FIRST SIP

I WENT ON MY FIRST CRUISE in more than a decade this past October , when Norwegian Cruise Line invited some travel agents and press aboard its newest ship , the Norwegian Prima . It was a quick trip — from New York City to Halifax , Nova Scotia , and back — but we got a sense of the ship , first of six in the line ’ s Prima Class , and experienced some of the new offerings .

I should note that I am not a cruiser — I had only been on one other cruise and that was more than a decade ago . So a more seasoned sailor might have a different perspective , but these are a few things that stood out to me .

Variety is the spice of life . Prima includes Norwegian ’ s first-ever food hall , Indulge , which offers 11 different concepts with a wide assortment of global cuisines .

I had multiple meals at Indulge and didn ’ t come close to trying everything . I appreciated having so many different dining options , which would be especially welcome on longer voyages . The casual vibe and a mix of indoor and outdoor seating as well as some counter seats also made it a comfortable place to grab a bite solo .

People love bottled cocktails . The Belvedere Bar , Prima ’ s contemporary lounge , offers a few pre-made bottled craft cocktails . The presentation — in adorable little round bottles with a paper label tag tied around the neck — elevates the experience , plus having the drinks made in advance enables the bartenders to execute them quickly . Guests were clearly returning for their favorite bottled beverages .

Sustainablity can be delicious . Massive cruise ships generate considerable waste and Norwegian has tried to get ahead of that with efforts such as its Sail and Sustain program . Prima includes The Metropolitan Bar , the line ’ s first sustainable cocktail den , offering zero-waste drinks , responsibly made spirits and biodynamic wines .

Wes Cort , Norwegian ’ s vice president , food & beverage operations , and director of beverage development and operations Luis Ortega hosted a sustainable Happy Hour event at the bar and took us through three of the cocktails on the list . A favorite was the spicy Watermelon Twist tequila drink , made with a watermelon-rind cordial .

For more on Norwegian Prima , see page 15 . And for more on sustainability , check out our special Environmental , Social and Governance ( ESG ) supplement .

From all of us at Cheers , we hope you have the happiest of holidays and a bright , prosperous New Year . Cheers !

Melissa Dowling Editor

Winter 2022 Vol . 34 No . 4

Editor Melissa Dowling 763-383-4442 • mdowling @ epgacceleration . com

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