The latest milestone in the U.S.-flag cruise ship industry’s rebirth took place on Independence Day in Honolulu, as dignitaries, crew members and guests celebrated the christening of NCL America’s Seafarers-crewed Pride of Aloha.
SIU President Michael Sacco was a featured speaker for the event. Also delivering remarks were U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii), U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), U.S. Maritime Administrator Capt. William Schubert, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle, Star Cruises Chairman Tan Sri KT Lim, and NCL America President and CEO Colin Veitch. Mrs. Margaret Inouye served as the vessel’s godmother.
The Pride of Aloha is the first of three U.S.-flag cruise ships planned by NCL America. The others are the Pride of America and the Pride of Hawaii, with the latter scheduled for delivery in the summer of 2006.
“The Pride of Aloha represents a partnership between NCL America, the shipboard workers and their unions. We’re all in this together, and I’m 100 percent confident we’re going to succeed,” Sacco stated. “Today, thanks to an unprecedented level of cooperation between labor, management and government, the U.S. Merchant Marine is on the rise. New ships are entering the U.S.-flag fleet—not only in the cruise industry, but also cargo ships, military support vessels, passenger ferries, modern tugboats and barges, Great Lakes ships and more. That type of progress doesn’t happen without teamwork by all concerned. And that same type of cooperation and commitment will lift NCL America to great heights.”
Senator Inouye, a driving force behind the industry’s revival and a longtime supporter of the U.S. Merchant Marine, noted, “I am pleased to have sponsored legislation that led to the return of the U.S. flag to passenger cruise ship operations in the United States, and especially in Hawaii. The Pride of Aloha will be a welcome addition to Hawaii waters, and the visitor industry and all of Hawaii will benefit from its activities.”
Another fervent backer of the U.S. fleet, Abercrombie said the recently reflagged ship’s arrival “is a tremendous boon to our state’s economy. Having a U.S.-flag ship operating among our Islands will have vital long-term economic benefits including the creation of thousands of new jobs.”
Schubert described the revival of oceangoing U.S.-flag cruising as “great news for the U.S. Merchant Marine. NCL America’s planned U.S.-flag expansion, starting with Pride of Aloha, helps grow our U.S.-flag fleet and create thousands of jobs for American seafarers, which is vital to our economic well-being and national security.”
Tan Sri KT Lim offered passionate remarks about the industry’s revival. He touched on the “concept of Ohana, the extended family, and the benefits and obligations that being part of the Ohana brings.... I have personally committed our own extended family to making sure that this venture succeeds. We will commit the necessary assets and management resources to make sure it does well, and we will draw on our resources to the full extent necessary to beat back any attempts to undermine it. An assault on U.S.-flag shipping is an assault on our family. Attempts to dismantle laws that preserve coastwise trade for domestic vessels and domestic seafarers is an attack on our family.”
“On this day when Americans celebrate our independence, NCL America is proud to inaugurate a whole new cruise experience— one that represents all that America and Hawaii have to offer,” said Veitch. “This is truly a proud day for NCL.”
“The state is proud to welcome the Pride of Aloha to Hawaii,” said Lingle. “This beautiful new NCL America ship will bring more visitors to Hawaii, increase business for our merchants on the different islands and provide more job opportunities for our residents.”
The ship is sailing seven-day, round-trip Hawaii itineraries, visiting all four main islands and giving passengers up to 96 hours in port. The 77,000-ton Pride of Aloha is a 2,000-passenger ship and is projected to annually generate more than $275 million in expenditures, $199 million in direct and indirect wages and salaries, $42 million in federal tax revenues, and nearly 7,000 jobs, according to the company.
Once NCL America’s plans are fully implemented, its U.S.-flagged ships are expected to generate more than $828 million in U.S. economic activity and 20,400 jobs, according to a recent study by one of the nation’s leading economic consultancies.
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