Pop Superstar Katy Perry Named Godmother of New Norwegian Prima
Pulling out the stops to showcase its ground-breaking new ship, Norwegian Cruise Line named pop superstar Katy Perry as godmother of the Norwegian Prima.
Not only will Perry christen the ship on Aug. 27 in Reykjavík, Iceland, with the traditional maritime blessing and the breaking of a champagne bottle on the hull, she’ll also perform before the Norwegian Prima departs on its inaugural voyages from Reykjavík. It will be the first major ship christening in the Icelandic capital.
NCL President and CEO Harry Sommer, who announced the selection in Las Vegas before Perry performed in concert, said he wanted to showcase the ship with an exciting godmother and christening location.
“We want to be at the cutting edge, and we want to do things that are super-exciting,” he said. “This is our first new class of ship in 10 years, and we want to send it off with a bang. We want to get the top, grade-A, best entertainment we can find. And we want to go somewhere exciting. When I tell people to come to Reykjavík, they’re like, I want to go! Anyone can do another christening in Miami. We want to go somewhere exciting, somewhere special that people want to be.”
The announcement took place in Las Vegas, where the pop princess is currently performing in a residency, “Play,” at Resorts World Las Vegas. Perry also is a judge on “American Idol.”
She briefly spoke with the travel press during a meet-and-greet and said she was “excited” about serving as godmother of a major cruise ship. “I love that I get to christen her with my good vibrations, and I’m so excited for this new, beautiful, high-end, high-tech ship to take the seas, and provide once-in-a-lifetime vacations for so many families,” she said.
“All of the best trips my family has taken have been on the water,” Perry said. “You just wake up in another place, with a new view, and you’re, like, oh my God, this is amazing. Nothing compares. I think it’s the best way to see the world.”
Norwegian Prima – the first of six 142,500-gross-ton, 3,215-passenger ships in the class – will offer inaugural voyages to Northern Europe from Southampton, England; Amsterdam; and Reykjavík, Iceland, beginning Aug.12. Bermuda sailings from New York City will begin on Oct. 6, while Caribbean itineraries from Galveston and Miami will start Oct. 27.
NCL is positioning Norwegian Prima as its most in-demand vessel ever. The ship broke the company’s record for the most sales on the first day bookings opened in May for August 2022 itineraries. It also broke the company’s record for the best initial booking week in sales.
Sommer said he just saw the vessel last week at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy.
“The ship looks absolutely spectacular,” he said. “It’s everything that we possibly could imagine. Lots of great outdoor spaces, an incredible upscale feel to her, and tons and tons of dining options.”
The ship’s highlights include Ocean Boulevard, which features multiple infinity pools and Oceanwalk glass bridges with ocean and destination views. Indulge is the brand’s first upscale international open-air dining marketplace. And The Concourse will feature an outdoor sculpture garden boasting “Instagrammable” installations by famed artists David Harber and Alexander Krivosheiw.
Designed by the master architects at Piero Lissoni, the ship’s revamped luxurious suite complex, The Haven By Norwegian, will feature 107 staterooms spanning eight decks with a new infinity pool overlooking the ship’s wake and a new outdoor spa with a glass-walled sauna and cold room.
Most recently, NCL unveiled its remaining culinary and beverage offerings available on Norwegian Prima and Viva, including the brand’s first sustainably focused lounge, The Metropolitan, and its ultra-upscale Mediterranean seafood specialty restaurant Palomar.
To commemorate this partnership and celebrate other entertainment headliners that will be featured on Norwegian Prima, NCL has put together a celebratory Spotify playlist.
Katy Perry has racked up a cumulative 50 billion streams alongside worldwide sales of over 48 million adjusted albums and 135 million tracks. She boasts 40 million monthly listeners on Spotify with over 20 million followers on the platform.
Her 2019 single, “Never Really Over,” off her latest album “Smile,” is certified Platinum and was the biggest streaming launch of her musical career.
Views of her 2013 video “Roar” and 2014 “Dark Horse” have recently surpassed three billion views – making Perry the first female artist to reach this milestone.
Aside from being one of the best-selling musical artists of all time, Perry is an active advocate of many philanthropic causes. In 2013, she was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador also champions for LGBTQ+ equality and has received numerous awards for her work.