F3 to debut in late May 2010

MIAMI & ST. NAZAIRE - 18 December 2008 - Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)
and STX France Cruise SA, STX Europe's French shipyard, announced
today that they have reached an agreement and are moving forward with
the construction of the F3 cruise ship project.


NCL and STX Europe have agreed to revise the original F3 order. STX
France Cruise is now building one F3 ship at 150,000-tons with a
total of 4,200 passenger berths, representing the largest ship in
NCL's fleet. This will mean a continuation of the original hull which
is currently in the early phases of construction, with delivery set
for late May 2010, as originally scheduled.  The planned second
vessel, currently only in the preparatory stages, will not be built.
Further terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"With this agreement, we can all focus on completing the new vessel
successfully," said Kevin Sheehan, NCL's president and CEO. "We are
looking forward to the arrival of our much-anticipated F3 ship as it
represents a major step forward for NCL in terms of ship size, design
and innovation."

"We are pleased that the ongoing construction of the ship for NCL
will continue. We, along with our subcontractors, will now make the
necessary adjustments to our plans for this project," said Jacques
Hardelay, president of STX France Cruise SA.

To date, information has only been revealed regarding F3's staterooms
and nightlife.  NCL plans to unveil the full F3 story in the near
future.  Further information can be found online at www.f3.ncl.com.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is the innovator in cruise travel with a
42-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising,
most notably with the introduction of Freestyle Cruising which has
revolutionized the industry by allowing guests more freedom and
flexibility.

Today, NCL has the youngest fleet in the industry with 11
purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships, providing guests the
opportunity to enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on the newest, most
contemporary ships at sea. NCL is presently building a new third
generation Freestyle Cruising project known as F3, for delivery in
2010.

STX Europe ASA (former Aker Yards ASA) is an international
shipbuilding group with a leading position for deliveries of cruise
ships and offshore vessels. The group has a strong position in terms
of developing state-of-the-art concepts, technology, processes and
products for customers around the world.

STX Europe ASA comprises 15 shipyards in Finland, France, Norway,
Romania, Brazil and Vietnam, and is also a part owner of three yards
in Germany and Ukraine. STX Europe has approximately 16 000
employees. Formerly known as Aker Yards ASA, the group changed its
name to STX Europe in November 2008.

High resolution, downloadable images are available
at www.ncl.com/pressroom.  For further information on NCL, visit
www.ncl.com or contact NCL in the U.S. and Canada at (866)
234-0292.

For further information, please contact:

STX Europe ASA:

Torbjørn Andersen
SVP Corporate Communications
Tel: +47 92 88 55 42

Elise Heidenreich
VP Investor Relations
Tel.: +47 95 14 11 47

STX Cruise France SA:

Anthony Ruf
Communications manager
Telf: + 33 2 51 10 90 57

NCL Corporation:

Anne Marie Mathews: +1 305.436.4799
Courtney Recht: + 1 305.436.4714
Email: PublicRelations@ncl.com


STX Europe ASA (former Aker Yards ASA) is an international
shipbuilding group which aims to be the leading builder of cruise and
offshore vessels. The group has a strong position in terms of
developing state-of-the-art concepts, technology, processes and
products for customers around the world. STX Europe ASA comprises 15
shipyards in Finland, France, Norway, Romania, Brazil and Vietnam,
and is also a part owner of three yards in Germany and Ukraine. STX
Europe has approx. 16 000 employees. Formerly known as Aker Yards
ASA, the group changed its name to STX Europe in November 2008.


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