Galveston to serve as homeport for 'newest and largest' Norwegian cruise ship

Norwegian Cruise Line announced on Sept. 21 that the Port of Galveston will serve as the homeport for its new cruise ship Prima, and State Rep. Mayes Middleton (R-Wallisville) couldn’t be happier.

“Congrats to the Port of Galveston,” Mayes wrote on Facebook after the announcement. “Norwegian Cruise line is bringing their newest and largest ship, Prima, to Galveston!”

The ship, which will have space for 3,215 guests at double occupancy, is under construction in Italy with its maiden voyage scheduled for Aug. 17, 2022. The 142,500-ton vessel carries a cost of $850 million and is being touted as a first-in-class ship. It features the first three-level racetrack in the Norwegian line.

“We’re not just elevating the guest experience, we’re giving it an adrenaline rush and multisensory overload,” said Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. “When we launched Norwegian Prima, we aimed at going beyond expectations, providing our guests with more wide-open spaces, elevated service, thoughtful design and a variety of unforgettable experiences, and this latest unveiling of our entertainment and onboard activities lineup is going to have the wow-factor they’ve yearned for in a much-anticipated cruise vacation.”

Prima's maiden itinerary begins in Amsterdam and continues to Reykjavik, Iceland, with stops in Zeebrugge, Bergen and Geiranger in Norway, and Akureyri and Isafjordur in Iceland. Future cruises feature stops in the UK, Belgium and France before heading to Bermuda, New York and Miami. She will then sail to Galveston. Prima will be the only ship offering Western Caribbean cruises to Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Harvest Caye, in Belize, which is exclusive to guests of NCL; and Roatan Island, Honduras.