SS Norway Status

[Mark]

OK you old time loyal NCL cruisers, who has any current updated information on the location and plans for the Blue Lady SS Norway? It seems that has time passed postings and interest on the Norway status has disappeared from the NCL Boards. Well, this old Norway cruiser is still interested in that old ship's fate. So, who has some reliable info to share with us?:confused:

[Druke I]

You might want to check the "whatever happened to" forum, Cruise Critic.

 

There are periodic updates posted there.

[intrepid_guy]

I think that the reason there is little talk about the NORWAY right now is because nothing has changed lately. She is still at anchor in Malaysia, still awaiting a fate. It seems nothing can be done with her at all. Cant break her due to environmental restrictions because of damaged asbestos on board... cant really sink her for the same reason. It is cost prohibitive (250M or so just to clean up the ship and 300-400M more to renovate and bring her up to SOLAS)to continue to use the ship. So, it seems NCL is in a bit of a pickle with her at the time being. We are just waiting for a new developement.

 

~Intrepid

[derf5585]

We are just waiting for a new developement.

~Intrepid

 

Lets take up a collection from CruiseCriters and buy the ship.

[Cinnamon Seahorse]

Just let me know what my share is! She was the first ship we ever sailed, and we owe our love of cruising to her. We were fortunate to sail her a second time, and were actually booked in the Royal Suite for a sailing a few months after the boiler explosion.

 

There is nothing comparable to her, and it makes me sad to think of her never sailing again.

 

Carla

[crusinmama06]

Thanks for the update. I was wondering where she had gone. :(

[joteacher]

I was just on the Dream last week and spoke with the new Food and Beverage Captain (I can't remember his name:confused: ). Anyway, we were talking about the Norway and he told us that he made a suggestion to the company that I thought was great....he suggested that they move her back to the Port of Miami and use her as the corporate offices for NCL. I would love to see her put back to some kind of use...she certainly was a grand old ship.

[derf5585]

.he suggested that they move her back to the Port of Miami and use her as the corporate offices for NCL.

 

Having all that damaged asbestos on board I don't see how that can be done. I wonder how many present older cruise ship have an asbestos problem.

[derf5585]

It is cost prohibitive (250M or so just to clean up the ship and 300-400M more to renovate

 

So lets say 600M

 

8% Interest

30 Years

 

$444,000 a month

[NormanW]

So lets say 600M

 

8% Interest

30 Years

 

$444,000 a month

 

I could get in the low sixes for that amount of cash. That qualifies for jumbo loan. :D

 

There is also a rumor that she may be saved but again I place emphasis on the word rumor.

 

Cheers,

 

Norman

[derf5585]

I could get in the low sixes for that amount of cash. That qualifies for jumbo loan. :D

 

That brings it down to $360,000 not figuring a down payment

[NormanW]

For that much $$$ I could buy the Dawn outright! :eek:

 

Cheers,

 

Norman

[macfamily]

Someone posted this message on the SS Norway yahoo group a couple days ago:

 

It looks like the big ship is officially on the market again.

 

http://www.tug-barge.com/p508.htm

[shoreguy]

We should let her go. I loved the Norway but she is now the Blue Lady. It almost reminds me of people keeping loved ones on life support long after they are gone. She lived two remarkable lives. One as the France and one as the Norway and should be allowed to pass. Dragging this out just makes it more painful

 

Just my $.02

[Ms.Bee]

Like Pamperme said, we also owe our love of cruising to the "Blue Lady". She was the first ship we sailed and we did return to cruise her two more times. Wish she was still available........we would book in a heartbeat!! Soon to be on the Pride of America....Aloha Norway, Ms. Bee;)

[electricron]

There's torn asbestos fibers all over the boiler room from the shrapnel from the boiler explosion. Just to enter that room one would have to be protected from the abestos in bio suits.

 

It would be much cheaper to cleanup if the abestos is it were intact.

[Mark]

Why doesn't NCL just send the Norway to a country like Turkey where the asbestos was removed on the SS United States? From what I gather they have the expertise and work fairly cheap due to the cost of labor over there. If not, send it to China...there is one place that labor is really cheap. Once the asbestos is out, NCL can then readdress possible uses for the Blue Lady such as a refurb for service or as the one person suggested a floating corporate headquarters for NCL that would provide offices, training facilities, restaurants and lodging.:cool:

[intrepid_guy]

I believe that they cannot send the ship to any "cheap labor" countries. There is a European law in the way. This is the same law that is keeping it from being sent to the breakers. Apparently, Europe will not allow the asbestos to be taken out unless it is done properly and with utmost safety. In some of these countries you cannot be sure that all safety rules will be adhered to. So, in that case the NORWAY will have to be sent somewhere where there are strict laws about removing asbestos and how it is handled. And that is very expensive.

 

~Intrepid

[electricron]

For those interested on what it involves to remove abestos safely, here's a small pdf with great information.....

 

http://www.nohsc.gov.au/PDF/Standards/Codes/AsbestosCode.pdf

 

I highly recommend taking a little spare time this weekend to read this....

[Mark]

Anyone have any photos taken recently of Norway being back in Port Klang?

 

Also, does anyone have any recent photos of inside of Norway since she sailed to far east? I was wondering in there was a looting of the interior spaces of the ship or if it looks like she is waiting for her next load of passengers?:confused: