Norwegian’s Pride of America Delays Return to Honolulu Due to Hurricane

Norwegian’s Pride of America Delays Return to Honolulu Due to Hurricane

The Pride of America had to delay its return to Honolulu due to Hurricane Lala, which impacted Hawaii over the weekend.

With the port closed due to adverse weather, the Norwegian Cruise Line ship was only able to dock one day later than planned on Sunday, August 16, 2026.

According to a text message sent to boarding guests, check-in at Honolulu Harbor was then open until 9:00 PM local time.

Initially set to depart from its homeport on August 15, 2026, the Pride of America was scheduled to offer a seven-night interisland cruise in Hawaii.

“Thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this weekend’s weather-related delays,” Norwegian stated.

“We are pleased to share that we have received the all-clear to begin embarkation and check-in,” the company continued.

“We are currently finalizing itinerary details and will communicate as soon as it becomes available,” Norwegian added.

The ship’s original itinerary included visits to Hilo and Kailua Kona, as well as overnight calls to Kahului and Nawiliwili.

In addition to the Pride of America, the Norwegian Spirit was also impacted by Hurricane Lala and had to delay a planned arrival to Honolulu.

Offering a series of cruises that connect the South Pacific and Hawaii to Alaska, the 1999-built vessel was scheduled to arrive at the port on August 16, 2026.

The adverse weather in the region forced Norwegian Cruise Line to move the planned call to August 17, 2026.

As a result, passengers who were set to board the ship’s upcoming cruise were asked to arrive at the Honolulu port one day later.

The Norwegian Spirit is scheduled to offer a 16-night cruise that will sail to destinations in Hawaii and Alaska before ending in Vancouver, Canada.

The itinerary originally included visits to Kailua Kona, Nawiliwili, Kahului, Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Sitka and Ketchikan.

NCL Offers First Look at Great Tides Waterpark Ahead of Opening

NCL Offers First Look at Great Tides Waterpark Ahead of Opening

Norwegian Cruise Line revealed the first images of the Great Tides Waterpark on its private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay, ahead of the official grand opening on Sept. 4, 2026.   

“With just one month until the grand opening of Great Tides Waterpark, we’re excited to give guests a first look at what will become one of the Caribbean’s most dynamic destination experiences that can only be enjoyed when sailing with us,” said Marc Kazlauskas, president of Norwegian Cruise Line.  

“From adrenaline-pumping attractions and family-friendly activities to unique dining experiences and places to relax, Great Tides Waterpark will showcase the innovative design, scale and adventure that await guests visiting the island. Together with our ongoing enhancements across Great Stirrup Cay, we’re creating even more ways for guests to enjoy their day in paradise without compromise. This beautiful island offers something for kids and adults alike, whether they’re a thrill seeker, in search of relaxation, or simply want a little bit of both.” 

The Great Tides Waterpark will feature 19 waterslides including industry-first cliff jumps and The Great Slide in Cliffside Cove, as well as other attractions such as Splash Cay for kids and the Wandering River, a dynamic river with an immersive tunnel. 

Complementing these enhancements, the island’s brand-new two-berth pier is officially open. 

Beyond the adventures, Great Tides Waterpark will serve slow-smoked barbecue dishes at Low Tide Smoke, cold-water seafood at Catch of the Cay, handcrafted desserts at Tidal Treats, and more. 

Drinks will be served at Grotto Bar, located at Cliffside Cove or the Floataway Bar located in the heart of The Wandering River.

Adult-only spaces, such as the Vibe Shore Club, will feature premium loungers and private bar.

Norwegian Sky Repositions to Europe for Farewell Season

Norwegian Sky Repositions to Europe for Farewell Season

The Norwegian Sky recently kicked off a repositioning voyage ahead of its farewell season for Norwegian Cruise Line.

Having completed its winter season in the Southern Caribbean, the 1999-built vessel departed from the Dominican Republic on April 6, 2026.

