June 13, 2003 -- Following a May 25 boiler room accident aboard the classic liner Norway that cost the lives of seven crewmembers (reported earlier in this Newsletter), Norwegian Cruise Line has cancelled sailings of the ship through September 28. Evaluations of physical damage to the ship's boiler room have led the line's engineers to predict months of reconstruction before the ship can be restored to service. At this point, NCL intends to reintroduce the vessel on October 5, 2003.
The company is currently contacting travel agents and passengers to notify them of the cancellations. Passengers booked on the cancelled voyages will receive a full refund plus a $50 per-person discount toward a future NCL cruise, valid for up to one year, with a maximum of $100 per cabin. Passengers should call 800/327-7030 or speak with their travel agents to secure their refunds.