Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Long-Term Debt

v3.22.2.2
Long-Term Debt
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Long-term Debt, Unclassified [Abstract]  
Long-Term Debt

7.   Long-Term Debt

In February 2022, NCLC conducted a private offering (the “Notes Offering”) of $1,000 million in aggregate principal amount of 5.875% senior secured notes due 2027 (the “2027 Secured Notes”) and $600 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.750% senior notes due 2029 (the “2029 Unsecured Notes”).

The 2027 Secured Notes are jointly and severally guaranteed on a senior secured basis by Pride of Hawaii, LLC, Norwegian Epic, Ltd. and Sirena Acquisition. The 2027 Secured Notes and the related guarantees are secured by a first-priority interest in, among other things and subject to certain agreed security principles, three of our vessels, namely the Norwegian Jade vessel, the Norwegian Epic vessel and the Sirena vessel.

NCLC may redeem the 2027 Secured Notes at its option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time prior to February 15, 2024, at a “make-whole” redemption price, plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional amounts, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date. NCLC may redeem the 2027 Secured Notes at its option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time on or after February 15, 2024, at the redemption prices set forth in the indenture governing the 2027 Secured Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional amounts, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date. At any time and from time to time prior to February 15, 2024, NCLC may choose to redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2027 Secured Notes with the net proceeds of certain equity offerings, subject to certain restrictions, at a redemption price equal to 105.875% of the principal amount of the 2027 Secured Notes redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date, so long as at least 60% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2027 Secured Notes issued remains outstanding following such redemption.

NCLC may redeem the 2029 Unsecured Notes at its option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time prior to November 15, 2028, at a “make-whole” redemption price, plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional amounts, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date. NCLC may redeem the 2029 Unsecured Notes at its option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time on or after November 15, 2028, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of 2029 Unsecured Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional amounts, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date. At any time and from time to time prior to February 15, 2025, NCLC may choose to redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2029 Unsecured Notes with the net proceeds of certain equity offerings, subject to certain restrictions, at a redemption price equal to 107.750% of the principal amount of the 2029 Unsecured Notes redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date, so long as at least 60% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2029 Unsecured Notes issued remains outstanding following such redemption.

The indentures governing the 2027 Secured Notes and the 2029 Unsecured Notes include requirements that, among other things and subject to a number of qualifications and exceptions, restrict the ability of NCLC and its restricted subsidiaries, as applicable, to (i) incur or guarantee additional indebtedness; (ii) pay dividends or distributions on, or redeem or repurchase, equity interests and make other restricted payments; (iii) make investments; (iv) consummate certain asset sales; (v) engage in certain transactions with affiliates; (vi) grant or assume certain liens; and (vii) consolidate, merge or transfer all or substantially all of their assets.

In February 2022, NCLC also conducted a private offering (the “Exchangeable Notes Offering”) of $473.2 million in aggregate principal amount of 2.5% exchangeable senior notes due February 15, 2027 (the “2027 2.5% Exchangeable

Notes”). The 2027 2.5% Exchangeable Notes are guaranteed by NCLH on a senior basis. At their option, holders may exchange their 2027 2.5% Exchangeable Notes for, at the election of NCLC, cash, ordinary shares of NCLH or a combination of cash and ordinary shares of NCLH, at any time prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding August 15, 2026, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions and during certain periods, and on or after August 15, 2026 until the close of business on the business day immediately preceding the maturity date, regardless of whether such conditions have been met. If NCLC elects to satisfy its exchange obligation solely in ordinary shares or in a combination of ordinary shares and cash, upon exchange, the 2027 2.5% Exchangeable Notes will convert into redeemable preference shares of NCLC, which will be immediately and automatically exchanged, for each $1,000 principal amount of exchanged 2027 2.5% Exchangeable Notes, into a number of NCLH’s ordinary shares based on the exchange rate. The exchange rate will initially be 28.9765 ordinary shares per $1,000 principal amount of 2027 2.5% Exchangeable Notes (equivalent to an initial exchange price of approximately $34.51 per ordinary share). The maximum exchange rate is 44.1891 and reflects potential adjustments to the initial exchange rate, which would only be made in the event of certain make-whole fundamental changes or tax redemption events. The exchange rate referred to above is also subject to adjustment for any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction. The 2027 2.5% Exchangeable Notes pay interest at 2.5% per annum, semiannually on February 15 and August 15 of each year, to holders of record at the close of business on the immediately preceding February 1 and August 1, respectively.

NCLC has used the net proceeds from the Notes Offering and the Exchangeable Notes Offering to redeem (the “Redemption”) all of the outstanding 2024 Senior Secured Notes and 2026 Senior Secured Notes and to make scheduled principal payments on debt maturing in 2022, including, in each case, to pay any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, as well as related premiums, fees and expenses. Simultaneously with the Redemption, and pursuant to certain provisions contained in the indentures governing the 2026 Senior Unsecured Notes and the 2028 Senior Unsecured Notes, each of the guarantors party to such indentures were released from their obligations thereunder. The resulting losses on extinguishments, which are recognized in interest expense, net, were $188.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022.

