NCL Returns to Asia, Australia
Norwegian Cruise Line has introduced new itineraries for the brand’s Fall/Winter 2016/2017 deployment – including a return to Asia and Australia.
Norwegian is offering several new destinations and new ports, including cruises to Asia onboard Norwegian Star, with itineraries departing from Istanbul, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney and Auckland – marking the line’s return to the Asia and Australia regions for the first time since Norwegian Wind Fall/Winter 2001-2002 and first-ever visits to The Gulf and India.
Norwegian Epic will continue to spend its summers in Europe and return to the US in the fall as Norwegian’s newest and largest ship to homeport in Port Canaveral, offering three-, four- and seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries. Exploring South America by sea will now be more accessible than ever with Norwegian, with a number of itineraries ranging in length from seven to 20 nights, with embarkations in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Santiago (Valparaiso), Chile; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Norwegian Spirit will return to homeport in Europe year-round, sailing through the Eastern and Western Mediterranean with departures from Barcelona, Istanbul and Venice. In addition, Norwegian Jade will now sail seasonally in the winter months from Tampa to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, while Norwegian Jewel will sail two new 14-day Panama Canal sailings from Los Angeles and Miami in February 2016 and two in February 2017. Norwegian’s new itineraries will be available for booking later this month. Caribbean sailings will open on Aug. 19 and all other destinations on Aug. 24.
In the fall of 2016, NCL will cruise to the Far East for the first time since fall/winter 2001-2002, with the recently renovated Norwegian Star sailing to the region for several unique itineraries that also feature first-ever visits to The Gulf and India. Norwegian Star will continue to spend its summer 2016 months cruising the Baltic Capitals from Copenhagen, Denmark. After a journey through the Western Mediterranean, Norwegian Star will depart on Oct. 31, 2016 from Istanbul on the brand’s first voyage to the Gulf region through the Suez Canal for a 20-day Eastern Mediterranean and The Gulf itinerary with stops in Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Rhodes, Greece; overnight in Haifa, Israel; Port Said, Sharm El Sheikh and Safaga, Egypt; Aqaba, Jordan; Salalah and Muscat, Oman; and an overnight in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
On Nov. 20, 2016, Norwegian Star will sail a 21-day Journey to the East from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to Singapore, featuring the brand’s first visit to India with an overnight in Mumbai and stops in Goa (Mormugao), Mangalore and Kochi (Cochin). Additional ports of call include Fujairah and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Muscat and Khasab, Oman; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Phuket, Thailand; Penang, Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Malaysia; and Singapore.
Throughout December 2016 and January 2017, Norwegian Star will offer a series of 11- and 14-day sailings in Southeast Asia, departing from Singapore and Hong Kong respectively.
On Jan. 16, 2017, Norwegian Star will sail a 21-day Southeast Asia and Australia itinerary from Hong Kong, China to Sydney, Australia. Ports of call include Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam; Bangkok (Laem Chabang), Thailand; Singapore; Bali (Benoa) and Komodo, Indonesia; Darwin, Cairns, Airlie Beach, and Brisbane, Australia.
Norwegian Star will sail a 12-day Australia and New Zealand sailing on Feb. 6, 2017 from Sydney, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand.
Norwegian Star will also sail a 19-day Australia and New Zealand thrill-filled itinerary from Auckland, New Zealand to Singapore departing Feb. 18, 2017. Ports of call include: Bay of Islands, New Zealand; Sydney, Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Cairns and Darwin, Australia; and Komodo and Bali (Benoa), Indonesia; and Kuala Lumpur (Port Kelang), Malaysia.
Norwegian Star will begin a journey back to the West with an 18-day Southeast Asia and India sailing from Singapore to Dubai, departing March 9, 2017.
Rounding out its season in the Far East will be a 20-day Eastern Mediterranean and The Gulf sailing from Dubai, United Arab Emirates through the Suez Canal to Venice, Italy departing March 27, 2017.
After more than a year in Europe, Norwegian Epic will return to Florida in November 2016 and will become the line’s largest ship to homeport from Port Canaveral offering a series of Eastern and Western Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries ranging in length from three, four, six and seven days.
Norwegian Jade will replace Norwegian Star and homeport from Tampa from November 2016 through April 2017 and sail a seven-day Western Caribbean itinerary departing on Sundays.
Norwegian will continue to offer a four-ship deployment in Europe during the summer of 2016. Norwegian Spirit will replace Norwegian Epic as the brand’s year-round European ship, while Norwegian Star will sail the Mediterranean and Western Europe in the fall of 2016 en-route to the Far East.
Norwegian will return to the Holy Lands for the first time since 2013 with one eight-day Eastern Mediterranean and Holy Lands sailing round-trip from Istanbul aboard Norwegian Star departing Oct. 23, 2016. NCL will offer two additional opportunities for guests to visit this incredible region, with two 11-day Eastern Mediterranean and Holy Lands sailings aboard Norwegian Spirit. The voyages will depart Nov. 28, 2016 and April 12, 2017 on a port-packed itinerary from Venice to Istanbul with three overnight stops in Venice, Italy; Haifa, Israel; and Istanbul, Turkey.
In addition to Norwegian’s previously scheduled Panama Canal deployment featuring two 14-day cruises in February 2016, the line has added two new 14-day Panama Canal sailings from Los Angeles and Miami on Norwegian Jewel, on Feb. 5 and Feb. 19, 2017 respectively.
