Luxury at Sea
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings promises a posh home away from home while at sea. Steve Odell shares how the company ups the ante on the cruise trend with MJ Jose
hese days, it isn’t unusual to see travel junkies boarding ships with cruise tickets in hand. Reported to be a burgeoning trend in 2015, cruise vacations continued to make waves among holiday goers in 2016, and this is likely to persist through 2017 as well. “It’s a full-on vacation experience that offers the luxury of convenience,” says Steve Odell, senior vice president and managing director of Asia Pacific for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH). “You go onboard, unpack your bag, relax, and enjoy what we have to offer.”
Odell established his career in the United Kingdom. Fresh out of university, he signed on at a UK-based company and eventually worked his way to a full-time position. Now over 20 months with NCLH, his primary responsibility is to grow the brand’s presence in the Asia Pacific region. “Cruising is a specialist sort of business,” he says. “It’s a good one to stick to when you’re armed with the necessary knowledge. It used to be rather niche, but has developed into something more mainstream due to the growing demand.” Excellence First NCLH is the third largest cruise group, capturing 10 per cent of the total cruise market with 24 ships and roughly two million passengers per year across three brands: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Amenities for all brands include popular and unique cruise destinations, the best dining and entertainment at sea, and a wide range of luxury accommodations. “We like to take things further by coming up with more unusual routes and more enticing itineraries,” adds Odell.
The Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is touted as a floating resort; it promotes a freedom of choice concept to cruisers, who are presented with a slew of leisure options onboard. The 14 vessels that comprise NCL’s fleet are designed to carry around 2,000 to 4,500 passengers. There are up to 28 dining options per vessel and entertainment selections that range from theatrical performances to casinos,