Norwegian Cruise Line new itineraries to Bermuda

NCL Has 10-Year Pact to Sail Freestyle Ships to Bermuda
Fri Nov 09 2007, by Travel Trade staff

Norwegian Cruise Line has reached an agreement with the government of Bermuda under which two of the line's newer ships, the 2,000-passenger Norwegian Spirit and 2,200-passenger Norwegian Dawn will be deployed to the country from 2009 through 2018.
Norwegian Spirit will sail from Boston on Fridays, calling on Bermuda from Sunday through Wednesday. Norwegian Cruise Line has been the only line sailing between Boston and Bermuda, and the new agreement continues this status.

Norwegian Dawn will depart from New York on Sundays, staying at the island Wednesday through Friday.

Also in 2009, Norwegian Majesty, which has sailed the Boston-Bermuda route for 15 years, will sail to St. George's, Bermuda from Charleston, Philadelphia and Baltimore.

NCL's 2008 Bermuda itineraries include: Norwegian Dawn sailing from New York, on 7-day cruises; Norwegian Dream replacing Norwegian Majesty from Boston; and Norwegian Majesty sailing to Bermuda from Philadelphia, Baltimore and Charleston.

"Since NCL first began sailing to Bermuda, it has been one of our most popular itineraries, and we have developed a truly unique relationship with the community and government of our host destination," said Colin Veitch, NCL's president and CEO.

In a teleconference with the press, Veitch said the Bermuda agreement "represents one more layer of new products NCL is able to offer agents to sell - three nights in Bermuda on two of our purpose-built Freestyle ships is something we haven't been able to do before. This is a new product and we think the public will respond very strongly to it."

With its long-term agreement, NCL can develop the market for Bermuda committing one-fifth of its summer deployment and $800 million of its shipping assets to the destination, which Veitch called "a significant upgrade from our perspective and from Bermuda's."

He said, "Having this long-term commitment is very attractive to us because there is a strong demand for this destination -- people want to come here. Bermuda is a fabulous place - at the top of the league of destinations and worthy of the journey to get here.

"Over the past 15 years, we have deployed ships from more U.S. homeports to meet the growing demand to visit Bermuda," Veitch added.

As part of the agreement, NCL will partner with Bermuda's Department of Tourism and Chamber of Commerce to co-sponsor the annual Bermuda Music Festival, support the St. George's Foundation and the Bermudian Heritage Association and develop a new program to continue encouraging cruise guests to dine in restaurants ashore.

Bermuda is building a second pier at St. George's to accommodate the larger ships and Veitch said ground transportation from St. George's to points throughout Bermuda "is excellent, the best that I have seen."