Norwegian Cruise Line Hldg Ltd Stock Price, News & Analysis

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has launched its newest vessel, Norwegian Aqua, embarking on its maiden voyage from Lisbon to Southampton. As the first ship in the Prima Plus Class, Norwegian Aqua introduces several industry-first features, including the Aqua Slidecoaster - the world's first hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide, and the innovative Glow Court digital sports complex.

The ship features 17 restaurants and 18 bars, including new dining venues like Sukhothai, NCL's first Thai specialty restaurant, and Planterie, a plant-based eatery. Entertainment options include 'Revolution: A Celebration of Prince' and 'Elements: The World Expanded'.

Following its inaugural European voyage, Norwegian Aqua will be officially christened in Miami on April 13, 2025, with Emmy Award-winning actor Eric Stonestreet as godfather. The ship will then operate from Miami, Port Canaveral, and New York City, offering Bahamas, Caribbean, and Bermuda itineraries until March 2027.

Oceania Cruises has announced the launch of its new Aquamar® Bath + Skincare Essentials collection, set to debut across its eight luxury ships in spring 2025. The exclusive range includes shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soaps, and body lotion, featuring Vetiver and Green Leaves scents.

This initiative expands the cruise line's wellness brand Aquamar, which was introduced in 2020 with the Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center. The brand encompasses wellness-focused offerings including specialized menus at Aquamar Kitchen, Aquamar Vitality Cuisine options, and Wellness Discovery Tours that allow guests to experience global wellness practices.

The announcement aligns with Oceania's Your World Included™ promise, which provides complimentary amenities including dining experiences, specialty beverages, unlimited Starlink® WiFi, in-room dining, fitness classes, and laundry services.

Oceania Cruises has announced its 2027 Around the World cruise aboard the luxury ship Vista. The 180-day voyage, departing from Miami on January 6, 2027, will visit more than 100 ports across 46 countries and six continents.

The journey includes exploration of over 150 UNESCO World Heritage sites, featuring destinations like the Panama Canal, Pacific islands, Australia's coastline, Asian landmarks, and European cities before concluding in London. The cruise line also offers two alternative itineraries: a 244-day Epic Global Adventure and a 127-day Continental Explorer.

Starting at $76,199 per person, the package includes amenities such as free unlimited beverages or shore excursion credit, exclusive shoreside events, visa package, and luggage delivery. The 1,200-guest Vista features all-veranda accommodations, 11 dining venues, eight entertainment venues, and a two-to-three crew-to-guest ratio.

Oceania Cruises announces its Summer 2025 voyages to Canada, New England, and Iceland aboard two luxury vessels: the 1,250-guest Marina and 670-guest Insignia. The itineraries, ranging from 11 to 19 days, feature immersive small-group shore excursions and gourmet culinary experiences.

The Marina, designed specifically for food enthusiasts, includes a hands-on cooking school and four specialty restaurants plus the new wellness-focused Aquamar Kitchen. The smaller Insignia offers access to intimate ports like Eskifjördur, Iceland.

The 2025 season highlights include voyages with Condé Nast Traveler editors' exclusive tips, featuring routes like the 11-day Scottish & Nordic Voyager, 16-day Vikings & Bon Vivants, 16-day Far North Explorer, and 12-day Northern Vistas on Marina, plus a 19-day Subarctic Scenes on Insignia.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) reported strong financial results for Q4 and full year 2024, with record total revenue of $9.5 billion, up 11% from 2023 on 3% capacity growth. The company achieved GAAP net income of $910.3 million, a 448% increase from 2023, with EPS rising 386% to $1.89.

Key financial metrics include record Adjusted EBITDA of $2.45 billion, up 32% from 2023, and Adjusted EPS of $1.82. Total debt stood at $13.1 billion with Net Leverage at 5.3x, representing a two-turn reduction from December 2023. The company generated approximately $2.0 billion in net cash from operating activities.

Looking ahead to 2025, NCLH expects Adjusted EBITDA of ~$2.72 billion (11% increase vs 2024) and Adjusted EPS of ~$2.05. The company maintains strong booking momentum with fourth quarter 2024 occupancy at 100.8% and full year occupancy at 104.9%.

Oceania Cruises has expanded its Culinary Discovery Tours™ with 12 new gourmet excursions for 2025, bringing the total to 46 tours. These chef-led experiences, available on Marina™, Riviera™, Vista™, and the upcoming Allura™, are to 18 guests and offer immersive culinary experiences across Europe, Asia, and North America.

The new destinations include Amsterdam, Belfast, Invergordon, Valencia, Valletta, Kobe, Kochi, Shimizu, Busan, Halifax, Quebec City, and Victoria. Tours feature unique experiences like traditional knife-making in Kobe, market visits in Busan, coastal foraging in Belfast, and authentic paella preparation in Valencia.

These tours are part of the line's food-focused enrichment program, which includes The Culinary Center, the first hands-on cooking school at sea. Each tour provides access to local markets, acclaimed restaurants, and cooking classes both onboard and ashore.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NYSE: NCLH) has announced it will release its fourth quarter and full year 2024 financial results on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 6:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The company will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the results at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

The company operates three cruise brands: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Currently, NCLH maintains a combined fleet of 32 ships with approximately 66,500 berths, serving around 700 destinations worldwide. The company has plans to expand its fleet with 13 additional ships across its brands through 2036, which will add approximately 41,000 berths.

Oceania Cruises has appointed Brennan Quesnele as Senior Vice President of Sales, effective February 24, 2025. Quesnele, who previously served as Vice President of Strategic and National Accounts at Norwegian Cruise Line, brings over 20 years of industry experience. He will report to Frank A. Del Rio, President of Oceania Cruises.

In his new role, Quesnele will oversee global sales strategies and partner relationships, focusing on maximizing growth opportunities across all trade partner sales channels. This appointment comes as the brand prepares for significant expansion with three new ships planned over the next four years. The heads of Field Sales, Strategic Accounts, and International Sales will report to Quesnele in this new structure.

PayPal Holdings (NASDAQ: PYPL) has expanded its strategic partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NYSE: NCLH), enabling PayPal as a checkout option for all U.S.-based cruise reservations across Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands. The collaboration includes continued use of PayPal Braintree for credit-card processing for both reservations and shipboard payments.

According to data provided, customers using PayPal experience 43% faster checkout compared to traditional methods, and the payment platform has demonstrated an average 84% increase in conversion among online travel customers. This integration aims to enhance the booking experience by providing a more convenient and secure payment option for cruise reservations.