Many entertainment options on the Bliss are free, including two water slides, the Beatles show and a couple of big musical revues including “Jersey Boys,” an almost full-length version of the Broadway hit. Some nights the comedy club turns into a silent disco, where patrons wear headphones and can dance and sing along to different songs than the person next to them.
The strategy is paying off. Norwegian said its onboard revenue is tops among the big cruise operators at $76 per day, compared with $53 at Royal Caribbean and $45 at Carnival. It also leads in terms of overall revenue from onboard extras, like drinks, gambling and shore excursions.
So far, rivals aren’t charging for some of their gee-whiz attractions. Carnival’s SkyRide, a pedal-powered vehicle that circles above the deck of the Horizon, is still free, for example. But Norwegian said the Bliss, its largest vessel at 4,004 passengers, is the most successful new ship it has launched, in terms of advance bookings and prices. It’s all about giving customers options, according to Andy Stuart, chief executive of the Norwegian line.
“Someone could come on a cruise and eat in the main restaurants, they can not drink alcohol and they can walk off and not spend a dime if they choose to,” he said in an interview in the Bliss’s Haven lounge. “Someone else can come on the ship and spend a lot of money, depending on the experience they choose.”
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.