NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE OPENS FOR SALE THE ALL-NEW NORWEGIAN AQUA, THE FIRST OF THE NEXT-GENERATION PRIMA PLUS CLASS

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8 min read

– Norwegian Aqua to Debut in April 2025 with Seven-Day Caribbean Voyages from Port Canaveral, Fla. –

– World’s First Hybrid Coaster to Premiere Aboard Norwegian Aqua, Along with NCL’s First Three-Bedroom Duplex Suites in The Haven by Norwegian® and Innovative Digital Sports Complex –

– Captivating Hull Art Designed by Allison Hueman, NCL’s First Major Female Hull Artist –

JOHANNESBURG, 3 November 2023Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel with a 57-year history of breaking boundaries, has unveiled the evolution of the Prima Class with the all-new Norwegian Aqua, the first of the expanded Prima Plus Class setting sail in April 2025.

As of yesterday, travellers can book Norwegian Aqua’s first voyages to the Caribbean with seven-day itineraries departing from one of the world’s most sought-after cruise ports, Port Canaveral, Fla.  Voyages include calls to the idyllic island destinations of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas.

The legacy continues with renowned Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri constructing this next-generation Prima Plus Class. Building upon the award-winning experiences of Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Aqua will set new standards and deliver brand-new guest experiences to be discovered with an overall 10 percent size and capacity increase from its sister ships. Spanning 1,056 feet long, 156,300 gross tons and accommodating 3,571 guests at double occupancy, Norwegian Aqua will offer more outdoor space and the highest staffing levels of any new contemporary cruise ship. 

“Norwegian Aqua is a true testament of fusing together what represents the future of our Brand as the first ship in the Prima Plus Class, and our commitment to pushing the boundaries in guest-first experiences that will make new waves at sea,” said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Named for both the beautiful shades of blue from the ocean and our connection to the sea, Norwegian Aqua will feature new, elevated and exhilarating offerings that once again showcase NCL as the innovator in the industry and as a key contributor to a new era of cruising.”

Norwegian Aqua will showcase a lively and colourful hull art design by NCL’s first-ever major female hull artist, Allison Hueman. World-renowned for her street art and global brand collaborations, including Nike, L’Oreal and Google, Hueman’s distinctive art style is a blend of ethereal realism. Norwegian Aqua’s design, entitled “Where the Sky Meets the Sea,” is curated by Goldman Global Arts and evokes modern mythology through colourful mashups of abstract and figurative representations of sea and sky, ruled by ancient goddesses.

“I’m honoured, not only to be the first major female hull artist for Norwegian Cruise Line, but to also know that my artwork will be roaming the seas touching different parts of the world,” said Allison Hueman, Filipino-American multidisciplinary artist. “It’s incredibly special for me to partner with a brand that believes in the magical connection between art and exploration.”

WORLD’S-FIRST HYBRID COASTER AND EXHILARATING TOP DECK THRILLS

Norwegian Aqua will premiere the world’s first hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide, the Aqua Slidecoaster. Complete with exhilarating dual slides and a magnetic lift that propels adventurous guests through two different courses, this NCL exclusive experience will feature three stories of exciting twists and turns around the ship’s funnel.

The new Glow Court, a digital sports complex with an interactive LED floor, will offer a variety of interactive guest activities by day and then transform into a nightclub in the evening. Guests will also be able to continue to enjoy some of their favourite Prima Class experiences aboard Norwegian Aqua, including The Drop, NCL’s 10-story free-fall slide, and the Stadium, a now expanded game space offering complimentary activities.

LARGEST NCL HAVEN COMPLEX AND THE MOST SPACIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS AT SEA

Boasting NCL’s first-ever Three-Bedroom Duplex Haven Suites, Norwegian Aqua will offer all-new luxurious accommodations in the Brand’s premium keycard-access-only-complex, The Haven by Norwegian®. These four two-storey spacious suites feature separate living and dining areas; three bathrooms; a sprawling balcony; and three bedrooms, of which two include a king size bed, with the master offering floor-to-ceiling windows for breathtaking ocean views. The Haven aboard Norwegian Aqua will offer the largest Haven complex in the fleet with 123 well-appointed suites, including access to an expansive, dedicated sundeck; a serene infinity pool overlooking the ship’s stern; an outdoor spa complete with a glass-walled sauna and cold room; two hot tubs; a private lounge; exclusive bar pouring rare spirits and vintages; and sweeping sea views available from every public space. Haven guests will continue to enjoy 24-hour butler service and a dedicated concierge team.

