Ally

NCL America’s Hawaii fleet is now at full-manning level. The company had been undermanned since Pride of Hawaii’s introduction in late May, even though it began taking crew on since early in the year.

NCL America is recruiting 400 people a week in order to have 100 a week trained and documented to keep the three ships fully staffed, said Colin Veitch, NCL Corp. president and ceo.

New recruits from the Seafarers International Union’s training center in Piney Point, Md., who await their merchant mariner documents are now staying in island ports and going on board the ships to work duing the day. The procedure is going well as an interim step to shipboard employment, Veitch said.

The NCL chief expects the crewing situation to stabilize, which will help the U.S.-flag brand operate more efficiently. Up to now, payroll costs have been a major expense item.

Customer feedback is still not as positive as on NCL’s international ships but, Veitch said, ‘Overall, our scores have gone up a great deal.’

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Ally - CruisingTalk Administrator

1965 - Cunard Queen Mary
1967 - Cunard Queen Elizabeth
1970 - Cunard Queen Elizabeth 2
1971 - P&O Oriana
1972 - SS France
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2007 - NCL Norwegian Gem - Shakedown Cruise - Amsterdam
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Coming up next.....

10/10/2009 - Costa Classica - Grand Oriental Cruise - Shanghai, Nagasaki, Tokyo, Kobe, Naha, Keelung and Hong Kong - 16 Nights Cruising in: 273 day(s), 17 hour(s), 20 minute(s)