I had the great honor of participating in the christening ceremony ofย Norwegian Cruise Lineโs ship, the Viva. The christening took place in the Port of Miami followed by a 3-day cruise to NCLโs private island, Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, so I was booked on a direct flight from New York to Miami.
Itโs always smart and recommended, when traveling to a cruise port outside of your home town, to fly or drive there the night before. Weather is always unpredictable and you donโt want to miss the boat! But other challenges can arise. The plane scheduled for my flight was late due to technical problems. So problematic was the issue that they decided to switch the plane out for another, but it hadnโt arrived from Brazil. Three hours later, she appeared. So, if I had not flown down the night before and I had this obstacle the day of the cruise, it could have been disastrous.
Frustrated and exhausted, once I arrived in Florida just after midnight, I ordered an Uber to take me to my hotel and the very enthusiastic driver, Diego, showed up almost instantly. His positive nature completely calmed my nerves. He asked me if I was visiting for vacation or work and I said both. I explained to him what I was in town for and he got all excited. โThe Viva! I love her look! Iโve already driven by her several times. Sheโs the Lamborghini of cruise ships.โ I laughed to myself at his remark, but the next morning when I arrived at the cruise terminal, I saw the hull of the ship and it does resemble a Lamborghini. She was stunning.
And so was Norwegian Cruise Lineโs flagship cruise terminal B, dubbed the โPearlโ of Miami which opened in August 2021. With the design team of Haskell and joint venture partner NV2A Group, the magnificent terminal exhibits massive glass walls, wide open spaces, and undulating architecture that mimics ocean waves. Itโs here, in the terminal, where a cruiserโs journey begins and sets the tone for the voyage. Hence, a cruise line strives to make the check-in and disembarkation process seamless, and NCL has succeeded beautifully. In fact, my check-in was so fast and smooth, I barely remember it.
Viva Balcony Bathroom (Photo by NCL)
Knowing we had a very busy schedule ahead of us, upon boardingย the ship I zipped up to the 9th deck to find my balcony cabin. I was just going to drop my luggage and run, but the room was so beautiful I had to explore it. With a queen bed, a double sofa pull-out, and 185 square feet, this cabin could comfortably sleep four guests. Neutral tones throughout had a calming spa like vibe to it and the 45 square foot balcony with two wicker chairs and a table beckons you out onto it to enjoy the views of the gorgeous blue sea. I discovered that the Viva has up to 36% more space per quest compared to other contemporary cruise lines, and that it offers the most outdoor deck space of any other new ship. The bathroom was exceptionally large and well laid out, while the rain shower felt great and added a touch of luxury. In fact, I wish I couldย replace my bathrooms at home with theirs.
The ship, like its sister the Prima, offers a plethora of different types of cabins. For those where money is no object you can sail in the Haven, which is a ship within a ship. Here we have the different types of owner suites with separate bedrooms as well as dedicated dining and living rooms. They can accommodate up to 8 guests and they come with their own butler. The Haven also has a private elevator, pool, bar, and restaurant.
Haven Bedroom (Photo by NCL)
On the other end of the spectrum are the single inside cabins. They are superbly thought out and feel cozy rather than claustrophobic. And because space is tight, the guests in solo rooms have their own lounge area where they can spread out, socialize, read a good book, or possibly flirt.
I had a few moments to quickly explore the ship before the christeningย ceremonies were about to begin. The Viva was designed by world renowned architects which include SMC Design, Piero Lissoni, Rockwell Group and Studio Dado. Dado designed the Penrose Atrium which is 3 decks high and offers expansive windows and plenty of seating. On one deck is the Whiskey Bar and on another a full-scale Starbucks Cafรฉ. I downed a quick double-espresso and I was off and running. Although the Viva can accommodate 3,099 guests with a crew of 1,506, our ship was not full to the max. This trip was invite only of industry cruisers and was not open to the general public. There were 1,500 guests and we were comprised of travel agents, travel journalists, media, travel consultants, Norwegian corporate leaders, etc.
This was to be my first christening of a ship, and as we all filed off of the Viva and back into the terminal for the actual ceremony there was an excitement in the air that felt electric. I was lucky that I had a seat assigned to me because Terminal B was standing room only with enthusiastic onlookers.
The event was hosted by the popular radio host, Elvis Duran and, as you can imagine, I discovered that there are many, many people involved in the process of creating and launching a new ship. Prior to the actual breaking of the bottle of champagne on the shipโs hull, the President of Norwegian Cruise Line, David J. Herrera, appeared on the stage in a very humorous video showing him experiencing everything the ship has to offer. At one moment, in casual wear and while holding clothing in his arms, he entered what is called the Drop, which is the first free-fall dry slide in the world. It drops a heart-stopping 10 stories below. And when David steps out of the Drop he is completely transformed, ready for the launch and wearing the elegant suit he was carrying. It was very funny.
