Enormous demand for The Haven as Norwegian Prima breaks NCL booking history

Norwegian Cruise Line has reported the busiest day for bookings in its entire history as cruises aboard its new ship Norwegian Prima opened to the public.

While The Haven suites account for just 6.5% of all berths aboard Norwegian Prima, more than 20% of bookings were targeted at this class of accommodation.

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Norwegian Prima actually broke two records simultaneously, with both the single-best booking day and best initial booking week sales in Norwegian Cruise Line’s 54-year history.

“Our record-breaking sales are a clear indicator of our guests’ excitement to return to the ocean and of the significant demand for a premium vacation experience,” said Harry Sommer, President & CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line.

“Norwegian Bliss, which debuted in 2018 and boasted our biggest booking day ever during her unveiling, has been outpaced by Norwegian Prima, which has doubled the prior record,” he added.

“In addition, nearly 20 percent of bookings are for our Haven suites, indicating the desire for top-of-the-line experiences,” said Sommer.

Norwegian Prima is the first of six Prima-class cruise ships to be built for Norwegian Cruise Line. The vessels were previously known as the Leonardo-class prior to Norwegian Prima’s design reveal last week.

With voyages beginning August, 2022, Norwegian Prima will offer guests diverse itineraries, the highest staffing levels and space ratio of any new cruise ship in the contemporary and premium cruise categories, and a number of new-to-NCL experiences.

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These include the Ocean Boulevard (an enhancement of the Waterfront aboard the Breakaway-class), Indulge Food Hall (offering 11 dining experiences), The Concourse (with a US $2-million art installation), Infinity Beach (with infinity pools over the ocean) and Oceanwalk (a glass walkway arching out over the ship’s side).

“Every aspect of Norwegian Prima, from bow-to-stern, was conceptualized with the guest in mind,” said Sommer. “With this world-class ship, we are providing our guests with more wide-open spaces, elevated service, thoughtful design and a variety of experiences that go beyond expectation.”

Norwegian Prima will not only offer the largest variety of suite categories available at sea but will also boast a redefined The Haven, Norwegian Cruise Line’s ultra-premium keycard only access ship-within-a-ship concept.

The Haven will feature an expansive sundeck, a stunning infinity pool overlooking the ship’s wake and an outdoor spa with a glass-walled sauna and cold room.

During the height of the global cruise industry shutdown, when the world economy was suffering unprecendented contraction, there were concerns that economic uncertainty would undermine demand for cruises in the future.

The record breaking bookings for Norwegian Prima, and the demand for cruises reported by other lines as they return to service, suggest this may not be as great a concern as previously thought.