Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has shifted strategies on fleet management across its trio of cruise brands.
After telling Wall Street in late February there wasn’t “anything imminent” coming for ship sales, and that the company was eyeing a 35-year service life for its cruise ships, the plans changed in just a matter of weeks.
On March 21 it was revealed that the Regent Seven Seas Navigator was heading to Cresent Seas, while on April 3, the same start up announced it had also acquired the Oceania Insignia.
Four days later, the Norwegian Sky and the Sun were chartered off to Cordelia Cruises.
“These agreements are a clear reflection of our disciplined long term approach to fleet optimization,” said Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, speaking on the company’s first quarter earnings call on Wednesday, April 30.
“By transitioning these ships into markets outside our core business with established operators in their respective areas, we’re able to unlock value from these assets while remaining focused on delivering a consistent, high quality experience across the remainder of each fleet in our three brands.”
Prior to the ship moves, the company would have had an average fleet age of 15 for NCL, and 14 for Oceania and Regent by 2030. The ship moves bring the average fleet age down to 14 for Norwegian and 13 for both Oceania and Regent by 2030, according to data from the Global Cruise Ship Index.