NCL Plans Crew Training facility in Manila

The third-largest cruise line in the world Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)  announced plans for the development and construction of the Norwegian Cruise Line Center of Excellence, a new shipboard seafarer training facility near Manila in the Philippines.

The Center, which will serve both new and existing crew and provide training for various service-related jobs, is due to open in late 2020, said a press release from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.

Norwegian said the facility will be "designed to provide trainees with realistic work and living experiences aboard a cruise ship, which will include replicas of staterooms, a shipboard galley, a casino floor, a full-service bar as well as safety and security training areas."

"The world class training campus will enable the Company to fully immerse trainees in their coursework, reduce onboard training time and further improve upon the already industry-leading service levels," said the release.

Slated for 2020 completion, the center will provide annual training for as many as 8,000 shipboard team members each year.

“As the Company continues to grow and execute on our disciplined newbuild pipeline with eleven ships on order through 2027, the Center of Excellence will enable us to train and develop shipboard staff to meet the growing demand for top talent and to provide our guests with the high level of service and best-in-class vacation experience they have come to expect,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

“With our global fleet of 26 ships carrying over 2.5 million guests a year, this new facility will give us the ability to fully immerse shipboard team members in their coursework and ensure we continue to provide exceptional vacation experiences for our guests,” Frank added.

Miami, Florida-headquartered cruise line has secured a 7.2 acre parcel of land near Manila, where it plans to develop the center. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2019 with the Center of Excellence slated to open its doors in late 2020.

Norwegian, which controlled approximately 8.7% of the total worldwide share of the cruise market by passengers as of 2018, currently sources approximately 65 percent of its shipboard talent from Southeast Asia and anticipates an even higher demand for personnel from the region in the coming years.

The central location of the Philippines, as well as its high percentage of multi-lingual citizens, has proven to be an ideal location for the Company’s training and development facility.