Key Aspects:
- Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings reached a charter-to-sale agreement with Avora Residences.
- Under the plan, Regent Seven Seas Navigator will leave the luxury brand in 2028.
- The vessel will be renamed Avora Lumina.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, has agreed to a nine-year charter of Seven Seas Navigator, a 490-guest ultra-luxury ship.
The deal involves a nominal purchase option with buyer Avora Residences, which plans to turn the vessel into a high-end residential cruise ship. Avora is owned by Residential Cruise Holdings, the same company that created Villa Vie Residences and operates Villa Vie Odyssey.
Seven Seas Navigator’s name will change to Avora Lumina when the ship joins the new brand in January 2028 and undergoes a major renovation. Until then, Seven Seas Navigator remains under the Regent brand and will sail cruises in Europe, the South Pacific, and East Asia.
Upgrades planned for the ship, which originally entered service in 1999, include public spaces designed for residential living, as well as a full business center.
“Avora Lumina represents the next evolution — purpose-built for long-duration global living, expedition capability, and a more refined residential experience,” said Mikael Petterson, founder of Avora Residences.
The residences will vary in size, from 300 to nearly 1,200 square feet, with high-end finishes and plenty of ocean views.
Read Also: Living on a Cruise Ship – What You Need to Know
Seven Seas Navigator is an all-suite ship with 244 cabins. Roughly 90% of the suites have balconies. But aboard Avora Lumina, the focus will be on individuality, allowing residents the option to personalize their living areas.
“These are not cruise cabins. They are designed as floating homes — primary residences that travel with their owners for years at a time,” Petterson explained.
The statement from Avora indicates the ship will have 242 living spaces, two less than the vessel currently has.
Ship to Sail Continuous World Voyages
Like its sister brand, Villa Vie Residences, which launched its ship in 2024, Avora Residences will send its ship on three-year-long continuous world cruises, visiting some 140 countries and more than 400 port calls.
Avora Lumina will feature long stays in port, up to five days, allowing residents to immerse themselves in local cultures. The vessel is also appropriate for expedition voyages; its polar-certified status means it can sail to extreme destinations such as Antarctica.
The ship will place a special focus on culinary programs as it sails from region to region, offering seasonal menus, freshly harvested local ingredients, and wine and food tastings.
Here’s What a Residence on Avora Lumina Will Cost
While sister brand Villa Vie Residences offers multiple purchase and rental options for living spaces onboard Villa Vie Odyssey, Avora will feature just two.
A Life-of-Ship Ownership will range from $545,000 to $4.2 million. The second option is a five-year ownership plan, with costs starting at $219,600. According to Avora Residences, the suite prices were set to be competitive with traditional homes in major cities across the globe.
Sale of Oldest Ship Makes Way For New-Builds
The decision to sell Seven Seas Navigator, Regent’s oldest ship, follows the brand’s creation of a new class of ship, the Prestige class. With its fleet currently consisting of six ships, the first in the new class, Seven Seas Prestige, is under construction and due to launch in December 2026.
Three additional Prestige-class vessels are set to be built and to debut in 2030, 2033, and 2036. The latest order, announced in February 2026 by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), included one additional ship for each of its brands. All of the new-builds will be constructed by Italy’s Fincantieri shipyard.
Meanwhile, NCLH is under new executive management. On February 12, 2026, the company named board trustee John W. Chidsey as chief executive officer, replacing Harry Sommer. The holding company’s largest stakeholder, Elliott Investment Management, recently criticized the firm for what it called a lack of strategy and leadership.
However, it is likely that the charter-to-sale deal with Avora Residences was in the works long before Sommer was ousted.
