It is with deep regret that we have to report the passing of Knut Utstein Kloster at the age of 91.
Kloster was considered by many to be the instigator of modern cruising.
In 1966, he introduced the ropax ‘Sunward’ to operate between the UK and Spain. However, political events meant that the venture was not a success.
Israeli businessman, Ted Arison, father of Micky, contacted Kloster with a project to convert the ‘Sunward’ into a cruise ship to operate out of Miami.
The new venture was a success under a new company, Norwegian Caribbean Line – now Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL).
Following ‘Sunward’ Norwegian Caribbean Line commissioned newer, larger ships.
Kloster’s company went on to pioneer many elements of modern cruising seen today, including the industry’s first private island, the first mega cruise ship,’Norway’, the converted Transatlantic liner ‘France’ and the first weekly cruises around the Western Caribbean.
Later he launched a project to build a 250,000 gt cruise ship, to be named ‘World City’. While this project never came to fruition, the design would prove to be the launch pad for many cruise ships that followed, including Royal Caribbean’s ‘Oasis of the Seas’ and her sisterships.