The 13-night trans-Atlantic crossing sails to Le Havre and includes visits to destinations in the British Virgin Islands, Portugal, Spain and France.

Ports of call set to welcome the Norwegian Sky include Tortola, Ponta Delgada, Lisbon, Vigo and La Coruña.

Once in France, the 2,000-passenger ship offers seven-night cruises to Northern and Western Europe between April and May.

Sailing between Le Havre and Copenhagen, the itineraries feature visits to ports in France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and more.

In mid-May, the Norwegian Sky sails to the British Isles with a series of ten- and 11-night cruises departing from Southampton.

The itineraries will be offered through late August, when the ship repositions to the Mediterranean for a short season.

In addition to a repositioning voyage, the deployment includes a nine-night cruise between Barcelona and Piraeus in late August.

Sailing to destinations in the Western and Eastern Mediterranean, the itinerary is highlighted by visits to ports in France, Italy and Greece, such as Villefranche, Salerno and Santorini.

In early September, the Norwegian Sky is set to offer a final cruise before being handed over to Cordelia Cruises.

The 21-night cruise sails from Piraeus to Dubai and features a transit of the Suez Canal, in addition to visits to a range of destinations in the Middle East and the Red Sea.

As part of a deal announced in April 2025, the ship will be leased to Cordelia Cruises, launching cruises from Mumbai in September 2026.

In late 2027, the Norwegian Sun is also scheduled to join the fleet of the India-based cruise line, which currently operates the Empress.

New NCLH CEO: $1.7 Million Salary, Potentially $48+ Million in Stock

New NCLH CEO: $1.7 Million Salary, Potentially $48+ Million in Stock

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced that it has entered into an employment agreement and restricted share unit award agreement with John W. Chidsey, its new president and CEO.

“His compensation structure is designed to immediately align his incentives with long-term shareholder value creation, with the majority of his long-term compensation delivered in performance-based equity,” the company said in a press release issued on Friday morning.

Under the employment agreement, Chidsey is entitled to an annual base salary of $1,715,000.

Beginning with the company’s 2027 fiscal year, he will participate in the annual bonus plan with a target annual bonus opportunity equal to 175% of his base salary.

For fiscal 2026, his annual bonus is fixed at $2.9 million, which is below his target annual bonus amount, with no opportunity to earn a higher payout regardless of performance results achieved.

The company said in an effort to encourage Chidsey to accept the job, he was granted a one-time target award of 2,139,892 restricted share units with an intended value of approximately $48 million.

The award was structured as a “front-loaded” grant covering four years of annual equity incentives and designed to provide him with a meaningful at-risk equity interest in the company that may be earned over the initial four-year term of his employment, the company said, in a press release.

When determining the value of Chidsey’s four-year “front-loaded” grant, the Compensation Committee reviewed annual equity grant benchmarks among the company’s peers to help establish a grant value intended to appropriately incentivize sustained shareholder value creation while maintaining a competitive compensation level, NCLH said in a press release.

Based on these considerations, the Compensation Committee determined that the annualized intended grant value of approximately $12 million was market-aligned and within the competitive range for similarly situated peers based on size and industry profile, appropriately encouraging Chidsey’s contributions over the next four-year period.

Consistent with the front-loaded structure, the Compensation Committee does not intend to grant Chidsey additional equity awards until 2030. Unlike other similarly situated executives, Chidsey’s employment agreement does not entitle him to participate in the company’s Amended and Restated 2013 Performance Incentive Plan or any successor equity incentive plan.

Additional information:

The approved award was delivered in a mix of a target number of 1,172,638 performance share units with an intended approximate grant date value of $28.8 million, which represent 60% of the total intended value of restricted share units and 967,254 restricted share units with an intended grant date value of $19.2 million, which represent 40% of the total intended value of restricted share units (the “RSUs”).

