With Prima set to homeport in Galveston in 2023, Texans will have soon have easy access to the latest elevated experience from this innovator in global cruise travel.

Pop icon and “American Idol” judge Katy Perry will serve as the godmother to its record-breaking and innovative newest ship, Norwegian Prima, debuting August 2022.

First Major Cruise Ship Christened in Iceland’s Capital City

As godmother, Perry will not only fulfill the longstanding maritime tradition of blessing and officially naming Norwegian Prima, the first of six vessels in the Prima Class, but she will also perform during the christening ceremony before Norwegian Prima sets sail on its inaugural voyages from Reykjavík, Iceland, where the vessel will be the first major cruise ship christened in the Icelandic capital.

The new class builds upon Norwegian’s legacy of freedom and flexibility found across its fleet and features a host of cutting-edge designs. A game-changer for NCL, the vessels offer guests exciting itineraries, more wide-open spaces, thoughtful and stunning design, a variety of new experiences as well as Norwegian’s exceptional service.

Food and Beverage Offerings Push the Boundaries

This cutting-edge class will push the boundaries of traditional cruise cuisine with the debut of nine new dining and beverage venues including Metropolitan Bar, Norwegian’s first sustainably-focused bar. The cruise line is also introducing its first three-level atrium, the Penrose Atrium, in addition to the launch of its revamped main dining menu as well as the enhancement to Norwegian’s guest-favorite culinary staples Le Bistro, Cagney’s Steakhouse and Food Republic plus NCL’s coveted Observation Lounge.

Headliner “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”

The Prima has also raised the curtain to reveal the Tony Award-nominated musical “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” as its interactive headlining act. In addition to this hit audience favorite, Norwegian Prima will also showcase numerous elevated onboard experiences including boasting the world’s first venue that transforms from a three-story theater into a Vegas-style nightclub, freefall drop dry slides and the largest racetrack at sea.

Come on Down!

Norwegian Prima will further push the boundaries of guest entertainment as it rolls out its interactive LIVE on NCL! game show experiences that allows the audience to be part of the show and have an opportunity to win incredible grand prizes. 

These immersive productions powered by Fremantle Media, a world leader in creating, producing and distributing content, takes the Prima Theater and Nightclub and transforms it into a large-than-life production set where guests can be participants in some of the world’s most legendary game shows including “The Price is Right LIVE on NCL” where guests will “Come on Down,” and bid their way to participate in pricing games and have the opportunity to spin the wheel for a chance to win big in the showcase showdown.

Go Karts, Golf and More!

As the only line to offer go-karts at sea, NCL will up the ante on Norwegian Prima, offering the largest and first ever three-level racetrack with the Prima Speedway. Featuring a longer straightaway with a racetrack of more than a quarter mile in length, the speedway will now go around and through the funnel of the ship. 14 nail-biting turns allow 15 drivers to simultaneously race on the open ocean, reaching speeds of more than 30 mph (50 kph). After racers have completed their ultimate thrill ride, they can unwind at the new Prima Speedway Bar located beneath the racetrack.

For guests looking for the most extreme adrenaline rush at sea, try The Drop, the world’s first freefall dry slide where users will experience a 10-story plunge reaching the highest G-forces of any cruise line; more Gs than an accelerating F1 racecar, leaving racer’s hearts with the thrill of a lifetime. The edge-of-your-seat experience takes a competitive turn with The Rush, featuring dueling dry slides where guests can race each other for the ultimate in bragging rights.

And the popular indoor virtual gaming complex, The Galaxy Pavilion, also levels up to offer guests 14 attractions to choose from, including four new hyper-immersive simulator experiences only available on Norwegian Prima, two different escape rooms, and a Topgolf Swing Suite, showcasing the only Topgolf Swing Suite available at sea.

Norwegian Prima Homeports in Galveston, Texas

After Norwegian Prima concludes her inaugural year sailing bucket-list itineraries as the industry’s newest ship, she will be the only vessel during the winter 2023 and 2024 season offering 7-day voyages to the Western Caribbean out of Galveston, Texas, providing the most extensive port experiences in the region with every itinerary visiting four ports. Norwegian Prima will call at Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Harvest Caye, the Caribbean’s premier island destination in Belize and exclusive to guests of NCL; and Roatan Island, Honduras, with all visits featuring between eight and nine in-port hours.

In Other News: Meet the Winemaker Series is Back

And there’s more good news for Norwegian Cruise Line fans — the 2022 season of NCL’s Meet the Winemaker series is back.

The company has once again teamed up with renowned wineries to create this seasonal program designed for wine enthusiasts and foodies at all skill levels. The cruise provides exclusive opportunities to engage with winemakers and other experts through a variety of seminars and activities, which include intimate wine tastings and wine-paired dinners, interactive culinary demonstrations and meet-and-greets on board.

The experience will be available on select cruises aboard Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Bliss. And, for the first time ever in its history, the Meet the Winemaker series will be making its way to Europe as Norwegian Escape sails around the Greek Isles and Italy on July 17 and Oct. 12. 

Whatever your preference, whatever your destination, Norwegian Cruise Lines has the experience of a lifetime waiting for you.

Cover photo courtesy Norwegian Cruise Line