By
Rebecca Gibson |
Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, Norwegian Bliss, made her New York City debut on 3 May 2018, marking the start of a month of inaugural celebrations in the US.
Norwegian Bliss spent two days in New York City hosting several events with Norwegian’s brand partners, key media and industry representatives, allowing them to explore the ship, sample the cuisine and experience her new amenities and innovations. On 4 May, Norwegian Bliss’s godfather, radio presenter Elvis Duran joined the cast from New York radio station Z100 to broadcast a radio show live from the ship, which included a performance from indie-pop band AJR. Later in the day, Norwegian’s president and CEO Andy Stuart presented Duran with a six-foot long model of Norwegian Bliss.
Invited guests also watched an evening performance of Norwegian’s exclusive show ¡HAVANA! in the Bliss Theater, which was followed by a performance by Grammy-award winning singer Albita. At the same time, country singer Camille Rae and her band performed at Q, the ships’ new Texas Smokehouse Barbecue restaurant.
Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio, two of the original members of American rock and pop band The Four Seasons, also made a special appearance at a cocktail reception ahead of Norwegian Bliss’s premier of Tony Award-winning musical ‘Jersey Boys’.
“Norwegian has been committed to providing our guests with the finest entertainment at sea and we have elevated this commitment by introducing Jersey Boys and ¡HAVANA! onboard Norwegian Bliss,” said Andy Stuart, the line’s president and CEO. “It has been such an honour to have icons in the music and theatre world partner with and join us on this inaugural tour.”
After departing New York, Norwegian Bliss made her maiden visit to Miami, Florida. The ship embarked on a two-day preview cruise from PortMiami on 8 May, welcoming special guests Duran and members of The Morning Show, hull artist Wyland, and Alex Vega, host of Discovery Channel TV show “The Auto Firm”, who outfitted two of the Norwegian Bliss go-karts.
Following her stop in Miami, Norwegian Bliss will become the largest cruise ship to transit the Panama Canal on her way to Los Angeles, California, where she will host preview events from 25-27 May. Norwegian Bliss will then sail to Seattle, Washington for her official christening ceremony on 30 May and her inaugural three-day exhibition cruise.
Norwegian Bliss will start her summer season on 2 June, offering seven-day voyages from Seattle to Alaska, which include calls in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria, British Columbia. The ship will then head to Miami for the autumn-winter season, where she will provide Eastern Caribbean cruises, before returning to New York in 2019 to sail seven-day voyages to the Bahamas and Florida, the Southern and Western Caribbean.