The RSUs will vest in four substantially equal annual installments on each of the first four annual anniversaries of March 1, 2026. The PSUs will be eligible to “cliff vest” at the end of a four-year performance period, but only if applicable absolute total shareholder return compounded annual growth rate (“TSR CAGR”) targets are achieved. If our TSR CAGR achieved for the performance period is: (i) less than 5%, none of the PSUs will vest, (ii) 5%, 50% of the target number of PSUs will vest, (iii) 10%, 100% of the target number of PSUs will vest, or (iv) 20% or more, 200% of the target number of PSUs will vest. For performance that falls between these milestones, the PSU vesting will be determined based on linear interpolation.

Chidsey must generally remain continuously employed through the date the performance targets are achieved in order to vest in any PSUs becoming earned based on performance, although the award agreement does provide for accelerated RSU and PSU vesting for certain qualifying terminations of his employment.

The company said the new employment agreement was approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board, in consultation with its independent compensation consultant, and is based on the same form of employment agreement that applies to other senior executive officers.

UK Cruise Agents invited to the NCL Prima Showcase in the U.S.

UK and Irish travel agents will be given the chance to visit Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) newest ship, Norwegian Prima, during a series of trade showcase events in the US later this year.

Speaking to TTG on Monday (25 April), NCL president and chief executive Harry Sommer said the line will aim to get "as many people as possible" onboard in Reykjavik in August for the ship’s naming ceremony.

 

"We are going to try and bring as many people on board during the christening as we can," Sommer said. "We are going to do our best to get both the trade and the media to see the vessel.

 

"We have important trade partners in the UK, and we would love for them to join us in the US for our trade showcases from Miami, New York and Galveston."

 

The promise comes after NCL cancelled Prima’s trade preview sailing from Southampton on 12 August due to "circumstances beyond our control". 

 

Prima is the first of six ships in NCL’s Prima Class, the line’s first new series of vessels in nearly 10 years.

Sommer also confirmed Prima’s godmother, pop star Katy Perry, will perform at the vessel’s christening.

 

"[Perry’s] international appeal was the reason we chose her," Sommer added. "She has such high energy, she is a really nice person and I think she will represent the brand well. She will be sailing on Prima at some point during the christening from Reykjavik.

 

"I love Prima’s infinity pools on deck 18. They are simply spectacular. The pools, the waiting area, all of it, people will absolutely love it. It is unique to Prima and it is a great experience," he added.

 

"The spa is also going to be unbelievable. It has a two-storey entrance with a waterfall, and we’ve also spent $6 million on art – $2 million of which is on sculptures around the ship. It’s going to be like walking through a fine art museum."

Prima’s godmother, pop star Katy Perry, will perform at the vessel’s christening in Iceland

Earlier this month, NCL became the first cruise line to release a collection of NFTs, which, according to Sommer, sold out within 20 minutes – with one piece going for $3,000. 

 

"I couldn’t believe it," he said. "We love to innovate and we know it is a really popular thing at the moment. We will be extending the collection in the future, maybe some to do with Katy and some to do with Prima, with all proceeds going to a mixture of charities."

 

NCL plans to have its full fleet back in service within the next two weeks, with Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Escape due to return to operations by 7 May.

 

"We are ready to go," added Sommer. "In fact – we are beyond ready".

Norwegian Reports Q4 2021 and Business Update

Norwegian Reports Q4 2021 and Business Update

Norwegian Cruise Line Holding today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2021, and provided a business update.

“We launched our Great Cruise Comeback in late July 2021 and in five short months, the teams at Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises have restarted operations on 75% of our capacity, safely carrying over 230,000 guests and delivering the unique vacation experiences that our award-winning cruise brands are famous for,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.

“These last few months have also had their share of challenges caused by the impacts from the Delta and Omicron COVID surges, but despite these challenges which were mostly out of our control, our booked position and pricing remain strong, particularly for the second half of 2022 and into 2023, demonstrating the strong fundamental demand for our cruise offerings.”

