Tag Archives: Jade

NCLH CFO Admits Caribbean Expansion Was Premature

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NCLH CFO Admits Caribbean Expansion Was Premature

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ Chief Financial Officer Mark Kempa offered commentary on the company’s Caribbean capacity strategy, acknowledging that a 40 percent capacity increase into the region was pushed forward prematurely.

“In hindsight, it is clear that this shift was executed without the necessary enterprise-wide coordination,” Kempa told investors on the company’s fourth quarter and year-end earnings call.

“The capacity increase was premature.”

At the center of that was Great Stirrup Cay, the company’s private Bahamian island, which is undergoing a significant enhancement program.

The capacity shift happened before the opening of Great Tides water park on the island, which expected to open later this summer.

Kempa said the commercial infrastructure needed to absorb the additional capacity simply wasn’t ready.

Revenue management, sales, marketing, itinerary planning, and on-island monetization strategies were not aligned or integrated under a single cohesive operating plan.

“The individual components were moving forward, but they were not integrated under a single cohesive operating plan designed to absorb the capacity at the right yield,” he said.

Kempa said the headwinds are more pronounced than the company anticipated.

Kempa did express confidence in the long-term Caribbean strategy, pointing to strong early guest satisfaction scores at Great Stirrup Cay following the opening of a new pier, expanded pool facilities, and enhanced amenities.

“The early feedback reinforces our confidence that our investments are improving the guest experience and will drive strong returns,” he said.

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 Cancels Most of Jade’s 25-26 Season, Redeploys Ship

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After cancelling 38 cruises onboard three ships, Norwegian Cruise Line also informed guests booked on the Norwegian Jade that many sailings onboard the vessel will no longer go ahead.

In a statement, the company said that all sailings scheduled to depart between Oct. 18, 2025, and Feb. 16, 2026, are now cancelled.

The 2,400-guest ship was set to offer six- to 14-night cruises to the Panama Canal and the Caribbean during the timeframe.

Norwegian said that the cancellations are a result of a fleet redeployment, which will see the Norwegian Jade offering cruises from Southern California.

“The Norwegian Jade will be redeployed and will soon be offering seven-day round trip sailings from San Diego to the Mexican Riviera where guests can explore a blend of stunning coastal landscapes, rich cultural experiences, and unforgettable culinary delights,” the company said.

According to the statement, the ship’s new schedule on the West Coast will be available for booking soon.

A full monetary refund of the fare paid for the canceled cruise will be automatically returned to the original form of payment provided at the time of reservation, Norwegian added.

Reservations paid via a previously issued Future Cruise Credit (FCC) will see the credit returned to the guest.

Affected passengers will also receive a 10 per cent discount in the form of an FCC. The credit can be used towards any of Norwegian’s published sailings through Dec. 31, 2026.

“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or disappointment this cancellation may cause,” Norwegian said.

Earlier this week, Norwegian Cruise Line also cancelled the winter schedule of the Norwegian Dawn, the Norwegian Star and the Norwegian Jewel.

While the Norwegian Dawn was scheduled to offer itineraries in Africa and the Indian Ocean, the Norwegian Star was set for a season in South America and Antarctica and the Norwegian Jewel was poised to offer itineraries to the Caribbean departing from Tampa.