Tag Archives: Aqua

NCLH To Remove 5,000+ Berths from Fleet by 2027

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Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings will remove over 5,000 berths from service by 2027, with four ships now set to exit the line’s trio of brands.

After previously announcing the departures of Regent’s Seven Seas Navigator and Oceania’s Insignia, NCLH confirmed on Monday that it is also retiring the Norwegian Sky and the Norwegian Sun.

Currently in service for Norwegian Cruise Line, the 2,000-guest sister ships will be handed over to Cordelia Cruises in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

With the Seven Seas Navigator and the Insignia being handed over to Crescent Seas in 2026 and 2027, the NCLH fleet will see a reduction of roughly 5,200 berths over the next two years.

Pursuing an aggressive newbuild strategy, the company will add new vessels to offset this reduction.

All of NCLH’s three brands are welcoming new ships over the next three years, including Oceania, which is taking delivery of new vessels in 2025 and 2027, adding 2,650 berths to its fleet

Regent Seven Seas also welcomes a new vessel, the Seven Seas Prestige. The 850-guest ship is scheduled to enter service in 2026.

Norwegian Cruise Line is set to take delivery of two Prima-class ships during the timeframe, including the 3,571-guest Norwegian Luna in 2026. The company will also welcome a fifth ship in the Prima series in 2027. This follows the new Norwegian Aqua, which was delivered by Fincantieri in March.

According to CIN data, the five new vessels will add more than 10,000 berths to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ fleet.

For a breakdown of the company’s fleet, see the Global Cruise Ship Index by Cruise Industry News,

Norwegian Set to Boost Caribbean Cruise Capacity

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“We pair our ships with destinations, sending some of our smaller ships to exotic destinations and some of our larger amenity-filled ships to our fun and sun destinations,” said Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, speaking on Monday at an investor event held in New York.

As a result, “Fun and Sun” (Caribbean, Bermuda and Hawaii) capacity will make up 54 per cent of the deployment for the Norwegian Cruise Line brand in 2026, up from 42 per cent this year.

“It gives our guests the opportunity, on the NCL brand, to return over and over and over again, maximizing their lifetime value and driving high fields.”

Sommer said he believed Norwegian’s ships with increased amenities were perfectly suited for millennial and Generation Z guests.

The company will send its biggest ships to its core destinations in the “Fun and Sun” regions.

As a result, by 2026, the company’s average cruise length will be down to eight days from nine in 2023 with more short and week-long Caribbean sailings as a growing part of the deployment mix.

Capacity days are expected to be in the 12 million range in these “Fun and Sun” destinations by 2026, up from 8 million in 2023, according to a company presentation.

In addition, the mix of the company’s top 10 embarkation points (homeports) will be greater, representing 80 per cent of 2026 capacity, compared to 65 per cent in 2023.

“Our increased Caribbean deployment has given us the ability to invest in our private island in Great Stirrup Cay,” Sommer said, noting the coming two-ship pier for the island set to open in 2025.

Other investments will follow in Great Stirrup Cay, including a VIP area, and the company expects to host approximately 700,000 guests on the island by 2026, up from 400,000 in 2023.

New Norwegian Aqua Floats Out At Fincantieri

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Norwegian Cruise Line and its partners at Fincantieri celebrated the float out of the Norwegian Aqua from the drydock at the shipyard in Marghera (Venice), Italy.

This marks the completion of the external work on the ship ahead of its April 2025 debut.

As per maritime tradition, two ceremonial coins were welded into the Norwegian Aqua, which historically symbolized an offering to gods and goddesses of the sea in exchange for good luck and safe passage. The ceremony was followed by a blessing by a local chaplain and celebratory champagne breaking across the ship’s hull.

“We are excited to celebrate another milestone with our partners at Fincantieri, who are integral to the Prima Class journey and supporting us in evolving the amazing experience we design and deliver for our guests,” said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Building upon the guest-favourite features of the award-winning vessels of this class, the 10 per cent increase in space provides us with more flexibility to deliver more offerings and more beautifully designed venues for our guests to relax and explore on board Norwegian Aqua.”

At 156,300 gross tons and a length that spans 1,056 feet, the Norwegian Aqua will be 10 per cent larger than the first two Prima Class ships. The ship will also offer luxurious accommodations in The Haven by Norwegian®, including the line’s first-ever Three-Bedroom Duplex Haven Suites.  

 “We are excited to mark this significant moment with Norwegian Cruise Line as we witness the float out of Norwegian Aqua, which represents a new chapter in our long-lasting partnership,” said Luigi Matarazzo, general manager of the Fincantieri Merchant Ships Division. “We are proud to be part of this transformative journey in which innovation, a cornerstone of our industrial plan, is one of our key points, as we strive to push boundaries and elevate industry standards.”