BLUE MAN GROUP TO HEADLINE NORWEGIAN EPIC’S ENTERTAINMENT OFFERINGS

Company continues legacy of innovation by revolutionizing cruise ship entertainment with world-class brands and acts in specially designed venues only on Norwegian Epic

NEW YORK – May 20, 2009 – Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) today announced it is changing the face of cruise line entertainment on its next generation of Freestyle Cruising ship, Norwegian Epic. In another industry first, the company will welcome Blue Man Group, performing in the 685-seat Epic Theater. Blue Man Group is best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows and concerts which combine music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a totally unique form of entertainment. The blissful party atmosphere created at their live events has become the trademark of a Blue Man Group experience and beginning in the summer of 2010 will be seen for the first time ever at sea only on Norwegian Epic.

“Norwegian Cruise Line has spent 42 years breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising and redefining what it means to be innovative. Now, with Norwegian Epic, we are re-inventing cruise ship entertainment by offering multiple entertainment options for every taste and age,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “Having a world-class creative organization like Blue Man Group headline the entertainment on Norwegian Epic will provide our guests with a sensory experience unlike any other at sea.”

More Entertainment Venues, Offerings
Norwegian Epic will have multiple, specially-designed entertainment venues throughout the ship so that guests can choose from a wide variety of entertainment each evening of their cruise. No longer will entertainment be focused on two nightly shows in one large main theater. Norwegian Epic takes Freestyle Cruising to the next level by offering a number of entertainment options in specially-designed venues, some offered for the first time ever at sea, with choices to appeal to a broad audience.

Spiegel Tent: On Norwegian Epic, guests will find the only “big top” at sea. In this intimate 265-seat theater-in-the-round, famed producer/director Neil Goldberg will present Cirque Dreams® and Dinner. This one of a kind interactive theatrical dining experience will be performed in the air, while juggling dinner courses, with music, mayhem and acrobatic imagination. During this two-hour show, guests will marvel in amazement and become part of a celebration of spectacle and fantasy. The entire experience will be unlike anything else at sea.


Headliners Comedy Club: This 280-seat comedy club will feature the hilarious improvisational comedy of The Second City, as Norwegian continues its exclusive partnership with the famed troupe. For nearly 50 years, The Second City has honed the skills of comedic legends such as Bill Murray, Chris Farley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Gilda Radner and John Belushi. The ensemble will perform a special customized comedy revue of satirical skits, hilarious songs and inventive improvisation. The venue’s design centers on a show lounge format with a small raised stage, concrete floors and brick walls with a full bar.

Fat Cats: Guests on board Norwegian Epic can sit back and relax listening to the cool vibes of jazz and blues in this 200-seat jazz club. Fat Cats will feature nightly live blues and jazz performances by world-class talent. The urban setting creates a hipster vibe complete with full bar and comfortable leather sofas and chairs.

Epic Casino: This appropriately named casino is Norwegian’s largest casino at sea, spanning more than 13,000 square feet. It features an elegant Monte Carlo inspired design theme and is open to Taste, the Atrium restaurant below, and to the excitement of Bar Central above. Here, guests will find many opportunities to try their luck including 340 of the latest slot machines; along with gaming tables featuring poker, black jack, roulette and craps. And, with the most rewarding Players Club Program at sea there will be something for everyone, from the novice to the high roller. Cascades Bar, with a grand central crystal chandelier, serves as the casino’s centerpiece.

Epic Theater: In addition, the theater will be home to another featured show which will be announced later this year.
A special online video presentation of all Norwegian Epic’s entertainment offerings is available for viewing on demand at http://epic.ncl.com/the-latest/webcasts and features renderings and video clips of the world-class entertainment.

Epic Goes On Sale
Starting May 21, 2009, Norwegian Epic’s 2010 inaugural sailings are open for sale, with cruise fares starting at $699 per person. The first Eastern Caribbean sailing from Miami is scheduled for July 17, 2010 and the ship’s alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries are available through April 2011. Norwegian Epic’s Eastern Caribbean itinerary includes calls in Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and Nassau, Bahamas. The ship’s Western Caribbean itinerary includes calls in Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico. Guests can make a reservation by contacting their travel professional or Norwegian Cruise Line at 866-234-7350. More information about the ship, her itineraries and offerings can be found at epic.ncl.com.

