pride of America for summer 2004 were switched over to the Pride of Aloha instead.

 

The Pride of Hawaii is a complete new build.

[mbisson]

pool isn't as nice as jewel.

 

Don't know what difference that would make in the pool area. I think they just did a better design job on the pool on the Jewel

 

jmo

-Monte

[electricron]

Some more historical information about the Pride of America, in a time line form......

 

1997, Congress passes the U.S.-Flag Cruise Ship Pilot Project Statute, otherwise known as Project America, designed to revitalize the U.S.-flag oceangoing cruise ship fleet. It is expected to create more than 5,000 American jobs, help sustain and modernize the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base, increase U.S. tax revenues, boost Hawaii tourism, and expand consumers' leisure travel opportunities.

 

March 9, 1999, American Classic Voyages Co. (AMCV) set a course for its future by signing a contract with Ingalls worth a total potential value of $1.4 billion, to build two 1,900-passenger cruise ships, with an option for a third.

Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding, along with Litton Avondale Industries in metro New Orleans, Louisiana, is part of Litton Ship Systems (LSS), one of the nation's leading full service systems companies for the design, engineering, construction, and life cycle support of major surface vessels for the U.S. Navy and international navies, and for commercial vessels of all types.

AMCV is the largest owner and operator of U.S.-flag passenger vessels, and its Project America vessels will sail under AMCV's new brand, United States Lines®, one of the most storied names in the history of ocean-going passenger transportation.

 

July 3, 2000, just one day before the American Independence Day, a torch will light over the first steel part for the newest member of United States Lines at Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding.

 

In September 2001, American Classic Voyages Co. reached an agreement, endorsed by the U.S. Maritime Administration with the support of U.S. Secretary of Transportation, that would enable the uninterrupted construction of two 1,900-passenger cruise ships in the US. Rumored to be named UNITED STATES and AMERICA the two vessels under grouped under the title "Project America" which is a pilot project aimed at reinvigorating U.S.-flag cruise ship construction and operation. The two ships were in the early stages of construction at Northrop Grumman's Ingalls Operations. The cruise ship delivery dates were extended by 12 months, to February 1, 2004, and February 1, 2005.

 

October 19, 2001, American Hawaii Cruises filed for bankruptcy protection following the attack on September 11th. American Classic claimed that half of its bookings had fallen off since the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001. Rumors the company was in financial trouble had circulated for for some time and Nasdaq officials halted trading in American Classic's shares after they reached a new low of 46 cents each.

 

August 20, 2002, Star Cruises buys Project America ships

Northrop Grumman Corporation yesterday said that it had reached an agreement to sell all structures and material associated with the Project America cruise ship program to Norwegian Cruise Line.

Under the agreement, Norwegian Cruise Line will take possession by Sept. 30 of the nearly half-complete first ship and all associated equipment and materials, as well as material acquired by Northrop Grumman for a planned second ship.

The cruise line plans to have the hull and materials transported to Europe, where construction of the first ship will be completed at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven Germany.

NCL transferred the ship from its original shipbuilder in Mississippi to Bremerhaven, Germany in 2002. The Lloyd Werft Shipyard is lengthening the $400 million ship by 82 feet and extending its capacity to over 2,000 passengers. Norwegian expects to take delivery of the first ship in 2004.

 

January 17, 2003, United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye announced that included in the Senate version of the Fiscal Year 2003 Omnibus Appropriations Bill is a provision that would bring the Project America ships back to Hawaii for operation in inter-island cruises under U.S.-flag. The legislation would rebuild the U.S.-flag cruise fleet in Hawaii, permitting Norwegian Cruise Lines, the owner of the Project America ships to document those vessels under U.S.-flag for operation in Hawaii following completion in an overseas shipyard. In addition, the owner would be permitted to reflag a modern foreign-built vessel under U.S. flag for the Hawaii trade.

According to media reports, representatives from Norwegian Cruise Line have met with Hawaii Democratic Senator Daniel Inouye to discuss an exemption from the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA), which requires that the transportation of passengers directly between points in the U.S. be conducted by vessels built and registered in the U.S., crewed by U.S. citizens and owned and operated by companies for which a majority of directors are U.S. citizens.

 

January 14, 2004, The new Norwegian Cruise Line ship the Pride of America was damaged during a storm at the Lloyd Werft German shipyard where the ship was under construction. The ship was scheduled to be sailed from Germany to Hawaii in April 2004, followed by its maiden voyage from Hawaii on July 4. She is currently sitting on the floor of the harbor with three decks under water.

 

June 17, 2005, The NCL Pride of America was successfully christened in New York City.

 

Senator Inouye's loophole in the Jones' Act is for specifically the two Project America ships, plus a third existing ship. The Pride of America is the first ship. The Pride of Aloha is the existing ship. The Pride of Hawaii is considered the second Project America ship, although it's a sister of the Norwegian Jewel, not the sister of the Pride of America, because it uses parts bought from Ingall's designated for the second Project America ship.

The Project America ships, plus the third, can be US flagged for operation in specifically Hawaiian waters. The loophole overcomes the built in America clause of the Jones Act. NCLA is a registered American company, although it's owned by Star Cruises, a Malaysian company. NCL can't operate these ships outside of Hawaii without going to a foreign port, except for going to and from dry-dock from Hawaii. If NCL uses these ships for Alaska cruises for example, they will require a stop at a Canadian port. The exemption only applies for Hawaiian cruises...........

 

That's why the SS United States may be refurbished after the Project American ships are completed, as it will be operated by an American company and it is American built. It fully meets all the standard requirements of the Jones' Act to sail exclusively in American waters.

 

Will NCLA do so? Will it be profitable? NCL's profit margins were hit hard with the introduction of the second NCLA American crewed ship last year. Only time will tell........