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SPIRIT CRUISES CHOSEN ONE OF TOP 25 PLACES TO WORK IN HAMPTON ROADS

(Norfolk, Va; July 10, 2006) -- Spirit Cruises, LLC based in Norfolk, Va. has been rated one of the top 25 places to work in Hampton Roads, according to the July 10th issue of Inside Business.

Corporate culture, company benefits, work environment, employee satisfaction, fun company events, employee recognition programs, community service activities, and family-friendly programs such as flexible scheduling, telecommuting and employee incentives are all areas that were considered when selecting the top 25 companies. This year’s competition also included an employee survey as part of the nomination where Spirit Cruises employees answered such questions as, “What makes this the best place to work in Hampton Roads?” and “How satisfied are you with your company’s benefits programs?”

With 61 full-time employees and 151 part time/seasonal employees in Norfolk, VA and an additional 126 full-time employees and 667 part time/seasonal shipmates company-wide, Spirit Cruises understands the importance of high morale and company pride. “The key to our successful cruise and entertainment business is that we strive to extend to our ‘shipmates’ the same happiness and satisfaction we bring to our customers,” said Lorna Donatone, president of Spirit Cruises, LLC. “Spirit’s upbeat and productive working environment is driven by many factors such as regular employee social functions, employee empowerment, competitive benefit programs and overall employee satisfaction.”

Spirit Cruises employee incentives include tuition reimbursement, domestic partner dental and vision benefits plans, and flexible spending accounts that can be used for childcare expenses. Spirit Cruises also provides its employees with a savings card discount program that can be used for entertainment, travel, dining and other products and services. The company recognizes employee performance with numerous awards, including a “Catch the Service Star” program with monthly and quarterly cash award winners.

Asked to list some of the “fun” things their company does that cause employees to think Spirit Cruises is a good place to work, they listed Quarterly Morale Mixers, Spirit Family Days, and Office Lunch Cruises, where, twice a year, Spirit headquarters personnel take some time out of the office to enjoy a lunch cruise aboard the Spirit of Norfolk.

A community-focused employer, Spirit Cruises supports non-profit and community organizations through its SpiritWorks program, a company-sponsored volunteer program available to all employees. Each employee is given eight hours of company-paid volunteer time annually to volunteer in their local communities for such programs as Hurricane Relief funds, Second Harvest Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity and the Animal Assistance League. Since its inception, the SpiritWorks program has raised several thousand dollars for local charitable organizations.

Employee benefits and compensation at Spirit Cruises include tuition reimbursement up to $2,500 annually, complimentary dining cruise tickets and a flexible spending account to set aside pre-tax salaries for medical-related or childcare expenses. Spirit also offers a 401K program and matches employee contributions annually at 25 percent for the first 6 percent contributed.

Spirit Cruises, LLC is the largest harbor cruise company in the United States and operates a fleet of 12 beautiful ships cruising in seven of America's most popular port cities, including Boston, Chicago, New York and Weehawken, NJ (New York Harbor), Norfolk, VA,

Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. In addition to its Spirit vessels, it operates Bateaux New York, a luxury glass dining yacht; and Elite Yacht Charters, which are private charter vessels. Spirit Cruises is headquartered in Norfolk, VA and is a subsidiary of Sodexho USA.

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