It’s been an exciting week for debuts in Miami, culminating with the highly anticipated arrival and christening of Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest cruise ship.
Sailing into the world’s busiest port on April 11, 2025, the 156,300-gross-ton Norwegian Aqua celebrated her official launch on April 13 with more than 2,000 attendees and the ship’s godfather, Emmy Award-winning actor Eric Stonestreet.
Stonestreet, best known for his role as Cameron Tucker in the ABC sitcom “Modern Family,” took the stage to share his enthusiasm for the role of godfather.
“As a new cruiser who has a deep passion for travel, it is absolutely spectacular to see the amazing features and experiences that travelers and their families can enjoy aboard Norwegian Aqua, including the world’s first hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide, the Aqua Slidecoaster,” exclaimed Stonestreet.
He went on to praise Norwegian Cruise Line’s team and said he was honored to serve as Norwegian Aqua’s godfather.
“As part of the NCL family, I can’t wait for guests to ‘Experience More at Sea’ with NCL and create unforgettable memories with their families as I look forward to doing with mine as well,” he said.
The ceremony took place while the vessel was docked at NCL’s terminal, featuring a preview of Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest onboard production, “Revolution: A Celebration of Prince.”
The immersive Prince tribute show has been developed in partnership with the Prince Legacy to honor the Oscar and seven-time GRAMMY Award-winning musician.
Read Also: Great Stirrup Cay – A Full Overview of NCL’s Private Island
Following the performance, David J. Herrera, Norwegian Cruise Line’s president, revealed some changes are in store of the company’s private island destination, Great Stirrup Cay, which will be a regular feature of Norwegian Aqua’s sailings.
“It’s a very special time for all of us at NCL – we are welcoming a new incredible ship into our fleet with the christening of the stunning and action-packed, Norwegian Aqua, and we are doing so alongside her godfather, Eric Stonestreet, who perfectly embodies the authenticity of what it means for our guests to ‘Experience More at Sea,’” he said.
Final Preview Journeys for Norwegian Aqua
After the christening, Norwegian Aqua took its early-bird guests on a preview sailing to Great Stirrup Cay.
It’s the second “first” look at all the new bells and whistles, as Norwegian Aqua also welcomed industry insiders aboard the ship during a quick stopover in New York on April 7, 2025.
Originally slated to make its North America entrance in Boston, the vessel was forced to skip the stop in Beantown due to a severe storm taking place in the North Atlantic during her transatlantic crossing from Southampton, England.
That voyage gave onboard guests, also filled with travel advisors and content creators, extra fun sampling the array of amenities, including more than 20 restaurants and bars, an interactive LED Glow Court sports court, the Mandara Spa, and multiple pools and hot tubs.
The most exciting newcomer to the high seas is the Aqua Slidecoaster, the first at-sea hybrid rollercoaster and waterslide ride found on what the ship’s top deck Aqua Park and Main Pool area.
Once Norwegian Aqua returns to Miami, she will offer a few short sailings to the Bahamas, including Nassau, which recently broke records for passenger visits.
The vessel will then make her way up Florida’s coast to Port Canaveral, where she will begin a summer Caribbean season with a 7-night roundtrip Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas, the US and British Virgin Islands, and the Dominican Republic.
The cruise ship will continue to provide the itineraries from the Central Florida port until August 2025, when she returns to New York to offer guests a series of sailings to Bermuda through September.
Norwegian Aqua will homeport officially in PortMiami during the 2025-2026 winter Caribbean season, beginning in October.
