By
Rebecca Gibson |
Norwegian Cruise Line is to reposition Norwegian Joy from China to the West Coast of the US in spring 2019 to meet strong customer demand for itineraries in Alaska, the Mexican Riviera and the Panama Canal region.
Next April, the recently launched Norwegian Joy will join sister ship Norwegian Bliss and the older Norwegian Jewel to begin sailing seven-day cruises from Seattle to Alaska throughout the spring and summer season. To complement Norwegian Bliss’ itineraries and provide guests with more choice, Norwegian Joy will offer various itineraries featuring Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Holkham Bay, Icy Strait Point, and Victoria, British Columbia.
Originally designed for the Chinese market, Norwegian Joy will undergo a US$50 million renovation to ensure that she is equipped to operate in the region and that her onboard offerings are “virtually identical” to those on the newly christened Norwegian Bliss, which was custom-built to sail in Alaska.
In the winter 2019-2020 season, Norwegian Joy will homeport in Los Angeles, California and provide voyages to the Mexican Riviera and the Panama Canal.
“Norwegian Cruise Line expanded the Alaska cruise experience as the first line to sail to the state from Seattle over 24 years ago,” said Andy Stuart, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. “I am extremely excited to further strengthen our presence in the region with the addition of Norwegian Joy, sister ship to Norwegian Bliss, the most successful ship in our 51-year history. With US$50 million in enhancements including the addition of a Starbucks store, as well as enhanced restaurant, bar and entertainment options, Norwegian Joy will be a welcome addition for guests looking to cruise on a world-class ship in one of the world’s most sought-after destinations.”
Currently operating in Alaska, the 2,400 passenger Norwegian Pearl will reposition to Europe, becoming the sixth ship in the line’s fleet to sail seasonally in the region. The vessel will offer new itineraries from Amsterdam, Netherlands and also Mediterranean sailings from Rome and Venice in Italy, and Barcelona, Spain.
Norwegian has also planned several deployments to take advantage of the growing cruise passenger source market in Australia and Asia in the 2019-2020 season.
Norwegian Jewel will return to Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the South Pacific for a third year of seasonal cruises from Honolulu, Papeete, Sydney, Auckland, Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Meanwhile, Norwegian Jade will provide a series of cruises from Singapore and Hong Kong to destinations in Southeast Asia in winter 2019-2020. Port of call highlights include Phuket, Thailand; Langkawi and Penang in Malaysia; Bangkok; Thailand; and Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. In addition, Norwegian Jade will offer several itineraries through the Suez Canal and Indian Ocean featuring calls in Greece, Israel, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Maldives, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Norwegian Spirit, which will soon undergo a bow-to-stern revitalisation as part of the line’s fleet-wide Norwegian Edge refurbishment programme, will replace Norwegian Joy in China from summer 2020.
“The booming demand environment in our core markets around the world, coupled with Norwegian Bliss’ record-breaking performance, continue to exceed our expectations,” said Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “As a result, we are leveraging the strategic benefits of our growing fleet to quickly seize sizable opportunities in over-performing, unserved and underserved markets to meet the demands of our global customer base and drive higher returns for our shareholders.”