Newest Norwegian Cruise Ship Debuts at Major Caribbean Port

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Viva has arrived in Puerto Rico for the first time. The newest addition to the NCL fleet will call San Juan home until March of 2024, from which it will offer port-intensive sailings in the Caribbean. 

The Norwegian Viva’s First Winter At Sea

In preparation for her first winter in service, Norwegian Viva made her debut in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on December 15, making her the newest ship to sail from “La Isla del Encanto.”

Prior to her arrival in Puerto Rico, the cruise ship debuted in Europe in August of 2023, spending her inaugural voyages sailing to the Mediterranean and the Greek Isles. It then sailed to Miami at the end of November 2023 for a traditional christening ceremony and celebratory voyage.

The newest Prima class ship will homeport in San Juan through March of 2024, from which it will offer seven-day roundtrip cruises throughout the Caribbean. Its first voyage of the season began on the evening of December 15, 2023.

“We are excited to bring Norwegian Viva to Puerto Rico and offer our guests the opportunity to explore this remarkable island, which serves as a perfect centrally located homeport that allows us to take them to some of the most beautiful and culturally rich destinations in the Caribbean,” says David J. Herrera, President of Norwegian Cruise Line.

Norwegian Viva’s itinerary from the Caribbean island includes stops at Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

There are no sea days on these sailings, allowing cruisers to enjoy a new island paradise and the Caribbean’s warm, tropical climate each day.

Norwegian Viva Set to Return To Europe in the Spring 

In March 2024, Norwegian Viva will return to Europe to spend a second season sailing through the Mediterranean and the Greek Isles.  

The cruise line will offer a variety of 10 and 11-day Mediterranean cruises between April and November of next year, visiting famous destinations in Italy, France, Greece, Croatia, Spain, and Gibraltar. 

Norwegian Viva will also be sailing to the Greek Isles on select dates between May and October 2024. These itineraries include stops in Venice, Italy; Split, Croatia; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Corfu, Greece; Santorini, Greece; Kasudasi, Turkey; Istanbul, Turkey; Mykonos, Greece; and Athens, Greece.

When the Mediterranean sailing season is over, Norwegian Viva will sail back to Puerto Rico for another winter in the Caribbean. 

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Newest Ship

Norwegian Viva is the sister ship to the award-winning Norwegian Prima and the second of what will be six new Prima Class vessels commissioned by the cruise line. Her maiden voyage took place in August 2023, and she was officially christened at a star-studded celebration on November 28, 2023.

The sizable vessel holds approximately 3,099 guests and 1,506 crew members, delighting cruisers with activities like a three-level racetrack and the fastest water slides at sea, as well as an upscale food market with 11 unique eateries.