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It was an open secret that ran throughout the ship.
"
Katy Perry
has already boarded."
"They say there's going to be a surprise."
"I think she's not going to sing."
"She is accompanied by
Orlando Bloom
, her partner. It seemed to me that I saw him on cover 16".
Comments about the American
pop star
multiplied in all languages throughout the cabins, pools, restaurants, bars and even the race track (which has one, yes) of the new
Norwegian Prima
,
the most spacious ship of the industry
and one of the most modern and innovative in the world, as well as the latest offspring of the shipping company
Norwegian Cruise Line
(NCL), with 55 years sailing the seas behind it.
The reason was clear: the singer had been chosen by the company to be the godmother of the ship, for which she was the undisputed star of its launch in the
port of Reykjavík,
the Icelandic capital that for the first time in its history received a boat of such size.
Translation: with a length of 294 meters and
a weight of 143,535 tons, it
has a capacity for
3,099 guests
in double occupancy, to which must be added 1,506 crew members, which is equivalent to a ratio of one employee for every two people.
Not surprisingly,
the design of the ship
, one of its main hallmarks, seeks to create different spaces that avoid crowds in search of a boutique concept.
One of the ship's decks.
With these data,
Norwegian Prima
manages to offer the highest staffing levels and
space ratio
of any contemporary cruise ship.
Not in vain, she has the largest decks (outdoor areas) of current ships.
The records of the first of the
ships of the Prima class
, the most advanced and exclusive of NCL, with the largest variety of categories of luxury suites available at sea (
The Haven,
with butler, concierge and solarium with private pool 24 hours ), as well as the fastest slides in the ocean (The Rush and The Drop) and the Prima Speedway,
the first three-tier speedway
built on a boat.
"With its cutting-edge design and unique offerings, the
Norwegian Prima
is in a league of its own," said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
The singer Katy Perry, during the performance on the boat.
Katy Perry was able to enjoy all of this during the recently concluded inaugural cruise, whose journey, after starting in
Reykjavík
, continued for seven days in the ports of
Cork
(Ireland),
Portland
(United Kingdom),
Le Havre
(France) and
Amsterdam
(Countries Low).
The singer could not be more excited about the journey and she made it known.
"
I love family vacations
and this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I couldn't be happier," she said, elegantly dressed in a fitted Klein blue dress after two priests, one Icelandic and one American, had blessed the ship.
Cagney's restaurant, specializing in meat.
Perry was also delighted with the (virtual) ceremony of breaking the champagne bottle on the hull, an
undisputed
maritime tradition .
"It's been so much fun to sprinkle some fairy dust on
Norwegian Prima
and send her sailing the high seas, and I look forward to spreading my
good vibes
," she said during the event, held at the Prima Theater & Club, the premier venue for the world that goes from being a three-story theater to a
nightclub
in the purest style of the nights of Las Vegas or Studio 54 in New York.
It hosts musicals such as
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,
performed on
Broadway
and nominated for the prestigious American Tony Awards, as sessions of the best DJs.
The ship in the port of Reykjavik.
The pop star was accompanied by other executives of the shipping company such as
Harry Sommer,
president and executive director of NCL, who highlighted the particularity of the event.
"We've been preparing for this moment for many years, so we're thrilled to embark on the next chapter for NCL with
Norwegian Prima
and see our vision come to life with this historic
christening ceremony
, which sets the tone for the vacation guests will enjoy at the next years".
Also speaking at the
Prima Theater & Club
was the daughter of the company's founder and pioneer in the cruise universe,
Knut Kloster,
who died in 2020 at the age of 91 and whom she remembered in an endearing video.
Cover of the 'Norwegian Prima'.
But yet another surprise awaited at the theater, which suddenly became a kind of
Smurfs
town , with colorful houses simulating
mushrooms, trees and flowers
proliferating in no time.
Smurfette number one was, of course, Perry, who, clad in a spectacular red ensemble with a mushroom-shaped hat included, put the
finishing touch
to the act with a live concert in which she performed legendary songs such as
California Gurls, Teenage Dream, Roar, I kissed a girl
and
Firework
, among many others.
Orlando Bloom and his two-year-old daughter did not miss the appointment.
The party then continued at the
Harpa cultural
center in downtown Reykjavik, where cruise guests were treated to an LED light show by artist
Olafur Eliasson
as well as a performance by Icelandic singer-songwriter Briet, who joined the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.
Opening show at the Harpa cultural center in Reykjavik.
The opening ceremony was not the only time that Katy Perry could be seen during the cruise, as she also displayed her carefree and cheerful character in one of the passages of the contest
The price is right live
(The fair price), a entertainment activities that guests can enjoy.
She had a great time as a contestant and even won.
Among the leisure proposals also stand out the nights at the casino,
the comedy club-
style monologues , the Trivial game, the virtual reality area taken to the end of the
Galaxy Pavilion,
mini golf, the outdoor sculpture garden of The Concourse or the pools with sea views of Infinity Beach.
Aerial view of the 'Norwegian Prima'.
We must not forget the culinary options of the ship, since it is the first to have a full-fledged
gastronomic market
, Indulge Food Hall, with stalls of 11 different varieties gathered in the same space in which design plays a fundamental asset, as in the boat set.
In addition, you can opt for the
theme restaurants
(
Cagney's, Los Lobos, Hasuki
, Onda by Scarpetta...), where you can taste Japanese, Italian, French, seafood... And if not, there will always be the buffet, of course. .
Perry wanted to try the specialized ones.
Of course, where she was seen to enjoy herself to the fullest was dancing in the night session of Studio 54 of the theater converted into a nightclub.
After her experience, the Californian is clear:
she will repeat the crossing on the high seas for sure
.
"It's wonderful to wake up every morning to an amazing new view," she added as one of her main reasons for
going on a cruise
.
One of the cabins of the new ship.
The interpreter has destinations to choose from with
Norwegian Prima
.
Later this month she will continue with maiden voyages to Northern Europe from the Netherlands, Denmark and England before arriving in the United States.
She will be followed
by Caribbean itineraries
from New York, Galveston, Texas and Miami in October and November, before settling in her homeport of Port Canaveral, Florida and Galveston for the 2023 and 2024 cruise season.
View of several outdoor swimming pools facing the sea.
Learn more
at www.ncl.com
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