The company continues to execute the phased relaunch plans for its 28-ship fleet. By year-end 2021, the company had approximately 70% of its capacity operating, or 75% when including a vessel that had returned to service and subsequently paused due to the inoperability of its scheduled voyages in South Africa during the height of its Omicron surge. Norwegian said strong ticket pricing and onboard revenue spend drove positive contribution from the fleet that operated in the quarter. Occupancy in the fourth quarter of 2021 was 51.4% reflecting the company’s self-imposed occupancy limits, the effect of COVID-related booking cancellations and a significant capacity increase from the prior quarter.

As a result of Omicron-related disruptions, the Company now expects to have 85% of its capacity operating by the end of the first quarter of 2022 with the full fleet expected to be back in operation during the early part of the second quarter of 2022. In addition, the company expects to reach a critical inflexion point during the second quarter of 2022 with net cash provided by operating activities turning positive. Based on the current booked position and trajectory, the company expects to have a positive Adjusted Net Income1 for the second half of 2022.

Norwegian said that net booking volumes at the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2021 continued to demonstrate substantial week-over-week sequential growth after the slowdown in booking activity caused by the Delta variant of COVID-19.

Net booking volumes in the latter part of the fourth quarter of 2021 began to be negatively impacted by the Omicron variant of COVID-19, primarily for close-in voyages in the first and second quarters of 2022. In recent weeks, as the Omicron wave subsided, net booking trends have improved sequentially.

As a result, the company’s current cumulative booked position for the first half of 2022 is below the extraordinarily strong levels of 2019 at substantially higher prices even when including the dilutive impact of future cruise credits (FCCs), while the booked position for the second half, when the full fleet is expected to be back in operation, is in line with the comparable 2019 period and at higher prices, also including the impact of FCCs. Booked position for each quarter compared to the comparable quarter in 2019 improves sequentially through the year. Booking trends for 2023 demonstrate continued strong demand for sailings in the medium and long term with booked position and pricing meaningfully higher and at record levels when compared to bookings for 2020 in 2019.

Of note, the company's monthly average cash burn for the fourth quarter of 2021 was approximately $345 million, slightly below the prior estimate of approximately $350 million. Looking ahead, the company expects the first-quarter 2022 monthly average cash burn to increase to approximately $390 million driven by the continued phased relaunch of additional vessels. This cash burn rate does not include expected cash inflows from new and existing bookings or contributions from ships that have re-entered service.

“Momentum continues building as we approach 85% of our capacity expected to be in operation at the end of the first quarter. We are keenly focused on executing our financial plan on the path to our next significant milestone as we expect to achieve positive Operating Cash Flow in the second quarter,” said Mark A. Kempa, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “We continue to be opportunistic in accessing the capital markets to optimize our capital structure by eliminating high-cost debt incurred during the crisis.”

Pride of America

The full Year 2021 Results

GAAP net loss was $(4.5) billion or EPS of $(12.33) compared to a net loss of $(4.0) billion or EPS of $(15.75) in the prior year. The Company reported Adjusted Net Loss of $(2.9) billion or Adjusted EPS of $(8.07) in 2021. This compares to Adjusted Net Loss and Adjusted EPS of $(2.2) billion and $(8.64), respectively, in 2020.

Total revenue decreased 49.4% to $0.6 billion in 2021 compared to $1.3 billion in 2020. The adverse impact on revenue was due to the suspension of all cruise voyages in March 2020 through the first half of 2021 and the phased relaunch of certain cruise voyages with ships initially operating at reduced occupancy levels in the second half of 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a decrease in Capacity Days of 18.1%.

Total cruise operating expense decreased 5.0% in 2021 to $1.6 billion compared to $1.7 billion in 2020. In 2021, our cruise operating expenses prior to the resumption of cruise voyages were primarily related to crew costs, including salaries, food and other travel costs; fuel; and other ongoing costs such as insurance and ship maintenance, including Dry-dock expenses. The reduction in cruise operating expense in 2021 reflects lower direct costs, such as commissions, in the second half of 2021 due to fewer Capacity Days partially offset by increases in expenses related to our return to services, such as costs related to crew and passenger testing for COVID-19.

