It was a Latin-style celebration in Miami last week, as travel partners, travel press and the greater Norwegian Cruise Line family—including Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. president and CEO Harry Sommer, NCL CEO David Herrera and new SVP of North America Sales John Chernesky, who joined the team in April—gathered for the official christening of Norwegian Viva.
Against the backdrop of the Magical City of Miami, godfather Luis Fonsi, best known for his hit song Despacito, served as headliner of the show and godfather of the ship, the second in NCL’s Prima Class. The choice of Puerto Rico-born Fonsi was a subtle reminder of the unique itinerary Viva will sail for the winter months: round-trip seven-night voyages from San Juan with stops every single day, including Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. (Beginning in April 2024, Viva will return to the Mediterranean and Greek Isles.)
The second ship in the Prima class, Norwegian Viva copies the beautiful muted and upscale look of her sister; the extended Haven area; the unique Indulge Food Hall, where you order a little of this and a little of that from a series of food trucks that include everything from Thai to barbecue. Also, like Prima, it has a full Broadway show with a full Broadway set, a beautiful spa, a theater that converts into a nightclub in 20 minutes, an extended area for solo travelers, a game show where guests can have fun and win cash prizes.
As far as news, I don’t have much to report about the differences between Viva and Prima; they really come down to the artwork and the entertainment. But still, I couldn’t help but come away with a lot of interesting little tidbits of information and news.
In a private interview, the 6’4” Chernesky told me he “feels very lucky to be in this job, working for this company. I’m working with an amazing sales team, and I love my boss (David Herrera). Even though he’s not as tall as I am, we do see eye to eye.”
NCL is “looking very strong for 2024,” particularly in Alaska and Europe, where NCL spends 30% more time in ports than its competitors, Chernesky said. The company also is seeing a strong interest in pre- and post-cruise travel, thanks to travel advisors who have done a great job of promoting the idea of taking a Little extra time on the front and the back ends. For these travel partners, NCL “will continue wherever we can to do seminars at sea and travel advisor rates,” Chernesky promised. He highly recommends trying the product for yourself and posting pictures on social media to build interest. If you can’t go yourself, he suggests asking clients to share their photos with you and post those.
Onboard Norwegian Viva, the travel advisors all agreed that the ship is beautiful.
Henry Dennis and Michelle Younis of Frosch Travel agreed the studio area for solo travelers, with its large, shared kitchen and living room, is a hit. “The studio room was nicer than I expected—they took it a step further to help solo travelers meet other people with that studio lounge,” Younis said, noting that all the rooms on the ship seem spacious and have lots of storage. And their colleague Jennifer Brammer said she’s “impressed with the use of space, with the little pods you can sit in to find some privacy around the ship.”
“For a big ship, it’s easy to navigate and I like the way it’s separated into areas, like the Vibe Beach Club, so it doesn’t seem so big,” agreed Neelie Kruse of Cary Travel Express in Cary, NC.
“I love the Indulge Food Hall; it’s a great alternative to the Surfside Café, which is smaller than on most ships,” said Janet Noblett of Outside Agents in Tampa, who fell in love with Prima when she sailed the inaugural and already has 87 cabins booked in September. “The cabins are very spacious, and the chairs on the balconies are very comfortable, better than on Prima. And you could fit 10 people in the handicapped cabin, it’s fabulous.”
And while she agrees the ship is beautiful, Sande Bloom of Amare Travel in Little Rock, AR, says the look is more adult and less family-friendly than past ships.
CLIA VP of trade relations Charles Sylvia said “the Prima class has exceeded my expectations from Day One. I love the contemporary comfort of it—it’s fresh and clean, and I feel instantly at home onboard.” Nexion president Jackie Friedman said “the ship is gorgeous; the spaces are just so well appointed that even though it’s a big ship you don’t feel crowded.” And sitting next to her at the christening, Signature CEO Alex Sharpe said the Prima class “has the feel of a more luxurious product, but with the size and choice and fun stuff of a contemporary big ship.”
NCL News
At the christening, Sommer pointed out that Viva’s debut makes for a triple-header this year, with new ships joining all three NCLH brands: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. In her just-ended inaugural Europe season, he said, Norwegian Viva’s guest satisfaction scores outshone any newbuild in the history of the NCL fleet, “a testament to not only how stunning this ship is, but also the exceptional level of service and attention provided by our amazing crew on board.”
Herrera noted that travel advisors “are part of our story; without you we do not succeed.”
Unlike other newly built ships that debuted in the past year or two, the 965-foot Viva holds just 3,099 guests. Like its sister Norwegian Prima, it has a three-story Viva Speedway; an open-air Indulge Food Hall with 11 unique eateries; and an art collection that includes a 52-foot-wide interactive work of art by British digital artist Dominic Harris. Prima 3 and 4, already in the works, will be larger, and 5 and 6 will be larger still.
Also like the Prima, Norwegian Viva’s expanded Haven area is now at the rear of the ship, with 108 suites, including some three-bedrooms, and direct access via private elevators. The Metro Bar Sustainability Program continues, offering zero-waste cocktails made of repurposed pineapple cores and coffee grinds, and NCL now has its own 66 Brand line of liquors, as well as low-alcohol and low-calorie drink menus.
Onshore, meanwhile, Great Stirrup Cay also has gotten an upgrade, with a new addition to the upscale Silver Cove private bungalow area. Like The Haven on the ship, Silver Cove offers privacy and exclusivity, a dedicated restaurant and 36 air-conditioned and butler-serviced villas. A new strip of villas has been added, with a deck and an infinity pool overlooking the sea. The one- and two-bedroom villas are open to all Viva guests, not just those in The Haven—and they sell out at every sailing, insiders said. If your clients want one, be sure to book early.
Next up for NCL will be the Aqua class ships, debuting in April 2025, bigger than this Prima class but with the best ratios of space to guest and crew to guest of any ship class coming out. “We have evolved the design of the Prima class, and realized we need even more space for lounging by the pool and deck chairs,” Herrera said. The racetrack will be replaced by an Aquaslider, a unique rollercoaster/waterslide hybrid in which guests can race one another down the side of the ship.
Finally, if you are looking for a nice property close to the port in Miami, I’ll recommend the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay, which is just putting the finishing touches on a two-year transformation project—”not just cosmetic but a complete transformation” that included the pool area, local art, the new Gold Coast Kitchen restaurant and the first M Club in downtown Miami, all overlooking the marina and the cruise ship terminals beyond.
Cheryl’s 40-year career in journalism is bookended by roles in the travel industry, including Executive Editor of Business Travel News in the 1990s, and recently, Editor in Chief of Travel Market Report and admin of Cheryl Rosen’s Group for Travel Professionals, a news and support group on Facebook. As an independent contractor since retiring from the 9-to-5 to travel more, she has written regular articles about the life and business of travel agents for Luxury Travel Advisor, Travel Agent, and Insider Travel Report. She also writes and edits for professional publications in the financial services, business, and technology sectors.