Posts Tagged With: ncl

There are 9 articles tagged with “ncl” published on this site.


It was a Latin-style celebration in Miami last week, as travel partners, travel press and the greater Norwegian Cruise Line family—including Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. president and CEO Harry Sommer, NCL CEO David Herrera and new SVP of North America Sales John Chernesky, who joined the team in April—gathered for the official christening of Norwegian Viva.

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A celebration and christening of Norwegian Viva. Credit: Cheryl Rosen

 

A Latin Lineup of entertainers joined 1,500 members of the travel press, travel advisors and well-wishers to welcome the newest Norwegian ship, Norwegian Viva, in Miami on Tuesday.

“To christen Norwegian Viva in Miami is incredibly special to many of us at NCL, not only because Miami is our hometown, but also because we can share this moment with our local family and friends,” NCL president David J. Herrera said.

Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., noted that Viva’s debut makes for a triple-header this year, with new ships joining all three NCLH brands: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. In her just-ended inaugural Europe season, he said, Norwegian Viva’s guest satisfaction scores “have outshined any newbuild in the history of the NCL fleet, a testament to not only how stunning this ship is, but also the exceptional level of service and attention provided by our amazing crew on board.”

Luis Fonsi, best known for his hit song Despacito, served as headliner of the show and godfather of the ship, the second in Norwegian Cruise Line’s Prima Class. Joining Fonsi onstage were “Saturday Night Live” cast member Marcello Hernandez; the Queen of Latin Pop, Paulina Rubio; and recently announced GRAMMY® Award-nominated artist, Pedro Capó.

Unlike other newly built ships that debuted in the past year or two, the 965-foot Viva holds just 3,099 guests. Like its sister Norwegian Prima, it has a three-story Viva Speedway; an open-air Indulge Food Hall with 11 unique eateries; and an art collection that includes a 52-foot-wide interactive work of art by British digital artist Dominic Harris.

The christening party will continue for four days, sailing to Great Stirrup Cay. Then the ship will reposition to San Juan, Puerto Rico, on December 15, 2023, and sail seven-day Caribbean voyages through March 2024, visiting Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, with no days at sea. In April 2024, she will return to the Mediterranean and Greek Isles.

“Prima class has exceeded my expectations from day one, “ said CLIA VP of trade relations Charles Sylvia. “What I love is the contemporary comfort—it’s fresh, clean, and I feel instantly at home onboard.”

Nexxion Travel Group president Jackie  Friedman said, “The ship is gorgeous. The spaces are just so well appointed that even though it’s a big ship, you never feel crowded.”

Sitting next to her at the christening, Signature CEO Alex Sharpe said, “all the new ships create a new buzz when they come out. And this category has proven to be a real leader. Everyone was so impressed when Prima came out. This class has the feel of a more luxurious product, but with the size and choice and fun stuff of a contemporary big ship.”

 

TRO is onboard Norwegian Viva to follow the festivities and get feedback from the travel advisors. Stay tuned right here for the full scoop on Norwegian Viva in The Rosen Report next week.

Here’s what I learned on my family vacation this year: when you’re traveling with six senior citizens, one electric scooter, two nervous moms, four kids and two hard-working dads, a cruise to Bermuda from a drive-to port is a wonderful stress-free option. One hour-long Uber ride delivers you to the door with as much luggage as you require; the less mobile can rent an electric scooter; and if things go really wrong, it’s comforting to be in the British Empire. (More on that later. The point: stuff happens. Always take the travel insurance.) Read the rest of this entry »

Norwegian Cancels Seven Cruise Shows

 

Fans of Footloose be forewarned: Norwegian Cruise Lines will be canceling seven shows across nine ships, including your favorite, in a shakeup of its entertainment lineup.

