Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You know, we could talk all morning about this beautiful ship,
Norwegian's newest ship, Viva.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
The christening is tonight. We can talk about the food,
we can talk about the things to do and things
to eat and this and that.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
But you know, we all agree our favorite part of
any Norwegian ship the people that work, the family. And
you know what, I'm always impressed how we've been on
so many different Norwegian ships and the family members moved
from ship to.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Ship, we recognize them. We're like, wait a minute, I
just saw you on the other ship.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
And they remember our names.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
I don't even remember my name half the time.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
So last ship we were sailing on, of course, was
Norwegian Prima, and moving from Prima here to Viva.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
The general manager, Nelson Martin's is here.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Hi Nelson, good morning and welcome, Welcome to your ship,
the most beautiful ship it is.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
You say that, you say that everyone I know.
Speaker 5 (00:56):
No, No, this lady is very special.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
She is a gorgeous course ship.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
As general manager, I mean it sounds like a very
very important important position.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
What is it you do every day to keep the ship?
Speaker 5 (01:10):
I mean this is a this is a team fault,
but it's exactly the same that any hotel Inland. You know,
you have all the different departments from housekeeping to the
hotel side, the food and beverage, all the business spout, concessionaires, gazinos, entertainment,
you have it all.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Well, that's a lot to do, and that's way too
much to do.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
I have a lot of help.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Okay, good, I would hope. So like, okay, let's start
with like the laundry.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Oh, that's my favorite tour. You have that pant that pants,
the pants below the pantslow.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
They used to call me that in high school.
Speaker 5 (01:48):
We have more than that. You know, this is only
the toy. You have more toys.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
I love the toys.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
You know what, It's so interesting to go back stage,
I would say, Nelson, hear it at Viva to see
what it takes to put a ship on. I mean,
all these moving parts and we see we see the
front of house, all these incredible people who work, but
there are a lot of people below deck and behind
the scenes that make it work. I mean, how much,
(02:14):
off the top of your head, how many people are
employed on this ship right now?
Speaker 5 (02:18):
I mean, right now we have about one thousand five vendors.
So it's three main departments, deck engine and the hotel
and you have one thousand to one in the hotel.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Wow, my gosh, wow. Yeah, we've been We've actually been
on the bridge. Is that what you call it? The bridge?
Speaker 6 (02:32):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (02:32):
Yes, the bridge?
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Yes, and with I could push a button and we
could No, no, no, it's not.
Speaker 5 (02:36):
They stay away from the button.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
You can float anywhere you want to go.
Speaker 5 (02:42):
No, no, no, no, you don't go You don't go back
to the bridge.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
So Nelson, I'm like you.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
You've been at You've been at sea career wise for
a quarter of a century, twenty five years.
Speaker 5 (02:54):
Yes, that's great.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
What is it about the ocean that I mean? You
could be working at a Michelin Star restaurant anywhere in
the world, but for some reason you have chosen to
be on the ocean. Is there something nautical that you
have going on inside?
Speaker 5 (03:07):
I don't know. I'm still looking for So that's why,
you know, it's just a totally different experience, I mean
disperience that the commentary that you have with the crew,
but also the experience for the guests is just amazing
because all of our guests in holiday so it's a
fun place, is a fun place to be.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
We're talking about the importance of going on Norwegian cruise.
I mean it's we're always looking for reasons to celebrate
in our lives. People come on with their families to
celebrate a marriage or a divorce, right, anniversary, right, or
maybe they lose a family member and they come to
do one last toast.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
At sea and they wear like matching shirts a lot
of times, like you know, like you know, Wilson's Family
Vacation twenty you know.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
And that's so tacky.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
But even though the Norwegian ships go to the most
incredible destinations in the world, the ship itself is a destination, right,
And that's what you do, is general manager.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
Yeah, that's correct, I mean more and more, especially on
this class. This is a journey by himself. You have
the we have so many of our guests, even on
the seven day cruise, they just don't go ashore because
we can offer everything they would find. Of course, we
have the most beautiful destinations, so they will experience that.
But on board, it's so much fun. You have so
much to offer throughout the day, including the entertainment in
the evening. It's really one it's one journey.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
In your all your years doing this and you've obviously
gotten off the ship at certain ports.
Speaker 5 (04:26):
Do you have just a few times a few times?
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Do you have a favorite place that you've been.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
I mean I like the French Polynesias, you know, Bora,
all that area that's Europe. Also, I mean Europe has
so much cultures in all the history, you know, everything
you read about is right there. But I also like
the US well.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Also, this is obviously very hard, hard work. I mean
it's around the clock experience, keeping the ship doing what
it does. But when you vacation, do you just want
to go home and just hide under the couch for like.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
A yeah, what do you do to where do you go?
What do you like to do for vacation?