Fuel price per metric ton, net of hedges increased to $690 from $599 in 2020. The Company reported a fuel expense of $301.9 million in 2021.

Interest expense, net was $2.1 billion in 2021 compared to $482.3 million in 2020. The increase in 2021 primarily reflects losses on extinguishment of debt and debt modification costs of $1.4 billion related to the repurchase of certain exchangeable notes as well as additional debt outstanding at higher interest rates, partially offset by lower LIBOR. 2020 included losses on extinguishment of debt and debt modification costs of $27.8 million.

Other income (expense), net was income of $124.0 million in 2021 compared to the expense of $(33.6) million in 2020. In 2021, the income is primarily related to gains from derivatives not designated as hedges and foreign currency exchange.

Income tax expense was $5.3 million in 2021 compared to $12.5 million in 2020. In 2020, the tax expense is primarily due to a valuation allowance of $39.6 million recognized in the fourth quarter on certain net operating loss carryforwards partially offset by tax benefits generated by operating losses.

Fourth Quarter 2021 Results

GAAP net loss was $(1.6) billion or EPS of $(4.01) compared to a net loss of $(0.7) billion or EPS of $(2.51) in the prior year. The Company reported Adjusted Net Loss of $(765.0) million or Adjusted EPS of $(1.95) in 2021. This compares to Adjusted Net Loss and Adjusted EPS of $(683.8) million and $(2.33), respectively, in 2020.

Revenue increased to $487.4 million compared to $9.6 million in 2020 as cruise voyages resumed in the quarter.

Total cruise operating expense increased 246.7% in 2021 compared to 2020 as cruise voyages continued to resume in the quarter. In 2021, cruise operating expenses were primarily related to crew costs, including salaries, food and other travel costs as ships were prepared to return to service, fuel, costs related to health and safety protocols and other ongoing costs such as insurance and ship maintenance.

Fuel price per metric ton, net of hedges, increased to $737 from $574 in 2020. The Company reported a fuel expense of $125.9 million in the period.

Interest expense, net was $950.0 million in 2021 compared to $159.2 million in 2020. The increase in interest expense primarily reflects losses on extinguishment of debt and debt modification costs of $771.6 million related to the repurchase of certain exchangeable notes as well as additional debt outstanding at higher interest rates, partially offset by lower LIBOR.

Other income (expense), net was income of $66.5 million in 2021 compared to the expense of $(1.3) million in 2020. In 2021, the income is primarily related to gains from derivatives not designated as hedges and foreign currency exchange.

Del Rio: Full NCLH Fleet to Operate by Late Spring; Adapt to Situation

Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, spoke on Thursday morning along with Dr Scott Gottlieb, former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Chairman of the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council.

Del Rio said the company, which operates the Norwegian, Regent and Oceania brands, had spared no expense to operate safely and he still plans to have the company’s full fleet operating by late spring.

“We have made every effort (and) spared no expense to have the most stringent protocols in the hospitality and leisure space,” he said, on a webinar for media and travel partners. “We will simply not take risks with the well-being of our crew and our guests for the sake of profit.”

Commenting on close-in voyage cancellations, Del Rio said that the virus was spreading quickly, but also disappearing quickly.

“With the rapid spread of Omicron across the globe our industry has gotten a lot of press. Most of it negative press,” he continued. “And all of it has been biased to some degree … taking advantage of the fact that our industry offers robust testing, that we track cases and that we diligently report them to the CDC and other public health administrations.”

Del Rio said the different rules for the cruise industry for public safety had hurt the business. 

“The media and even some politicians turn to this hard data that we provide and they take this news and sensationalize it for a cheap headline. We are the only industry they can pick on because of our honesty,” he continued, adding that the industry had survived two years of “this monster” and told travel advisors it was not time to quit.

