Norwegian Cruise Line backs call for cruise summit and says it could mean more ships

• Norwegian Cruise Line has joined Carnival Cruise Line in calling for a whole-of-government approach to the capacity shortage in Australian cruise.
• The line’s APAC MD Ben Angell said Japan had set the example and New Zealand had already adopted the approach.
• A senior NCL executive from Miami suggested the economic upside would be bigger and better ships.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Asia-Pacific boss Ben Angell has backed Cruise Passenger’s call for a national cruise summit, urging governments across Australia to adopt a coordinated, pro-cruise approach to remove excessive regulation and unlock growth in the region’s cruise sector.

Speaking at an event in Sydney to unveil the upcoming Australia and New Zealand season for Norwegian Spirit, Angell, the line’s Managing Director and Vice President APAC, said the industry urgently needs unified leadership to rebuild after a period of stalled capacity and policy stagnation.

“I think all the cruise lines are saying the same thing,” Mr Angell told Cruise Passenger publisher Peter Lynch. “There are world-class examples of how to do this — Japan is one of the best in recent years — where there’s a whole-of-government and industry approach to cruise, where everyone’s moving in the same direction.”

Jason Krimmel, NCL’s Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, suggested Norwegian was always looking at ways to deal with the Australian market, which he pointed out had the highest-spending international guests.

While no announcement was imminent, NCL’s long-term goal remained to bring newer tonnage to the region.

“It’s our goal to have those ships here in the future because we know it’s important for growth beyond the local market,” Krimmel said. “That’s what will keep people’s interest in cruising beyond their own shores.”

Cruise Passenger broke the story of how Australia’s capacity for this season is down about 30 per cent as lines redeploy ships to less restrictive and lower-cost markets. Australia’s complicated regulatory landscape and high port charges have been repeatedly cited by cruise operators as key barriers to investment.

Mr Angell said New Zealand had demonstrated how government and industry collaboration can drive recovery.

“I would say New Zealand has done a wonderful job in the last 12 months,” he said. “They’ve held the kind of forum we’re calling for here — bringing everyone to the table to find practical solutions that make cruising easier and more attractive.”

Global boom, local bottleneck

Angell acknowledged that cruise demand globally is “through the roof”, but said Australia risks missing out on that momentum unless it reforms.

“Of course, it’s challenging when global cruise demand is soaring, but we’re seeing brands shifting ships to markets that are easier to operate in,” he said. “There’s incredible demand chasing limited capacity — yet Australia’s narrative has been skewed too much toward the domestic home-port market. We need to think about the totality of the opportunity: inbound arrivals, fly-cruise, and outbound cruise travel.”

He said NCL’s approach was to help “reframe the conversation” about cruising in this region from a narrow domestic focus to a three-pillar strategy that balances international fly-cruise, inbound tourism and home-port operations.

“We’re seeing new segments discovering cruise — younger travellers, families, and those drawn by value amid economic uncertainty,” Angell said. “The average age of the cruiser is now around 40. Seventy-eight per cent of past cruisers plan to sail again in 2025, and 26 per cent of non-cruisers are planning their first cruise.”

He said NCL’s local office was working with travel partners to identify potential cruisers within their international holiday databases. “We want to find those who might add a cruise to their holiday, and those who will choose a cruise instead of a land-only trip,” he said.

Norwegian chases “Grown-up holidays”

Angell said NCL remained committed to Australia and New Zealand despite the headwinds. Norwegian Spirit will return for a third deployment in 2025-26 and a fourth in 2026-27, sailing 24 itineraries across two seasons with maiden calls including Phillip Island, Fremantle and Kangaroo Island.

“We’ve got five Sydney round trips in our 2027 season — that’s us demonstrating a commitment to this region like never before,” he said. “We’re filling a gap left by some of the domestic home-port reshuffling.”

Mr Angell said Norwegian Spirit — recently relaunched under the campaign “Where Grown-Ups Holidays Begin” — is designed to offer a more tranquil, adult-centred experience for couples and experienced cruisers.

