Norwegian's first new ship in nearly 3 years will sail from New York, Texas and Florida
Norwegian Cruise Line's next new ship initially will sail in Northern Europe before moving to North America for voyages out of New York City, the line announced on Monday.
Scheduled to debut in August of 2022, the 3,215-passenger Norwegian Prima also will offer voyages out of Galveston, Texas; and Miami and Port Canaveral, Florida, during its first year in operation.
Currently under construction at a shipyard near Venice, Italy, Norwegian Prima will be the first of a much-awaited new series of vessels for Norwegian that are scheduled to debut over the next six years.
Norwegian has announced few details of the new vessels other than that they'll measure around 140,000 tons — about 15% to 17% smaller than the Breakaway Plus Class ships the line has unveiled in recent years. But Norwegian has planned a big "reveal" of many of the features of Norwegian Prima for Wednesday.
Norwegian last unveiled a new vessel, Norwegian Encore, in late 2019.
The initial itineraries for Norwegian Prima announced Monday include:
- Inaugural 10-night sailings out of Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Copenhagen, Denmark, from Aug. 17 to Sept. 13, 2022, to Northern Europe, the Norwegian Fjords and the Baltic region.
- A 12-night, transatlantic sailing from Southampton, England, to New York starting on Sept. 23, 2022, with calls at Lerwick, Scotland; Reykjavík, Iceland; and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
- A five-night, roundtrip voyage to Bermuda out of New York on Oct. 10, 2022.
- A 12-night Caribbean voyage from New York to Galveston, Texas, on Oct. 15, 2022, with calls at Curaçao, Bonaire and Aruba.
- An 11-night trip from Galveston to Miami n Oct. 31, 2022, with calls at Curaçao, Bonaire and Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian's private island in the Bahamas.
From Nov. 19 to Dec. 3, 2022, Norwegian Prima will sail seven-night Western Caribbean voyages from Miami with stops in Belize, Honduras and Mexico.
The vessel then will reposition to Port Canaveral, which will be its main home for its first winter.
From Dec. 11, 2022, to March 19, 2023, Norwegian Prima will sail Western Caribbean voyages from Port Canaveral that range from five to seven nights. The trips will bring calls at such destinations as Cozumel, Mexico; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay.
Norwegian on Monday also announced that Norwegian Prima would return to New York City in the spring of 2023 for sailings to Bermuda. The ship then will head back to Northern Europe for a series of cruises out of Reykjavík, Iceland, and Southampton, England.
In a conference call with TPG and several other travel outlets in advance of the announcement, Norwegian president and CEO Harry Sommer said the unusually diverse first-year schedule is designed to build some buzz around the new series of ships, which will arrive at a pace of about one a year between 2022 and 2027.
"We think this itinerary [schedule], where we spend a little bit of time in different areas, will really allow us to expose the ship to many different markets," Sommer said. "Remember, we have six of them coming, so we want as many guests to see them as possible."
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
- The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
- The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
- A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
- 15 ways cruisers waste money
- 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
- What to pack for your first cruise
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.