By
Michele Witthaus |
Norwegian Cruise Line president and CEO Kevin Sheehan introduced his company’s latest newbuild, Norwegian Getaway, to the travel community in Southampton on 15 January. The event took place ahead of the ship’s maiden cross-Atlantic voyage to New York en route to her Miami homeport.
The 4,000-berth ship will be the largest vessel to be based year-round in Miami and the first Norwegian Cruise Line ship to homeport in the city for more than a decade. Getaway’s itinerary will circle the Caribbean, where the company has recently invested in a second private cay.
From the design to the onboard experience, Getaway has a Latin focus in keeping with Miami’s city style. Shows such as ‘Burn the Floor’, which have proved popular on sister ship Breakaway, have been given a Latin dance twist on the new ship. The Grammy Experience, introduced on Getaway, features Grammy award-winning artists well known in Miami, such as jazz flautist Nestor Torres, who captivated audiences at the inaugural event. Getaway also offers guests immersive magic shows in the purpose-built Illusionarium.
Sheehan said the cruise line was on course for its 22nd quarter of growth since he took the helm six years ago. Regarding immediate prospects for bookings in the 2014 wave season, he said: “The next four to six weeks will be critical for the industry. We are all feeling the impact of recent events but we are starting to feel hopeful for the wave season.”
In an unplanned announcement, Sheehan revealed to his UK guests that all ships in the Norwegian fleet are to be retrofitted with the versatile O’Sheehans pub dining venue as part of a revamp of the most popular eating and drinking places on the ships.
“We said we would announce this and now we have,” laughed Sheehan. However, on the subject of design details and planned itineraries for the Breakaway-plus ships due for delivery in 2015 and 2017, Escape and Bliss, he would not be drawn, but promised announcements in March during the Cruise Shipping Miami industry event.