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 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.

What’s a reporter to do when she’s sailing Norwegian Prima with 3,000 travel-industry insiders, including iconic travel companies like American Express and Expedia? Why, ask a couple of them to sit down and chat about what’s new in 2023, of course.

Making headlines while we were cruising, Signature Travel Network announced the addition of Cruise Planners, which has been looking for a home since American Express announced it will be ending its representative network at the end of 2022.

And while I was I was on the subject of franchisees, I couldn’t resist reaching out to Expedia Cruises, whose CEO sat with me in Prima’s beautiful Haven area to share some thoughts on the state of the industry.