Cruise and Ferry Review - Summer/Spring 2020

9 9 The expansive Observation Lounge onboard Norwegian Encore allows guests to relax and enjoy the passing scenery expand these relationships,” he says. “I also get 15 to 20 consumer e-mails a day and I read and respond to all of them because it is important to hear what the consumers are saying.” With no new ships launching in 2020, Sommer will take the opportunity to focus on resolving operational issues and continuing efforts to elevate the brand experience. Fleet renovations will continue, with Norwegian Spirit being redone in a style similar to Norwegian Encore and both Pride of America and Norwegian Epic scheduled for renovations. “We are aggressively working to continue upgrading our product, ranging from the look of the ships, to elements such as the food, menus and entertainment, as well as the facilities at Great Stirrup Cay,” Sommer says. However, Sommer believes that Norwegian can still do a better job of telling the story of the advantages of cruising. “Out of every 100 vacations, two are cruises and 98 are in a hotel,” he says, highlighting future opportunities. Consequently, he plans to redouble Norwegian’s efforts on branding by shifting the conversation towards experiences and says guests should expect new marketing campaigns, enhancements to the website and continued internal improvements in areas such as reservations and customer service. All these efforts are designed to prepare for Norwegian’s next phase of growth. “The launch of the first Project Leonardo ship is two and a half years away, but we will open sales for this new ship in the second quarter of 2020, so there is much to be done,” he says. Sommer remains coy on the details of the new ships, saying only that they will build on Norwegian’s current experiences but notes that these are the first ships that the current team, including Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ president and CEO Frank Del Rio who is known for his design acumen, has been able to develop from scratch. With its renewed reputation of innovation enhanced by the successful launch of Norwegian Encore and her sister ships, and the ongoing efforts to elevate the passenger experience, the cruise industry will be closely watching to see what Norwegian has in store for the future. CFR “We are aggressively working to continue upgrading our product” INTERV IEW