When asked how Canadian travel partners can leverage the new hardware, Lloyd offered some good insight. PAX spoke to Derek Lloyd, NCL’s national director of sales, Canada, who was on board with members of his Canadian sales team. Slightly smaller at 140,000 GRT and carrying 3,300 guests, the ships will be designed with more open spaces to bring guests closer to the sea, and their smaller footprint will allow more flexibility in itinerary planning. On the horizon is Leonardo Class, six vessels launching between 20.
The $150 million project will see the ship gutted down to the steel hull, her every stateroom being modernized, the addition of luxury suites, six new restaurants including Onda by Scarpetta, seven new bars and lounges, an expanded Mandara Spa, and new adults-only spaces. Next up will be the complete refurbishment of the Norwegian Spirit. “I plan to continue having excellent relations with the trade," Sommer promised. Some of these commitments include empowering frontline and sales employees in problem-solving, which have resulted in reduced hold times (an average of five seconds according to Sommer), and a goal for a two-day response time on customer service issues by the end of the year. “We invest in your success, we are committed to becoming the easiest to do business with, we’re committed to your client relationships, and we’re committed to listening and taking action.” “About 10 years ago, we introduced Partners First, where we were committed to put our travel agencies front and centre in everything that we do,” Sommer said. Sommer, who at one point ran a travel agency for six years, fully understands the importance of this relationship. In his Partners First Executive Update, NCL’s incoming president and CEO Harry Sommer spoke passionately about NCL’s dedication to the travel partners. It is worth noting that with the exception of two dining venues which have a flat-rate cover charge, all other specialty restaurants charge à la carte pricing. With 29 dining venues that include returning favourites such as Teppanyaki, Cagney’s Steakhouse, Le Bistro, Ocean Blue, Q Barbecue, and the new modern Italian eatery Onda by Scarpetta, no craving is left unsatisfied. Headline shows include Choir of Man, a toe-tapping medley of favourite rock hits set in an English pub, while Kinky Boots brings down the house with pitch-perfect singing and heartfelt performances. The Laser Tag is Atlantis-themed, set amongst the ruins of a Greek temple and an entwining sea serpent. The Race Track now has a viewing platform on the top deck, and viewers can try to shoot the bullseye on the back of each car with a laser gun as the race cars whiz by. There's also a new Escape Room, where up to six players trapped in a sunken galleon have to solve riddles and puzzles within 45 minutes to find their way out. The Galaxy Pavilion, which first debuted on the Joy, has a whole new slew of virtual reality (VR) games with improved visual effects. This time around, her designers have taken their best elements and perfected them for the Encore. The Encore, at 167,800 gross registered tonnes (GRT) and a capacity of 4,000 guests is about the same size as her two almost-identical sisters Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy. PAX was onboard for a two-night preview of the final vessel of the Breakaway-Plus class.
READ MORE: Kinky Boots & an even bigger race track coming to Norwegian Encore
Three-and-a-half years and $1 billion dollars later, the Norwegian Encore - the 17th ship in Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet - made her North American debut in New York City this past Monday (Nov.
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