Norwegian Aqua will offer a variety of the most spacious accommodations in the fleet including inside, ocean view and balcony category staterooms, while solo travellers will continue to enjoy NCL’s signature Studio staterooms, which are priced and designed with the solo traveller in mind and include private keycard access to a dedicated Studio Lounge. The ship will also feature the Company’s latest solo stateroom expanded categories, solo inside, solo oceanview and solo balcony, offering more space and variety of accommodations to single cruisers at reduced fares that are less than the cost of paying double occupancy.  

MORE WIDE-OPEN SPACE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

NCL’s family-favourite Splash Academy, for children ages three to 12, will return to Norwegian Aqua. Adolescents aged 13 to 17, can engage in fun, age-appropriate activities at Entourage, NCL’s signature teen club, which will enjoy its very own dedicated space.

Guests looking to spend their days lounging at sea, will enjoy Norwegian Aqua’s infinity edge pool with expanded seating, and for the first time in NCL’s fleet, day beds will be available on the main pool deck for guests to lounge and relax. For an elevated and adults-only experience, the expanded Vibe Beach Club will also offer more lounge seating. With additional outdoor spaces, guests can spend their days exploring and enjoying NCL’s most expansive Ocean Boulevard to-date, the outdoor walkway that wraps around the entire ship complete with Oceanwalk, a glass bridge that offers great photo opportunities; Infinity Beach featuring expanded vistas and intimate pools overlooking each side of the ship; and La Terrazza, the open-air lounge with sweeping sea views.

FUN IN THE SUN ITINERARIES ALL-YEAR ROUND

Following a series of seven-day Caribbean sailings from Port Canaveral, Fla., Norwegian Aqua will offer five and seven-day voyages to Bermuda from New York City from August 2025 through October 2025. The ship will then sail five and seven-day Eastern Caribbean itineraries from Miami, the “Cruise Capital of the World,” beginning October 2025 through April 2026.

Additional new features and highly anticipated guest experiences aboard Norwegian Aqua will be unveiled in the upcoming new year.

For more information about the Company’s award-winning 19-ship fleet and worldwide itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional, call 021 200 6586 or visit www.ncl.com.

For additional images of Norwegian Aqua, visit the press kit here.

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About Norwegian Cruise Line

As the innovator in global cruise travel, Norwegian Cruise Line has been breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising for 57 years. Most notably, the cruise line revolutionised the industry by offering guests the freedom and flexibility to design their ideal vacation on their preferred schedule with no assigned dining and entertainment times and no formal dress codes. Today, its fleet of 19 contemporary ships sail to 400 of the world’s most desirable destinations, including Great Stirrup Cay, the company’s private island in the Bahamas and its resort destination Harvest Caye in Belize. Norwegian Cruise Line not only provides superior guest service from land to sea, but also offers a wide variety of award-winning entertainment and dining options as well as a range of accommodations across the fleet, including solo-traveller staterooms, club balcony suites, spa-suites and The Haven by Norwegian®, the company’s ship-within-a-ship concept. For additional information or to book a cruise, contact a travel professional, call 021 200 6586 or visit www.ncl.com. For the latest news and exclusive content, visit the NCL Newsroom and follow Norwegian Cruise Line on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and YouTube @NorwegianCruiseLine; and Twitter @CruiseNorwegian.

Norwegian Cruise Line is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH). To learn more, visit www.nclhltd.com.

About Allison Hueman

Allison Hueman is a multidisciplinary artist based in Oakland, Calif. Her distinctly gauzy art style is what she likes to call “etherealism,” a blend of ethereal realism. Whether she is creating delicate visions on canvas, augmenting reality through technology, or crushing massive walls with a spray can, she often draws on the human condition to create colourful mashups of abstract and representation. Her pieces evoke a modern mythology, exploring themes of time, memory, and healing, and her layered works can be seen on streets and in galleries worldwide. She balances her time between exhibitions and creating public works while also collaborating with some of the world’s top brands that include the Golden State Warriors, Adobe, Nike, Google, L’Oreal, Sony Music, and many more. When not creating art, she can sometimes be found onstage as a public speaker. She balances all this while being a proud mother to two young daughters.

Media Contact:

Norwegian Cruise Line

PublicRelations@ncl.com

Carma Connected

Allison Hueman/Goldman Global Arts

goldman@carmaconnected.com

(305) 438-9200

Locally Issued By:

Kim Taylor, Big Ambitions

kim@bigambitions.co.za