Norwegian Cruise Line sets sail with second season of visual storytelling platform

The Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is launching the next season of its visual storytelling platform "EMBARK with NCL". Its first episode titled “Caribbean Adventures” premiers on 1 July on its website and Facebook.

The second season will focus on the offerings on board, such as its spa and casino, and ashore, as well as the most guest-favoured destinations, hosted by American television personality and world traveller Zay Harding. Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line added that its guests will be able to get a sneak peek into NCL’s future with dedicated episodes towards its next best-in-class ship, the Norwegian Prima.

The second season will invite guests to discover the islands of Hawaii, where Harding sets sail aboard NCL’s Pride of America, the only ship that offers roundtrip inter-island voyages from Honolulu. They will also get a chance to witness NCL’s culinary champions battle it out in the kitchen in the “Great Cruise Cookoff” episode for a chance to have their creations featured aboard the Norwegian Prima. In the “Evolution of Innovation” episode, guests will celebrate the brand’s history as well as get a glimpse of its future as it prepares to launch its next class of ships.

In the final episode, Harding will travel to Reykjavik, Iceland to attend the event of the season, the Christening of Norwegian Prima. The tradition of christening a ship goes back centuries and is believed to bring good luck and safe travel to the vessel. Katy Perry will fulfil the longstanding maritime tradition of blessing and officially naming Norwegian Prima and perform during the Christening ceremony before the new ship sets sail on its inaugural voyages.

A preview of the second season showcases Harding on board NCL’s Norwegian Encore, its newest ship, where he island hops across islands comprising the Dominican republic, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas, St Thomas and Tortola. The first season, which came out a year ago, garnered nearly three million views and showcased NCL’s relaunch of its 17-ship fleet as it returned to cruising after a 500-day pause due to the pandemic.

Sommer said: "EMBARK with NCL allows us to visually showcase the incredible experiences we offer across our dynamic fleet, as well as the unforgettable vacation moments awaiting our guests at some of the most bucket-list-worthy destinations around the world.”

Christine Da Silva, SVP of Branding and Communications of Norwegian Cruise Line added that the most exciting thing about the latest season is the relevancy of the content showcased to travellers who are not familiar with cruising. “Season one provided us with an opportunity to connect with loyal guests, as well as those who know us and missed being at sea with us. Season two is all about the experience … about the food, entertainment, and the incredible places we visit. We’re happy to bring all of the benefits and joy of cruising to anyone who wants to see the world,” she said.

Other cruise providers have also promoted their cruises in different ways. In 2019, Princess Cruises had launched an international advertising campaign developed and produced specifically for Asian markets. The campaign, titled "Princessa” aimed to showcase the popular worldwide cruise destinations offered by Princess Cruises through a film pivoting around a multi-generational family onboard. 

Meanwhile, in 2018, Costa Cruises partnered with Ogilvy China for a campaign, featuring an immersive, experience-based approach that marks a departure from category conventions. The campaign for Costa, one of the main operating companies in the Carnival Group, was titled “The Best Time at Sea”, aimed at Chinese families, a key but often overlooked demographic in the cruise market.

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Costa Cruises and Ogilvy China launch campaign aimed at young families