Norwegian's second Prima-class newbuild to be named Norwegian Viva
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines
- Published: 24 January 2022 24 January 2022
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has unveiled Norwegian Viva, the next ship in its brand-new Prima Class.
Providing guests with elevated experiences including more wide-open spaces, thoughtful and stunning design and exceptional service, Norwegian Viva will begin sailing Mediterranean itineraries in June 2023, homeporting in key Southern European port cities including Lisbon, Portugal; Venice (Trieste) and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; and Athens (Piraeus), Greece. It will then sail the Southern Caribbean for her 2023-2024 Winter Season offering warm-weather getaways from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Mirroring the upscale design and structure of her record-breaking sister ship Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Viva, also built by renowned Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri in Marghera, Italy, will debut at 965 feet long, 142,500 gross tons and accommodate 3,219 guests at double occupancy. Travelers will live up every second of their journey in the most spacious accommodations including the brand's largest inside, ocean view and balcony category staterooms.
The world-class vessel will not only offer the highest staffing levels and space ratio of any new cruise ship in the contemporary and premium cruise categories and largest variety of suite categories available at sea, but will also boast a redefined The Haven by Norwegian, NCL’s ultra-premium keycard only access ship-within-a-ship concept. The Haven’s public areas and 107 suites designed by Piero Lissoni, one of Italy’s most renowned designers, will feature an expansive sundeck, a stunning infinity pool overlooking the ship's wake and an outdoor spa with a glass-walled sauna and cold room.
The Prima Class’ variety of recreational activities also make their elevated comeback on Norwegian Viva with only-available-on-Prima-Class experiences including the fastest freefall drop dry slides at sea with The Rush and The Drop and the largest three-level racetrack at sea with the Viva Speedway.
Norwegian Viva will feature Ocean Boulevard, the 44,000 square foot outdoor walk way which wraps around the entire ship; Indulge Food Hall featuring 11 varieties of eateries; The Concourse boasting an outdoor sculpture garden; expansive pool decks and infinity style pools at Infinity Beach and Oceanwalk, showcasing glass bridges above water.
Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line, said: "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. We have taken everything our guests love to the next level with this brand-new class of ships designed with them in mind."
Norwegian Viva will boast eye-catching hull art designed by Italian graffiti and sculpture artist Manuel Di Rita, commonly known as "Peeta," who also illustrated the exceptional hull design on Norwegian Prima. World-class architects who helped design Norwegian Prima including Rockwell Group, SMC Design and Miami-based Studio Dado, also have returned to influence the aesthetic of various restaurants, staterooms and public areas.
"Norwegian Viva, the second of six Prima Class vessels being built with us, reinforces the great collaboration between Norwegian Cruise Line and Fincantieri," said Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager Merchant Ships Division at Fincantieri. "We were extremely satisfied that Norwegian Prima, the first of the new class, earned record-breaking bookings and we are excited to see how Norwegian Viva will live up to her sister ship. As we proved our resilience during these challenging times, this announcement represents another testament to Fincantieri´s global leadership role in the cruise sector."
The first two Prima Class vessels, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, will feature cutting-edge alternative technologies, such as a NOx reduction system (SCR), that reduce the ship’s overall environmental impact. SCR catalysts filter out sulfur oxides up to 98% and nitrogen oxides up to 90%, ensuring the vessels meet Tier III NOx compliance. Further, they will be equipped with an Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS), an Advanced Wastewater Treatment System to treat and clean all wastewater to meet stringent international standards and Cold Ironing functionality to connect to onshore power grids to further reduce emissions while in port.
Viking takes delivery of first expedition ship
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines
- Published: 23 December 2021 23 December 2021
Viking has taken delivery of Viking Octantis, the company’s first of two new purpose-built expedition ships. The delivery ceremony took place yesterday at Fincantieri’s VARD shipyard in Søviknes, Norway. Viking Octantis hosts 378 guests and sets sail tomorrow toward South America to welcome guests in January 2022 for Viking’s first voyages to Antarctica.