Speaker 5 (05:00):
I do like the bears that be on eighth a
couple of days in history.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Child.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
No, I mean I love traveling. I mean, if you
are in this industry, you have to love travel. I
love people. So I'm very blessed to live in the
south of France. So this is a good weather day
and I just love traveling.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
You know I was talking to Scary earlier. Scary was saying,
you know, back before we were cruising on Norwegian ships,
he would go to the same two or three destinations
every single vacation.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
It's true. And now you've seen the world. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
It's because I've come on these Norwegian cruises that I've
learned a lot more. I've seen more cultures, I've stopped
more places. I would never have been able to do that.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Without coming on one of these cruises.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
I've seen Europe. I've been to Hawaii. Oh my god,
I went island hopping.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Who gets to do that? Sometimes you're lucky enough to
just do one.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
But with your Pride of America ship, I'm like boom
boom boom. Every morning I wake up in a new island.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
He boom boom boom. It's true, though, you know what.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
And a friend of mine asked me one time, Nelson,
what's the most prize possession you have? What do you
own that is the prize possession that you you ever
you never ever want to get rid of it?
Speaker 2 (06:09):
And I said, my passport.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Having a passport, having the ability to meet people from
around the world, learn how they live, eat what they eat,
drink what they drink. It's my most prized possession. And
to be able to hop on board any of the million, millions,
hundreds of ships that Norwegian has at sea. It's just
an incredible experience that we're so lucky to be able
(06:32):
to be a part of.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
And everyone can do it.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
If you just go to NCL dot com, by the way,
you can just start planning your trip. And I would say,
come on board Viva because Nelson is your general manager.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
Yeah, I think so. I just call my name, I'll
be there.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Well, there you go. I have a phone call. Hold on,
Who's this is this? Amber?
Speaker 6 (06:53):
Amber?
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Please meet Norwegian Viva general manager Nelson Martin's and say
say good morning to him.
Speaker 6 (07:01):
Good morning, Nelson, how are you?
Speaker 5 (07:02):
I'm very well, very good money to you all.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
So let me tell you something about Amber. We received
a text from her earlier, Nelson. She's been saving with
her mom. Both of them are saving for a cruise
and so I mean, have you thought about where you
and your mom want to go.
Speaker 6 (07:18):
No, so we've looked around a couple different places. I know.
We just want to see something new and be somewhere warm.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Oh that's a good idea.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
You have warm destinations. So tell us your story. Amber,
you and your mom.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Why is it important that you get together with your
mom and head out to see sure.
Speaker 6 (07:37):
Yeah. So my mom and I have been through a
lot together. She has picked up every time I have fallen.
She's been there for me all the way through our
entire lives together. And I really wanted to do something
nice for her since I was a kid, and we
looked into getting a couple, getting a cruise, taking a
couple of vacations, and you know, stuff's tight right now.
(08:00):
So it's it's a dream we've had for a while.
But I don't know. We'd love to see something someday.
Speaker 5 (08:06):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
So Nelson, may I put your may I put you
on the spot.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
Come on, Nelson, I mean, I know we viva sales
from one of the most beautiful pots from someone Puerto Rico,
seven day cruise to the to the Caribbean islands, a
rule across a bone, some mountain. I think that's a
beautiful destination. What about that Puerto Rico.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Yeah, you started Puerto Rico and you go all across
the Caribbean. Oh my god, would you and your mother
appreciate that?
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Would you like that?
Speaker 6 (08:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Okay, Nelson's Rica, you have it.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Look at that and then when you come on both
just look for me, you know, just give me a call.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Congratulations Amber, guys.
Speaker 6 (08:55):
I've been trying to meet you guys for years. This
is amazing that I'm even talking to you guys.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Well, maybe Nelson will give us the same cruise and
we'll join you.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
You're a swell guy. So here's what you do.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
You and your mom go to go to NCL dot com,
look up Viva and look up the destinations that Nelson
just mentioned, and well it starts in Puerto Rico and
then it goes all across the Caribbean.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
You're going there.
Speaker 6 (09:20):
Congratulations, Oh my god, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
You're so well.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
You're very welcome.
Speaker 6 (09:25):
I can't give your mom.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Give your mom a big hug for us.
Speaker 6 (09:29):
Okay, I texted her a little while ago. I think
she's listening to you guys right now too.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
I mean, she just cruise from us. What's up, Nate?
Speaker 5 (09:44):
Earlier?
Speaker 1 (09:44):
You got to talk into a microphone there, Jeff, Okay, there,
try another one. Okay, we're having technical difficulties. By the way,
the ship does not have technical technical difficulties. These are ours. Okay.
Remember when we started the show.
Speaker 7 (10:00):
We had the first caller that kind of I don't know,
I guess conned her way into a cruise because you
started talking about it and then she goes, are you serious,
and then you kind of just gave her the cruise.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
We just had Amber. I don't even think she realized
she was getting a cruise and then the tears.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Finally she didn't We didn't understand it first. I don't
think that she's like, what wait, what it's sinking in?
Speaker 2 (10:21):
But see, Nelson, thank you for your generosity.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Let me know and I'll have I have a little
bit more cruises to offer. Oh there's anybody else on
the line.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
We're breaking up her heaving difficulties. Well, Nelson, congratulations on
such a beautiful ship and a beautiful family of people
working here. Of course naturally always with Norwegian, and thank
you for spending time with us.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
Yeah, very welcome, very nice.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Yes again, go to NCL dot com and start dreaming.
You can. You can go anywhere in the world you
want to go. Thank you. It's Nelson, everyone, Thank you,
thank you, thank you.