
by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:44 AM ET, Fri May 4, 2018
Norwegian Cruise Line announced a new partnership Friday with technology-solutions leader DeCurtis Corporation for a new technology platform project, dubbed Cruise Freedom.
The deal is the second-stage of Norwegian's focus on elevating the guest experience and pushing the limits of innovation via technology. Phased implementation will begin later this year, with preliminary elements launching on Norwegian Bliss in late 2018, followed by Norwegian Encore in the fall of 2019.
"Innovation has always been at the core of Norwegian's philosophy and with technology ever-advancing, we too are tasked with reaching the forefront of technological advancements," Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Andy Stuart said in a statement. "This partnership with DeCurtis is an advantageous opportunity to rapidly advance our own efficiency and allow both tech-proficient and less tech-savvy guests to navigate their experience seamlessly onboard and throughout any point in their voyage with us - from dreaming to cruising."
The new Cruise Freedom platform roll-out is the first step in Norwegian's mission of enabling freedom and flexibility on board and on shore. The award-winning DeCurtis Corporation will help apply technical knowledge and resources to maximize operational efficiencies that lead to direct financial impact.
"Freedom and flexibility while cruising is Norwegian Cruise Line's mission, and advancing our technology allows us to continue to support our core values and deliver the experience our guests expect from us," Norwegian president Frank Del Rio said. "Norwegian's investment in this technology has the potential to position us as the leader in our industry, and further pioneer new cruising experiences that result in increased guest satisfaction. We look forward to this partnership with DeCurtis Corporation, and are excited to enter the first phase of development."
The latest innovations come after Norwegian launched the new fully-integrated Cruise Norwegian app in December.
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