Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. announced changes to its Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) brand’s 2019-2020 deployments to better monetize strong global demand.
The cruise company also revealed it expected to raise full year 2018 Adjusted EPS guidance in spite of fluctuating foreign exchange rates, higher fuel prices, and expected impacts associated with the deployments when it reports 2nd quarter earnings on August 9.
Norwegian Joy will seasonally sail in Alaska, Mexican Riviera, Panama Canal. In April 2019, the ship redeploys from Shanghai to Seattle to offer 7-day cruises to Alaska, thus replacing Norwegian Pearl as the third ship of Norwegian Cruise Line in the region, joining Bliss and Jewel. Before her arrival in Seattle, NCL Norwegian Joy will undergo an approx US$50 million upgrade to enhance her popular features and bring her offerings and designs to be virtually identical to those of sister ship, Norwegian Bliss, the most successful ship in the 51-year history of the line.
After the inaugural Alaska season, Joy repositions to Los Angeles for a season of Panama Canal and Mexican Riviera voyages in winter 2019-2020. Ship's Mexican Riviera deployment marks a turning point in the underserved winter cruise market from the United States' West Coast with the arrival of a premier cruise ship.
NCL remains committed to serving Chinese cruise market via redeploying its 2,000-passenger Norwegian Spirit ship seasonally to the region beginning summer 2020. Before her arrival, Spirit will undergo a scheduled bow to stern refurbishment as the final vessel to undergo enhancements under Norwegian Edge program.
As Norwegian Joy enters Alaska market next summer, the 2,400-passenger Norwegian Pearl redeploys to Europe offering itineraries throughout Northern Europe out of Amsterdam, a new homeport for the cruise line, to take full advantage of growing Central European source market. Pearl strengthens Norwegian’s seasonal European deployment to 6 ships, where demand from both North American and European consumers remains at record levels.
The seasonal deployment of NCL Joy to Los Angeles (winter 2019-2020) allows for the 2,400-guest Norwegian Jewel to return to Australia for a 3rd year of seasonal cruises from Sydney and new itineraries departing from Auckland NZ. Building further on the growing presence of NCL in the region, the 2,400-guest Norwegian Jade will feature a season of cruises throughout Southeast Asia departing from Hong Kong and Singapore in winter 2019-2020. The deployment of Jade and Jewel to the region is aimed to take advantage of the flourishing Australian market, which remains the highest-penetrated in the world as well as one of the fastest growing.