-Cruise Line Strengthens European Presence with Six Ships in the Region-

Norwegian Cruise Line, the innovator in international cruise travel, celebrates its first season of cruises from the Netherlands, Amsterdam with the European debut of Norwegian Pearl, growing the brand’s presence to six ships in the region for the first time.

On Saturday, 8 June, Norwegian Pearl’s Captain, Paul von Knorring, and the ship’s officers were honored with a plaque and key to the city of Amsterdam from local officials from the Port of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Cruise Port and Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, as part of the maritime tradition.

On 11 May, the 2,400-passenger Norwegian Pearl embarked on her first summer season in Europe, where she became the largest ship to sail on the Thames River at Tilbury in Essex, England.  She will cruise the North and Baltic Seas until end of June, before repositioning to Rome (Civitavecchia) for a season of varied Mediterranean voyages.

“As the only North American cruise line to sail Europe year-round, we are very excited to offer guests new and interesting itineraries full of history, culture and diverse landscapes while they enjoy our various ships in the region, including Norwegian Pearl, which is homeporting in Europe for the first time,” said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line.

Conveniently located near Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the third busiest international airport in Europe, and the city’s cultural attractions, guests can explore the various city sites of the Dutch capital from its iconic canals and Avant-Garde architecture to its quaint cafes and charming streets before or after setting sail aboard Norwegian Pearl.

“We were very pleased to welcome Norwegian Pearl as her new homeport for the 2019 summer season,” said Alma Prins, Commercial Manager Cruise at Port of Amsterdam. “Amsterdam is uniquely positioned in the heart of Western Europe, offering international guests the opportunity to combine a cruise with a land-based discovery of the Old Continent and its many treasures.”

During her first season in Europe, Norwegian Pearl will sail 10-14-day cruises to the Greek Isles; the Mediterranean; and the French, Spanish and Italian Riviera’s from Amsterdam, Netherlands; Barcelona, Spain; and Venice and Rome Italy through 14 October.

Beyond offering cruises to some of the most sought-after destinations in the region, Norwegian Pearl will also host the first European Jon Bon Jovi Runaway To Paradise cruise from August 26 to 30. The sailing, featuring a concert set by legendary musician Jon Bon Jovi and the 11-piece Kings of Suburbia band, provides guests with one-of-a-kind immersive experiences and larger-than-life performances, as they sail from Barcelona to Palma, Majorca, Spain. For more information on this festival-at-sea cruise, fans are encouraged to visit med.runawaytoparadise.com.

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About Norwegian Cruise Line
As the innovator in global cruise travel, Norwegian Cruise Line has been breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising for over 52 years. Most notably, the cruise line revolutionized the industry by offering guests the freedom and flexibility to design their ideal vacation on their preferred schedule with no assigned dining and entertainment times and no formal dress codes. Today, its fleet of 16 contemporary ships sail to nearly 300 of some of the world’s most desirable destinations, including Great Stirrup Cay, the company’s private island in the Bahamas and its resort destination Harvest Caye in Belize.  Norwegian Cruise Line not only provides superior guest service from land to sea, but also offers a wide variety of award-winning entertainment and dining options as well as a range of accommodations across the fleet, including solo-traveler staterooms, mini-suites, spa-suites and The Haven by Norwegian^®, the company’s ship-within-a-ship concept.