Cruise & Ferry Interiors 2021

9 6 DES IGN PERSPECTI VE Breaking the mould Delivering an exceptional onboard experience requires Norwegian Cruise Line to act on feedback from both staff and guests, as well as an ambition to continuously evolve and innovate G uests need to be at the heart of every decision when cruise lines define their onboard offerings. The accommodation, entertainment, food and beverage services and the overall environment need to be exceptional. Top-class entertainment is one of our key pillars at Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). Our onboard shows are West End and Broadway calibre, including ‘SIX! The Musical’ and six-time Tony Award-winning ‘Kinky Boots’. Another priority is to maintain and facilitate our ‘Freestyle Cruising’ ethos – NCL revolutionised the industry by offering guests the freedom and flexibility to design their ideal vacation on their preferred schedule with no assigned dining and entertainment times and no formal dress code. With Freestyle Cruising, holidaymakers can curate their own cruise as they would if they visited London, New York or Las Vegas. Every element of the cruise that impacts the guest experience is managed by the hotel general manager and hotel operations team. On average, 85 per cent of the crew onboard is dedicated to hotel operations. All accommodation is managed by the team, from our solo traveller staterooms to The Haven by Norwegian, our exclusive ship-in-ship area. Not only do guests of The Haven have access to all the ship has to offer, but they also get to enjoy the personal service of a 24-hour butler and concierge. I like to say that we have the best job in the world, as we get to make thousands of people happy every day. One onboard space that I am particularly engaged with is our Q Texas Smokehouse. We were the first cruise line to offer a Texas smokehouse and barbecue onboard, and the first to smoke meat onboard a ship. The barbecue-eating public are very discerning, so it was imperative that By Mark Kansley, Norwegian Cruise Line