NCL contracts with German yard for a third ´Jewel´

Norwegian Cruise Line Corp. struck a deal with Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany to build a second sister ship to the Norwegian Jewel, which is due to be completed by October 2007.

The Norwegian Jewel, at 2,384 passengers and 92,000 tons, is a modified version of the line´s Norwegian Star and Norwegian Dawn. The third Jewel-style vessel -- the Norwegian Jewel will be delivered in August, and a second ship was ordered in December for a February 2007 delivery -- will enter the fleet in place of a previous plan to build a ship at Aker Yards. That deal was called off in April.

NCL said the cost of the most recent order is 3.91 million euros, or about $510 million at today´s exchange rates.

The company said the build will be the 10th new ship to join the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet since it began a “fleet modernization” program in 1999.