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NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Star, Norwegian Wind
Norwegian Cruise Line is known for its "freestyle" cruising concept which is proving popular with families and those who want a casual, cruise experience. Multiple restaurants and anytime dining on board every ship in the fleet is a major part of freestyle cruising which has added to its popularity with families. Freestyle is characterized by a resort-casual dress code aboard ship, day and night with formal evenings optional. Those wanting to dress up stay in assigned areas while the rest of the ships remains casual. Expanded entertainment options, flexible disembarkation arrangements and improved casino services are also a part of freestyle cruising.
NORWEGIAN SUN Norwegian Sun sails round-trip from Seattle in 2006 on Inside Passage cruises. She was the first ship actually built for freestyle cruising so it has some design features which are different to sister ship Norwegian Sky (now Pride of Aloha) including larger staterooms and wider hallways. Sun features some beautiful dining rooms serving a wide variety of cuisine as part of the freestyle cruising concept although cuisine on NCL is generally not highly regarded. The flexible, casual cruise experience is popular with families.
On board features include nine restaurants for casual, anytime dining; two-deck show lounge, central atrium, observation lounge, spa and fitness center, wrap-around promenade deck, basketball/volleyball court, golf driving range, batting cages, chapel, sports bar, champagne bar, casino, kids and teens centers.
NORWEGIAN STAR Norwegian Star is back for 2006, sailing from Seattle. Since entering service in November 2001, the 91,000-ton Norwegian Star sailed from Honolulu on weekly Hawaiian cruises. In 2004 she made the move to the west coast offering weekly Inside Passage cruises from Seattle for the summer and Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles in the fall and winter.
A casino was added to Norwegian Star when she debuted in Alaska as she had previously sailed in Hawaiian waters where casinos are not allowed.
Star features 10 restaurants and a wide variety of public rooms including expansive facilities for kids and teen centers. On board you'll find a variety of accommodation from intimate inside staterooms to the rooftop Garden Villas, which are among the largest suites at sea (10,000 sq. ft. combined). Anytime, causal dining in 10 unique dining rooms. Thirteen bars and lounges, cinema and library. Mandara Spa, 24-hour fitness center and sports court.
NORWEGIAN WIND HEADS FOR ALASKA Norwegian Wind sails from Vancouver on Sundays for the first time in several years.
Norwegian Wind is one of the smallest and oldest of the big ships at 50,760 and built in 1993 as the Windward. She was stretched in 1998 gaining a 130 foot midship section, several new public areas and many more cabins. The recent changes include transformation of the Terraces dining room into an Italian Trattoria and expanding the seating and facilities of the Sports Bar, which was much needed. Wind also received a major makeover in 2001.
A definite plus with this ship is the variety of open deck space including a magnificent full promenade, plenty of forward facing space on every deck and a lot of open area around the swimming pool and Jacuzzis. Unusual terraced dining rooms are also beautiful.
On the downside, it is much more crowded since the stretch with 1,732 passengers, and a drop in passenger space ratio to 29.
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©Susan Milne 2006