London, 14 November 2006 … NCL announced today that Colin Veitch, president and CEO of NCL Corporation, has received the United Seamen's Service's (USS) 2006 Admiral of the Ocean Sea (AOTOS) award at a gala event in New York City. The annual award is the U.S. maritime industry's most prestigious honour, recognizing individuals in the shipping industry who have made significant contributions to American shipping and American seafarers.

In selecting Veitch, USS lauded the company's NCL America brand, which came to fruition in 2004 under Veitch's stewardship. NCL America made maritime history on 4 July 2004 when it christened the 77,000-ton Pride of Aloha as the first modern U.S.-flagged cruise ship in nearly half a century. She was joined in 2005 by NCL America's Pride of America and this year by Pride of Hawai`i, the largest, most luxurious and most expensive U.S.-flagged cruise ship in history. Together, the three U.S.-flagged cruise ships provide employment for nearly 4,000 American seafarers, making NCL America one of the largest private employers of U.S. seafarers in the world. USS also commended NCL America's U.S. economic impact. NCL America's three U.S.-flagged ships sail Hawai`i inter-island itineraries year-round, and are estimated to create directly and indirectly 20,000 jobs and generate more than $800 million in economic activity in the United States.

"It's a tremendous honour to receive the prestigious Admiral of the Ocean Sea award," commented Veitch. "We're extremely proud that through NCL America, we've contributed to the revitalization of U.S.-flagged passenger ship cruising."

"Colin's vision and leadership brought about an unprecedented revival of the U.S.-flag cruise industry," said AOTOS Dinner Chairman Michael Sacco, president of the Seafarers International Union. "When it looked like the U.S.-flag cruise industry was going to disappear after 9/11, NCL made a bold move, investing in U.S.-flagged cruise ships and creating thousands of jobs for the nation's maritime workers. We're extremely proud of what Colin and NCL have accomplished with their U.S.-flagged fleet in Hawai`i."

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