# Norwegian Cruise Line

> Norwegian Cruise Line is the Miami-based operator that helped invent modern Caribbean cruising in 1966 and then rewrote the rulebook with Freestyle Cruising - no assigned dinner tables, no forced formal nights. Today it runs a fleet of roughly 19 ships and is the flagship brand of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, a three-brand group that posted record revenue of $9.5 billion in 2024.

- **Founded:** 1966
- **Headquarters:** Miami, Florida, United States
- **Founders:** Knut Kloster (Co-founder (Klosters Rederi A/S)), Ted Arison (Co-founder)
- **Team size:** Norwegian Cruise Line brand shoreside workforce roughly 1,900; Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings employs tens of thousands including shipboard crew across all brands.
- **Products:** Norwegian Cruise Line fleet, Freestyle Cruising, The Haven, Great Stirrup Cay, Prima and Prima Plus class ships
- **Notable:** Helped launch the modern cruise industry with the first regularly scheduled Caribbean cruises out of Miami in 1966., First cruise line to buy its own private 'out island' - Great Stirrup Cay - in 1977., Converted the ocean liner SS France into the SS Norway (1979), the largest cruise ship of its era.

## Products & services

- **Norwegian Cruise Line fleet** — A fleet of roughly 19 cruise ships offering Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, Bahamas and worldwide itineraries under the Freestyle Cruising model.
- **Freestyle Cruising** — NCL's signature format that removed fixed dining times, assigned tables and mandatory formal nights - guests choose when, where and with whom they dine.
- **The Haven** — A ship-within-a-ship enclave of luxury suites with private keycard-access areas, dedicated restaurant, lounge and concierge service.
- **Great Stirrup Cay** — NCL's private Bahamian island destination, the first 'out island' bought by a cruise line, now being expanded with a new multi-ship pier and the Great Tides Waterpark.
- **Prima and Prima Plus class ships** — The newest generation of vessels (Prima, Viva, Aqua, Luna) emphasizing more open deck space per guest, expanded Haven complexes and features like the Aqua Slidecoaster.

## Achievements

- Helped launch the modern cruise industry with the first regularly scheduled Caribbean cruises out of Miami in 1966.
- First cruise line to buy its own private 'out island' - Great Stirrup Cay - in 1977.
- Converted the ocean liner SS France into the SS Norway (1979), the largest cruise ship of its era.
- Pioneered Freestyle Cruising, which reshaped dining and dress-code norms across the industry.
- Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings reported record full-year 2024 revenue of approximately $9.5 billion.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — Lee Applbaum, formerly global CMO at Patron/Bacardi and Wheels Up, joined as Chief Marketing Officer.
- **2026-01** — Marc Kazlauskas named President of Norwegian Cruise Line, effective January 19, 2026.
- **2025-12** — Great Stirrup Cay opened a new pier able to berth two ships at once, part of a major private-island expansion.
- **2025-01** — Norwegian Aqua (Prima Plus class) prepared for its 2025 debut, featuring the Aqua Slidecoaster and expanded Haven suites.
- **2024-02** — NCLH reported record full-year 2024 revenue of about $9.5 billion.

## Links

- Website: https://www.ncl.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/ncl-norwegian-cruise-line
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/CruiseNorwegian
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Norwegian
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/norwegiancruiseline
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/norwegiancruiseline
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@norwegiancruiseline

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Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-13