Other key players at the launch of the Viva who joined David on stage were Harry Sommer, President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line as well as the Vivaโs Captain, Giorgio Voussolinos.
Luis Fonsi Performing At The Norwegian Viva Christening (Photo by Arthur Wooten)
The highlight of the ceremony was when Luis Fonsi, the five-time Latin GRAMMY Award-winning artist appeared. โI am so honored be named Godfather of NCLโs newest ship Norwegian Viva.โ David Herrera added, โTonightโs celebration highlights the significance of Latin culture in both Miami, and Puerto Rico, where Norwegian Viva will be the newest ship to homeport in San Juan this winter.โ
With everyone on stage together, there was the countdown to the champagne bottle bursting open on the hull of the Viva. Amidst a confetti canon firing off, cheering, and hundreds of balloons dropping, it was time to party. Upon re-boarding the ship, we were all treated to a cocktail of our choice to cheer to the Vivaโs safe travels.
I chose the Metropolitan Bar. Itโs the most innovative because of its creative commitment to sustainable cocktails. The Baris NCLโs contribution to their Sail & Sustain Initiative, and when introduced on the Prima last year it was the first sustainable bar at sea. They save leftover food items and cleverly transform them into reusable products. For example: fresh banana peels are transformed into syrups for making drinks. Six years ago, NCL was the first cruise line to eliminate plastic straws. They are now made up of vegetables and agave syrup. Small and simple changes which make a huge difference.
I ordered a Pineapple Surplus which consisted of Ja-Ja tequila, chinola passion fruit, pineapple juice, pineapple peel, and turmeric honey. A smart cock tail for sure. While enjoying the libation I walked over to the barโs wall installation. Created by Dominic Harris, a renowned British digital artist, his 52-foot wide interactive art piece is titled, “Every Wing Has a Silver Lining.” The art magically responds to passing movement, animating hundreds of butterflies as you wave your hands or simply walk past it.
Hudson Restaurant (Photo by NCL)
Afterwards, we were escorted to our select restaurants for a gala dinner. I was seated in the Hudson and the menu, bespoke for the evening, was glamorous as well as delicious. At every seating there was an amuse bouche waiting for us; a single bite of lobster medallion with sweet corn and poblano chili. A brilliant beginning to an awesome dinner.
For the first course I chose their Heirloom Romaine and Shrimp Salad made up of little gem lettuce, mango, jicama, charred avocado and served with a cilantro goddess dressing. The shrimp were perfectly prepared and the goddess dressing was heavenly.
My entrรฉe was the Steak and Caribbean Lobster Tail: beef tenderloin, chimichurri, roasted carrot and garlic potatoes. Honestly, that was the best steak Iโve had in years. It was a perfect medium rare, juicy and seriously melt ed in my mouth. Flowing endlessly during the entire dinner was a delicious LโIndomptable de Cigalus Pur Chardonnay: cold, crisp. and dry.
For dessert I devoured their Valrhona Milk Chocolate Tartlette made with passion fruit cremeux and dulce de leche. Iโm not a dessert person, but there wasnโt a morsel left on my plate. What a way to end a celebratory dinner.
After dinner, the shipโs entertainment featured none other than Mr. Fonsi in the Viva Theatre and Club. The seats in the main stage theatre are removeable in that they can be pushed out of the way and into back walls, similar to bleachers in a gymnasium. Whatโs left is a giant dance floor, or in the case of Fonsiโs show, a standing pit for fans. His high energy show was accompanied by a full band, back- up singers and dancers. This was followed by a welcome aboard dance party from 11:30 P.M. till closing, with many of the guests not wanting the night to end.
Day two we were at sea, and after a quick and delicious breakfastย consisting of an omelet made to order and plenty of hot coffee in the Surfside Cafรฉ & Grill I headed for the Viva Speedway on deck 18 at the back of the ship. The 10 participants in my group were given driving and safety instructions, then we slipped protective cotton head masks on prior to getting our helmets fitted. Itโs a three-level outdoor race track and is the longest at sea. Our race carts were electric, hence they are absolutely quiet, but NCL pumps into your helmet the racing sounds according to your speed. If you collide into something, either an embankment or another driver, or if they hit you, the crash is heard.