In July 2022, NCLC entered into a $1 billion amended and restated commitment letter with the purchasers named therein (collectively, the “Commitment Parties”), which supersedes a $1 billion commitment letter previously executed in November 2021. The amended commitment has been extended through March 31, 2023. Under the amended commitment, the Commitment Parties have agreed to purchase an aggregate of $1 billion of notes at NCLC’s option. NCLC has the option to make up to two draws, in which case NCLC will issue an aggregate of (i) $450 million principal amount of 8.0% senior secured notes due 2025 (the “Secured Notes”) and (ii) $550 million principal amount of 8.0% senior notes due three years after the issue date (the “Unsecured Notes” and, together with the Secured Notes, the “Notes”). The Secured Notes must be issued prior to the Unsecured Notes, and the principal amount of Secured Notes issuable will be increased to the extent that NCLC obtains an increase in obligations that may be secured by liens on collateral pursuant to the terms and conditions of NCLC’s debt agreements (with the principal amount of Unsecured Notes decreased commensurately). If drawn, the Secured Notes will be secured by first-priority interests in, among other things and subject to certain agreed security principles, shares of capital stock in certain guarantors, our material intellectual property and two islands that we use in the operations of our cruise business. The Secured Notes will also be guaranteed by our subsidiaries that own the property that secures the Secured Notes as well as certain additional subsidiaries whose assets do not secure the Secured Notes if drawn. If drawn, the Notes will be subject to a quarterly duration fee of 1.5% with respect to the Secured Notes and a semi-annual duration fee of 3.0% with respect to the Unsecured Notes, as well as draw fees of 3.0% with respect to the Secured Notes and 5.0% with respect to the Unsecured Notes. As of November 8, 2022, the Company has not drawn under this commitment.

We had export credit financing in place for 80% of the contract price for Norwegian Prima, for which we took delivery in July 2022. The associated $1.1 billion term loan bears interest at a fixed rate of 2.68% with a maturity date of July 31, 2034. Principal and interest payments are payable semiannually.

Exchangeable Notes

The following is a summary of NCLC’s exchangeable notes as of September 30, 2022 (in thousands):

Unamortized

Principal

Deferred

Net Carrying

Fair Value

    

Amount

    

Financing Fees

    

Amount

    

Amount

    

Leveling

2024 Exchangeable Notes

$

146,601

$

(2,357)

$

144,244

$

157,958

Level 2

2025 Exchangeable Notes

450,000

(6,932)

443,068

419,864

Level 2

2027 1.125% Exchangeable Notes

1,150,000

(24,865)

1,125,135

735,161

Level 2

2027 2.5% Exchangeable Notes

473,175

(10,789)

462,386

320,974

Level 2

The following is a summary of NCLC’s exchangeable notes as of December 31, 2021 (in thousands):

Unamortized Debt

Discount,

Principal

including Deferred

Net Carrying

Fair Value

    

Amount

    

Financing Fees

    

Amount

    

Amount

    

Leveling

2024 Exchangeable Notes

$

146,601

$

(3,408)

$

143,193

$

249,358

Level 2

2025 Exchangeable Notes

450,000

(8,525)

441,475

642,591

Level 2

2027 1.125% Exchangeable Notes

1,150,000

(28,948)

1,121,052

1,088,510

Level 2

The following provides a summary of the interest expense of NCLC’s exchangeable notes (in thousands):

Three Months Ended

Nine Months Ended

September 30, 

September 30, 

2022

    

2021

2022

    

2021

Coupon interest

$

14,405

$

18,984

$

41,321

$

62,109

Amortization of deferred financing fees

3,005

2,593

8,145

7,802

Total

$

17,410

$

21,577

$

49,466

$

69,911

As of September 30, 2022, the effective interest rate is 7.04%, 5.97%, 1.64% and 3.06% for the 2024 Exchangeable Notes, 2025 Exchangeable Notes, 2027 1.125% Exchangeable Notes and 2027 2.5% Exchangeable Notes, respectively.

Debt Repayments

The following are scheduled principal repayments on our long-term debt including exchangeable notes which can be settled in shares and finance lease obligations as of September 30, 2022 (in thousands):

Year

    

Amount

Remainder of 2022

$

332,696

2023

 

1,001,343

2024

 

3,763,958

2025

 

1,148,007

2026

 

2,050,992

2027

3,101,980

Thereafter

 

2,753,755

Total

$

14,152,731

Debt Covenants

During the year ended December 31, 2021, we amended certain financial and other debt covenants and added new free liquidity requirements. As of September 30, 2022, taking into account such amendments, we were in compliance with all

of our debt covenants. If we do not continue to remain in compliance with our covenants, we would have to seek additional amendments to or waivers of our covenants. However, no assurances can be made that such amendments or waivers would be approved by our lenders. Generally, if an event of default under any debt agreement occurs, then pursuant to cross default and/or cross acceleration clauses, substantially all of our outstanding debt and derivative contract payables could become due, and all debt and derivative contracts could be terminated, which would have a material adverse impact on our operations and liquidity.