“We saw a gap in the market for a product that isn’t about waterslides and queues for ice-cream,” he said. “Spirit offers a serene, quality product with huge variety on board — perfect for guests who want a culturally rich, adult-centric experience.”

NCL’s itineraries will stretch across Asia, the South Pacific, and Australia-New Zealand, with a focus on longer stays and immersive port experiences. “Guests are asking for more cultural immersion and more time in the destination — our itineraries now average 11 hours in port,” Mr Angell said.

Australian cruisers are “highest-value guests”

Krimmel reinforced the company’s commitment to the region, calling Australia “one of our highest-value source markets anywhere in the world.”

“The quality of the guest coming from Australia and New Zealand is much higher than what we see in some other parts of the world,” Krimmel said. “Their booking window is further out, and they tend to travel for longer and spend more. That makes this market incredibly meaningful for us.”

Krimmel said NCL’s international guests — including Australians — are “a hallmark of our success” and central to the company’s long-term growth plans

“We are here to stay,” he said. “Some others may have scaled back, but for us, this market is a tremendous priority. We’re continuously looking at how to optimise this region because of the high-value guests that come from here.”

Potential for newer ships — if conditions improve

Asked about the prospects of seeing newer vessels such as the Prima-class ships in local waters, Mr Krimmel said the company was keen but cautious, citing infrastructure and regulatory constraints.

“We’re constantly talking about what we can do to get exposure for a newer-class ship down here,” he said. “There are some limitations — it’s not just port size, but propulsion and navigation capabilities. We continue to have those conversations with local ports.”

He said that while no announcement was imminent, NCL’s long-term goal remained to bring newer tonnage to the region. “It’s our goal to have those ships here in the future because we know it’s important for growth beyond the local market,” Mr Krimmel said. “That’s what will keep people’s interest in cruising beyond their own shores.”

Growth markets: Asia, South Pacific and beyond

Mr Angell said Asia had “gone gangbusters” for NCL in recent years, with 40 immersive itineraries from nine to 19 days across seven departure ports. The line’s smaller Jewel-class vessels — such as Norwegian Spirit — are proving especially popular with Australian travellers.

“Guests love the intimacy of these ships and the quality of the onboard experience,” he said. “They’ve been refurbished to a standard that’s absolutely unmatched.”

The South Pacific is also performing strongly, with 15 unique sailings planned for 2026-27, operating from Sydney, Lautoka, Papeete and Honolulu. “The demand for longer South Pacific itineraries has been phenomenal,” Mr Angell said.

Industry optimism despite uncertainty

Despite economic headwinds and regulatory hurdles, both executives said cruise remains the best-value holiday option — a message they urged the travel trade to amplify.

“Inflation is a scary word, but for cruise, it actually reinforces our value proposition,” Mr Krimmel said. “Cruising remains the most valuable vacation experience out there, particularly in uncertain times.”

Mr Angell agreed, saying the broader narrative around cruising in Australia needed to shift from “what’s leaving” to “what’s possible.”

“NCL isn’t just participating in the market,” he said. “We’re helping to lead it — with a different narrative that looks at inbound, fly-cruise and home-port opportunities together.”

A case for leadership

Mr Angell said a cruise summit — bringing together federal and state governments, industry, ports and tourism bodies — would send a clear message that Australia wants to compete.

“We’ve got world-class destinations, passionate travellers and proven demand,” he said. “What we need is the same whole-of-government coordination we’ve seen in places like Japan. Everyone moving in the same direction — that’s how we’ll get cruise capacity growing again.”

As Cruise Passenger has highlighted, the stakes are high: with capacity still a third below pre-pandemic levels, Australia’s reputation as a cruise-friendly destination is at risk.

“We’re committed to this part of the world — today and for the future,” Mr Angell said. “Now we just need the policy settings to match that ambition.”