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You can find all types of sailings from the U.S., ranging from quick trips to the Bahamas (including Norwegian’s private island), to Alaskan cruises to Hawaiian cruises. Norwegian Cruise Line was a pioneer with its Freestyle Dining program. There are no set dining times or assigned seats, as is customary with “traditional” dining on many cruise lines. We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology.
Departure Ports
During the winter, the line will move many of its vessels to North America to operate sailings to the Caribbean and Bahamas. It also sends a few ships to Asia, Australia and South America, and it'll typically keep a single vessel in Europe, too. Smaller only than Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line and MSC Cruises, the brand has become increasingly known for having some of the biggest, most amenity-filled vessels at sea. More than half of its fleet is comprised of vessels that, by today's standards, are considered almost midsize.
The Newest Ships at Sea
The first two Breakaway-class ships entered service in 2013 and 2014 as Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway. On October 17, 2012, Meyer Werft and Norwegian reached a second agreement for the construction of two new vessels,[36] slated for delivery in October 2015 and 2017, respectively. The project was under the code name "Breakaway Plus Class", with the vessels expected to be 163,000 gross tons and hold 4,200 passengers.
Night Canada & New England - OtherDetails
6 American, 2 Australian cruise ship passengers stranded on African island after Norwegian Cruise refused to let them board - New York Post
6 American, 2 Australian cruise ship passengers stranded on African island after Norwegian Cruise refused to let them board.
Posted: Mon, 01 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
For those unfamiliar with sailing NCL and who aren’t sure what the cruise line is all about, we’ve put together the following guide to help familiarize you with everything you need to know. Each tier is determined by the number of points you have earned. Ft., these mini rooms have just the essentials, but you’ll also get access to the Studio Complex and Lounge, a shared space where you can relax, order room service, watch TV, and meet your neighbors.
In total, more than 800,000 unique passengers will embark from the cruise port in the next few months, until Norwegian Bliss closes the season with her October 26 departure. Norwegian Bliss is only one ship that is part of the 275 planned sailings from the Port of Seattle this year. Up next is Carnival Spirit with her first departure on April 23, followed by Norwegian Encore departing on April 28. Norwegian Sun is also one of the smallest and least kid-focused of the five ships the line deploys to Alaska in summer, making it a good choice for retirees wanting to visit that destination. Families with kids naturally gravitate to the two giant, activity-packed vessels Norwegian sends to Alaska each summer — Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Bliss.
Deals on Cruises Near You
The sailings in and out of Buenos Aires and Melbourne, all on the longer side, will offer in-depth explorations of the southern half of South America (Argentina, Uruguay and Chile) and New Zealand, respectively. Over the next two years, for instance, Norwegian Sun is sailing lots of long voyages out of such less-common home ports as Benoa, Indonesia; Melbourne, Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Papeete, Tahiti. Norwegian Sun's top deck mostly comprises sunning areas, with a single pool and whirlpools, as is typical for ships built more than two decades ago. Having sailed in one of Norwegian Epic's cabins for one, I can confidently declare them among the coolest solo digs at sea. I particularly love the "Jetsons" futuristic-style design and the multicolored mood lighting.
The daily rate is $16.00 for most passengers who book interior, oceanview, or balcony cabins. Guests in The Haven, Concierge or Suites pay $20 per person, per day. Galaxy PavilionA newer feature on some ships, the Galaxy Pavilion is a virtual reality playground. You can walk a plank above the city, race an F1 car, outrun dinosaurs, and blast zombies — all virtually, of course.
Over the years, I've sailed on all but three of Norwegian's 19 vessels, and my personal favorite is Norwegian Prima. I love its stylish design and upscale feel, as well as its wide mix of eateries, bars and entertainment. On warm-weather cruises, the main pool is the line's most popular spot onboard. On ships with water slides, ropes courses, go-kart tracks and laser tag, these are also popular and often require a wait of up to 30 minutes or more. You'll find plenty of young families onboard Norwegian ships, especially during holidays and school breaks.
Eight passengers stranded on African island after Norwegian cruise ship left without them - Yahoo! Voices
Eight passengers stranded on African island after Norwegian cruise ship left without them.
Posted: Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
However, the line's newest ship, Norwegian Bliss, is less family-friendly than the line's other ships, with all the kids clubs on the lowest levels of the ship and onboard entertainment that is decidedly adult. Norwegian Cruise Line pioneered many features aboard its ships, some of which other cruise lines have imitated. These are some of the special features you'll find aboard some or all of the ships in NCL’s fleet. If you're looking for a romantic vacation, perhaps you'll want a smaller ship or a cabin in The Haven, which is a hotel-within-a-hotel concept with more personalized service.
Many of Norwegian's biggest ships have state-of-the-art theaters as big as those you'd find on Broadway, with big-name productions to match. Norwegian Bliss, for instance, has the Tony Award-winning "Jersey Boys." Norwegian cruises are very unstructured vacations, and that's by design. As mentioned above, the line also operates one ship (Pride of America) in Hawaii year-round.
A cruise through Australia + New Zealand aboard Norwegian Spirit promises golden beaches in Auckland, striking architecture in Melbourne, and the iconic Opera House in Sydney. If you're sure Norwegian is your line, look for a travel agent who specializes in trips with the brand. You want someone who understands all the little quirks that are unique to Norwegian's cabin categories and, preferably, has done ship inspections to see the cabins firsthand. A good travel agent will quiz you about your particular interests, travel style and preferences, and steer you to the perfect cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. They can also help you if something goes wrong just before, during or after your voyage.
The experience can vary from ship to ship, but expect to have a great time. While the cruise line is the third of the “Big Three” in size among rivals Carnival and Royal Caribbean, it doesn’t mean that its cruises lag compared to its larger competitors. Check out of fact sheets of Carnival, and Princess Cruise Lines to see what other options are awaiting you. It was the first cruise line to eliminate the traditional set dining times when it introduced Freestyle Dining, allowing guests to eat at any time at up to 28 different locations on each ship. Norwegian Encore, built in 2019, is the newest ship in the NCL fleet. Two ships in this Epic class were ordered by NCL in November 2006, with an option for a third vessel that was not exercised.
Included DiningAs far as number of options, you have a lot fewer spots to eat that are included with your fare. To us, there is a big difference between the cruise line’s ships. While older ships still have plenty to love, its newer ships are much more modern in both amenities and atmosphere and have more things to do.
Norwegian's 10 smaller vessels break down among five classes, but many are roughly the same size and offer similar amenities. As well, there are charges for many things to do on the ships (such as Galaxy Pavilion and go-karts), which we’d like to see reduced or eliminated altogether. What we’d like to see improved is pricing of things on the ship. Norwegian seems to price at a premium, which means the costs you see can be higher than what you’d find on rival lines, especially with drink packages.
On more than half of Norwegian's ships, many of the top suites are part of The Haven. Billed as an upscale "ship within a ship" and aimed at luxury travelers, The Haven is located at the very top of vessels and often comes with private lounges, pools, sunning areas and even restaurants. At their core, Norwegian ships are mass-market ships, with entry-level cabins that are affordable to middle-class travelers.
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