Norwegian Cruise Line is trying to reinvent itself and redefine its brand — but it’s not quite clear what it’s trying to become.
During the launch of its newest Prima Class ship, Norwegian Luna, Norwegian Cruise Line’s leadership outlined the company’s renewed focus on brand consistency, industry differentiation, and premium positioning.
“I always felt it punched below its weight,” said president and CEO Marc Kazlauskas during a leadership panel, as reported by Travel Weekly. “I always knew how great the NCL product and crew was, but I also felt it punched below its weight.”
During the same discussion, Kazlauskas emphasized that Norwegian sees itself as a premium cruise line. Yet, the onboard experience doesn’t always align with that positioning.
The cruise line has invested heavily in new ships, expanded dining options, and onboard offerings. But between shifting pricing strategies, added fees, and inconsistent policies, the experience can feel anything but premium.
Now, with leadership changes, growing competitive pressure, and increased scrutiny from investors, Norwegian is focused on improving revenue performance. At the same time, the cruise line is working to elevate the guest experience and solidify itself as a premium brand.
The challenge is that those priorities don’t always move in the same direction.
NCL is pushing a premium image, but still nickel-and-dimes onboard
One of the biggest challenges for Norwegian right now is the disconnect between how the brand positions itself and how the onboard experience really feels.
“Norwegian Cruise Line is definitely in the premium space, above contemporary,” Kazlauskas said during the panel, according to Cruise Industry News.
Theoretically, this puts Norwegian in the same category as Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Holland America Line. However, all of these brands focus on a more upscale, inclusive experience.
Although Norwegian aims to position itself as a premium cruise line, the onboard experience doesn’t always align.
Over the past year, Norwegian has leaned further into revenue optimization by introducing policies that feel more in line with mass-market cruise lines. For example, the cruise line now charges $5 for a second entrée in the main dining room — a move similar to Carnival Cruise Line. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean, one of Norwegian’s biggest competitors, still allows guests to order multiple entrees without an added fee.
The same pattern shows up elsewhere. While Royal Caribbean includes basic onboard messaging for free, Norwegian charges an additional fee, anywhere from $2.99 to $6.99 per day for the same amenity.
Comparatively, Carnival Cruise Line charges only $5 per person for the entire cruise to access onboard messaging. And premium brands like Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises provide free onboard messaging.
In contrast, premium brands typically aim to simplify the experience by including more upfront and reducing friction onboard. On the other hand, Norwegian appears to be adding more fees for incremental revenue by nickel-and-diming, even as it wants to position itself as a premium brand.
Leadership sees NCL brand as “punched below its weight”
At its core, Norwegian isn’t lacking when it comes to its ships. The cruise line has invested heavily in its Prima Class ships, expanded dining options, and continued to promote its signature Haven suite experience.
Instead, leadership’s comments suggest the issue lies in how the brand has been defined and how consistently that vision has been delivered.
Kazlauskas emphasized the need to “go back to our roots,” by pointing to Norwegian’s long-standing focus on freedom and flexibility. “Your guests are never forced to run to our schedule,” he said. “Their entire experience is how they design it.”
This narrative reflects Norwegian’s original “freestyle cruising” concept, which disrupted the industry when it launched decades ago. But today, flexibility is no longer a differentiator, as it’s the norm across nearly every major cruise line.
Although Norwegian has heavily relied on the “freestyle” as a pillar of its brand, it doesn’t necessarily make Norwegian stand out in an increasingly competitive market.
Norwegian is doubling down on its roots, but is that enough?
This renewed focus on flexibility is also shaping Norwegian’s marketing strategy. Within the next month, the cruise line is preparing to relaunch its “It’s Different Out Here” campaign in the UK. The marketing push is a throwback to its earlier branding, in an effort to stand out in what executives describe as a “sea of sameness.”
Speaking at the launch of Norwegian Luna, chief marketing officer Kiran Smith said the campaign is about “getting back to who we are,” emphasizing the brand’s long-standing focus on freedom and flexibility, according to Travel Weekly.
