In a highly anticipated announcement, Norwegian Cruise Line has officially unveiled its newest upcoming ship, Norwegian Viva. Simultaneously, the line has announced the initial itineraries for the Prima-class vessel’s inaugural summer and winter seasons, introducing a range of destinations for eager cruisers.
Norwegian Viva Introduced
The new vessel, the second in the innovative Prima class with her sister Norwegian Prima, is being built in at the renowned Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy. On all levels, the ship is planned to offer outstanding luxury and space, including Norwegian Cruise Line’s largest inside, ocean view, and balcony category staterooms.
Norwegian Viva will measure 965 feet long and 142,500 gross tons, with a guest capacity of 3,219 at double occupancy. The vessel will not only offer the highest staffing levels and space ratio of any new cruise ship in the contemporary and premium cruise categories, but also features the largest variety of suite categories available at sea.
Most innovative of the suite categories is the line’s new ultra-premium keycard only access ship-within-a-ship concept, “The Haven by Norwegian” – an exclusive area that will offer 107 suites, an expansive sundeck, a stunning infinity pool overlooking the ship’s wake and an outdoor spa with a glass-walled sauna and cold room.
“Norwegian Viva sets the standard in the premium segment, illustrating our commitment to pushing boundaries in four main areas: wide open space, service that puts guests first, thoughtful design, and experiences beyond expectation,” said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “We have taken everything our guests love to the next level with this brand-new class of ships designed with them in mind.”
In addition to The Haven, Norwegian Viva will also feature Ocean Boulevard, an outdoor walkway wrapping around the entire ship and over a glass bridge. Other features include 11 unique eateries at the Indulge Food Hall, with customizable small plate offerings for every decadent course, as well as Infinity Beach, infinity pools designed to blend into the ocean.
For more adventurous cruisers, Norwegian Viva will offer The Rush and The Drop, the fastest freefall drop dry slides at sea, as well as the Viva Speedway, a three-level, go-kart racetrack that speeds for a quarter mile around and even through the ship’s funnel at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. Thrills of this caliber are only available on the Prima-class vessels.
Itineraries Announced
Cruisers eager to experience Norwegian Viva will have a variety of itineraries to choose from when the ship debuts during the summer of 2023. Following a string of introductory inaugural cruises, Norwegian Viva will offer Mediterranean sailings from June 15 to November 6, 2023. These voyages include eight, nine, and 10-day voyages from Lisbon, Portugal; Venice and Rome, Italy; and Athens, Greece.
Depending on the itinerary, Norwegian Viva will visit such stunning ports of call as Ibiza, Seville, and Barcelona, Spain; Marseilles, Bordeaux, Paris, and Nice, France; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Koper, Slovenia; Florence, Italy; Santorini and Mykonos, Greece; Istanbul, Turkey and more.
On November 16, 2023, the ship is scheduled to begin her first transatlantic crossing, departing from Lisbon, Portugal for a 11-day voyage heading to New York City, calling in Madeira, the Azores, and Bermuda along the way.
Norwegian Viva will spend the winter season sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico with 7- and 9-day Caribbean itineraries visiting Tortola, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Aruba, Curacao, and other popular Caribbean destinations. When she arrives, she will be the largest new ship ever to homeport from San Juan, providing amazing opportunities for cruisers to enjoy all the luxury and innovation Norwegian Cruise Line is becoming known for.
