Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovative global cruise company with a 57-year history of breaking boundaries, has shared its 2024 European travel season with the arrival of Norwegian Epic to its seasonal home port of Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, before embarking on a 10-day trip to the Greek Islands and Italy.
During this season, guests embarking on NCL Europe cruises will have the opportunity to choose from 101 different itineraries with 38 round trips and 63 self-departure sailings to 140 spectacular ports of call in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Greek Islands and the Atlantic Coast. Additionally, guests will be able to further explore notable destinations such as Istanbul (Turkey), Florence (Livorno) (Italy) and Reykjavik (Iceland), with select itineraries offering overnight stops. Cruises will depart from 13 home ports, with New York, Paris (Le Havre), France and Oslo, Norway three new options for NCL voyages to Europe. The Company will have a total of nine ships1 in the region, including its most innovative ships, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, as well as Norwegian Escape, which returns to Europe after its first successful season in 2022.
With an average of 10 hours in port, guests can explore at their leisure or choose from a wide range of shore excursions designed to provide guests with an in-depth experience of each destination. For more immersive experiences, NCL offers a unique collection of shore excursions including, Beyond Blueprints, where guests discover the design secrets and stories of Europe's most iconic architectural monuments; Gourmet Tours, designed for food-loving travelers that allow them to explore behind the stove of local cuisine; and Go Local, a selection of excursions that invite clients to discover the local customs and culture of each destination. Guests looking to spend even more time in Europe and delve deeper into the continent's immense history can take advantage of NCL's growing Cruisetours program, a pre- or post-cruise option that includes round-trip flights, hotel stays, transportation and excursions. Cruisetours are currently available in 10 European destinations, including Istanbul, Türkiye; Paris France; Barcelona, Spain; Reykjavik Iceland; Rome and Venice, Italy, among others.
"As we return to Europe for this season, our goal remains the same: to create unparalleled and unique experiences for customers to immerse themselves in the most emblematic and coveted destinations in Europe, while offering them different benefits for them to enjoy at the same time. of your trip with us," said David J. Herrera, President of Norwegian Cruise Line. “With more inclusive pricing than most land-based vacations, a cruise vacation is not only a memorable experience, but also an affordable one. There's still time for guests to book that last-minute trip to Europe with NCL and enjoy the beauty of waking up in a new destination almost every day."
An NCL Europe cruise not only offers great value for money compared to a similar land-based vacation with comparable amenities and inclusions, but also provides a significantly enhanced experience with a variety of offerings to enjoy on board, including entertainment from quality; up to 20 gastronomic options from all over the world; and a wide range of onboard activities perfect for the family to enjoy, from thrilling races on the only three-level race tracks at sea to relaxing moments at the award-winning Mandara Spa®. With NCL's Freestyle Cruising philosophy, guests have the freedom to tailor their vacation to their preferences and tastes, with no fixed schedules or dinner times. NCL's freedom of choice and compelling value invites guests to explore the world while enjoying the convenience of unpacking once and waking up to a new and exciting destination almost every day. Additionally, with NCL's Free at Sea offer, guests can further customize their vacation to their tastes and will receive exclusive benefits during their vacation such as dining at specialty restaurants, unlimited open bar, shore excursion credits and much more.
The most notable itineraries for European cruises with NCL are:
Norwegian Star on stunning Iceland, Greenland and Canada itineraries
Norwegian Star is the only ship in NCL's award-winning fleet equipped for polar navigation, allowing it to reach ports above the Arctic Circle. Thus, this cruise will be the first in the NCL fleet to offer a new series of 12-14 day itineraries between New York and Reykjavík, Iceland, with calls in Akureyri and Grundarfjordur, Iceland; Qaqortoq, Greenland; and St. John's, Newfoundland, and Halifax, Canada. These itineraries will embark in July and August 2024.
Explore the iconic Greek islands with Norwegian Getaway
Norwegian Getaway will dock in Athens (Piraeus), Greece, on June 25 to embark on seven- to 10-day roundtrip itineraries around the Greek Islands. Each day, the ship will dock at a new port, allowing guests to explore must-see destinations such as Istanbul, Turkey; Heraklion (Crete), Santorini and Mykonos, Greece, as well as hidden gems like Izmir (Ephesus) (Turkey). Select departures include overnight stays in Istanbul, allowing guests more than 24 hours to visit Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace and the Grand Bazaar.
Norwegian Viva's Mediterranean itineraries
Between May and November 2024, NCL's newest ship, Norwegian Viva, will offer guests a selection of nine-, 10- and 11-day open Mediterranean cruise voyages. These unique itineraries feature a different embarkation and disembarkation port in sought-after destinations such as Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Lisbon Portugal; Venice (Trieste) and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, allowing travelers the opportunity to plan an extended vacation before or after the cruise.
Almost no days at sea on Norwegian Escape Mediterranean itineraries
Norwegian Escape will be the company's largest ship in Europe this season, at almost 165,000 gross tons. The cruise will be homeported in Barcelona, Spain; Rome (Civitavecchia), and Trieste (Venice), Italy, and will sail eight- to ten-day round-trip voyages around the Western Mediterranean, with daily calls in a sun-drenched port, as well as seven- to eleven-day in-port voyages open with stops in Italy, Greece and France, with a single day at sea.
Additionally, NCL Europe cruises are now on sale through December 2025, giving guests the opportunity to plan and book their next summer getaway in advance.