Norwegian Cruise Line appears to have inadvertently revealed the name of its sixth and final Prima-class cruise ship as Norwegian Bella.
The discovery came after cruise-content creators This Cruise Life (@thiscruiselife) shared an Instagram post showing Norwegian Bella in the ship filter on Norwegian Cruise Line’s website.
Unlike the other ships displayed in the filter, Norwegian Bella was greyed out and could not be selected. That would be consistent with the ship already existing in NCL’s website database but not yet having any cruises available to book.
It’s important to note that NCL has not officially announced Norwegian Bella or confirmed that the name belongs to its 2028 ship. Until the cruise line issues a press release or opens the vessel for reservations, the name remains unofficial.
NCL filed a trademark for “Norwegian Bella”
The website appearance is supported by a well-established trademark trail. NCL US IP Co 2, LLC filed a new U.S. trademark application for the standard-character name NORWEGIAN BELLA on February 27, 2023.
The application carries serial number 97813300 and covers services including arranging cruises, cruise-ship services, organizing travel, providing transportation for excursions and transporting passengers by cruise ship.
As of September 5, 2026, the application remains live and pending. A fifth extension of time to file a statement of use was granted on August 5, 2026. The complete record is available through the USPTO Trademark Status and Document Retrieval system.
An earlier U.S. application for Norwegian Bella was filed in October 2019 alongside several other potential Prima-class names. That original application was abandoned in June 2023 after no statement of use was filed. However, NCL had already submitted the newer application, preserving Norwegian Bella as an active option.
Several trademarked names eventually became ships in Norwegian’s fleet, including Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Aqua, Norwegian Luna, and Norwegian Aura.
However, other unused names are associated with NCL’s filings, including the following:
- Norwegian Vela — vela means “sail” in Italian
- Norwegian Ultima — ultima means “last” or “final”
- Norwegian Ombra — ombra means “shadow”
- Norwegian Bella — bella means “beautiful”
Not every trademark application becomes a ship name, and some of the original U.S. applications are no longer active. Cruise lines commonly seek protection for several possible names so they can maintain flexibility while new ships are being designed and marketed.
Norwegian Ultima had previously emerged as a likely choice because the 2028 vessel will complete the six-ship Prima series, as prima means “first,” and ultima means “last.” However, Norwegian Bella’s appearance on NCL’s website now makes it a more convincing candidate.
What is known about the sixth Prima-class ship
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ regulatory filings identify the vessel as the sixth Prima-class ship and list its name only as “To come.” Delivery is scheduled for 2028.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s sixth and final Prima-class ship is scheduled for delivery in 2028. According to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ official newbuild schedule, the unnamed vessel is expected to measure approximately 170,000 gross tons and accommodate about 3,880 guests.
NCL describes the ship as a next-generation, “methanol-ready” Prima-class vessel. The designs of the final two ships in the series, including Norwegian Aura and its unnamed sister ship, have been lengthened and reconfigured to accommodate green methanol as a potential future fuel source. The company notes that additional modifications will be required before the ships can operate fully on green methanol.
The fifth ship in the series, Norwegian Aura, offers an indication of what guests might expect from the final vessel. Scheduled to debut in May 2027, Norwegian Aura will measure approximately 1,130 feet long and 170,000 gross tons, with accommodations for 3,879 guests at double occupancy.
It will be approximately 10% larger than Norwegian Aqua and Norwegian Luna. Its headline attraction will be Ocean Heights, a multi-level outdoor complex featuring waterslides, a ropes course, a climbing wall, miniature golf and overhanging cabanas. NCL has not confirmed which of these features will also appear aboard the sixth ship
