After recently announcing the extension of its cruise suspension until November 30, 2020, Norwegian Cruise Line has unveiled its itinerary offerings spanning all seven continents and more than 20 new destinations on its scheduled voyages from 2021 to 2023, giving passengers more time to plan their long-awaited vacations and extraordinary new ports of call.
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 54 – October 2020
Itineraries designed to provide travelers with unforgettable vacations visiting dream destinations such as Antarctica, Greenland or South Africa, as well as well-known destinations in the Caribbean, Bahamas, or Mexican Riviera, among others.
Europe
In June 2022, the Norwegian Star will sail through northern Europe, making its debut in Greenland, and visiting exceptional places such as Nuuk, Qaqortoq and Nanortalik, during two consecutive 10 and 11 day trips from Reykjavik, Iceland.
The Norwegian Getaway will embark on a 13-day European voyage, departing from Southampton in the UK and arriving in Rome (Civitavecchia) in Italy on November 14, 2022, offering an immersive itinerary and culturally rich experiences.
Asia
The Norwegian Sun will make its debut in Asia in November 2021 and will become the first fleet to visit the exotic destinations of Nagoya, Beppu and Himeji in Japan; Manila and Coron in the Philippines; Kota Kinabalu and Melaka in Malaysia; Muara, Brunei and Kampot in Cambodia.
Norwegian Cruise Line has unveiled its itinerary offerings spanning all seven continents and more than twenty new destinations.
South Africa:
The Norwegian Jade will sail 12-day voyages from December 2021 to January 2022, making history as the first ship to offer round-trip cruises from Cape Town, South Africa. The voyages will include visits to Luderitz and Walvis Bay, Namibia; Durban, South Africa; and overnight stops in Cape Town and Richards Bay, also in South Africa.
Antarctica
The Norwegian Star will make its first trip to Antarctica starting in 2021 sailing from Buenos Aires, Argentina, embarking on a season of extraordinary voyages for 14 days, which include five ports of call in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and the Falkland Islands.
South America
The Norwegian Star will sail in March 2022 through South America, becoming the first fleet to visit Fortaleza and Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, with a 15-day itinerary departing from Rio de Janeiro.
Panama Canal
The Norwegian Jewel will sail in November 2022 through a selection of locations in the Panama Canal, from San Diego, Los Angeles and Colón, Panama, with stops at places of great charm, such as Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco and Huatulco in Mexico; Puerto Caldera (Puntarenas) in Costa Rica; and Acajutla in El Salvador.
The company's most modern ship, the Norwegian Encore, will begin a 21-day voyage through the Panama Canal on October 23, 2022, departing from Seattle and arriving in Miami.
The Norwegian Joy will travel to Port Canaveral for the first time, on a 14-day voyage departing from Orlando to Los Angeles on December 4, 2022. During the trip, it will stop in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, for the first time, and visit Cartagena, Colombia; Puerto Caldera (Puntarenas) in Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala; and Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas in Mexico.
The Norwegian Gem offers a selection of 11- and 12-day cruises to and from New York and Panama City in January and February 2023.
Mexican Riviera
The Norwegian Bliss, the Norwegian Joy and the Norwegian Jewel will sail from the West Coast between Los Angeles and San Diego from October 30, 2022 to April 16, 2023 on five, seven and eight day trips to the Mexican Riviera.
The Norwegian Joy will begin its voyages from December 18, 2022, with eight-day round trips, visiting San Diego for the first time.
Bahamas
From December 23, 2022 to April 8, 2023, the Norwegian Getaway will sail for eight days through the Bahamas and Florida, departing from New York.
Bermuda
On November 22, 2022, the Norwegian Joy will offer its passengers a winter getaway to Bermuda on five- and seven-day round-trip voyages departing from New York and including stays at the Royal Naval Dockyard.
The Norwegian Getaway will also offer a selection of five-night voyages in December 2022, and February and March 2023.
The Norwegian Jade will operate 12-day round-trip cruises from December 2021 to January 2022, departing from Cape Town, South Africa.
Norwegian
Bliss, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Pearl, and Norwegian Sky are offering a series of five- to fourteen-day cruises throughout the Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean from January 28, 2022, to May 17, 2023. Itineraries include stops at Harvest Cay, the company's resort in Belize, as well as visits to its private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay.
