NCL Corporation today announced that for the first time in the company's 41-year history, it will deploy a ship year-round in Europe. The 2,400 passenger Norwegian Jade will sail a variety of itineraries in Europe year-round, extending its inaugural season in Europe that begins on March 30, 2008. The ship will now remain in Europe full time through to the spring of 2010 instead of the current seasonal deployment that was to end in November 2008. As part of this year-round deployment, NCL is introducing three new European itineraries - a series of 12-day Eastern Mediterranean sailings and nine-day Canary Islands and Morocco sailings, along with a 14-day Eastern Mediterranean holiday cruise, all roundtrip from Barcelona.

"We've seen strong growth in Europe and Freestyle Cruising has been a big success with our European guests," said Colin Veitch, NCL's president and CEO. "Norwegian Jade has been very well received in her first season, and our full three-ship fleet in Europe is doing so well that we are now confident in committing a ship year-round to this strongly growing market. With one of our newest and largest Freestyle Cruising ships in Europe sailing a year-round variety of port-intensive itineraries, we can now offer an exceptional cruise experience any time of the year for our guests who want to enjoy all that Europe has to offer."

Norwegian Jade's new European sailings from November 2008 through April 2009 went on sale March 3, 2008. The balance of the new deployment through to spring 2010 will be opened for sale shortly thereafter.

Norwegian Jade's new 12-day Eastern Mediterranean cruise includes stops in Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Ephesus (Izmir), Turkey; an overnight in Alexandria, Egypt; and Valletta, Malta. Highlights of the nine-day Canary Islands and Morocco itinerary include five ports of call: Casablanca and Agadir, Morocco; Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands; Funchal, Madeira; and Granada (Málaga), Spain. In addition, Norwegian Jade will sail a special 14-night Eastern Mediterranean holiday sailing on December 21, 2008, that includes Rome (Civitavecchia) and Naples, Italy; an overnight in Alexandria, Egypt; Rhodes, Greece; Ephesus (Izmir), Turkey, Athens (Piraeus), Greece; and Valletta, Malta.