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As the world’s third-largest cruise operator, there is no doubt that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) is a market leader in many ways – be it through its three popular brands: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises; or its world-famous gourmet experience; or its cutting-edge innovations. But despite being one of the best cruise operators around, the group is hardly resting on its laurels. We catch up with Mr Steve Odell, the Senior Vice President and Managing Director Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises APAC from NCLH, to find out how exactly they are making waves in the cruising industry. Check out the video for some exclusive moments from the interview.
<div style="width: 640px;" class="wp-video">
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&nbsp; 
For the full interview, please scroll down.
<figure id="attachment_49546" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-49546" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-49546" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Racetrack-aboard-Norwegian-Bliss-Norwegian-Joy-Norwegian-Encore.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Racetrack-aboard-Norwegian-Bliss-Norwegian-Joy-Norwegian-Encore.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Racetrack-aboard-Norwegian-Bliss-Norwegian-Joy-Norwegian-Encore-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Racetrack-aboard-Norwegian-Bliss-Norwegian-Joy-Norwegian-Encore-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Racetrack-aboard-Norwegian-Bliss-Norwegian-Joy-Norwegian-Encore-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Racetrack-aboard-Norwegian-Bliss-Norwegian-Joy-Norwegian-Encore-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Racetrack-aboard-Norwegian-Bliss-Norwegian-Joy-Norwegian-Encore-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Racetrack-aboard-Norwegian-Bliss-Norwegian-Joy-Norwegian-Encore-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-49546" class="wp-caption-text">Racetrack aboard Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Encore</figcaption></figure>
What sets apart NCLH from the other cruises operating in Asia-Pacific?
Well, we are currently the third-largest cruise group in the region. We have three unique brand offerings in different segments of the market that attract different customer demographics and have different distribution channels and different price points. What sets us apart is that our three brands don’t compete with each other. So, we’re very fortunate that we can sell this portfolio of brands with one, unified voice. We often refer to it as the Power of Three, because together they make a strong proposition.
The Norwegian Cruise Line, one of the brands in your portfolio, has been receiving accolades for over a decade now. How hard is it to push the boundaries in an offering that’s already award-winning?
If you’re the best, you must be looking at the next stage of development. That’s exactly what we’ve been doing in several ways. For example, we have moved from having 15 dining choices on our last generation of ships to 29 restaurants on our current batch of ships. We are also pushing the boundaries of the kinds of cuisines that are on offer. So, we have everything from Texan-style barbecue steakhouses to Italian cuisine. We also have a racetrack on board.
<figure id="attachment_49545" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-49545" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-49545" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Plant-based-summer-berry-pudding-on-Oceania-Cruises.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Plant-based-summer-berry-pudding-on-Oceania-Cruises.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Plant-based-summer-berry-pudding-on-Oceania-Cruises-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Plant-based-summer-berry-pudding-on-Oceania-Cruises-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Plant-based-summer-berry-pudding-on-Oceania-Cruises-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Plant-based-summer-berry-pudding-on-Oceania-Cruises-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Plant-based-summer-berry-pudding-on-Oceania-Cruises-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Plant-based-summer-berry-pudding-on-Oceania-Cruises-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-49545" class="wp-caption-text">Plant-based summer berry pudding on Oceania Cruises</figcaption></figure>
How does Oceania Cruises, your more intimate ship offering, enhance the cruise travel experience?
Firstly, you can really deliver a high quality of service on smaller, more intimate ships, because there are fewer passengers and proportionately more crew to look after them. Secondly, smaller ships are more maneuverable because of their size. So, they can visit smaller, pristine ports around the world. With our Oceania Cruises offering, what sets us apart most is the cuisine. In Oceania Cruises, we claim to have the best cuisine on sea. We have more culinary staff as a percentage of the overall staff than in the other brands within our company. We also have plant-based food on offer now. We take the culinary experience ashore as well. We organise gastronomic tours on land where we go to wineries or high-end restaurants to complement the gourmet experience on board.
The Regent Seven Seas Cruises, meanwhile, claims to have the most inclusive luxury on&nbsp;board. What exactly do you mean by that?
Well, when you’ve reached the very top of the pyramid in cruising, the customer is very discerning and wants the very best in everything. The Regent Seven Seas Cruises caters to this group and we try to create a private yacht-like experience. So, when you go to a bar or a restaurant on the ship, you don’t have to sign a single bill. It’s a free-thinking environment. That also extends to the shore, with the Regent ships offering free unlimited shore excursions. It’s like going on a private-charter yacht where everything is taken care of and you have superlative service to go with it.
<figure id="attachment_49544" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-49544" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-49544" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Regent-Suite-master-bedroom-aboard-Seven-Seas-Splendor.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Regent-Suite-master-bedroom-aboard-Seven-Seas-Splendor.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Regent-Suite-master-bedroom-aboard-Seven-Seas-Splendor-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Regent-Suite-master-bedroom-aboard-Seven-Seas-Splendor-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Regent-Suite-master-bedroom-aboard-Seven-Seas-Splendor-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Regent-Suite-master-bedroom-aboard-Seven-Seas-Splendor-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Regent-Suite-master-bedroom-aboard-Seven-Seas-Splendor-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Regent-Suite-master-bedroom-aboard-Seven-Seas-Splendor-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-49544" class="wp-caption-text">Regent Suite master bedroom aboard Seven Seas Splendor</figcaption></figure>
Tell us more about The Largest Suite Ever Built on A Ship&#8230;
We have the Regent Suite on the Seven Seas Splendor, which – at 4,443sq.ft – is the largest suite of its kind in the luxury set. It has two bedrooms, a spa, a living-cum-dining room, a conservatory, an outdoor space and even a Winter Garden. It’s located at the front of the ship, so you get the best views in the house. Of course, the suite also has its own private butler, and guests get priority services in pretty much everything on board. It’s being launched in February 2020 in Rome, and we will have an inaugural cruise with our top customers.
Interview: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay 
 Video: Kingsley Lau 
 Photos: NCHL