The 4,200-passenger Norwegian Epic incorporates many innovations including several new types of accommodations – the curved New Wave staterooms; the largest ship-within-a-ship suite complex at sea, comprising 60 suites and villas on two private decks at the top of the ship; a new category of inside staterooms for the value-conscious traveler – The Studios and Living Room; and spa and family-friendly accommodations. The ship also boasts unique nightlife options with the first Ice Bar at sea and Spice H20 with non-stop entertainment day and night; an expansive Aqua Park with the only tube slide and largest bowl slide at sea -- The Epic Plunge; seven decks of Freestyle Family Fun with highlights including a 33-foot high, 64-foot wide extreme rock climbing wall and the first ever rappelling wall at sea; the most bowling lanes at sea with six in two venues; a mixed-use sports deck with the ability for guests to engage in eight different athletic activities; as well as three separate kids’ and teen activity areas and the first squash court at sea. In addition, Norwegian Epic will offer the next generation of Freestyle Dining with 14 restaurant choices – the most at sea – and 18 bars and lounges.

About Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is the innovator in cruise travel with a 42-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, NCL has the youngest fleet in the industry with 11 purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea.

NCL is presently building Norwegian Epic, a third generation Freestyle Cruising ship, for delivery in 2010.

About Blue Man Group

Blue Man Group is best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows and concerts which combine music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a totally unique form of entertainment. The blissful party atmosphere created at their live events has become the trademark of a Blue Man Group experience. Currently, their theatrical shows can be seen in New York, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando, Berlin, and Tokyo.

Blue Man Group’s satirical rock concert Megastar World Tour has toured arenas across the United States, and has played extensively in Canada, France, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Korea. In fall and winter, Blue Man Group MegaStar World Tour continued its international travels in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Portugal, and is currently headed to England and Israel.

The company has applied its unique creative process to a wide variety of projects, including the recording of five albums: the Grammy-nominated Audio, The Complex, Live At The Venetian ® - Las Vegas, How To Be A MegaStar Live!, and Canta Conmigo.

Blue Man Group has ventured into toy development (with their Keyboard Experience and Percussion Tubes, produced by ToyQuest), film and TV scoring (The Jury, Robots, and Space Chimps), commercial campaigns, television programs (including Scrubs and Arrested Development), and a children’s museum exhibit, Making Waves, which is currently touring the U.S.A.

As the company grows, it remains true to its vision of providing exciting experiences in a variety of media, which appeal to a broad range of age groups and cultural backgrounds.

NORWEGIAN EPIC TO DEBUT THE ONLY TUBE AND LARGEST BOWL SLIDE AT SEA

Norwegian’s newest ship to feature expansive Aqua Park, most dining choices at sea, wide-range of sports offerings including extreme rock climbing and the first ever repelling wall at sea

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) today revealed another industry first to debut on its next generation of Freestyle Cruising ship, Norwegian Epic, which will include an expansive Aqua Park with the only tube slide and largest bowl slide at sea -- The Epic Plunge. The line also unveiled seven decks of Freestyle Family Fun with highlights including a 33-foot high, 64-foot wide extreme rock climbing wall and the first ever repelling wall at sea; the most bowling lanes at sea with six in two venues; a mixed-use sports deck with the ability for guests to engage in eight different athletic activities; as well as three separate kids’ and teen activity areas and the first squash court at sea. In addition, Norwegian revealed the next generation of Freestyle Dining with 14 restaurant choices – the most at sea – and 18 bars and lounges.

"From the Aqua Park to the expanded sports deck and largest Kid’s Crew facility to the most dining outlets at sea, Norwegian Epic is truly taking Freestyle Cruising to the next level by offering our guests so many choices in dining and on-board activities,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “Our largest Freestyle Cruising vessel to date represents the culmination of our 43 years of innovation in the cruise industry. Norwegian Epic will delight and amaze our guests."

Norwegian’s First Aqua Park
Norwegian Epic, set for delivery in late May 2010, takes Freestyle Family Fun to the extreme with an expansive Aqua Park that includes three water slides of varying thrill factors, including one specifically designed for children that zips straight through the rock climbing wall; a more adventurous slide twisting and turning down three stories; and The Epic Plunge, the only tube slide at sea that puts the blast of inner-tubing into the core of a bowl slide with a thrilling drop through a 200-foot long tube. Riders are then launched into the vortex of The Epic Plunge where centrifugal forces keep them high on the wall for several turns, ending in an exciting transition into a splashdown lane.

