First guests board NCL’s highly anticipated Norwegian Viva for maiden voyage

First guests board NCL’s highly anticipated Norwegian Viva for maiden voyage
By Zach Havard


 Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has welcomed the very first guests to sail aboard the all-new Norwegian Viva, the company’s highly anticipated new ship and second of the Prima Class, as it embarked on its maiden voyage from Venice (Trieste), Italy.

Making a grand debut in Europe, Norwegian Viva departed for its first spectacular nine-day journey through the Mediterranean. Highlights of the itinerary included incredible seaside destinations such as Salerno, off Italy’s picturesque Amalfi Coast; Cannes along France’s stunning Cote d’Azur; and Ibiza, Spain in the Balearic Islands, among other superb destinations.

Norwegian Viva will sail a selection of bucket-list-worthy Greek Isles and Mediterranean voyages through November, before homeporting in San Juan, Puerto Rico in December for a season in the Caribbean.

“This summer our guests will have the opportunity to explore Europe aboard our newest magnificent vessel, Norwegian Viva, while enjoying its well-appointed spacious design, elevated experiences, expansive culinary offerings and signature Norwegian Cruise Line hospitality provided by the best crew in the industry,” president, NCL, David J. Herrera, said. 

“Norwegian Viva’s tagline is ‘Live It Up,’ and I have no doubt our guests will be doing just that while they cruise to some of the liveliest cities in Europe and the Caribbean during the ship’s inaugural season.”

Mirroring the design of the award-winning sister ship Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Viva features standout onboard experiences including the Viva Speedway—the three-level racetrack; Indulge Food Hall, an upscale food market exhibiting 11 unique eateries; the fastest slides at sea, The Drop and Rush; and NCL’s industry-exclusive sustainable cocktail bar, the Metropolitan Bar.

Deluxe Owner’s Suite, (Supplied)

Norwegian Viva’s upscale and spacious design is elevated by an expansive array of artwork across the ship, including The Concourse, a multi-million-dollar outdoor sculpture garden, and a dynamic, interactive 16 metre -wide art piece by contemporary British digital artist Dominic Harris. Exclusively created for Norwegian Viva, Harris’ “Every Wing Has a Silver Lining” digital art piece is on display at Metropolitan Bar and dynamically responds throughout the day to passing movement, creating engagement with the viewer.

Norwegian Viva also features a world-class entertainment lineup, headlined by the side-splitting Tony Award-nominated comedy “Beetlejuice The Musical” and the iconic game show “Press Your Luck LIVE,” an immersive experience where the audience participates to win incredible grand prizes.

Following the ship’s maiden voyage, Norwegian Viva will sail a series of Mediterranean and Greek Isles itineraries, before its official Christening ceremony in Miami on 28th of November 2023. Luis Fonsi, Latin GRAMMY award-winning artist and godfather to Norwegian Viva, will attend the celebration to officially name the ship and will be joined by The Queen of Latin Pop, Paulina Rubio; “Saturday Night Live” cast member and Miami-native Marcello Hernandez; and singer Pedro Capó.

The ship will homeport in San Juan, Puerto Rico for a season of Caribbean voyages from December 2023 through March 2024 with calls to Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.

In May 2024, Norwegian Viva will return to Europe, where its Mediterranean itineraries offer an unmatched opportunity to experience the beauty and culture of Europe.

With an average of 10.5 hours in port, travelers will have more time to explore with fewer days at sea. Unpack once, all while enjoying the ease and comfort of their world-class travel accommodations and the ability to wake up in a new destination as the ship transports them from one spectacular European city to another.

Latest News

  • Tourism

Global tourism roars back to life with APAC leading the way

The global tourism industry is roaring back to life as international arrivals are up 16 per cent compared to 2023, a resurgence is largely fuelled by the Asia Pacific region particularly Australia, ForwardKeys reported at the World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit in Perth. While the region still lags pre-pandemic levels, the current pace […]

  • Aviation
  • Tourism

Travel in Oceania could add $166 billion to the regional economy and 1.1m jobs

A new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council reveals that Oceania’s travel and tourism sector could inject an additional US$112BN (AU$166.4) to the region’s economy by 2034, bringing the total contribution to a record-breaking US$336BN. According to the report, in collaboration with VFS Global and launched today at WTTC’s 24th Global Summit in […]

  • Conferences
  • First Nations
  • Tourism

WA leverages Indigenous heritage as a key topic at WTTC Global Summit in Perth

Western Australia has leveraged its Indigenous heritage to be one of the key topics of the annual World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit being held in Perth (Boorloo). “Indigenous tourism has immense potential, empowering communities to be in control of their own stories and their own economic futures now that is regenerative tourism tomorrow,” […]

  • Aviation

Delta Air Lines opens the premium Delta One Lounge at LAX

Delta Air Lines has opened the Delta One Lounge at LAX, following the opening of the one at JFK in June 2024, bringing the premium lounge experience to the West Coast. The second Delta One Lounge, adjacent to the Delta Sky Club at terminal three and seats nearly 200 guests, is directly connected to the […]