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Norwegian Cruise Line sets up Aus office - is a local ship around the corner?

Norwegian Cruise Line is increasing its presence in Australia, with the establishment of its first local office.

Norwegian Cruise Line is increasing its presence in Australia, with the establishment of its first local office.

 

 

Announced this morning Norwegian revealed a sales and marketing base will be set up in Sydney.

It will be headed by Steve Odell – the current president of Silversea Cruises in the Asia Pacific – who will join on 1 October this year.

His team will represent Norwegian as well as Oceania and Regent Seven Seas, which Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings purchased from Prestige last year.

Steve Odell

Steve Odell heads up Norwegian Cruise Line in Australia.

In Odell’s new role of Senior Vice President and Managing Director Australiasia for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, he will organise additional training opportunities for Australian agents. These training sessions will be run by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings staff.

Harry Sommer, the company’s Executive VP of International Business Development, said opening an office in Australia is a ‘natural next step’ to its global expansion.

“It reflects our confidence in the growing Australia and New Zealand markets.”

Harry Sommer, Norwegian Executive VP of International Business Development

“The company’s relationships with current travel industry partners and local representatives will remain in place, with the office providing further on-site support.”

With the news that Norwegian Cruise Line is setting up a local office, one can only lead to the assumption that the cruise line could even potentially send a ship to our region.

Norwegian ship

Could a Breakaway-class vessel call Australia home?

Norwegian is currently one of three mass-market cruise lines that doesn’t have a ship visiting Australia on a regular basis. The others are MSC Cruises – which sent its first ship to our shores during the last wave season; and Costa Cruises.

In addition to the new office, Norwegian Cruise Line also had a big presence at this year’s Cruise3Sixty Australasia.

The company’s newly appointed CEO, Andy Stuart, was one of the key speakers at the event. During his speech he gave agents a detailed evolution of Norwegian Cruise Line and where he sees it heading in the future.

Our own prediction (and our hope) is that in the coming years Norwegian will send one of its Breakaway-class vessels to our shores.

What do you think? Could Norwegian Cruise Line be making steps towards a local ship?