Dr Gottlieb stressed that he thought the Omicron wave was peaking in parts of the U.S. and some areas of the country would see the same in a few weeks before cases start going down. That, combined with new treatments, should paint a positive picture of the future.

Onboard, Dr Gottlieb said the cruise industry had the ability to tightly control the environment and noted that Norwegian had invested heavily in onboard therapeutics and testing.

“The cruising environment lends itself to being able to introduce those measures.”

Del Rio admitted that the Omicron timing had a dampening effect on wave season.

Dr Gottlieb mentioned that he felt confident there would be a low prevalence of COVID this summer, people would be back to travelling and consumer confidence would be up.

In light of the past two years, Del Rio said: "Continue to expect the unexpected and adapt."

The effort to Bring Cruises Back to Alaska Is Delayed as Senators Wrangle

Efforts to revive cruises to Alaska as the pandemic eases have exposed divisions among U.S. lawmakers, with some favouring a new loophole to an existing requirement and others pushing to overhaul a 135-year-old law they say drives tourism to other countries.

Current U.S. law bars foreign cruise ships from sailing directly from one U.S. port to another, leading operators to stop in Canada. Covid-19 precautions prompted Canada to prohibit cruise ships from navigating and anchoring in their waters. 

Alaska, which relies heavily on tourism, has taken a major hit with a 32% drop in revenue last year, and is continuing to face those challenges, Sen. Lisa Murkowski said.

She and fellow Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan sought in vain Thursday to speed legislation that would temporarily allow cruise ships to sail to Alaska without a stop in Canada. 

The Alaska Tourism Recovery Act (S. 593) would allow cruise ships going between Washington and Alaska to bypass the requirements of the Passenger Vessel Services Act until Canada reopens its ports. The legislation is narrowly focused and urgently needed to give Alaska’s tourism a “fighting chance” this summer, Sullivan said.

Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. run ships to Alaska. 

The two Alaska senators tried to satisfy some Democratic demands with more safety language in the bill. That, in turn, spurred more objections that blocked consideration of the measure, leaving its prospects uncertain.

Divided on Provisions

Murkowski and Sullivan got Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on board by incorporating standards on consumer, medical, and safety protections that would allow Alaska cruise operations to resume when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives the go-ahead for operations to restart. 

That caused Mike Lee (R-Utah) to object to the bill on the Senate floor. He said he’s interested in supporting the measure to give short-term relief to Alaska even if it stops short of “desperately” needed long-term changes, but the bill has “deviated from that purpose.”

“It now has poison pill provisions that add duplicative, unnecessary and unrelated regulations that will harm, not help the cruise industry,” Lee said.

Blumenthal defended the language he wants in the bill, including requirements for ships to have defibrillators and cruise operators to return the body of a passenger who dies on board to the family.

“We’re talking about some rights for consumers that the industry itself has approved and we are just incorporating into this amendment and enabling the Department of Transportation to enforce,” Blumenthal said. “These are reasonable, in fact, in my view, very minimal protections.”

‘Clock Is Ticking’

The bill was debated followed by the release of updated CDC guidance that ships can sail from U.S. ports if 95% of guests and 98% of the crew are vaccinated.

“We’re starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel and that’s good, but we are also facing the prospect of another devastating tourist season,” Murkowski said.

Lee contends the “arcane” Passenger Vessel Services Act, which Congress enacted in 1886, should be overhauled if not repealed. 

“It makes no sense to anyone, no one would plan a road trip and say that we can’t go to a neighbouring state unless we can touch back to a foreign country in the meantime,” Lee said.

The Utah senator said he has amendments to offer. His office didn’t immediately return a request for comment on details of his amendments.

Lee, Sullivan, Murkowski, and Blumenthal agreed to work on a compromise over the Senate recess during the week of May 3.

“Despite what you witnessed here on the Senate floor, I want to say I appreciate their willingness to continue to work with us,” Sullivan said. “The clock is ticking.”