The world got its first glimpse of Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) newest "It" Girl-Norwegian Gem-as she left drydock at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany on Sunday, August 12.  Prior to leaving drydock, the 93,500-ton ship underwent a series of tests and engine trials, all of which went smoothly.  She will be berthed at the outfitting pier in Papenburg while outstanding work is completed. The ship is scheduled to make the River Ems passage to Eemshaven/Netherlands for sea trials in mid-September.

"The introduction of Norwegian Gem not only marks the completion of our Jewel-class series of ships, but also solidifies NCL's status as the youngest and most modern fleet in the industry," said Colin Veitch, president and CEO of NCL Corporation. 

Custom built for Freestyle Cruising, Norwegian Gem defines what it is to be an 'It' Girl: from her extravagant suites and villas, to her 10 A-list dining options.  With a crew of more than 1,000, Norwegian Gem can accommodate 2,400 guests (double occupancy) and has all the top-of-the-line amenities guests have come to expect from NCL, including a four-lane ten-pin bowling alley, rock climbing wall, two top-of-the-ship Deluxe Owner's Suites and the ultra-hot Wii" video game system by Nintendo.

NCL Corporation Ltd. is an innovative cruise company headquartered in Miami, Florida, with a fleet of 14 ships in service and under construction. The corporation oversees the operations of Norwegian Cruise Line, NCL America, and Orient Lines. The company recently took delivery of its newest ship, Norwegian Pearl, and is currently building Norwegian Gem for delivery in October of 2007. In addition, NCL plans to build up to three new third generation Freestyle Cruising ships for delivery between 2009 and 2011.

NCL is on target to have the youngest fleet in the industry by the end of 2007 with the introduction of Norwegian Gem, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy the flexibility of Freestyle Cruising on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea. For high resolution, downloadable images, please log onto NCL's website at www.ncl.com/pressroom. For further information on NCL Corporation, contact a travel agent or NCL in the U.S. and Canada at (800) 327-7030.