The shows to be canceled are:

  • Swing on Norwegian Gem, closing July 7, 2023
  • World Beat on Norwegian Spirit, closing August 16, 2023, and on Norwegian Sun, closing October 11.
  • Velvet on Norwegian Jewel, closing September 25.
  • What the World Needs Now on Norwegian Star, closing October 11.
  • Footloose, on Norwegian Jo, closing October 28.
  • Showdown, on Norwegian Dawn, closing November 4.
  • Six, on Norwegian Breakaway, closing January 26, 2024, and on Norwegian Bliss, closing February 24, 2024.

Still running are the popular Choir of Man, performed on Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Escape, and the new Summer: The Donna Summer Musical on Norwegian Prima.

In an email sent to crew members and obtained by Cruise Industry News, the company said the goal is “elevating the offerings.”

“We understand that change can be difficult, but we are confident that these adjustments will allow us to create an even more memorable experience for our guests. This is a truly exciting time of growth and transformation for our company and industry, and we are honored to be at the forefront of this evolution,” the email said.

NCL did not respond to a request for an interview by TRO.

There’s no better way to get to know someone than to break bread (or bagels) together. So I think all of us in the trade press came away from our recent breakfast at the Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale feeling we better understand where Norwegian Cruise Lines’ new president David Herrera came from, how he got to where he is now, and how he and Harry Sommer (and even Frank Del Rio) will work together in the coming months.

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ncl-prima-ship-exterior

Here’s a Christmas present your clients might want to consider. Getting a jump on what promises to be a wild Wave Season, Norwegian Cruise Line announced its “Greatest Deal Ever” Black Friday Sale: a month-long second-guest-sails-free promotion.

Combined with the existing Free at Sea program, the offer means your client can bring along a spouse or other guest at no cost—not even for airfare or wifi. (And combined with the offer it made earlier this week, it means travel advisors can get commissions on what used to be non-commissionable items.)

NCL said the offer will run from today through December 5, and applies to any voyage to any destination on any of its 18 ships.

The promotion can be combined with the Free At Sea program, which offers six perks at no extra cost:

  1. Free unlimited open bar
  2. Free specialty dining
  3. Free shore excursions credits
  4. Free WiFi
  5. Free airfare for the second guest when airfare is purchased for the first guest
  6. Discounted rates for friends and family, which offers guests three and four, regardless of age, to sail free or at a reduced rate of $99 per person based on select sailings when sharing a stateroom with guests one and two.

norwegian gem-aerial

At All Points Travel in Salt Lake City, Corina Johnson made an easy sale yesterday. A member of her Theater Lovers whom she books trips three or four times a year, saw a post about an interesting offering from Norwegian Cruise Line: “The Broadway Cruise” to Bermuda, launching in March 2023. Read the rest of this entry »

What are the new guys on the block to do when the old timers hog the best spots? If the guys are Norwegian Cruise Line’s Frank Del Rio and Harry Sommer, and the spot is Alaska, the answer obviously is to build a new (and amazing) spot of their own.

That’s just what they’re up to at Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan, where Norwegian Encore’s August 7th post-Covid maiden voyage included two ribbon cuttings in the 49th state.

It’s amazing what has been accomplished in just 80 days, the locals say, since Alaska got the word that there was going to be any cruise ship season at all in 2021. The raven and the eagle that watch over the native tribes surely were at work, when “a piece of legislation that hasn’t been touched in years was changed with 100% consent in the House and the Senate and signed by the President in Read the rest of this entry »

With Norwegian Prima Debut, NCL Adds Class

The Haven moves aft, the sea comes closer, the rooms get bigger. The Waterfront doubles in size, wraps around the deck and adds a global food hall. There are new infinity pools, glass bridges and an outdoor lounge. And, to add to the excitement, some lucky travel advisors get to sail free.

In a series of hints, tweets and press conferences, Norwegian Cruise Line ended months of relative quiet this week with one big reveal of what it has been quietly working on while the pandemic raged around it. The Norwegian Prima, the first new ship and new class in a decade, goes on sale today. Read the rest of this entry »