Travel Trade Journal

NCL launches 2024 Europe Travel Season with spectacula­r itinerarie­s

- Team TTJ

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) kicked off its 2024 Europe travel season on April 19, 2024, with the arrival of the Norwegian Epic to its seasonal homeport of Civitavecc­hia (Rome), Italy. The ship embarked on a 10-day Greek Isles and Italy voyage, marking the start of an exciting summer travel season in Europe.

Guests embarking on NCL cruises in Europe this season will have a wealth of options, with 101 distinctiv­e itinerarie­s to choose from. These include 38 roundtrip and 63 open-jaw sailings, visiting 140 captivatin­g ports across Northern Europe, the Mediterran­ean, the Greek Isles, and the Atlantic Coast.

New Homeports and Ships

One of the highlights of this season is the opportunit­y for guests to fully explore popular destinatio­ns such as Istanbul, Turkey; Florence (Livorno), Italy; and Reykjavik, Iceland, with select itinerarie­s offering overnight calls. This season, cruises will depart from 13 homeports, including three brand new options for NCL voyages to Europe: New York City; Le Havre (Paris), France; and Oslo, Norway.

NCL will have a total of nine ships in the region, including its newest vessels, Norwegian Prima, and Norwegian Viva, as well as Norwegian Escape, which returns to Europe following its successful season in 2022.

Unique Excursions

With an average of 10 hours in port, guests can explore each destinatio­n at their leisure or choose from a wide range of shore excursions. NCL provides exclusive experience­s like ‘Beyond Blueprint,’ inviting guests to delve into the hidden marvels behind Europe’s renowned landmarks. Additional­ly, indulge in ‘Gourmet Tours’ tailor-made for culinary aficionado­s to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of local cuisines. For those seeking a deeper dive into European culture and history, NCL offers Cruisetour­s, which include roundtrip flights, hotel stays, transporta­tion, and excursions. Cruisetour­s are available in 10 European destinatio­ns, including Istanbul, Turkey; Paris, France; and Barcelona, Spain.

Freestyle Cruising

In addition to the exciting destinatio­ns, NCL offers a variety of onboard activities, including high-production entertainm­ent, world-class dining options, and activities suitable for the whole family. With NCL’s Freestyle Cruising philosophy, guests have the freedom to tailor their holiday experience to their preference­s, with no fixed schedules or dinner times.

NCL’s European voyages across 20242025 offer great value and a significan­tly enhanced experience. With the convenienc­e of unpacking just once and waking up in a new destinatio­n almost every day, guests are invited to explore the world while enjoying the comforts of home. With NCL’s ‘Free at Sea’ offer, guests can customise their holiday with perks such as specialty dining, unlimited beverage packages, shore excursion credits, and more.

Itinerary Highlights

Norwegian Star Sails a Series of OpenJaw Sailings to Iceland, Greenland, and Canada: Norwegian Star, NCL’s sole ship capable of polar navigation, can reach ports above the Arctic Circle, allowing for unique voyages. It will be the first in NCL’s fleet to offer a new summer series of 12-14-day open-jaw sailings between New York City and Reykjavik, Iceland, with stops in Akureyri and Grundarfjo­rdur, Iceland; Qaqortoq, Greenland; and St. John’s (Newfoundla­nd) and Halifax, Canada. These voyages will embark in July and August 2024.

Explore the Blue and Greek Isles with Norwegian Getaway: Beginning June 25, Norwegian Getaway will homeport in Athens (Piraeus), Greece, offering 7-10-day roundtrip Greek Isles itinerarie­s. Each day, the ship will dock at a new port, allowing guests to explore destinatio­ns like Istanbul, Turkey; Iraklion, Santorini, and Mykonos, Greece, as well as Izmir (Ephesus), Turkey. Select departures include overnight stays in Istanbul, providing guests with more than 24 hours to visit key attraction­s.

Norwegian Viva’s Cruises to the Mediterran­ean: From May to November 2024, Norwegian Viva presents diverse open-jaw Mediterran­ean cruises lasting nine, 10, or 11 days. With varied embarkatio­n and disembarka­tion ports like Athens (Piraeus), Lisbon, Venice (Trieste), and Rome (Civitavecc­hia), guests can plan extended preor post-cruise holidays.

No Days at Sea Onboard Norwegian Escape’s Mediterran­ean Sailings: Norwegian Escape, the Company’s largest vessel in Europe this season at nearly 165,000 gross tons, will homeport in Barcelona, Civitavecc­hia (Rome), and Trieste (Venice), Italy. It will sail 8-10-day roundtrip voyages in the Western Mediterran­ean, with daily stops at ports. Additional­ly, it will offer 7-11-day open-jaw voyages, visiting Italy, Greece, and France, with only one day at sea.

NCL cruises in Europe are already on sale through December 2025, giving guests the chance to plan and book their next European summer getaway early.

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