By
Rebecca Gibson |
Built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany and launched on 7 February by the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Getaway was designed as Miami’s ‘ultimate ship’. As Getaway’s inaugural cruise season gets underway in Miami, Rebecca Gibson speaks to Bill Johnson, PortMiami director, to see what makes the city an ideal homeport for Norwegian’s latest newbuild
Why is PortMiami an ideal homeport for Norwegian Getaway?Norwegian was the first cruise line to operate from Miami back in 1966 and now, with Norwegian Getaway, it is the first to build the world’s only truly Miami-inspired cruise ship. What better match to have a vessel that was specifically built to reflect and pay tribute to the delights of your city? Miami is a very popular tourist destination and I think it’s fantastic that the Miami experience has now been replicated for passengers to enjoy at sea.
What benefits will the homeporting contract bring to the port?Norwegian Getaway, which will offer seven-day itineraries to the Eastern Caribbean, is the second ship in Norwegian’s fleet to homeport year-round in Miami. Norwegian Sky also sails year-round, providing passengers with three- and four-day cruises. Miami is known as the ‘Cruise Capital of the World’ and Getaway’s deployment offers a great opportunity to expand our summer season. Getaway will be another great addition to our already extensive roster of world-class cruise vessels.
How will Norwegian Getaway’s deployment benefit Miami’s local economy?
Now, with Norwegian Sky and the new Norwegian Getaway sailing year-round from Miami, we expect to handle more than one million passenger moves annually from Norwegian alone. This will contribute several hundred million dollars to Florida’s economy as the operator’s passengers spend money on airport transfers, local accommodation, visits to Miami attractions, restaurants, shopping and more.