By Jonathan Levin (Bloomberg) — Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. is furloughing about 20% of its workforce through the end of July after the coronavirus pandemic prompted the cruise industry to stop sailing.
The furloughs affect shoreside U.S. workers and some international offices, according to an emailed statement Wednesday.
“The ongoing suspension of cruise voyages is continuing to have a material impact on our business, which requires further measures in order to weather these challenging and unprecedented times as well as ensure our company’s future,” Norwegian said in the statement.
Like Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Norwegian stopped new sailings in mid-March amid growing concerns about the safety of cruising during the pandemic.
The news was reported earlier by Business Insider, which cited people briefed on the changes.
Cruise operators face choppy waters as rising oil prices lift fuel costs, with analysts warning Carnival Corp CCL.N could take the biggest hit to its 2026 profit as it is the only major U.S. cruise line that does not hedge fuel.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has ordered three new cruise ships from Fincantieri—one each for Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises—with deliveries scheduled for 2036–2037. The deal secures valuable European shipyard capacity through 2037 and brings NCLH’s total orderbook to 17 vessels, supporting a projected 4% annual capacity growth through the next decade.
Royal Caribbean Group ordered two Discovery class ships from Chantiers de l'Atlantique with options for four more, while committing to 10 additional Celebrity river cruise vessels. The moves follow strong Q4 results with $4.3 billion in revenues.
February 3, 2026
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