By
Alex Smith |
Norwegian Cruise Line has celebrated the christening of Norwegian Viva, the second Prima-class ship, with a ceremony in Miami.
“To christen Norwegian Viva in Miami is incredibly special to many of us at Norwegian Cruise Line, not only because Miami is our hometown, but also because we can share this moment with our local family and friends,” said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Launching a ship is no solo endeavour. I am overwhelmed with gratitude towards the entire NCL team, our partners and especially our amazing crew who have contributed to bringing Norwegian Viva to life and who care for and deliver exceptional vacation experiences for our guests.”
Over 1,500 guests joined the christening ceremony in Norwegian’s terminal at PortMiami. Luis Fonsi, Norwegian Viva’s godfather and Grammy award-nominated singer-songwriter, officially named and christened the vessel with the ceremonial breaking of the champagne bottle across the ship’s hull.
The celebration continued with an entertainment lineup headlined by Fonsi, who performed his hit ‘Despacito’ alongside ‘No Me Doy Por Vencido’ and ‘Échame La Culpa’. Other performers included Saturday Night Live cast member and Miami-native Marcello Hernandez, singer Paulina Rubio and Grammy Award-nominated artist Pedro Capó.
“It is so exciting to celebrate the magnificent Norwegian Viva in true Latin-style in Miami and alongside fellow A-list Latino entertainers,” said Luis Fonsi, award-winning global artist. “We are giving her a proper despedida before she makes her debut in my hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico.”
Following the inaugural sailing, Norwegian Viva will reposition to San Juan, Puerto Rico and become the newest ship to homeport in the destination when it arrives on 15 December 2023. The ship will offer seven-day Caribbean voyages with no days at sea, including calls to Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; Phillipsburg, St Maarten and St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.
“As a company, it has been a milestone year with the debut of next-generation ships across all three of our best-in-class cruise brands, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises,” said Harry Sommer, president & chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line’s parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “Since she launched in August, Norwegian Viva’s initial guest satisfaction scores have outshined any newbuild in the history of the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet, a testament to not only how stunning this ship is, but also the exceptional level of service and attention provided by our amazing crew on board.”