Things are beginning to stabilize in the cruise industry, and there is optimism looking forward into 2010, Andy Stuart, executive vice president, global sales and passenger services for Norwegian Cruise Line told Cruise Industry News. “I think we’ve hit rock bottom and are seeing tentative hints of pricing moving back up,” Stuart said. While he did point out that NCL is “doing well” in Europe, and the line’s Hawaii business is “profitable,” with forward bookings quite solid, Alaska is troubled, Stuart said. NCL, much like several other cruise lines, cut back its capacity in Alaska for 2010. “The tax is most certainly a deterrent, and has an impact. It continues to be a challenge.”