NCL Speedway (Photo by NCL)
It was wonderfully exhilarating. The max speed you can hit is about 30 mph and there are long straight-aways coupled with no less than 14 sharp turns. There are a total of ten laps to the race and the speedway keeps track of where you are in the ranking. Not having a rear-view mirror, itโs a bit tricky and sometimes surprising when another racer comes up from behind and tries to pass you. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!
Located all around the speedway are a multitude of activities ranging from Tee Time (miniature golf comprised of 9 interactive holes), The Bullโs Eye (21st century darts with a computer scoring system), and the Galaxy Pavilion (14 attractions including 2 escape rooms and several virtual reality experiences).
The Virtual Rollercoaster was so unique and thrilling, I had to do it twice!ย First you choose the theme of your ride. For me, ride number one was a dinosaur land and the second was snow capped mountains. You actually have to buckle up, yes, itโs a bumpy ride, before you put on your virtual headsets. And then itโs a rollercoaster through your chosen landscape. For the dinosaurs, a giant 3-D bumble bee comes down at you and your off. In both scenarios, it felt like a true rollercoaster except that your car at several different points jumps the track and you are free falling until the car reattaches to the track. Itโs hard to walk a straight line afterwards, but itโs truly breathtaking.
After exploring more of the ship I discovered the Observation Lounge on deck 17. Ultimately this was my favorite chill space onboard. Beautifully dec orated with rows of chaise lounge sofas, each separated with see-through partitions, this was the place to take a nap or read a good book. Beyond this space was the bar with cocktail tables and chairs and giant windows overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The room had a respectful quietness to it even though it was full. The woman typing away on her laptop thanked a waiter who brought a drink to her table. Not able to guess what it was, I asked her. Hence, I ordered my first espresso martini. What a concept…letโs get tipsy and caffeinated! Actually, it was delicious. Maybe it was a little too good.
Indulge Hall/Bar (Photo by NCL)
I canโt wait to travel on the Viva again, either from San Juan to Barbados, Antigua, and St. Lucia, or possibly on one of her journeys from Venice to Athens and down the Adriatic. The possibilities are endless.
Eventually I wobbled down to deck 8 to have a late lunch at the Indulge Food Hall. Similar to the Indulge on NCLโs Prima, this set up had more seating indoors and out, but maintained the great concept. At every table is a tablet where you order your food from. I counted 8 different restaurants/kitchens. Some are located in traditional kitchens, others like the Latin Quarter, is set up as a food truck. You can pull up menus from any of the venues AND you can mix and match. For example: You could order the chicken tika (superb!) served with basmati rice from Tamara and then pair it with an order of the Romaine & Kale Salad from The Garden and maybe add on an order of Datiles Con Almendras from the Tapas Bar. This last dish, in my family, is called Devils On Horseback. We are Scottish and Irish and Granny used to love making these taste treats. They are bacon wrapped dates stuffed with blue cheese and roasted almonds and broiled till the bacon is just crunchy. Granny used to change it up and replace the date with an apricot and then called them, Angels On Horseback.
Devil’s on Horseback (Photo by NCL)
Later that afternoon, I headed for Mandara Spa. Here you can expect the usual list of services ranging from basic Swedish Massage and Shiatsu to facials, but this is a true opportunity to escape and relax. The Viva boasts the first charcoal saunas at sea in a thermal complex that includes a two-story waterfall, stunning salt pools, an ice room and an infrared sauna.
The next day was an opportunity to explore NCLโs privately ownedย island, Great Stirrup Cay. I had visited here on several previous trips on NCL, but was happy to discover that theyโve really upped their game and what the island has to offer. Thereโs a sandy beach called Silver Cove leading out to warm aquamarine water. You can just swim, but thereโs also snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding, and jet skiing, not to mention swimming with pigs!
But if you prefer to just hang out on the beach there are several outdoor restaurants and bars to enjoy as well as private cabanas to rent. Or maybe youโd like to ride their zip-line 120 feet up that extendsย from the lighthouse out over the reef and reaches speeds of 50 mph! After a sundrenched day on Great Stirrup Cay the last opportunity on my to-do list was sharing a meal that evening with five fellow travel industry professionals at Le Bistro, the French restaurant onboard. The only thing more delicious than the meal and ambience, was the company. Host ed by our PR leader Maddy DalPonte this dinner was so much fun, as well as being one of the unexpected highlights of the trip.
This was a quick but glorious christening trip to the Bahamas on Norwegian Viva, but it was a also a bit of a tease of future cruises. I canโt wait to travel on her again, either from San Juan to Barbados, Antigua, and St. Lucia, or possibly on one of her journeys from Venice to Athens and down the Adriatic. The possibilities are endless.
