Tag: Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line proudly supports the Take 3 for the Sea Surf Life Saving Club Program

February 16, 2024 baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on Norwegian Cruise Line proudly supports the Take 3 for the Sea Surf Life Saving Club Program

Norwegian Cruise Line proudly supports the Take 3 for the Sea Surf Life Saving Club Program

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), has further bolstered its partnership with Take 3 for the Sea by supporting the delivery of its innovative Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) Program.

Reducing plastic pollution is a key pillar of NCL’s company-wide, and the company is proud to have been the first major cruise company to eradicate single-use plastic water bottles from its ships in 2020. This measure has kept more than 14 million water bottles and 50 million plastic straws from harming the environment.

 The Take 3 for the Sea Surf Life Saving Club Program is a dynamic initiative to help safeguard our coastal environments. By educating and engaging SLSCs and their communities about plastic pollution and marine debris, the program empowers individuals to take proactive steps towards a cleaner, healthier ocean ecosystem.

Running over the peak summer period from October 2023 to March 2024, the program invites SLSCs to take part in a range of activities that provide the inspiration, tools and resources to take action. More than 46 SLSCs across Australia signed up for the program. These participating clubs are encouraged to host their own beach clean-up events to educate club members and beachgoers about the importance of keeping our oceans and waterways clean and free of rubbish.

About Take 3 for the Sea

Take 3 for the Sea is an environmental organisation dedicated to addressing the crisis of plastic pollution entering our oceans and waterways. They have a simple, empowering call to action: Take 3 pieces of rubbish with you when you leave the beach, waterway or… anywhere and you have made a difference. Since 2009, Take 3 has developed and delivered education programs and events to schools, universities, surf lifesaving clubs, businesses and communities worldwide, utilising social media to increase plastic pollution awareness and inspire participation.

Take 3’s impact includes:

  • The removal of 42million pieces of rubbish from the environment
  • 22 million people reached through Take 3 social media campaigns
  • 129 countries participated in #take3forthesea campaign

Ep128 – BONUS – Live from Norwegian Spirit

Ep110 – Australia welcomes Pacific Encounter, Viking Celebrates 25yrs and more Cruise News

NCL Kicks Off its Greatest Europe Season Yet

April 8, 2022 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on NCL Kicks Off its Greatest Europe Season Yet

NCL will operate one of Europe’s most modern fleets, with eight innovative ships

Image credit: Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), has kicked off its greatest Europe season yet with eight ships sailing to over 100 destinations from 10 different departure ports, including two ships never-before-seen in Europe: Norwegian Prima makes her global debut in Iceland in August, while Norwegian Escape sails Europe for the very first time, making NCL’s one of the most modern fleets in the region.

In Northern Europe, NCL will offer a selection of sailings ranging from 8- to 12-days with departures from Amsterdam, Copenhagen, London (Southampton) and Reykjavik aboard four ships – Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Star and Norwegian Prima – which will take the title of the first major cruise ship christened in the Icelandic capital when she debuts in August. World famous pop icon and “American Idol” judge Katy Perry will serve as the ship’s godmother, fulfilling the longstanding maritime tradition of blessing and officially naming Norwegian Prima, the first of six vessels in the Prima Class, as well as performing during the christening ceremony in Reykjavik.

Meanwhile in the Mediterranean, three innovative NCL ships – Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Star – will sail from Barcelona, Rome (Civitavecchia), Venice (Trieste) and Haifa, Israel, with sailings ranging in length from 5 to 12-days, many with no sea days ensuring guests enjoy maximum time on shore to immerse themselves fully within each and every destination.

And in the Greek Isles, travellers can look forward to two ships (Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Gem) offering immersive roundtrip voyages of 7 to 9-nights from Athens (Piraeus), Venice (Trieste) and Rome (Civitavecchia). Each cruise visits an array of breath-taking island locales like Santorini and Mykonos, ancient Greek cities like Athens, as well as the opportunity to explore the Holy Land with calls to Haifa, Israel, and Istanbul, Turkey.

Flagship PortMiami Terminal Awarded Prestigious LEED® Gold Certification

February 2, 2022 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on Flagship PortMiami Terminal Awarded Prestigious LEED® Gold Certification

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. which operates Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, announced that its brand new state-of-the-art Norwegian Cruise Line flagship terminal at PortMiami received an honorary recognition as the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold New Construction v4.0 cruise ship terminal in Florida, the United States and the world.  

Image Credit: Photo by Miami In Focus, Inc. – Peter Leifer, Cheryl Stieffel. Courtesy of Bermello Ajamil & Partners

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world, and LEED certification is a globally recognised symbol of sustainability achievement. LEED for Building Design and Construction, specifically New Construction, provides a framework for building a holistic green building while addressing both design and construction activities.