The Aqua Park also includes two main pools with arching water effects which illuminate at night; five whirlpools; a wading pool and a kid’s pool in the children’s Splash and Play Zone which features whimsical sculptures, water sprays and effects, along with a kiddy slide.

Scaling New Heights in Freestyle Fun
In an industry first, Norwegian Epic will scale new heights with the first ever repelling wall at sea and a 33-foot high extreme rock climbing wall, accessible on two levels with varying degrees of difficulty, rated according to official U.S. climbing grades.

Expanding its innovative concept of bowling at sea, Norwegian Epic will offer the most bowling lanes with a total of six located in two venues: Bliss Ultra Lounge and O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill. The multi-use sports deck will include a full size basketball court, volleyball, soccer, dodge ball, batting cage, bungee trampoline, rope adventure course and a 24-foot tall enclosed climbing cage called the spider web. Norwegian Epic will also feature the first squash court at sea, located in the fitness center.

Our Largest Kid’s Crew Facility and Exclusive Teen Lounge
Recess is Norwegian Epic’s Kid’s Crew facility that is centrally located on Deck 14 adjacent and easily accessible to the family-friendly staterooms. Two separate areas are specifically designed for kids ages two through nine and tweens, ages 10 through 12. The Kid’s area includes a space-themed play area, air hockey table, an interactive light up dance floor; WiiTM gaming areas; an arts and crafts area; along with a state-of-the-art surround sound cinema. The Tween Zone has a futuristic feel that includes multiple WiiTM and PlayStation® areas; along with a private karaoke performance stage which doubles as a cinema.

Entourage is Norwegian Epic’s high energy, exclusive teen zone for ages 13 through 17, located at the top of the ship on Deck 16. This funky space includes air hockey; pinball; foosball; a video jukebox; and nine large flat screen televisions, five of which are located around a central video game console featuring PlayStation® 3. In the evening, Entourage transitions into a hip nightclub with a space for dancing or just hanging out on comfy couches. Directly below is the video arcade which features number of the most challenging and interactive video games.

The Most Dining Choices at Sea
Norwegian Epic’s wide range of dining choices will wow even the most discerning cruiser with 14 Freestyle Dining restaurants and 18 bars and lounges. Each restaurant features unique and sensational culinary delights from around the world.
Norwegian Epic’s dining establishments will include:

• Taste: Located in the ship’s atrium on Deck 5, Taste’s décor blends off-white, free-form plastered walls with European retro-chic mixed with brick details and floor to ceiling velvet curtains. Taste will serve a selection of traditional and contemporary cuisine.
• The Manhattan Room: Reminiscent of an elegant art deco supper club, The Manhattan Room features a dance floor as its focal point and will offer live music and dancing in the evening. The two-story high restaurant on Deck 6 features floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows looking aft. The cuisine reflects the elegant and romantic nature of the room.
• Café Jardin & The Great Outdoors: Café Jardin’s décor is modeled after a traditional English country garden conservatory. This is Norwegian’s signature action station casual restaurant where chefs cook fresh, prepared-to-order food as guests watch, featuring seafood, pizza, fruit, soups, pasta, ethnic specialties, burgers and desserts; offering extensive and varied selections. The Café includes a Kid’s Café with child-friendly seats and tables. At the Great Outdoors, guests can enjoy fresh air and a view of the Aqua Park with their meal.
• Cagney’s Steakhouse & Churrascaria: Norwegian’s traditional American steakhouse takes on a new twist with the addition of Argentinean churrasco. In addition to mouth-watering steaks, guests will be able to sample a variety of skewered meats presented by tableside passadors. Another new addition is a large, centrally located salad bar.
• La Cucina: This Tuscan-style eatery will serve regional Italian specialties including pizza, pasta and steak, chicken and fish dishes. The traditional Italian décor reflects two distinct areas: a Tuscan farm home and an Italian courtyard, where a large olive tree with hanging lanterns is the centerpiece, open to Café Jardin above.
• Le Bistro: Norwegian’s upscale bistro will serve classic French cuisine with an American flair. This elegant dining establishment surrounds guests with contemporary and traditional paintings and sculptures, making guests feel as if they were dining in an art museum.
• Shanghai’s: This new addition to Norwegian’s specialty dining options will serve a delicious mix of Chinese dishes and noodle bar specialties. The décor reflects Old Shanghai in the 1930s and is reminiscent of the China Club in Hong Kong. There will be an open kitchen preparing traditional Chinese cuisine, noodles, wok fried dishes and dim sum.
• Wasabi: This expansive sushi and sake bar will serve the freshest sushi, sashimi and Japanese Yakitori dishes. Featuring modern décor and clean lines, Wasabi is located outside the Teppanyaki restaurant.
• Teppanyaki: As the largest Teppanyaki restaurant at sea with 115 seats, this expanded restaurant will feature up to 24 knife-wielding chefs cooking exhibition-style Japanese cuisine on flat top grills. Guests will be amazed by the masterful chefs who demonstrate their skills slicing and dicing while creating an appetizing meal.
• O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill: This classic neighborhood sports bar and restaurant will serve American favorites and comfort food and is open 24 hours. The atrium’s two-story high screen will be visible from inside the restaurant and additional flat screen televisions will show sporting events, while guests enjoy their own activities, including three lanes of bowling, dart boards, pool tables, foosball and arcade games.
• The Epic Club and Courtyard Grill: Located high atop the ship in The Villas complex, this modern and elegant restaurant is reserved exclusively for Norwegian Epic’s suite and villa guests. The décor reflects a private club ambiance with contemporary and modern furnishings, and a large wine display, dotted with glass sculptures and pearl drapes. The Courtyard Grill is the more casual, outdoor area of the restaurant serving Villas guests for breakfast and lunch.
• To Be Announced: In addition to the above, there is also one more Norwegian Epic restaurant which will be announced at the next reveal in May.

