Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) has started 2023 with record booking levels, despite a 14% increase in prices.
The cruise company, which owns Norwegian, Oceania and Regent Seven Seas had taken $2.7 billion in advanced sales by 31 December, around 30% higher than at the end of 2019.
Announcing an adjusted loss of $439.7 million for the last three months of 2022, NCLH said: “Booking volumes have accelerated in recent months buoyed by strong wave season demand.
“The company’s brands achieved several booking records in recent months including at Norwegian Cruise Line which reached an all-time record booking month in November, boosted by Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which was subsequently exceeded in January 2023.”
Its ship occupancy levels reached 87% in the fourth quarter of 2022, 20% below 2019, but NCLH said it expects a return to historic levels by the second quarter of this year.
President Frank Del Rio said: “We are now squarely focused on the future and are taking deliberate and strategic actions to best position the company for its next chapter, which includes an industry-leading growth profile representing approximately 50% capacity growth over 2019.”
NCLH confirmed that of the five new Norwegian Prima class ships on order, two would be 10% bigger than originally planned and the final two would be 20% larger. The last two will be powered using greener fuels.