The state-of-the-art terminal often dubbed as the “Pearl of Miami” welcomed guests for the first time in August 2021 upon the Company’s return to service in the U.S. with Norwegian Gem.

The 17,500 square metre terminal, which can accommodate cruise vessels carrying up to 5,000 cruise guests, was designed with innovation and sustainability at the forefront. The team created a platform that optimises the terminal’s energy performance, indoor air quality, water efficiencies, utilisation of local materials and resources and much more. With high levels of energy performance in mind, the project was designed to perform at least 38% better than the average building. In addition to significant water quality permits and protections, the terminal includes manatee protections and pollution discharge protections, and plans to have shore power capabilities by the Northern Hemisphere Autumn of 2023.

Norwegian Cruise Line Unveils 2024 Deployment

December 7, 2021 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on Norwegian Cruise Line Unveils 2024 Deployment

Norwegian Cruise Line Unveils 2024 Deployment, Releases the Most Itineraries for Sale in its History

Haifa Israel

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), has opened for sale the most itineraries at once in its history, unveiling sailings from 35 departure ports – including brand-new NCL homeports in Haifa, Israel and La Romana, Dominican Republic. The announcement includes Australia and New Zealand cruises, as well as cruises within Northern Europe, The Mediterranean, Alaska and the Caribbean through to October 2024, while Hawai’i inter-island 7-day voyages are now open up to Dec 2025.

Australian travellers can look forward to Norwegian Spirit returning to Australian and New Zealand waters from December 2023, offering eight 12-day sailings between Sydney and Auckland. Following the most extensive and expensive makeover in NCL history – at a cost of USD$100m – Norwegian Spirit is designed to be different, appealing to the adult cruiser and epitomising laidback luxury

FIRSTS

The newly opened itineraries feature 35 departure ports across the globe, including two new-to-brand homeport destinations – Haifa, Israel and La Romana, Dominican Republic:

  • Norwegian Epic will make her debut in Haifa, Israel’s largest international seaport, in November 2022. The vessel will offer 11-and-12-day Mediterranean open-jaw sailings to and from Haifa, Israel and Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy starting 8 November 2023 through 12 December The ship will call to beautiful destinations such as Livorno (Florence) and Naples, Italy; Kusadasi and Istanbul, Turkey; Piraeus (Athens), Patmos, and Rhodes, Greece; and Limassol, Cyprus. This itinerary will also feature 17-hours of port time in Ashdod, Israel giving guests sufficient time to tour the cosmopolitan city of Tel Aviv as well as one of the oldest cities in the world, Jerusalem.
  • Norwegian Sky will be the first to sail a series of port-rich 7-day roundtrip Southern Caribbean cruises from La Romana, Dominican Republic with a port-of-call each day from 8 January 2024 through 22 April 2024, making NCL the only major cruise company sailing Southern Caribbean voyages with no sea days.

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

  • Norwegian Spirit will return to Australian and New Zealand waters, offering immersive 12-day itineraries that explore exquisite natural beauty and cosmopolitan cities. With departures from both Sydney and Auckland, these open-jaw voyages allow guests plenty of time in port to explore their own backyard in-depth. Highlights include the Art Deco capital of the world, Napier, as well as a scenic cruise through New Zealand’s famous Sounds.

HAWAII

  • Pride of America’s year-round 7-day inter-island Hawai’i voyages are now open for sale through to December 2025. NCL is the only cruise line to offer year-round, inter-island voyages that visit four islands over seven days with two overnights and no sea days, allowing guests more time to explore their stunning surrounds.

ALASKA

  • On 22 April 2024 and 25 September 2024, Norwegian Spirit will once again offer her “Fire and Ice” voyages – an open-jaw itinerary sailing to and from Honolulu and Vancouver, visiting the tropical islands of Hawai’i and beautiful towns of Alaska. Guests will discover paradise as they overnight in Nawiliwili (Kauai), and island hop to Kahului (Maui), and Hilo, Hawai’i and then sail towards the Last Frontier where the vessel will cruise through striking glaciers towards the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, a United Nations World Heritage Site, followed by calls to Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Skagway and Ketchikan, Alaska. For those looking to be the first to experience this once-in-a-lifetime itinerary, the debut “Fire and Ice” sailing will take place 12 June 2022, followed by a second sailing on 3 October 2022.

