Norwegian Cruise Line raises the bar on beverage offerings

Norwegian strengthens partnership with Miami-based Bar Lab to enhance beverage menus fleetwide with regional ingredients and expanded offerings

 MIAMI – July 24 2014 – Norwegian Cruise Line is once again raising the bar when it comes to the guest experience onboard, announcing today that they have expanded their partnership with award-winning mixologist Gabriel Orta of Miami-based Bar Lab Cocktails to offer exciting and creative new cocktails onboard all of Norwegian’s ships year-round.

This new beverage program, exclusive to Norwegian Cruise Line, is another aspect of the Norwegian NEXT program, bringing “new enhancements, experiences and transformations” to Norwegian’s fleet, with the goal of elevating the guest experience and building on the success of the line’s two newest ships: Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway.  

            As part of the previously-announced partnership, Bar Lab has created five specialty destination-based summer cocktail menus, with specialty cocktails focusing on regional ingredients and spirits based on Norwegian’s itineraries.

            Now, with the enhanced exclusive partnership, Bar Lab will consult on all of the line’s cocktail menus, bringing their award-winning expert mixology to Norwegian guests fleetwide. To continue to enhance the onboard experience in line with the classic cocktail culture resurgence seen globally, the inventive new handcrafted cocktails designed by Bar Lab, along with the Norwegian beverage development team, will feature avant-garde concoctions made with fresh juices, aromatic herbs and complementary local spirits.

            Along with consulting on the fleetwide menus, Orta and his team will visit several ships to conduct onboard training sessions with Norwegian’s bartenders; work with the Norwegian Corporate Development Team to create new cocktails in Norwegian’s shore side Test Bar; and collaborate with existing brand partners including Bacardi, Patron, Diageo, and more on beverage activations throughout the year.

            Recognized for their ingenious approach to the industry, the avant-garde cocktail programs created by Bar Lab have been awarded numerous professional honors and featured in publications worldwide.

            Guests sailing with Norwegian can begin enjoying these specialty cocktails onboard immediately with the Summer Destination beverages, while the new menus will be available fleet wide beginning September. Norwegian will debut new menus featuring holiday cocktails in October.

To book a cruise on Norwegian, guests can contact their travel professional, call Norwegian at 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784), or visit www.ncl.com.

 

About Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line is the innovator in cruise travel with a 47-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising, most notably with the introduction of Freestyle Cruising which revolutionized the industry by giving guests more freedom and flexibility. Today, Norwegian invites guests to “Cruise Like a Norwegian” on one of 13 purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed, resort style cruise vacation on some of the newest and most contemporary ships at sea. Recently, the line was named “Europe’s Leading Cruise Line” for the sixth consecutive year, as well as “Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Line” and “World’s Leading Large Ship Cruise Line” by the World Travel Awards.

The Company recently took delivery of its most innovative ship to date, the 4,000-passenger Norwegian Getaway on January 10, 2014.  The largest ship to homeport year-round in Miami, Norwegian Getaway boasts 28 dining options, including seafood restaurant Ocean Blue by famed New York Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian and a branch of Carlo’s Bake Shop by Buddy Valastro, star of the TLC series “Cake Boss.”  The entertainment lineup includes Broadway shows Legally Blonde and Burn the Floor and a unique magical theatrical experience, the Illusionarium.  Norwegian Getaway’s sister ship, Norwegian Breakaway, was named “Best New Ship of 2013” by the editors of Cruise Critic and “Best Rookie Cruise Ship” by the readers of Travel Weekly.  Known as New York’s ship, Norwegian Breakaway is the largest vessel to homeport year-round in the city.  The Company currently has four vessels on order at Meyer Werft for delivery in fall 2015, spring 2017, spring 2018 and fall 2019.

Norwegian Cruise Line is the official cruise line of the Miami Dolphins/Sun Life Stadium, The New York Knicks, Blue Man Group and Legends in Concert; and the official cruise line partner of The GRAMMY Awards and is an official partner of the Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall.

For further information on Norwegian Cruise Line, visit www.ncl.com, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @Norwegiancruiseline, Pin us on Pinterest, watch us on YouTube, or contact us in the U.S. and Canada at 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784), or visit www.ncl.com.