Cruise and Ferry Review - Summer/Spring 2020

9 7 INTERV IEW Shaping the future Allan Jordan talks with Harry Sommer, the new president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, about the line’s initiatives to enhance the passenger experience and drive growth A t the end of 2019, Norwegian Cruise Line introduced the new Norwegian Encore to the cruise industry, which became a symbolic moment in the history of the company. The final ship of the highly successful Breakaway and Breakaway- Plus class, Norwegian Encore is also the last of 13 ships built by Meyer Werft that embodied the revitalisation of one of the most storied brands in the cruise industry. Now, 20 years after pioneering ‘Freestyle Cruising’ in 2000, Norwegian has resumed its role as a cruise innovator. Featuring a contemporary resort-style décor, Norwegian Encore builds on the successes of the brand with elements such as a longer electric go-kart race track, a virtual reality pavilion and an expanded Vibe Beach Club. New elements include an upscale Italian restaurant Onda by Scarpetta. “We loved the way Joy and Bliss came out, but we took it up one more step with Encore,” says Harry Sommer, who became president and CEO on 1 January 2020. Sommer, who previously led international for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings for five years, took the reins from Andy Stuart, who had been with Norwegian for 31 years, including the last five at the helm of the company. His diverse experience includes positions in marketing, operations, accounting, finance and revenue management – and for a time, he stepped away from the corporate side to run a cruise-only travel agency. “The combination of all my experience gives me a very well-rounded perspective on the industry, but the experience of running a travel agency is seminal,” he says. “It helps me to understand the business challenges and environment for our travel partners.” Sommer plans to leverage this experience to build on Norwegian’s current strengths. One important element of his role will be his interaction with travel partners as well as the consumer. “I plan to spend a lot of time working with our partners to further Norwegian Encore berthed at the line’s newly renovated private island, Great Stirrup Cay Photo: Allan E Jordan