Steve Odell of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. on making waves in cruising industry

With summer vacations fast approaching, if you are still floundering for destinations, look no further! Here’s our roundup of the top three cruises from Hong Kong, which check all the right boxes of comfort, luxury, service and hospitality.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-36068" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-1.jpg" alt="top three cruises from Hong Kong" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-1.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-1-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-1-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-1-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-1-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-1-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-1-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
&nbsp;Norwegian Jewel
Whether you dream of island hopping or jumping into oceans, the Norwegian Jewel gives guests a free hand to customise their ideal cruise holiday as per unique preferences. Offering an impressive selection of 16 restaurants, guests will have the joy of trying cuisines from all around the world. Follow with a tipple or two at one of the 15 bars and be entertained by world-class acrobatics and artistry.
For that added touch of luxury, opt for The Haven, a luxury enclave with suites, private pool, dining and personal butlers. &nbsp;Norwegian Jewel will soon be back for its second season, fresh from a multimillion dollar refurbishment in December 2018 and will consist of exciting itineraries including Australia and New Zealand to name just a few. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.ncl.com/">www.ncl.com</a>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-36069" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-2.jpg" alt="top three cruises from Hong Kong" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-2.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-2-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-2-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-2-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-2-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-2-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Image-2-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Seven Seas Voyager
&nbsp;Fresh from a complete refurbishment, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Voyager now boasts 375 suite accommodations, premium dining options, state-of-the-art wellness programmes and many more. The seven different onboard restaurants are a major draw for guests, who can choose from the European-style Compass Rose and Prime 7, the steakhouse to Le Veranda, the breakfast destination. Guests will be in no shortage of entertainment abroad this vessel, thanks to the Constellation Theatre where you can appreciate a full-scale musical production or cabaret show, while sipping your favourite cocktail! One of the world’s most luxurious spas, the Canyon Ranch®, also offers an array of therapeutic services like aromatherapy, Ayurveda and seaweed treatments. For more, visit <a href="http://www.rssc.com/">www.rssc.com</a>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-36070" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/700x466-2-2.jpg" alt="top three cruises from Hong Kong" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/700x466-2-2.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/700x466-2-2-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/700x466-2-2-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/700x466-2-2-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/700x466-2-2-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/700x466-2-2-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/700x466-2-2-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Nautica
One of Oceania Cruises’ smaller offerings is Nautica, a ship that more than makes up in luxury what it lacks in size! Accommodating less than 700 guests, this rather compact ship can surely be described as a microcosm of sheer luxury. Attention to details is evident in every nook and corner of this piece of floating opulence.&nbsp; From multi-cuisine restaurants where special sommeliers are assigned to take you through the fine nuances of oil and vinegar pairings to Versace dinnerware and Broadway-style shows, it’s the small touches of true-blue lavishness that sets this ship apart. Try your luck at the casino or soak in a hot water bubble massage while watching the Northern Lights or taking in the view of an unspoilt Mediterranean coastline. Offering voyages through Asia, South Africa, Europe and Scandinavia – with departures from Hong Kong, Nautica is sure to be the vessel of choice for those looking to combine the best of travel and luxury!&nbsp; For details, visit <a href="https://www.oceaniacruises.com/ships/nautica/">www.oceaniacruises.com/ships/nautica/</a>
So what are you waiting for? Check out any or all of our top three cruises from Hong Kong and decide which one will be your preferred perch this holiday.

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Steve Odell of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. on making waves in cruising industry

Cruiseial Matters: Our roundup of the top three cruises from Hong Kong this holiday season