NEW YORK, Dec. 28 -- Cruise Lines International Association
(CLIA) member lines will introduce 11 new ships in 2001 -- a glittering fleet
of vessels that places a high premium on personal choice and comfort, with
more dining and relaxation options than before, and more cabins featuring
ocean views and private balconies and state-of-the-art operational equipment.

"In 2000, the industry added 11 percent more berths to its fleet," says
James G. Godsman, president of CLIA, the marketing organization for the North
American cruise industry. "Naturally, the question asked was 'Will the
industry be able to generate enough passengers to fill these new ships?' The
answer has been a resounding 'yes'. Through the Third Quarter 2000, the
passenger growth was nearly 16 percent."

Godsman predicts that when the final 2000 figures are in, U.S. cruise lines
will have hosted some 6.9 million guests.

The news ships of 2001 will produce another 11 percent increase in berths
for the industry.

New Ships Offer Personalized Cruising

The new ships making their debut seem designed to prove the point that no
dream is left unfulfilled on a cruise vacation. A romantic dinner for two, a
high-spirited volleyball game, a chance to learn how to surf the Internet, a
new restaurant to visit each day of a cruise ... even the opportunity to begin
married life with a wedding on board. All these dreams and more can be
satisfied in the 2001 array of new ships, which includes:
* Carnival Cruise Lines' 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit, first in a new
series, features a wedding chapel, reservations supper club and
wrap-around outdoor promenade.
* Eighty percent of the staterooms in Celebrity Cruises' newest
Millennium-class vessels, Infinity and Summit, 91,000 tons each, offer
ocean views.
* First European Cruises' 1,500-passenger European Vision features a
choice of restaurants, 132 suites with balconies, rock climbing wall and
Internet cafe.
* Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Sun, a 1,936-passenger sister ship to
Norwegian Sky, and the ultra-modern, 76,000-ton Norwegian Leo (formerly
SuperStar Leo).
* Princess Cruises' Golden Princess, sister ship to 2,600-guest Grand
Princess, features a wedding chapel and wedding-at-sea program, current
pool and two special restaurants.
* Radisson Seven Seas Cruises' all balcony-suite ship, the 700-guest Seven
Seas Mariner, is home to the first permanent Le Cordon Bleu
restaurant-at-sea, "Signatures."
* Royal Caribbean International's Radiance of the Seas and Adventure of
the Seas, with the latter featuring an ice-skating rink, rock-climbing
wall and Adventure Ocean children's program.
* Royal Olympic Cruises' 836-guest Olympic Explorer features the "Mirrors
in Time" lecture series with art historians, artists and architectural
experts.
* Silversea Cruises' Silver Whisper, sister vessel to the 382-guest Silver
Shadow, offers a Bloomberg Professional Services computer terminal to
check stocks and financial news.
A World of New Choices
Other lines are focusing their efforts on an all-out push for new and
exciting ports, itineraries and special offerings, among them:
* American Cruise Lines' Historic Antebellum South Cruise, which showcases
homes, gardens, museums and wildlife in Florida, Georgia and South
Carolina.
* American Hawaii Cruises' new home port, Kahului, Maui, plus expanded
wedding packages featuring scenic island locations (waterfalls,
volcanoes and cliffs) for the vow exchange.
* Costa Cruises a new alternative-dining venue, the Ristorante Club
Atlantica, featuring Italian chef Gualtiero Marchesi, plus an Internet
cafe.
* Crystal Cruises' expanded Africa program; new itineraries include a
24-day voyage from Rome to Cape Town, via the Suez Canal and Red Sea,
and a 22-day sailing up Africa's west coast to Lisbon.
* Cunard Line's exclusive "Patron's Preview," offering guests of Queen
Elizabeth 2 and Caronia the chance to book sailings for Queen Mary 2's
inaugural season (late 2003) 30 days before the public.
* Disney Cruise Line raises the curtain on two original nighttime stage
shows, "C'est Magique" and the drama of "Who Wants to be a Mouseketeer?"
aboard Disney Magic.
* Holland America Line's "Sock Hop" aboard the Westerdam in the Caribbean,
plus seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises on the Maasdam, and
10-day southern Caribbean cruises on the Volendam and Zaandam.
* Mediterranean Shipping Cruises' new port calls in Patmos, Mykonos and
Kalamata, home to many historic sites. On Patmos, passengers visit the
cave where St. John the Evangelist is believed to have written the Book
of Revelations.
* Norwegian Coastal Voyage Inc./Bergen Line Services introduces a 15-day
"Discover Norway" program and two theme cruises, "Norwegian Culture and
Traditions" and "Norwegian Food Traditions."
* Orient Lines' "Mediterranean & Morocco" cruise-tour from Italy to
Portugal combines Riviera resorts with exotic Tangier and Casablanca.
* Regal Cruises' two Mexican itineraries, Mayan Adventure and Mexico and
Mayan Riviera, both from Port Manatee to Progreso and Cozumel. The
latter adds Costa Maya, Mexico's newest port.
* Seabourn Cruise Line has enhanced its all-suite vessels with the
addition of French balconies: narrow Riviera-style balconies accessible
by full-length sliding glass doors.
* Windstar Cruises begins its inaugural New Zealand season in December
with voyages from Christchurch or Auckland and port calls on the north
and south islands of New Zealand.

To learn more about CLIA-member lines' many new offerings in 2001, visit
CLIA's website at
http://www.cruising.org.

/NOTE TO EDITORS: A detailed version of this release is available from
Diana M. Orban Associates, Inc., 973-605-2121/