This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Dr. Londí Cox, an international psychologist and expat therapist who's been living abroad since 2014. The essay has been edited for length and clarity.
20.08.2023 - 17:25 / forbes.com
Norwegian’s new Prima Class of ships is making waves by appealing to customers with new onboard dining and recreational amenities. Families, couples and solo travelers all have something to make their voyage entertaining. The new ships have been selling out fast, according to Norwegian officials, especially those in the Mediterranean and select Caribbean sailings.
The latest launch in this class of ships is Norwegian Viva, which began sailing in early August, but will hold a naming ceremony in the fall when the ship reaches winter home port of Miami. Both ships are relatively similar in size, almost three football fields long, but with a capacity of just over 3,050 passengers. This puts it solidly in the mid-ship category of cruise vessels.
Wondering what the difference is between Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva? Read on. For those who have sailed on Norwegian Prima or are just curious about which ship is better for them, here are seven differences between the two beautiful ships.
The removal of the second onboard Starbucks venue has allowed more seating space in the Indulge Food Hall, a popular new concept that was launched on Norwegian Prima. Here, passengers use tabletop tablets to order food from a variety of international cuisines, including Indian, Mexican and Spanish.
The cruise team determined that the space was not necessary on Norwegian Prima because it was only being utilized during certain morning hours. Extra seating is a welcome change at this complimentary venue, which can get busy. Another change is a new soft-serve ice cream station on the newer ship, which is not on Norwegian Prima.
There are more seats outside, too, with additional tablets that allow guests to order dishes from all of the Indulge Food Hall venues both indoors and outside. In fact, the overall capacity for all of the restaurants aboard the ship is greater than Norwegian Prima, a response to the restaurants’ popularity. Nearly half of the 22 onboard restaurants is complimentary for passengers, which is why more space is beneficial for those that enjoy specialty dining options.
Additional seating is available in two of the music and comedy club venues on Norwegian Viva.
A new collaboration between Norwegian and Starbucks is creating a new “Been There” mug series dedicated to different ships. These are popular collector’s items from travelers that scour the world for Starbucks stores that sell them. Norwegian Viva is the launch ship for this new project, but Norwegian Prima will eventually have them along with eight other ships.
Norwegian introduced the concept of freestyle dining, which means passengers can dine when they want and where they want without set times in the main dining room. On Norwegian Prima, the
This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Dr. Londí Cox, an international psychologist and expat therapist who's been living abroad since 2014. The essay has been edited for length and clarity.
Despite having embarked on more than 50 cruises on several major cruise lines, sailing with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) wasn't on my radar until recently.
Amsterdam has dominated cannabis tourism for 40 years, but now it’s stepping back from this multibillion-dollar industry, creating opportunities for emerging marijuana destinations in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. New rules in the Dutch city’s central tourist area limit alcohol sales, require bars to close earlier, and impose a €100 ($107) fine for public marijuana smoking.
I’ve been a fan of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Prima Class ships ever since I laid eyes on Norwegian Prima at the Fincantieri’s Marghera. Italy, shipyard where it was built. My admiration for the ship was bolstered when I sailed on its maiden voyage out Iceland.
Frontier has rolled out a slew of routes to warm-weather destinations this winter.
Most popular tourist destinations try to increase the number of visitors every year. But that’s not the case on the glamorous Spanish island of Mallorca. Faced with the prospect of losing their paradise to the growing swell of tourism, local activists have taken an innovative approach to keep its azure waters less crowded—fake warning signs posted on some of Mallorca’s most popular beaches. Seemingly ordinary to passersby, these signs bear disturbing messages in English such as “dangerous jellyfish” or “falling rocks.” While tourists are led to believe they face physical dangers, the messages actually make with bold statements such as: “the problem isn’t a rockfall, it’s mass tourism,” or the satirical note that the beach is “open—except for foreigners and jellyfish.”
The ‘Arctic Circle Crossing’ inspired by 10th Century explorers includes four maiden calls in Greenland, a trip to the North Cape and extensive scenic cruising
Prior to joining the Saudi Tourism Ministry as a senior advisor , Gloria led the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) as President and CEO, having joined in 2017. WTTC represents the global travel & tourism private sector worldwide, a sector that generates 10% of GDP and accounts for 300 million jobs globally. Gloria was the global voice for the sector and, under her leadership, WTTC led the industry’s agenda during the most difficult crisis in history, the Covid19 pandemic. WTTC successfully unified the sector and implemented measures to reduce the impact such as the creation of the “Safe Travels” global protocols and a stamp that were granted to more than 400 destinations around the world. WTTC also pursued active engagement with over 150 governments to share best practices and public policies to support workers and the private sector, including millions of SMEs, in addition to providing guidelines from lessons learned to help the strong recovery.
Japan has been knocked off the top spot for the world’s most powerful passport for the first time in five years.
The luxury travel network Virtuoso® has revealed the winners for its 2023 Best of the Best awards announced at this year’s Virtuoso Travel Week held in Las Vegas at Bellagio Resort & Casino, ARIA Resort & Casino, and Vdara Hotel & Spa. The 35th annual gala spotlighted the network’s most esteemed travel agencies, advisors, and preferred partners.
Marketers beware: Prior ways of marketing to Chinese consumers, including travelers, won’t work as well today because their preferences changed during the pandemic.
China’s latest loosening of its stringent zero-Covid policy, mostly for domestic tourism, comes across as too little too late, at a time when the rest of the world is living with the virus.