July 24, 2003 -- The future is uncertain for Norwegian Cruise Line's classic SS Norway. Following a May 25 boiler room accident and the subsequent towing of the ship to Great Britain, NCL has announced that difficulties in procuring a replacement boiler have forced cancellation of all future sailings.
The line had previously predicted the 76,000-ton vessel -- which began life as the famous SS France in 1962 -- would return to service on October 5. At this point, however, no return date has been set. According to NCL, the ship will be laid up at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany, while decisions are made regarding which yard might ultimately complete repairs. Estimated delivery dates for a new boiler system range from seven to twelve months, meaning the earliest the ship could return to service would be Spring 2004.
With NCL currently building two new ships for the U.S. market, speculation has been running high that the accident and additional delays may end up precipitating Norway's retirement. The company's recent acquisition of the long-mothballed classic American liner United States only fuels such suspicions, since returning that vessel to service will require massive (and expensive) reconstruction.
Passengers currently holding a reservation for future Norway sailings will receive a full refund and a $50 per-person onboard credit ($100 maximum per stateroom) applicable toward a sailing aboard another NCL ship. Passengers should rebook by September 30, 2003 to take advantage of this offer. Call NCL's dedicated SS Norway line (tel. 800/625-5672) for all questions.