Smith also pointed to the need for greater consistency in how the brand presents itself, noting that “everyone looks and sounds alike and we don’t want to be that”.
She continued:
“We are reclaiming that feeling of freedom that set us apart. We have a new mantra – if it’s not easy, flexible and curated then we shouldn’t be doing it. We believe this is what is going to break us out of the sea of sameness we’re in. We’re different and this campaign is just the start. You are going to see much more breakthrough and much more consistency in our tone of voice.”
Norwegian’s renewed focus on consistency is crucial for the company’s rebrand, but execution continues to be a challenge for the brand.
A leadership reset amid outside pressure
This repositioning effort comes at a time of significant leadership change for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
The company recently appointed new leadership across key roles, signaling a shift in priorities and strategy. At the same time, activist investor pressure has pushed the company to focus more aggressively on profitability, efficiency, and shareholder returns.
Kazlauskas alluded to this directly, noting that “we were not where we should be on revenue management.”
This is a notable admission in an industry where pricing strategy and onboard spending are critical drivers of performance. It also aligns with broader critiques that Norwegian has lagged behind competitors in maximizing revenue and executing consistently.
As a result, the company now appears to be doubling down on revenue management while simultaneously trying to improve the guest experience — two goals that don’t always move in perfect sync.
For cruisers, a greater emphasis on revenue management often translates to cost-cutting measures, which can conflict with the expectations of a premium cruise experience.
Execution seems to be Norwegian’s biggest hurdle
Beyond branding and pricing, Norwegian’s leadership repeatedly returned to one theme: execution.
“I wanted to look at our execution — how we work together,” Kazlauskas said, emphasizing the need for better collaboration across teams. This suggests the company’s challenges may be less about vision and more about consistency.
Over the past year, Norwegian has faced criticism for shifting policies, evolving strategies, and inconsistent execution. Most notably, the cruise line announced that drink packages would no longer be honored at Great Stirrup Cay, only to reverse course a few months later following strong backlash.
A similar pattern emerged with its pricing model. Norwegian introduced its “More at Sea” concept in early 2025 as part of a broader push toward a more premium image, only to scrap the branding and return to “Free at Sea” within the same year. As reported by Candid Cruise & Travel, the quick reversal was widely viewed as confusing and underwhelming, adding to concerns about the brand’s direction.
Ultimately, Norwegian’s decision-making hasn’t felt cohesive or strategic. Instead, it’s felt reactive without any real alignment.
Playing catch-up on private destinations
Norwegian’s private island strategy is another area where the company is trying to redefine its position.
Great Stirrup Cay is the cruise line’s long-standing private island in the Bahamas, and it’s currently undergoing a major transformation. Planned upgrades include a fully constructed pier to eliminate tendering and allow two ships to dock simultaneously. In addition, Norwegian plans to build a large-scale water park and expand amenities.
Kazlauskas described the redevelopment as “a total gamechanger,” adding that the island would become “the best island out there.”
He also acknowledged the competitive dynamic, noting that watching competitors launch similar concepts can be an advantage. “Sometimes, others will launch something and you can watch it and do it a whole lot better,” he said.
That comment is hard to separate from the success of Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay, which has set a new standard for private destinations in the cruise industry. Although the cruise line plans to catch up, it feels significantly behind competitors.
Norwegian has a premium vision, but can it execute a rebrand?
There’s no question that Norwegian Cruise Line has the foundation to compete at a higher level. The line has a large fleet, strong dining options, and a wide range of onboard experiences, and its leadership is clearly aware of where the brand has fallen short.
But awareness is only the first step. To truly reposition itself as a premium cruise line, Norwegian will need to align its pricing, policies, and onboard experience with that identity.
This means reducing the nickel-and-diming for guests, improving consistency, and clearly defining what sets the brand apart.
Right now, Norwegian seems like it’s caught between its mass-market roots and a premium vision for the brand.
