The youngest fleet in Europe – NCL presents the new Freestyle Cruising programme 2008-09 The Montrealer August 12, 2007 6352 NCL has published its new brochure for the season April 2008 to March 2009 with an expanded cruise programme in Europe. For the first time in company history, NCL deploys three of its most modern Freestyle Cruising resorts – Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Jewel – in the Mediterranean, in Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea and thus presents the youngest fleet in Europe. As another highlight in winter 2008/09, Norwegian Sun cruises in South America as the first cruise resort explicitly designed for Freestyle Cruising. Next season, NCL guests can experience Freestyle Cruising from 399 Euro per person on e.g. five-night cruises. In addition, on all European cruises early-booking savings of up to 150 Euro per person as well as family savings with which teens of up to 15 years of age travel at the child fare from 99 Euro attract guests to book early until November 30, 2007. Members of NCL’s past passenger club Latitudes now benefit from a wider range of benefits and are entitled to further reductions for bookings of balcony staterooms and suites realised before November 30, 2007. Mediterranean, Northern Europe and The Baltic Sea NCL’s Europe push can be summarised as follows: three modern and innovative Norwegian Jewel class cruise resorts that sail on 13 different itineraries on a total of 58 departure dates. “Our continuous growth over the past years has shown that our innovative Freestyle Cruising concept meets the holiday expectations and requirements of European customers. With three of our most modern ships in the Mediterranean, in Northern Europe and in the Baltic Sea, NCL underlines its confidence in the growth potential of the European market and at the same time sets the base for further expansion in Europe”, says Michael Zengerle, General Manager NCL Continental Europe. Between May 04 and November 09, 2008 the newly built Norwegian Gem (inaugural in October 2007) sails from to Barcelona in the Western Mediterranean on 28 departure dates. Beside the Maltese capital Valletta as a new port of call, the seven-night itinerary includes stops in Naples, Civitavecchia (Rome) and Livorno in Italy as well as Villefranche at the French coast. The Pride of Hawai’i (year of construction 2006) will be withdrawn from the Hawaiian market in January 2008. After its refurbishment and renaming into Norwegian Jade, the Freestyle Cruising resort sets sail in Europe in summer 2008. Beside twelve-night cruises in the eastern Mediterranean between Barcelona and Istanbul and between Istanbul and Piraeus (Athens) in spring and autumn, Norwegian Jade sails from Southampton to the Mediterranean as well as to the North Cape and around the British Isles in summer 2008. From May to August, Norwegian Jade cruises on 13- and 14-night itineraries around Western Europe and in the Mediterranean with stops e.g. in Vigo and Malaga in Spain, the Portuguese capital Lisbon or Civitavecchia and Livorno in Italy. With a twelve-night cruise from/to Southampton along the Norwegian coast with a stop in Honnigsvag at the North Cape on June 29 as well as a cruise around the British Isles with stops in Invergordon (Inverness) and South Queensferry (Edinburgh) in Scotland and the Irish ports of Dublin and Cork (13 nights from/to Southampton on July 13), the cruise line NCL extends its programme by two completely new destinations. Ending the season in Europe, Norwegian Jade sets sail from/to Barcelona for a twelve-night cruise to the Canary Islands on November 18. On the itinerary along the Baltic capitals, capacity will be enlarged as well. Replacing the smaller Norwegian Dream, Norwegian Jewel (year of construction 2005) sails from/to Dover to the Baltic Sea in summer 2008 and thus increases the staterooms offered by 25 percent. The twelve- and 13-night cruises include stops in e.g. Copenhagen, Warnemünde, Tallinn and St. Petersburg and are available from 1.249 Euro per person at early-booking rates. Next season, NCL family savings will be available as well on the cruises in the Baltic Sea. Thus, families with children between twelve and 15 years can save up to 670 Euro per child when booking before November 30, 2007. For more information call: 1-866-234-0292 or visit: www.ncl.com