Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, today announced the launch of its first-ever Military Appreciation Program to recognize active and retired U.S. military members, and their spouses, with special onboard experiences, amenities and cruise fare discounts across the Company's 18-ship fleet.
NCL's Military Appreciation Program will set the cruise industry standard for supporting and engaging with U.S. military service men and women. Launching on Nov. 2, 2022, all active, retired military veterans and their spouses will be eligible to receive a 10% discount on their cruise fare for all sailings beginning on Jan. 1, 2023. The ongoing offer can be combined with the Company's guest-favorite Free At Sea offer, which provides guests the opportunity to design their dream vacation with free airfare, unlimited open bar, specialty dining, Wi-Fi and more delivering a value up to $3,450.
In addition to the special discount, guests who book under the Military Appreciation Program will also receive exclusive experiences and recognition on board, including a welcome reception and special amenities such as a collectible military challenge coin, pins to designate program participation and collectible patches customized for each ship in the NCL fleet.
Service men and women will be validated through ID.me, a secure digital identity network that allows active and retired U.S. military members to verify their identity once, and never have to re-verify their identity again across any organization where ID.me is accepted. Those already registered with ID.me will be one step closer to booking their deserved cruise vacation under the Military Appreciation Program.
"I personally understand and appreciate the sincere comradery within the U.S. military community and how much we value time with our loved ones," said David Herrera who served in the Army National Guard and is the chief consumer sales and marketing officer for Norwegian Cruise Line. "Our mission at NCL is to deliver unforgettable experiences for our guests, and with the Military Appreciation Program, we are proud to be able to offer military families the opportunity to reconnect with those they care about most and help create memories for a lifetime."
Matthew Lewis, co-sponsor of the Military Appreciation Program, who served in the U.S. Navy for nearly 21 years including 18 years as a Navy SEAL and is the senior vice president and chief security officer for the Brand's parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., added, "This program was designed for veterans by veterans. It is important to me and very personal to David and all veterans at NCL as we wanted to create a program that taps into that comradery and the values of this community with a goal that they walk away knowing that NCL understands them, commends them, and thanks them for their service and dedication."
As part of the organization's ongoing commitment to support the U.S. military veteran community, several of NCL's veteran team members flew to North Carolina to participate in "Military Makeover" airing on Lifetime TV with host Montel Williams. The NCL veteran team members honored a deserving military family by repairing their kitchen and repurposing old cabinetry to create a new coffee bar area. Additionally, the Brand surprised the family with a seven-day cruise to the Caribbean on board one of NCL's award-winning vessels. The episode will air in December 2022 on Lifetime TV.
To learn more about Norwegian Cruise Line's Military Appreciation Program, please visit www.ncl.com/military.