The Norwegian Breakaway will sail from New Orleans offering a mix of five, seven, and nine-day trips to the Western Caribbean, starting November 20, 2022.
The Norwegian Star will make its first trip to Antarctica starting in 2021, sailing from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
On January 8 and February 26, 2023, passengers will be able to board the Norwegian Getaway for a twelve-day round-trip cruise through the Southern Caribbean, departing from New York.
INTERVIEW WITH SONIA LÓPEZ, SENIOR MANAGER, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
What has surprised you most about the last six months?
We are living through an unprecedented situation, very new for everyone, and new things always generate great uncertainty. But we have managed to move forward, which fills us with satisfaction because, despite the circumstances, Norwegian Cruise Line has been able to continue supporting our partners with virtual chats, webinars, and private consultations. We continue to live and reinforce the Partners First philosophy this year more than ever.
How has the Spanish market performed in 2020 and in the coming years amidst this crisis?
Cruises have become very popular in the Spanish market and their popularity continues to grow. This is one of the reasons why many of our customers didn't cancel their 2020 trips but rebooked them for 2021, taking advantage of our Peace of Mind policy. The Spanish market has been performing very well, and we are confident it will be even better once we overcome this challenging time. Spaniards love cruises and appreciate flexibility. The freedom offered by Norwegian Cruise Line makes our product a perfect fit for this market.
The performance of the Spanish market has been very positive and we are convinced that it will be even better once we overcome this very difficult time.
How have you been able to support travel agencies during these months?
This situation is new for all of us, and we have done everything possible to support our partners during these difficult times. That's why we have been available to them throughout, responding personally rather than with an automated answering system. Given the challenging circumstances, we didn't want our travel agents to have any additional worries; we wanted to make things easier for both them and their clients. This is the reason behind the launch of Peace of Mind and its success in the market. Regarding new bookings and refunds, we tried to empathize with our partners to make them feel that this is a partnership, not just for the good times but also for the difficult ones. Our team was and continues to be available at all times, and we encourage everyone to stay in touch. We are all in this together, and together we can get through it.
Is the market showing signs of recovery? What can we expect in the coming months?
We're seeing a very positive response to our promotions and the Extraordinary Voyages itineraries we have prepared for 2021-2023. Furthermore, the launch of our "Peace of Mind" policy, which allows guests to cancel their cruises up to 15 days prior to embarkation for cruises through October 31, 2021, with the option to retrace their voyages whenever they wish through December 31, 2022, has helped maintain confidence in Norwegian Cruise Line's service and product. This is in addition to all the work we are doing to enhance our already robust health and safety measures, utilizing the recommendations of the Healthy Sail Panel. All of this has undoubtedly contributed to our continued success in making us the preferred choice for our guests' vacation plans.
Tell us about Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2021 and 2022 program.
Our bucket-list-worthy 2021-2023 itineraries offer voyages across seven continents. They aim to provide unforgettable, one-of-a-kind vacations to extraordinary new ports of call such as Iceland and Greenland, as well as several cruises to some of the most beautiful Greek islands. In 2021, the Norwegian Escape will return to Europe for the first time and sail a gorgeous itinerary where guests can explore the hidden gems of the Baltic, Scandinavia, and Russia on a 9-day cruise.
In addition, last September we unveiled a wide range of winter 2022-2023 itineraries, which are also proving very popular. Travelers who plan ahead can choose from a variety of warm-weather destinations on 13 different ships.
The 2022-2023 winter itineraries offer experiences for everyone, from idyllic tropical getaways to cultural immersion. The Norwegian Jewel will offer a selection of fascinating Panama Canal voyages, while sun-seekers can join a Caribbean cruise and stop at our private island resort in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay. West Coast sailings are also available on the Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy, the industry’s largest and newest ships, exploring the Mexican Riviera.
For travelers who want to sail closer to home, the Norwegian Epic will embark on an 11-day European itinerary from Barcelona, stopping at many memorable and culturally rich destinations, including Florence, Naples, Santorini, Athens, and Mykonos. All this in October 2022.
INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN BUBOLZ VICE PRESIDENT & MANAGING DIRECTOR EUROPE NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
The cruise industry is facing such an unusual and damaging situation that no one could have been prepared for it. Norwegian Cruise Line has taken many actions; can you tell us about some of the most important ones?
Our priority is, and always has been, ensuring the health and safety of our passengers, crew, and the communities we visit. That's why we recently announced "Sail Safe," our continuously evolving Safe Cruising program, which introduces even more robust measures than our already stringent health and safety protocols.
As part of this program, we recently announced the creation of the Healthy Sail Panel. This panel comprises world-renowned experts in medical practice and research, public health, infectious diseases, biosecurity, hospitality, and maritime operations, who have applied the best available knowledge in public health, science, and engineering to their recommendations.
Our priority is and always has been to ensure the health and safety of our passengers, crew, and the communities we visit.
On September 21, the Panel presented its recommendations to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in response to the CDC's request for suggestions that could be used in the future as public health guidance and preventive measures related to cruise travel. We will use these recommendations to inform the development of new operating protocols, which will be submitted to the CDC and other authorities worldwide for review and approval—a significant milestone globally in the process of resuming cruising. The group's work is open source, allowing third parties to add their own protocols
Many of the ships that should be based in the Americas this season are instead coming to Europe, as some cruise lines have already begun sailing there with restrictions. What are Norwegian Cruise Line's plans for Europe in the near future?
We recently announced our 2022-2023 itineraries, allowing travelers to start planning their next Norwegian Cruise Line vacation now. The new plan also includes an expanded European presence with eight ships in local waters through 2023. The Norwegian Dawn will celebrate its European debut next year, while the recently refurbished Norwegian Spirit is ready to sail a series of immersive Mediterranean itineraries. Furthermore, the Norwegian Spirit underwent the most extensive bow-to-stern renovation in the company's history earlier this year, which will include 14 new locations for local cruisers to enjoy, including the second restaurant at sea, Onda by Scarpetta.
To provide peace of mind to our guests and ensure they have the confidence to plan their next vacation aboard a cruise ship, we launched the “Peace of Mind” program.
To provide peace of mind to our guests and ensure they have the confidence to plan their next cruise vacation, we launched the Peace of Mind program: passengers who have booked their cruise with embarkation dates from January 1, 2021 to October 31, 2021, have the flexibility to cancel their trip 15 days before departure and receive a credit for a future cruise, which can be applied to any trip until December 31, 2022, or a full refund when they cancel up to 120 days before their vacation.
How is it possible to plan in such a chaotic and ever-changing environment?
With great flexibility, which is what Norwegian Cruise Line stands for: “Freedom & Flexibility.” We look to the future with optimism. Our credo these days is to do things the right way, not hastily. We are confident that we will be able to announce the resumption of voyages very soon.
It seems that a return to operations is essential without a vaccine available. Are pre-boarding tests the solution, in addition to onboard measures?
The Healthy Sail Panel has worked diligently to create recommendations based on the most innovative standards and the most up-to-date safety measures currently available, to enable safe sailing. In doing so, it has identified five key areas that every cruise operator should address to improve the health and safety of passengers and crew onboard:
• Testing, detection, and exposure reduction
• Sanitation and ventilation
• Response, contingency planning, and execution
• Destination and excursion planning
• Mitigating risks to crew members
Each category includes a series of recommendations designed to prevent the spread of the virus and provide peace of mind to passengers. You can find more information on our website.
We will use the Panel's recommendations to inform the development of new, detailed operating protocols, which will be submitted to the CDC and other authorities worldwide for review and approval. We will share the final protocols as soon as they are available.
How have Norwegian Cruise Line customers behaved? Which nationalities have remained the most loyal?
We have been receiving a lot of support and positive feedback from our loyal customers, who are eager to embark on their next cruise. Many have already begun booking their voyages for the 2021/2022 period. We greatly appreciate our customers' loyalty and are offering them special promotions as part of our Latitudes membership program. Currently, Latitudes members can enjoy an exclusive, limited-time offer on all ships and in all destinations for bookings made through October 12. The offer includes a 15% discount on cruise fares in addition to bonus Latitudes points for members.
