Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship – Norwegian Viva – now has a godfather that reflects the ship’s Latin name. Five-time Latin Grammy-winning singer Luis Fonsi will do the honors.
Norwegian Viva, the second ship of the NCL’s Prima Class, will be christened in Miami before homeporting in San Juan, Puerto Rico this fall.
Fonsi is best known for his extensive list of radio hits including the award-winning, global chart-topping hit, “Despacito,” which was featured on Billboard’s “Hot Latin Song” list for a record-breaking 56 consecutive weeks.
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The Puerto Rican-born artist will fulfill the longstanding maritime tradition of blessing and officially naming Norwegian Viva at the Nov. 28, 2023 christening ceremony in Miami.
The “Live it Up!” theme of Norwegian Viva will continue throughout the evening, with a lineup of leading Latin entertainers joining Fonsi, including The Queen of Latin Pop, Paulina Rubio; “Saturday Night Live” cast member and Miami-native, Marcello Hernandez; and singer, Pedro Capó, all of which will deliver exclusive performances throughout the night.
After completing its christening voyage, Norwegian Viva will be the newest ship to homeport in San Juan, Puerto Rico upon arrival on Dec. 15, 2023. It will offer a variety of seven-day Caribbean voyages through April 2024 with calls to Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St John’s, Antigua; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; Philipsburg, St. Maarten and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, before returning for a summer season of cruises to Europe from Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Lisbon, Portugal; and Rome (Civitavecchia) and Venice (Trieste), Italy.
“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’,” Fonsi said in a statement. “Growing up on an island, the ocean plays such an important part in my life, and there is nowhere else I’d rather be. Cruising provides such an incredible vacation experience, and I cannot wait to christen this incredible ship and to introduce her to the world.”
Norwegian Viva is the second of six vessels in the company’s Prima Class and sister ship to the award-winning Norwegian Prima. Features on the ship include the Viva Speedway — a three-level racetrack. Norwegian Viva also has a food hall with 11 eateries, waterslides, a sustainable cocktail bar and more.
Debuting in August 2023, Norwegian Viva will sail a selection of bucket-list-worthy Greek Isles and Mediterranean voyages through November, before homeporting in San Juan, Puerto Rico in December 2023 for a season of Caribbean itineraries.