Also, 24-hour room service will be available for all guests on board Norwegian Epic.
Throughout the ship, there will also be a total of 18 bars and lounges, which include: Atrium Bar; O’Sheehan’s; Cascades, the casino bar; Bliss Ultra Lounge; Cagney’s Bar; the Ice Bar; Sake Bar; Malting’s Whiskey Bar; Shaker’s Martini Bar; Humidor Cigar Lounge; The Living Room, exclusively for The Studios’ guests; Waves Bar; Spice H20; the Epic Club; and Posh Beach Club. The final three bars will be announced in May.

In order to showcase all of Norwegian Epic’s features, the company launched a new version of Norwegian Epic’s microsite last night. The online site is an interactive representation of Norwegian’s newest and largest Freestyle Cruising ship to date featuring renderings, downloads and screen savers. The enhanced site can be accessed at http://epic.ncl.com.

The final chapter reveal of Norwegian Epic will take place in New York City on May 20 and will focus on the ship’s innovative entertainment. The ship will also go on sale to the general public on that date. The first Eastern Caribbean sailing is scheduled for July 17, 2010 and its alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries will be available for booking through April 2011.

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Harrah’s Entertainment Announces $1 Billion Expansion of Caesars Palace® in Las Vegas

Luxury Hotel Tower, Convention/Catering Facilities, Pools and Lavish Suites
Highlight Resort Expansion

LAS VEGAS -- July 19, 2007 -- Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., (NYSE:HET) today announced an approximately $1 billion expansion of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, a key initiative in the development of the company’s renowned Caesars brand. This expansion is another project in the extensive growth portfolio announced in the past 24 months by Harrah’s, including:, London Clubs International, Margaritaville Casino & Resort in Biloxi, Miss., The Pier at Caesars® Atlantic City, a new hotel tower at Harrah’s Atlantic City, a new hotel at Harrah’s New Orleans, and a substantial expansion to the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Ind.

The center piece of the expansion is the luxurious new 665-room hotel tower -- the Octavius Tower. The Octavius Tower will be located adjacent to a new 263,000-square–foot meeting and convention center. Three new luxurious pool villa suites will be built along the second floor of the new tower and will overlook three new swimming pools that will rim an expanded outdoor whirlpool spa retreat, a poolside café and nearby garden wedding venue. This expansion is slated for completion in early 2009.

"This billion dollar investment in our flagship property, Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, is an important part of our comprehensive global growth strategy,” said Gary Loveman, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. “From the United Kingdom to Las Vegas and beyond, we will continue to enhance our network of branded properties to deliver unforgettable guest experiences and provide good jobs for our nearly 100,000 team members around the world."

