Madrid, February 17, 2020 – Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), considered one of the world’s best and most innovative cruise lines, has unveiled the new Norwegian Spirit following a refurbishment of more than $100 million. This refurbishment is part of the Norwegian Edge® program, which reaffirms the company’s commitment to raising the bar for excellence across its entire fleet. The Norwegian Spirit further strengthens NCL’s presence in Europe, where it now has a total of seven ships in 2020: Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Star, Norwegian Epic, and Norwegian Jade.
The Norwegian Spirit spent 43 days in dry dock in Marseille before arriving in Civitavecchia with 14 new spaces, additional and updated staterooms, improved public areas, and a new hull design. The ship will sail a series of exotic and immersive 17-, 20-, and 28-day voyages spanning three continents, departing from Civitavecchia, Italy, on February 14, 2020; Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 2, 2020; and Cape Town, South Africa, on March 22, 2020, before making its inaugural voyage to Athens (Piraeus), Greece, on April 19, 2020.
The ship will offer a seven-day cruise season to the Greek islands, Turkey, and Israel until November 8, 2020. Tickets are now on sale, and the new itineraries, featuring exciting destinations, many with extended port calls, will cover seven or eight ports in seven days. These include Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini, and Corfu, Greece; Kusadasi and Istanbul, Turkey; Ashdod and Haifa, Israel; Limassol, Cyprus; and two new ports of call for the cruise line, Patmos and Volos, Greece.
The bow-to-stern refurbishment is the most extensive ever undertaken on a ship in the company's history. Upgrades to the Norwegian Spirit include a Mandara Spa that has doubled in size with a new thermal suite and relaxation area; an expanded Pulse fitness center; and Onda by Scarpetta's second restaurant at sea. New complimentary dining options include an additional main dining room, Taste; the 24-hour restaurant, The Local Bar and Grill; the all-day dining restaurant, Garden Café; the Great Outdoors bar; and the Waves Pool Bar. Making their debut on the Norwegian Spirit are the Bliss Ultra Lounge and Spinnaker Lounge, which features a Humidor Cigar Lounge, as well as the adults-only Spice H2O, a daytime space with two new whirlpool tubs and a bar, which transforms into an after-hours entertainment venue or event space.
The Norwegian Spirit will leave dry dock without a single single-use plastic bottle on board as part of a significant effort to provide guests with more sustainable options at sea. Since January 1, Norwegian Cruise Line has been the first major cruise company to eliminate single-use plastic bottles across its entire fleet, an effort made possible through a recent partnership with JUST Goods, Inc.
“It’s truly exciting to celebrate Norwegian Spirit’s departure from dry dock to incredible destinations after its major refurbishment,” said Kevin Bubolz, Managing Director Europe for Norwegian Cruise Line. “Europe is the number one destination for international arrivals, and we are very proud to position Norwegian Spirit for its inaugural season in this high-demand region. Our brand has been recognized 12 times in a row by the World Travel Awards as Europe’s Leading Cruise Line, and we are thrilled to offer our guests even grander itineraries in the region, allowing them to explore multiple destinations while unpacking just once.”.
