primed for cool cruisers

Norwegian's over-the-top new liner launches Caribbean cruises from Galveston

Cruise fans, start packing for an elevated, over-the-top tropical getaway.

Norwegian Cruise Line has launched the inaugural season of its game-changing Prima Class Class cruise out of Galveston for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. One of Norwegian’s newest — and buzziest — new ships, the Prima Class vessel will embark on seven-day, round-trip cruises from Galveston to hot island getaways.

That means locals can head to Harvest Caye in Belize; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and Roatán (Bay Islands), Honduras. Norwegian’s newest liner, the Norwegian Viva, will now homeport in Galveston for the first time ever from December 2025 to April 2026, the company announced.

Designed for a more discriminating cruiser — and to go head-to-head with other big cruise brands’ top-tier boats — Norwegian’s Prima is a floating resort and entertainment destination with modern design and over-the-top amenities and experiences. The massive ship towers with 20 decks and can accommodate up to 3,100 guests with 1500 staterooms, 18 dining venues, and 17 bars and lounges.

Over-the-top fun

While on-board cruise entertainment is hardly new, Norwegian revs things up with the Prima Speedway, which marks the first three-level racetrack ever to hit the seas. Water park thrills come via the Prima’s 10-story tall slides, which Norwegian claims are the fastest at sea.

The Primna pushes the G forces with The Drop, which the company says is “the first free-fall slide in the world.”

After voyagers get their floating F1 fun and dizzying drops on, they can dine at various specialty restaurant concepts and the Indulge Food Hall, with 11 different cuisines including Q, a Texas-style BBQ joint. Described as the cruise industry’s “first sustainable cocktail bar at sea,” the Metropolitan Bar offers a chance to pregame or postgame.

Resort chic, stunning spaces, and nightlife vibes

Adult-themed entertainment is a key Prima offering, perhaps nowhere more obvious than the Prima Theater & Club. Operating as a standard theater/entertainment destination during the say for shows, the venue drops the seats and literally transforms into an adult nightclub at night, with DJs, dancers, and nightlife vibes.

Cruisers will obviously want to take in sea and island views, and the Prima Class makes it easier with Ocean Boulevard, the 44,000 square-foot, wrap-around outdoor walkway; and Oceanwalk, a glass bridge that boasts Instagram-ready photo ops and striking views.

More outdoor chill comes via the infinity beach — think of this as a floating beach resort with cabanas, lounge beds and chairs, and sea-facing infinity pools. Read a book or catch up with friends at La Terrazza, a sunny, al fresco lounge area, or take in a moment of zen at The Concourse, the ship’s open-air sculpture garden.

Singles, couples, families, and groups can all enjoy targeted accommodations. Solo staterooms are priced and designed for the single cruiser in mind, couples can enjoy upscale, comfy rooms, and large families can stay apart, and together, via connecting balcony staterooms.

Primed for cruisers

Speaking of upscale, travelers can upgrade to a more private experience via The Haven by Norwegian. This luxe complex is accessed only via keycard and offers 107 suites, a private restaurant, bar, lounge and sundeck, plus a concierge and 24- hour butler service.

Given its newer status, the Prima is design-focused; the interior harks to a modern hotel aesthetic. Outdoor amenities are reminiscent of posh sea resorts, while the bars, dining, and club reflect an urbane, metropolitan chic. Such focus on design and entertainment helped the Prima win industry publication Cruise Critic’s Best Ocean Cruise Ship in 2022.

“We’re extremely excited to have Norwegian Prima officially sail out of Galveston, Texas this season, providing our guests with more opportunities to cruise from popular, easily accessible ports,” said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. “We recognize the strong cruise opportunity in Texas and are focused on strengthening our presence in that market. We are proud to bring two of our most innovative ships in the fleet to this great state for two back-to back winter seasons to offer dream cruise vacations to not only the immediate market, but the surrounding areas as well.”

Current Prima cruises from Galveston start at $749 per traveler, starting in January 2024. Find more information on cruise dates, itineraries, and more here.

As savvy local travelers are aware, this is prime time for Galveston cruising. Princess cruises just ported its largest ship ever in Texas for Galveston-based Caribbean cruises. And Royal Caribbean's massive liner is enough to wow even our staunchest cruise snob.

Image courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Lines

Airport News

Both Houston airports would be affected by air traffic slowdown

Photo by David Syphers on Unsplash

Flights at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston will run travelers about $392 on average.

The Federal Aviation Administration plans to reduce air traffic by 10 percent across 40 “high-volume” markets to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the ongoing government shutdown.

The affected airports covering more than two dozen states include the busiest ones across the U.S. — including Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Orlando, Miami, and San Francisco. In some of the biggest cities — such as New York, Houston, and Chicago — multiple airports will be affected.

CBS News has a list of all the airports affected and that list includes both DFW Airport and Dallas Love Field. Other airports in Texas that would be affected include both airports in Houston — Houston Hobby and George Bush Houston Intercontinental.

The FAA is imposing the flight reductions to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who are working without pay during the government shutdown and have been increasingly calling off work.

Controllers already have missed one full paycheck and are scheduled to again receive nothing next week as as the shutdown drags on.

The FAA has been delaying flights at times when airports or its other facilities are short on controllers.

Passengers should start to be notified about cancellations Thursday. Airlines said they would try to minimize the impact on customers, some of whom will see weekend travel plans disrupted with little notice.

United Airlines said it would focus the cuts on smaller regional routes that use smaller planes like 737s. United, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines said they would offer refunds to passengers who opt not to fly -- even if they purchased tickets that aren’t normally refundable. Frontier Airlines recommended that travelers buy backup tickets with another airline to avoid being stranded.

Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. The cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began October 1. Most work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills and other expenses unless they call out.

Major airlines, aviation unions, and the broader travel industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown, which on Wednesday became the longest on record.

Staffing can run short both in regional control centers that manage multiple airports and in individual airport towers, but they don’t always lead to flight disruptions. Throughout October, flight delays caused by staffing problems had been largely isolated and temporary.

But the past weekend brought some of the worst staffing issues since the start of the shutdown.

From Friday to Sunday evening, at least 39 air traffic control facilities reported potential staffing limits, according to an Associated Press analysis of operations plans shared through the Air Traffic Control System Command Center system. The figure, which is likely an undercount, is well above the average for weekends before the shutdown.

During weekends from January 1 to September 30, the average number of airport towers, regional control centers and facilities monitoring traffic at higher altitudes that announced potential staffing issues was 8.3, according to the AP analysis. But during the five weekend periods since the shutdown began, the average more than tripled to 26.2 facilities.

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