Harrah's Debuts All-New Sports Pit in August

Sports Betting and Live Gaming Collide to Create Ultimate Sports Pit at Harrah’s Las Vegas This Fall

High-tech features, non-stop action and modern design create a unique gaming venue

Debuting on August 9, just in time for the kickoff of football season, the new Sports Pit at Harrah’s Las Vegas is a sports fan’s dream come true. Featuring high-definition screens at every turn, continuous betting action and a full-service bar and deli, the Sports Pit is a totally immersive experience. When the last big game is over, the venue becomes a sports-themed lounge allowing the fun to continue late into the night.

“People come to Las Vegas to experience the best in gaming and the new Sports Pit at Harrah’s is a one-stop location that meets all of their needs,” said Don Marrandino, President of Harrah’s Las Vegas. “The combination of a race and sports book and a gaming pit allows players be in action while in action.”

Players are literally in the center of it all with televisions surrounding the gaming area. State-of-the-art 3-D video technology is shown on 40 high-definition plasma screens, and two 100” high-definition projectors will showcase the biggest games of the day. Television screens built into every table ensure that fans never need to choose between playing their favorite table games or catching a sporting event. The pit includes Blackjack tables, craps, an LCD Keno board, several video poker stations and eight full-service betting stations.

The Harrah’s Sports Pit boasts sleek and contemporary décor including granite bar tops, zebra wood accents and textured walls in rich metallic shades of burgundy, green and orange. Lounge-style seating and multiple games on large plasma screens make the pit the next best thing to being on the sidelines.

A deli conveniently located near the Harrah’s Sports Pit allows fans to enjoy much tastier options than standard tailgating fare without missing a single play. The menu consists of traditional deli items with Texas BBQ flair and includes smoked barbeque brisket sandwiches, rotisserie chicken sandwiches, quality deli meats and freshly baked breads.

For more information on the new Sports Pit at Harrah’s Las Vegas, visit www.harrahs.com.

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Atlantis: The Legend Grows
Phase III: Cove Atlantis

Adding to Atlantis' 2,317 accommodations and the world's largest open-air marine habitat, the Phase III development includes the Marina Village at Atlantis comprising new restaurant and shopping venues; additional timeshare accommodations at Harborside Resort at Atlantis; a luxury 600-unit, all-suite tower and an adjoining 495-unit, condo-hotel tower; cutting edge, thrilling water rides; a dolphin experience and education center; an expansion of the casino; a new nightclub; and a 100,000-square-foot addition to the existing conference center.

Upon completion in March 2007, Atlantis will offer more than 3,600 accommodations, an exciting array of water adventures and exceptional dining and entertainment for all ages. The development will truly be in keeping with Kerzner International's reputation for creating not just resorts, but epic experiences unlike any other on earth.

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Haute Cuisine at Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace

From Newsweek International
September 26, 2006 Edition

Haute Cuisine in... Las Vegas? For most of Las Vegas's history, cuisine meant the $2.99 steak special—really a chaser for your whisky. But now you can find food blessed by the best chefs in the world. Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, Bobby Flay, Nobu Matsuhisa, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck and Jean-Georges Vongerichten all have one or more restaurants here.

Still, while Vegas is flooded with brands, it has lacked haute cuisine. Most of its fancy restaurants are the 15th or 25th outposts of culinary empires, catering to rushed tourists squeezing in a celebrity meal before they hit the craps tables. But that too is changing, and a handful of places are becoming destinations in their own right.

At the highest end, two French chefs have come to Las Vegas with restaurants that are smaller, quieter and genuine showcases for great food. Last fall the world's most celebrated chef, Joël Robuchon, opened his only fine-dining establishment in the United States, Joël Robuchon at the Mansion, at the MGM Grand. You can spend as much money here as at the roulette wheel, but with satisfaction guaranteed. The 16-course tasting menu (at $295 before wines, service or taxes) is astonishing. L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon next door offers a casual barlike atmosphere with less eye-popping prices. Robuchon's famous truffle mashed potatoes are on the menu, as are delectable fried langoustines, a spicy steak tartare and a decadent foie-gras burger.

But the best restaurant in Las Vegas, and one of the finest anywhere, is the newest: Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace. The chef, whose Paris restaurant has three Michelin stars, has sent his son Franck over to run the new place. The tasting menu ($290 for seven courses) is an electric mix of flavors, colors and textures—oysters in ice jelly, zucchini with tempura-fried butter, caviar on a bed of green beans, veal done five different ways. The cheese cart is superb, as is the wine list, which is better than the one in Savoy's Paris original. For gastronomes, Vegas is no longer a gamble.