Norwegian Cruise Line Reveals Godfather for Second Prima Class Ship

Norwegian Cruise Line is gearing up for its second Prima class vessel, Norwegian Viva. A major event after the ship enters service will be the naming ceremony, and now NCL has revealed its godfather, who will christen the ship in November 2023.

Norwegian Viva Godfather

The cruise line has announced that Luis Fonsi will be the godfather of the second Prima class cruise ship, Norwegian Viva. The GRAMMY-winning artist will be at the center of all the attention for the new ship’s naming ceremony, which will take place at one of the busiest cruise ports in the world, PortMiami, in Florida.

“We are thrilled to welcome Latin music icon Luis Fonsi to the NCL family as Godfather of Norwegian Viva and to join us as we christen our newest ship,” said David J. Herrera, President of Norwegian Cruise Line.

Fonsi is a huge star and well known for popular hits such as “Despacito,” which was featured in the Billboard Latin charts for an astonishing record-breaking 56 weeks in a row.

Fonsi was born in Puerto Rico, a destination that is also popular with cruise ships. Norwegian Viva will be homeporting from the Caribbean island in the fall, making it a perfect fit for the godfather.

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“Miami, our hometown, is immersed in Latin culture, and we want to celebrate Norwegian Viva’s debut with an infusion of Latin talent headlined by Luis. As a native Puerto Rican, who is also based in Miami, he brings people together from around the world with his energy, positivity and music, making him the perfect complement to the vibrant energy of Norwegian Viva.  We cannot wait for him to join us as we celebrate this milestone moment later this year,” Herrera added.

The official naming ceremony will take place on November 28, 2023, and will include Fonsi initiating the process with the traditional champagne breaking against the ship’s bow to christen Norwegian Viva officially. The event will also feature performances by Paulina Rubio, Pedro Capo, and Marcello Hernandez.

“I am so honored to be named Godfather of NCL’s newest ship, Norwegian Viva, and look forward to sharing her with the amazing people of Puerto Rico, a community that truly represents the spirit of ‘live it up,” said Luis Fonsi.

Norwegian Viva Will Sail the Caribbean

Before the ship’s naming ceremony, Norwegian Viva will offer cruises from August 19, out of Lisbon, Portugal, on a seven-night Mediterranean itinerary.

The new ship will sail a range of inaugural cruises in the region until the 11-night transatlantic voyage departing from Lisbon on November 16 and arriving in Miami on November 27, ready for the naming. The ship will sail a series of cruises from the port before redeploying to Puerto Rico.

Starting on December 15, 2923, Norwegian Viva will kickstart Caribbean sailings out of San Juan. Guests will get to enjoy various seven-day itineraries through April 24, 2024. The cruises include visits such as Tortola, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia. St. Maarten, and St. Thomas. The vessel will return to Europe for the 2024 summer season based out of Greece, Portugal, and Italy.

Norwegian Viva is in the final stages of construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. Workers are busy ensuring all interior spaces are outfitted before the maiden voyage in August.

The ship was first floated out onto the water at the shipyard in August 2022 and, once completed, will be 142,500 gross tons with a passenger capacity of 3,250. Like her sister ship, Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Viva will be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).