Viking Octantis will be officially named in April 2022 in New York City by her ceremonial godmother, Liv Arnesen, the famed explorer and educator. The ship then makes her way to the Great Lakes, for a series of voyages during spring and summer. A second, identical sister ship, Viking Polaris®, joins the fleet in August 2022 for journeys to the Arctic and Antarctica.
“Today is a proud day for the entire Viking family as we welcome our first expedition ship to the fleet and usher in a new era of exploration. Our guests have asked us to build on our award-winning river and ocean voyages to take them further, and that is just what we have done,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “Leveraging our long history of destination-focused travel, enrichment and innovative ship design, we are now perfecting expedition voyages and offering curious travelers the opportunity to visit the world's most pristine destinations in the most responsible way possible. With the arrival of Viking Octantis, Viking is now exploring all seven continents, and we look forward to welcoming her first guests on board in the coming weeks.”
Viking’s new expedition ships were designed by Richard Riviere, Founding Principal of internationally acclaimed interior design firm Rottet Studio of Los Angeles, who also designed Viking’s award-winning Longships and ocean ships. SMC Design of London contributed with their expertise in the maritime sector. Together the two firms were recently awarded “Design Studio Team of the Year” in the 2021 Cruise Ship Interior Awards for their work on Viking’s expedition ships. More detail on the design and features of the ships can also be found in a new virtual video tour, Discover Our Expedition Ships, now available on Viking’s website and narrated by Viking Executive Vice President Karine Hagen.
Silversea opens pre-sale reservations for Silver Nova
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines
- Published: 16 December 2021 16 December 2021
Ultra-luxury travel brand Silversea Cruises has opened pre-sale reservations for Silver Nova, the first vessel in the cruise line’s revolutionary Nova class of ships. The limited-time offer for travel advisors and the Venetian Society (Silversea’s Loyalty program) is available until January 6, 2022. Silver Nova, with a planned summer 2023 launch, will be the first low-emissions luxury cruise ship with advanced hybrid technology featuring fuel cells, paving the way for the future of luxurious, sustainable cruising.
The inaugural season for Silver Nova will commence on July 15, 2023, and include highly curated and immersive sailings ranging from 7 to 23 nights. The ship’s 10-night maiden voyage from Southampton to Lisbon will include calls in Saint Malo, three days in Bordeaux to explore the region’s historical sights, 18th-century cultural heritage, castles, vineyards, and French-style gardens, followed by Bilbao, before ending in Lisbon.
During its inaugural season, Silver Nova is scheduled to offer a total of 21 journeys in the Mediterranean and a grand voyage to South America to kick off 2024, as well as a transoceanic crossing to unlock over 100 destinations and 50 countries.
Silver Nova’s innovative asymmetrical design allows for unprecedented passenger connectivity to the destinations it visits with luxurious interiors and many outdoor venues. Passenger comfort is assured with the largest offering of suite types in Silversea’s history, among the most spacious in the cruise industry, and a collection of prized aft suites affording stunning 270-degree ocean and land views.
Other Silver Nova amenities will include Otium, Silversea’s wellness program introduced in 2021 on Silver Dawn, and S.A.L.T., an immersive culinary concept that was first experienced on Silver Moon, bringing destination authenticity to the ship’s cuisine through locally sourced products, market trips and visiting chef demonstrations. According to Silversea’s executives, Silver Nova will take both raved-review concepts to “the next level.”
“We are thrilled to offer our guests a new way to travel with this evolution of luxury and sustainability,” says Roberto Martinoli, President and CEO of Silversea Cruises. “Silver Nova represents more than a new luxury ship; its launch advances responsible cruising and new leadership and innovation in the cruise industry.”
“To say Silver Nova is spectacular is an understatement. The ship surpasses traditional standards of luxury cruising and propels our fleet towards the future,” adds Barbara Muckermann, Chief Commercial Officer. “Her revolutionary design will elevate all levels of onboard indulgence and comfort, with personalized experiences focused on deep destination authenticity.
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