THE NORWEGIAN WAY- CRUISING WITH THE PIONEERS OF MODERN CRUISING

It was way back in 1968 that a new cruise line called Norwegian Caribbean Lines hit on the idea of offering flights from the UK to Miami, coupled with a hotel stay, and a week or two cruising the indolent waters of the Caribbean on it's brand new flagship, the 17,000 ton Skyward. It was literally the birth of a new kind of holiday- the fly cruise. And today, five decades later that same company- now morphed into the current Norwegian Cruise Line- still offers Caribbean cruises out of Miami as part of it's core business. That continuity has been assured by constant investment in newer, ever larger ships, and more ports of call to choose from.

And while Norwegian may well have remained steadfastly loyal to it's Miami base, the line itself has changed out of all recognition to those early, pioneering days. Typically, their ships now range from between 78,000 to 160,000 tons. They carry upwards of four thousand passengers on a range of itineraries from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean, and from Bermuda to the Baltic. And, as of last year, the line now even has a ship out in the Far East and Australia. With Norwegian, nothing ever seems to stand still.

Key to the company's success was the introduction of Freestyle Dining. With it, passengers were unshackled from the old, rigid two main seatings for dinner, and instead offered a wealth of alternative dining venues- some at a modest extra fee- that allowed people to eat how, when and with who they wanted. It proved so popular that it became an example for every other line to follow- and most of them have done so as well.

The line is also famous for star quality, show stopping entertainment, and always has been. Married to a smart casual dress code on board and a whole host of family friendly facilities, their ships offer every kind of accommodation on board, from simple, funky inside studio cabins for solos, right through to swish, expansive terrace suites with their own private hot tubs and walk in wardrobes. The choice on board each ship in the fleet is truly spectacular.

So there you have it. With a range of cruisse lasting from three to seventeen days in length across almost all the corners of the globe, this freewheeling style of cruising has become the example that everybody else either follows, or else discreetly emulates. I'm just looking forward to see what new tricks this pioneering old line might yet have up it's sleeve.