GREEK ISLES AND MEDITERRANEAN

  • Norwegian Epic will make her debut in Trieste (Venice), Italy and Koper, Slovenia during her 14-day Grand Mediterranean holiday sailing on 22 December 2023 – inviting guests to experience Europe in a unique way, during the cooler festive season. The itinerary will offer zero sea days and overnight visits in Dubrovnik, Croatia on Christmas Eve, as well as Barcelona and Palma Mallorca, Spain to celebrate the new year.
  • Norwegian Escape will offer five, 10-to-11-day Grand Mediterranean sailings between April 2024 and October 2024 where guests will spend over 105 hours exploring Mediterranean ports in Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain. During the 24 April 2024 sailing, the ship will call to Ibiza, Spain with a late midnight departure allowing guests to enjoy the late evening hours of the famed town. The ship will also make her debut call in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Norwegian Escape will also offer a series of 7-day roundtrip cruises from Barcelona starting on 26 May 2024, featuring zero sea days and visiting six ports-of-call including Cannes, France; Livorno (Florence), Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples, and Cagliari, Italy; and Palma De Mallorca, Spain. Guests have the chance to spend more than 11 hours in Livorno (Florence), Civitavecchia (Rome), and Naples, three of the most historically and culturally rich cities in Italy.
  • Norwegian Pearl will sail a series of 7-day roundtrip voyages from 26 May 2024 through 27 October 2024 from Trieste (Venice), Italy making calls in two medieval walled towns: Kotor, Montenegro and Dubrovnik, Croatia, and offering a late departure in Santorini for guests to take in their picturesque sunsets.

NORTHERN EUROPE

  • Norwegian Getaway will offer one 9-day roundtrip sailing from Copenhagen on 13 May 2024 where guests have the chance to visit seven different countries in Northern Europe in nine days: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom. Travellers can fully immerse themselves in each city as the itinerary allows them to spend at least nine hours in every port.

CANADA & NEW ENGLAND

  • From 2 September through 25 September 2024 Norwegian Joy will offer 7-and-8-day open jaw sailings from New York City and Quebec City, one of the top-rated ports by our guests sailing Canada and New England itineraries. Travelers can plan an extended stay in each city pre-and-post cruise to further enjoy the destinations.

PANAMA CANAL

  • Norwegian Joy will offer an 11-day open jaw sailing from Miami to Panama City on 25 November 2023 where guests will have over eight hours in all ports-of-call with a full 13 hours in Willemstad, Curaçao, ideal for a scuba diving adventure or a stroll down their picturesque pier featuring colorful colonial Dutch buildings. The vessel will also offer two 15-day Panama Canal open-jaw sailings from Miami on 6 January  2024 and from Los Angeles on 26 January 2024 where she will overnight in Panama City where guests can tour its old colonial center or enjoy the vibrant nightlife.

CARIBBEAN

Several NCL ships will be sailing the Caribbean with three vessels making a first-time visit to Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, plus additional ports-of-call.

  • Norwegian Getaway will make her debut in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos during her 12-day holiday sailing on 21 December 2023 from New York City where guests will spend Christmas day in tropical San Juan, Puerto Rico; while Norwegian Joy will make her debut in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos during a summer voyage from New York City in August 2024.
  • Norwegian Joy will make her debut call in Philipsburg, St. Maarten and Kralendijk, Bonaire during her 12-day Southern Caribbean cruise from New York City to Miami on 16 October 2023.
  • Norwegian Jade will make her debut in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; and St. George’s, Grenada, during her 14-day Southern Caribbean voyage on 26 November 2023 from Tampa, Florida.

BERMUDA

  • Norwegian Joy will offer four, five and 7-day roundtrip sailings from New York City to Bermuda from 9 April 2024 through 11 October 2024 with the 7-day sailings providing up to 55 hours in port at the Royal Naval Dockyard. Currently, NCL is the only cruise line to offer three days in Bermuda allowing guests to shop in the capital city of Hamilton or relax on the destination’s famous pink sand beaches.
La Romana, Dominican Republic

Norwegian Bliss returns to the Mexican Riviera

October 27, 2021 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on Norwegian Bliss returns to the Mexican Riviera

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Norwegian Bliss, sailing week-long voyages to the Mexican Riviera from Los Angeles.

Norwegian Bliss, one of the most successful ships ever launched in the company’s 54-year history will be the Brand’s second vessel sailing from the West Coast of USA following the celebrated restart of her sister ship Norwegian Encore, which resumed voyages to Alaska from Seattle in August 2021. On Sunday 24 October 2021, Norwegian Bliss’ crew members welcomed eager and excited guests as they embarked to sail the majestic Mexican Riviera while looking forward to enjoying unforgettable onboard experiences including world-class fare across its 19 dining options, 20 bars and lounges, a two-level racetrack with the Bliss Speedway and Broadway-caliber entertainment including “Six: The Musical,” which premiered onboard Norwegian Breakaway before hitting the stage on Broadway in March 2020.

