Norwegian Cruise Line has partnered with technology-solutions provider, DeCurtis Corp, to produce a new technology platform project – the patented Cruise Freedom.
Following the introduction of the new fully integrated Cruise Norwegian app in December, and the US debut of ‘Norwegian Bliss’, Norwegian’s partnership with DeCurtis is the second-stage in its ongoing objective to elevate the guest experience.
Phased implementation will begin later this year, with preliminary elements launching on ‘Norwegian Bliss’ in late 2018, followed by ‘Norwegian Encore’ in the Autumn of 2019.
“Innovation has always been at the core of Norwegian’s philosophy and with technology ever-advancing, we too are tasked with reaching the forefront of technological advancements,” said Andy Stuart, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. “This partnership with DeCurtis is an advantageous opportunity to rapidly advance our own efficiency and allow both tech-proficient and less tech-savvy guests to navigate their experience seamlessly on board and throughout any point in their voyage with us – from dreaming to cruising.”
“Freedom and flexibility while cruising is Norwegian Cruise Line’s mission, and advancing our technology allows us to continue to support our core values and deliver the experience our guests expect from us,” said Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. “Norwegian’s investment in this technology has the potential to position us as the leader in our industry, and further pioneer new cruising experiences that result in increased guest satisfaction. We look forward to this partnership with DeCurtis Corporation, and are excited to enter the first phase of development.”
This agreement between Norwegian and DeCurtis marks the first step in the next phase of the new Cruise Freedom platform roll-out, and an illustration of Norwegian’s mission of enabling freedom and flexibility on board and on shore.
“Creating elegantly simple solutions to solve complex problems has been our main focus for the last 20 years,” said David DeCurtis, founder of DeCurtis Corp. “With our entry to the cruise and hospitality market over a decade ago, DeCurtis has continued to revolutionise and streamline operations and truly transform guest and crew experience in what is both a unique and rewarding space.
“As we explore ways to utilise technology across several platforms, we are looking forward to working with Norwegian Cruise Line with a clear focus on making the cruise experience more immersive and memorable. We embrace the exciting future that is represented by Cruise Freedom that will push the limits of personalisation of the guest experience in a seamless way throughout every phase of their vacation with Norwegian – from planning to cruising,” he said.
“This relationship with DeCurtis is one of the integral parts of our digital strategy and is invaluable for the launch of our next ship, set for completion in fall of 2019, as well as a new class of ships we’ll be introducing in 2022,” said Keyvan Bohlooli, senior vice president and CIO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. “We are working closely with the design, engineering, and management teams, as well as our on board crew, to ensure all new technology will easily be integrated for rapid adoption and expedited use on not only our recently-launched and future ships, but ultimately the rest of the Norwegian fleet as well.”
