Press Releases
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Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Shows His Appreciation To Crew During Undercover Boss Sheehan rewards crew fleet-wide with a $100,000 addition to crew enrichment program
Miami
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Jan 3, 2011
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Norwegian Cruise Line President and CEO Kevin Sheehan
made the most of his undercover journey on the Emmy-nominated hit reality series
"Undercover Boss" that aired in the U.S. and Canada on Sunday, January 2, 2011 on
the CBS Television Network. Not only did he reward each of the four crew members with whom he worked
alongside, but he also showed his appreciation for the crew across the line's 11 ships by
making a $100,000 addition to the crew enrichment program during the show's finale
which took place in front of more than 800 crew members on Pride of America in Hawaii.
The enrichment program is a fleet-wide initiative to support and enhance the welfare of
the company's more than 14,000 crew members. This includes a variety of activities,
equipment and events for the crew of each ship, such as DVD movies, sports
equipment, parties, karaoke and entertainment, video game equipment and much more. "Each of the four crew members that I worked with had incredible passion for
their jobs, along with interesting personal stories and I enjoyed getting to know each of
them," said Sheehan. "However, it's not just these four individuals that make Norwegian
Cruise Line special. It's all of our employees, particularly the 14,000 crew members who
are working hard every day to make our guests' experiences onboard special, so I
wanted to make sure to do something that would benefit all the crew." On Pride of America, Sheehan worked with John Nersten, a deck repairman in the
Deck and Engine department. Nersten was very appreciative of Sheehan's offer to fly him, his wife and new baby from his home in Saipan (near Guam) to visit his parents and extended family in New York. While there, they will be treated to a seven-day cruise
from New York. In addition, Sheehan made a $10,000 donation in Nersten's name to the
Families of September 11, a non-profit organization that raises awareness about
terrorism, as a tribute to John's patriotism following the September 11 tragedy. Despite
being over the age limit, Nersten enlisted in the military following September 11 and
served his country for two years. "I cannot begin to express how happy you have made my wife, my family in New
York and me," said Nersten. On Norwegian Epic, Sheehan worked with Recreation Host Jessica Barnes, a
Pittsburgh native and recent college graduate. Sheehan was impressed with Barnes'
guest service skills and invited her to join the company's management training program.
Barnes begins her new position at the corporate headquarters in Miami this week. In
addition, Sheehan treated Barnes' parents to a cruise on Norwegian Epic so they could
see their daughter at work. While working with Barnes, Sheehan also decided to
remove the ship's ice skating rink and change the rappelling wall waiver system to an
electronic version. Also on Norwegian Epic, Sheehan's true identity was revealed by Silvia Veigas, a
waitress in the Manhattan Room restaurant. Veigas is on her seventh contract with
Norwegian and is originally from India. Sheehan was impressed with Veigas' work ethic,
dedication and good rapport with guests. During their conversations, Veigas had many
suggestions for enhancements to the Manhattan Room and to the overall crew
experience. Sheehan recognized her hard work and commitment by promoting her to
senior waitress and giving her a position on the ship's advisory board to help implement
crew suggestions. In addition, he offered to give her and her partner a wedding on
board where they could celebrate with family and friends. Remarking on her favorite part of the experience, Veigas said, "The most
important thing is knowing that I had been heard. It was wonderful to have a voice and
be able to make a change." Sheehan also donned angel wings and led 1,000 party-goers at the company's
signature White Hot Party in a line dance with the assistance of Michael Guida, a
member of the cruise staff and a native of Buffalo, New York. Sheehan recognized
Guida's commitment to excellence by promoting him to assistant cruise director on Norwegian Epic. In addition, Sheehan, who had lost a brother unexpectedly,
sympathized with Guida whose mother passed away suddenly from brain cancer. Guida
and his family had made a commitment to raise money for cancer research and are in
the midst of planning their next fundraiser. Sheehan pledged to match dollar for dollar
the money that Guida and his family raise at their next event. "It was shocking how everything turned out," said Guida. "When Kevin told me
about the donation, I was stunned, it was completely unexpected." For more information on Sheehan's undercover experience and Norwegian
Cruise Line, visit www.ncl.com/undercoverboss. Sheehan will also be speaking about his
experiences on the show during a live webinar tomorrow, Tuesday, January 4 at 1 pm
ET. To register for the webinar, go to http://ow.ly/3xB0v. About Kevin Sheehan Since taking the helm of Norwegian Cruise Line in 2008, Kevin Sheehan has
overseen major company initiatives including vastly improving on-board service and
amenities across the fleet; expanding the line's European presence; repositioning two of
the line's Hawaii-based ships creating a profitable business model; revitalizing top
management with a mixture of cruise industry and outside expertise; and using his
extensive 30-year background in the business world to help Norwegian post a sharp
turnaround in profitability in the midst of a tough economic climate. Sheehan comes from a diverse professional background that includes helping to
found Spanish-language television network Telemundo; taking several companies public
including rental car giant Avis; aiding in the inception and launch of the Sega Channel,
the first interactive game platform over cable; teaching full-time at Adelphi University in
New York and consulting for a variety of private equity firms, including Apollo
Management, a Norwegian shareholder. Sheehan's tell-it-like-it-is persona and personal
philosophy of leading by example has allowed him to reinvigorate the organization by
opening lines of communication and creating a positive corporate culture. Before joining Norwegian in 2007, Sheehan was Chairman and CEO of Cendant
Corp Vehicle Services Division where he was responsible for Avis Rent A Car, Budget
Rent A Car, Budget Trucks, PHH Vehicle Management, First Fleet and Wright Express.
While there, he integrated the Avis and Budget rental car brands into one network and
also successfully completed a 100 percent initial public offering of Wright Express. Prior to joining Cendant Corp, Sheehan served in leadership positions at STT
Video Partners LLP and Telemundo Group, Inc. He also spent two and a half years
consulting to private equity firms and lecturing full-time at Adelphi University in New York
as a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Accounting, Finance, and Economics. Sheehan, a native New Yorker and avid basketball fan, is married with two
children. About Undercover Boss CBS's reality series UNDERCOVER BOSS is an Emmy-nominated series in its
second season and has featured such companies such as Choice Hotels International,
DIRECTV, Frontier Airlines, NASCAR, The Chicago Cubs, and SUBWAY®
Restaurants. About Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line is the innovator in cruise travel with a 44-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, Norwegian has 11 purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships, providing guests the
opportunity to enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on some of the newest and most contemporary
ships at sea. The Company has reached an agreement for two 143,000-gross ton vessels for
delivery in 2013 and 2014. Norwegian's largest and most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship, Norwegian Epic,
debuted in June 2010. Norwegian Cruise Line is the official cruise line of Blue Man Group,
debuting for the first time at sea on Norwegian Epic, as well as the official cruise line of Legends
in Concert, Second City® Comedy Troupe, Howl at the Moon Dueling Pianos, Gibson Guitar,
and Nickelodeon, the number-one entertainment brand for kids. Cirque Dreams? & Dinner is
also featured on board Norwegian Epic as the first show of its kind at sea under a big top. High resolution, downloadable images are available at www.ncl.com/pressroom. For
further information on Norwegian Cruise Line, visit www.ncl.com, follow us on Facebook and
Twitter, watch us on YouTube, or contact us in the U.S. and Canada at 888- NCL-CRUISE
(625-2784).
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