SAN FRANCISCO---Jan. 23, 1996--Seabourn Cruise Line President Larry Pimentel, who announced last week that the upscale cruise company had acquired the Queen Odyssey from Kloster Cruise Limited of Oslo for $55 million, today announced the vessel's itineraries, pricing and marketing strategy for 1996.

The ship had been operated for about one year by recently dismantled Royal Cruise Line, a Kloster-owned property. Earlier, in 1992, it was introduced as the Royal Viking Queen.

"We are adopting an unconventional, highly simplified and very aggressive marketing and sales strategy for the vessel's initial year with Seabourn," he said.

Seabourn is taking over operation of the vessel on January 26 in Puerto Rico and will operate the ship as the Queen Odyssey on its originally published schedule and pricing only from the January 26 through March 29 sailings out of San Juan, PR.

It will then modify the Queen Odyssey itineraries, keeping the ship in the Caribbean and North America until July 22 when the vessel will be re-christened the Seabourn Legend in a New York City celebration. The Seabourn Legend, sister ship of the line's Seabourn Pride and Seabourn Spirit, will then commence new itineraries in the Americas for the balance of 1996. Itineraries for 1997 are under development now.

Initially Queen Odyssey pricing will be from $195 to $325 per person, per day, cruise-only; air transportation is not included. After bringing the vessel up to Seabourn's onboard service levels and style, and a re-christening as the new Seabourn Legend, tariffs will increase for the balance of 1996 and will range from around $300 per person, per day for a western Caribbean cruise, to $625 per person, per day for itineraries in the Caribbean and North America. All tariffs are cruise-only.

"We have elected to operate the Queen Odyssey on modified itineraries in the Caribbean at these extremely low prices with Ft. Lauderdale, New York and San Juan as ports of embarkation and disembarkation because they are major hubs with a high capacity of airlift available."

He said Seabourn has taken this unexpected low pricing initiative for two reasons:

"First, we have acquired a vessel that is incredibly low in advance bookings. Since acquiring this asset, it is incumbent on us, as always, to be fiscally responsible. This means developing maximum revenue as quickly as possible under the circumstances.

"Second, we want to make certain that we bring the Seabourn Legend up to the unchallenged high service standards our guests expect," he said. "That takes a great deal of care and time."

The vessel, first as the Queen Odyssey and then as the Seabourn Legend, will feature mostly seven to 14-day cruises in 1996. These are planned for:

The eastern Caribbean, using San Juan, Puerto Rico and Ft. Lauderdale as embarkation or disembarkation ports (April through July);

The U.S. East Coast with calls at historic ports and cities and with some calls on Bermuda. These Bermuda cruises, beginning and ending in New York, will include three-day visits to Hamilton, Bermuda (July, August, September and October);

New England-Canada, between New York and Montreal (July, August and September);

The western Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale to Curacao, cruising the Panama Canal and calling at Mexican Gulf Coast ports for such cultural highlights as the lost Mayan cities of Tikal and Copan as well as uncrowded beach areas ideal for watersports (October);

Cruises along South America's Orinoco River (November);

Gulf Coast cruises beginning and ending in Tampa, Florida, which include overnight stay in New Orleans (December).

In 1997 the Seabourn Legend will be priced on parity with the Seabourn Pride and Seabourn Spirit. The Seabourn Legend will be integrated into 1997 scheduling and itineraries being developed now. These will be announced as rapidly as possible.

Pimentel stated that any guests booked at tariff on any modified Queen Odyssey itinerary (so long as it is recorded and verifiable) can be assured that they will have the option of selecting new Queen Odyssey or Seabourn Legend itineraries. Additionally, specific itineraries from the Seabourn Pride or Seabourn Spirit will also be offered these guests.

He added that guests who have booked the Queen Odyssey are being contacted through their travel agents, or by Seabourn directly if necessary and appropriate.

Pimentel said Seabourn's Reservations Department would commence taking bookings Thursday, January 25. The telephone number for travel agents is 800/929-9595. General inquires may be made by telephoning 415/391-7444.

Seabourn Cruise Line is jointly owned by Norwegian industrialist Atle Brynestad who founded the line in 1987, and Carnival Corporation (NYSE: CCL). Each owns 50 percent. Brynestad serves as Seabourn's Chairman and CEO from Oslo where the line's maritime and technical operations are headquartered.

The Seabourn Pride, the Seabourn Spirit and the present Queen Odyssey are 200-passenger, all suite sister ships. When the Queen, presently now under Bahamian registry, is re-christened the Seabourn Legend she will be re-flagged with Norwegian registry, as are the Pride and Spirit, and will feature Norwegian officers and European staff as do the other two vessels.

Information is available from Seabourn Cruise Line, 55 Francisco Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.