NORWEGIAN Cruise Line has held talks with Star Cruises and a second unnamed cruiseline about a new deal, after rejecting Carnival Corporation’s hostile $1.7bn takeover bid last week.
Star Cruises chief executive officer Colin Au flew over from Singapore to hold informal discussions with NCL in London last week.
He said a deal with NCL would give Star Cruises the opportunity to create a global presence, with additional routes in the US and Europe.
NCL president Geir Aune confirmed that talks have taken place with Star Cruises and one other cruiseline which he refused to name.
Aune last week rejected Carnival’s offer as ‘inadequate’ (Travel Weekly December 6) and Carnival has so far refused to increase its present bid.
n NCL has dropped St Kitts from Norwegian Dream’s weekly Caribbean itinerary due to damage inflicted on the island by Hurricane Lenny. It will substitute Tortola in the British Virgin Islands on nine sailings from San Juan up until April 2.