Harry Sommer, president, and CEO of the Norwegian Cruise Line brand, says while the Australian and New Zealand governments have currently banned most cruises, he was encouraged by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s plan to return to a sense of normality if the country could hit an 80% vaccination threshold, which it hopes to by the end of the year.
Sommer said speaking at a press conference in Seattle live-streamed from Pier 66 at the Port of Seattle, ahead of the Norwegian Encore’s first cruise to Alaska, “We hope we can start cruising again in the Australia and New Zealand bubble in early February of next year,” adding, “Asia is a more little challenging because they are in different phases of vaccinations,” noting positive progress in Japan and Singapore and adding, “We are hoping we can cruise in that region at the end of January or February as well and we do see a plan to start there then”, adding, Sommer said, “We currently have Norwegian Spirit, our beautifully refurbished ship, on sale for voyages from 9 February 2022 forward.”
The event invited travelers around the world to tune in to hear first-hand the Company’s commitment to a safe resumption of operations, with the panel featuring Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. executives including President and CEO Frank Del Rio, Andrea DeMarco, SVP of ESG and Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, and SVP of Commercial Development Steven Moeller; NCL brand President and CEO Harry Sommer; Stephen Metruck, Executive Director of the Port of Seattle and Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Chairman of Norwegian’s SailSAFE™ Global Health and Wellness Council.
The panel discussed Norwegian’s 21-year history with Seattle and the fact that the Cruise Line pioneered voyages to Alaska from the city and in addition, panellists discussed the economic impact of cruising to Seattle, with more than 1.3 million cruisers visiting Seattle each year.
Moderated by Tom Norwalk, president, and CEO of Visit Seattle, panellists also spoke about the Cruise Line’s unwavering dedication to elevating the guest experience onboard coupled with the health and safety of its guests, crew, and communities it visits. Participants also learned about NCL’s commitment to making a positive impact on society and the environment through its global sustainability program – Sail & Sustain.
Sommer also said, “Today, was a very special day for the Company, for me personally and for our destination partners,” adding, “The livelihood of so many of the communities we visit are closely intertwined to our highly-anticipated return”, and “In Seattle alone, our guests contribute to approximately $288 million annually to the local economy”, adding, “It has been a long journey for all of us, and I am incredibly grateful for the loyalty and collaboration of our guests, team members, crew and partners around the world that have allowed us to achieve this momentous milestone.
He also said, “Tomorrow, we will celebrate together when Norwegian Encore makes history as the first ship in the fleet to return to cruising from the U.S. in over 500 days and sets sail on her inaugural season of Alaska voyages,” with the company’s newest innovative ship offer week-long voyages from Seattle beginning August 7, 2021 with calls to Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska.
Norwegian Cruise Line recently restarted its cruise operations on July 25, 2021, following a more than 500-day suspension, with Norwegian Jade launching seven-day itineraries to the Greek Isles.
NCL says that the fleetwide redeployment will continue in partnership with local governments and are guided by the robust protocols of the Company’s SailSAFE health and safety program, which at its cornerstone includes that all crew and guests must be fully vaccinated to embark for voyages through October 31, 2021.
Working with the leading experts of the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council, the robust protocols will be regularly evaluated and modified as needed, making science-based decisions to protect guests, crew and the destinations ships visit.
A report by John Alwyn-Jones, Cruise Editor, Global Travel Media, and Global Cruise News.
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