Tag Archives: Great Stirrup Cay

Norwegian Luna Revealed, Sailing from Miami in 2026

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Norwegian Cruise Line today unveiled and opened for sale the next evolution of its Prima Plus Class, the all-new Norwegian Luna, according to a press release.

The new ship will sail from Miami beginning April 4, 2026, through November 2026. The Norwegian Luna will kick off its inaugural Caribbean season with two western itineraries to Roatan Island, Honduras; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and Harvest Caye, Belize.

The ship will then sail seven-day cruises with calls to the beautiful Eastern Caribbean destinations of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas, which will feature a brand-new pier by late 2025.

At 1,056 feet long, 156,300 gross tons, and accommodating approximately 3,550 guests at double occupancy, the Norwegian Luna will boast an overall 10 per cent size and capacity increase from Prima Class ships and will be built at Fincantieri.

“Inspired by the relationship between the moon and the tides of the ocean, we are excited to introduce Norwegian Luna as the vessel that perfectly complements her sister ship, Norwegian Aqua,” said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. “The debut of Norwegian Luna truly showcases our ongoing commitment to providing guests more of what they enjoy and value – a brand-new ship with the latest, innovative offerings sailing to the beautiful, tropical destinations of the Caribbean. It’s important to give our guests more to see, more to do, more to enjoy on board and ultimately more out of their cruise vacation. We can’t wait for them to experience Norwegian Luna!”

The company said the Norwegian Luna’s hull art will showcase a vibrant dreamscape by ELLE, the highly acclaimed street artist from Napa, Calif., who has partnered with popular brand names such as Nike, Reebok and Ralph Lauren. Entitled ‘La Luna,’ the artwork is a visual exploration of humanity’s deep-rooted connection with the celestial forces in space as human beings are intrinsically linked to the ebb and flow of the moon. ‘La Luna’ will display proudly on the bow of the ship, leading guests on an extraordinary voyage and an epic journey of discovery.

MHA Symposium at Sea Starts from New Norwegian Viva

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The Marine Hotel Association’s (MHA) 2023 Symposium at Sea has kicked off from the just-christened Norwegian Viva, which sailed from Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pearl of Miami terminal on Saturday, Dec. 2 on a four-day Bahamas cruise.

Sailing from PortMiami’s Terminal B, MHA members were quick to move from curb to ship, with a priority access security line and dedicated check in area. The four-day cruise features one day at sea and port calls in Nassau and Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay.

The 3,215-guest ship will serve as the host of the MHA’s event, which features sessions with cruise line decision-makers in the hotel operations, food and beverage and supply chain arena from a variety of big-ship, luxury, expedition and niche lines, plus vessel management companies.

In addition to the panel sessions, the ship is offering MHA members a look behind-the-scenes at the operation for over 3,000 guests and 1,000 crew members.

MHA attendees can also look forward to a full schedule of speed networking with cruise lines in attendance, with key personnel on hand from all four major cruise corporations: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC.

There are more companies too, including but not limited to adventure brands such as Lindblad Expeditions and vessel management company Anglo-Eastern Leisure Management, which is overseeing multiple vessels in the polar market.

Having entered service this summer after delivery from Fincantieri, the Viva is a sister to the Norwegian Prima. Four more similar but upsized Prima ships are set to follow, with the Norwegian Aqua poised to start service in 2025.

Sailing from Miami, the Viva will reposition in December to San Juan, where she will sail week-long Eastern Caribbean itineraries through March. An April trans-Atlantic crossing positions the ship in the Mediterranean for summer 2024.

Norwegian Optimizes Sky Cruise Itinerary to Reduce Carbon Footprint

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Norwegian Cruise Line is optimizing Apr. 17, 2023, sailing onboard the Norwegian Sky.

According to a statement sent to booked guests, the itinerary of the cruise was adjusted as part of the company’s commitment to driving a positive impact on society and the environment.

“We are continually seeking opportunities to reduce our overall carbon footprint, and recently committed to pursuing net zero greenhouse gas emissions across our operations and value chain by 2050,” Norwegian Cruise Line said.

“To support this mission, we have optimized our arrival and departure times for Norwegian Sky’s sailing on April 17, 2023,” the company added.

As part of the changes, the cruise saw part of its itinerary reversed and a reduction of the time docked in most of the ports of call.

Sailing to the Eastern Caribbean, the nine-night cruise includes visits to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, the U. S. Virgin Islands, Antigua, and the Dominican Republic.

Instead of visiting Great Stirrup Cay on Apr. 18, the Norwegian Sky is now spending the first day of the cruise sailing in the Caribbean.

On Apr. 19, the vessel replaces a sea day with an eight-hour visit to Puerto Plata. The length of stay at the Dominican port was increased by one hour.

The three subsequent ports of call – San Juan on Apr. 20, Philipsburg on Apr. 21 and St. John’s on Apr. 22 – remained unchanged but had their arrival and departure times adjusted, resulting in a total reduction of eight and a half hours in port.

On Apr. 23, instead of visiting Puerto Plata as originally planned, the Norwegian Sky is spending the day at sea to anchor at Great Stirrup Cay on Apr. 24.

The visit to Norwegian’s private island in the Bahamas replaces a sea day on the original cruise schedule.

“We appreciate your understanding and support on this important sustainability initiative,” Norwegian Cruise Line added.