Norwegian Cruise Line Forced to Delay Construction of Two Ships

Norwegian Cruise Line said it has been forced to delay the construction of two ships – the third and fourth boats in the Prima-Class series – due to a handful of reasons, according to Cruise Hive.

At the forefront of those problems, the company said, are supply chain issues that are impacting the cruise line in almost every aspect. It will take “several months” for construction to begin again on the two Prima-Class ships. The news comes at a time when cruising is enjoying a resurgence after two years of bearing the brunt of the CDC restrictions in the wake of the pandemic.

Previously, the Prima-Class Norwegian Viva, the second ship in the class, had six sailings delayed for the same reasons. The third and fourth Prima-Class ships were originally scheduled to debut in 2024 and 2025, but are now more likely to set sail in 2025 and 2026. The company also said in its latest earnings release that the ongoing war in Ukraine is impacting ship-building to a degree as well.

How that affects the company’s bottom line going forward remains to be seen, however. Still, now that travel by cruise has been so robust, a company doesn’t want to fall behind its competitors, either.

The chips are being built at a ship-yard in northern Italy.