Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has been given a lift in part due to firmness found in the luxury sector.

Sanford C. Bernstein Research has upgraded the New York-listed company's shares to outperform from market-perform while assigning a target price of $57 to the stock, which hit $43.80 midday.

The company poses "less perceived risk" because its recent operational and strategic performance has lessened concerns around Norwegian's smaller size and operational volatility.