Norwegian Bliss will sail from the Los Angeles World Cruise Centre, offering week-long voyages and five-day sailings to the Mexican Riviera, visiting marquee Mexican ports including Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and Ensenada, Mexico. On 21 January 2022 she will embark on a 14-day journey crossing the Panama Canal and making port calls to notable destinations including Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Puntarenas (Puerto Caldera), Costa Rica; and Cartagena, Colombia before making her way to the cruise capital of the world, Miami.

Ep74 – Listener Questions, Cruise News & Itinerary of the Week

Norwegian Prima Floats Out

August 18, 2021 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on Norwegian Prima Floats Out
Image Credit: Norwegian Prima floats out, Italy.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), has announced that its game-changing new ship, Norwegian Prima, was floated out from her drydock at Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera (Venice), Italy, marking a major construction milestone and the first time the new vessel touches water.

To celebrate the occasion, a commemorative coin was encased within Norwegian Prima in a traditional maritime ceremony presided over by Eamonn Ferrin, Vice President International Business, NCL and Antonio Quintano, Shipyard Director, Fincantieri.

Norwegian Prima is the first of six ships in NCL’s highly anticipated Prima Class, the Brand’s first new class of vessels in nearly 10 years. At 294.1 metres long, 142,500 gross tons and with capacity for 3,215 guests at double occupancy, the vessel is designed to put guests first. Norwegian Prima boasts wide-open spaces, thoughtful and stunning design, and a variety of new experiences for the Brand.

Laying claim to the title of the most spacious new cruise ship in the premium and contemporary categories, Norwegian Prima offers the most outdoor deck space and the most expansive accommodation of any new build. She boasts multiple NCL firsts, including Ocean Boulevard, wrapping around the entire deck over 4,087.7 square metres, allowing guests to connect to the ocean while enjoying alfresco dining and unique experiences such as Infinity Beach, where two stunning infinity pools are positioned to take in the vastness of the ocean with uninterrupted views, and Oceanwalk, where two glass bridges will make guests feel as though they are walking on air over the water.

Dining is elevated on Norwegian Prima with the addition of Indulge Food Hall, NCL’s first upscale open-air marketplace offering diverse menu items from a variety of eleven different culinary venues. In addition, Ocean Boulevard hosts three restaurants; Onda By Scarpetta, Los Lobos and The Local Bar & Grill.

Meanwhile The Haven by Norwegian® on Norwegian Prima offers the Brand’s most exclusive and centralised ‘ship within a ship’ suite complex. Spanning eight decks of suites and public areas, it is accessible via private elevators and located at the aft of the ship for the very first time. Designed to be more open to the sea than ever before, every public area in The Haven will offer spectacular views, together with a stunning new infinity pool overlooking the ship’s wake and a new outdoor spa with a glass-walled sauna and cold room.

Commencing in the northern hemisphere summer of 2022, Norwegian Prima will offer bucket-list itineraries in Northern Europe with voyages from Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Copenhagen, Denmark giving guests the opportunity to explore the stunning Norwegian Fjords and Baltic Sea. She will then sail a 12-day transatlantic voyage from Southampton to New York via Scotland’s Shetland Islands, Halifax in Nova Scotia and an extended overnight stay in Reykjavik, Iceland. Through the northern hemisphere autumn and winter, Norwegian Prima will offer a variety of port-rich Bermuda and Caribbean cruises from New York, Galveston, TX, Miami and Orlando, FL (Port Canaveral), including calls to Harvest Caye, the Company’s private resort destination in Belize as well as NCL’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas.

Norwegian Cruise Line returns to cruise

July 28, 2021 quality_baz Ocean Cruises Comments Off on Norwegian Cruise Line returns to cruise

Norwegian Cruise Line returns to cruise

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), officially commemorated its highly-anticipated cruise comeback on 25 July, 2021 with a double debut: Norwegian Jade was not only the first of its 17-ship fleet to welcome guests after 500 days, she also made NCL history as the first vessel to homeport in Athens (Piraeus).

Until November 2021, guests sailing aboard Norwegian Jade’s immersive Greek Isles itinerary will wake up in a new destination every day, able to spend eight-to-nine hours exploring some of Greece’s most picturesque islands including luxurious Crete, bustling Mykonos, historical Rhodes and the iconic blue and white Santorini.

Norwegian Jade is the first ship to recommence voyages as part NCL’s larger restart efforts. On 7 August, 2021, Norwegian Encore will be the first ship to return to service from the U.S., when she debuts in Seattle for her inaugural season of Alaska cruises. The fleetwide redeployment will continue in partnership with local governments and are guided by the robust protocols of the Company’s Sail Safe health and safety program, which at its cornerstone includes that all crew and guests must be fully vaccinated to embark for voyages through 31 October, 2021. Working with the leading experts of the Sail Safe Global Health and Wellness Council, the robust protocols will regularly be evaluated and modified as needed, making science-based decisions to protect guests, crew and the destinations it visits.