NCL’s roaring into APAC with its new 2024/25 itineraries

Aerial Norwegian Sky - Departure from Miami 09/05/08 Norwegian Sky - Norwegian Cruise line
By James Harrison


Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced it will deploy three ships to the Asia Pacific in 2024 and 2025.

Norwegian Spirit will return to Australia and New Zealand for her third consecutive season while three NCL ships will cruise Asia – Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Sky – tripling the line’s offering in the region.

“Our expanded presence in the Asia Pacific is testament to our long-term commitment to this region and its importance to our company as both a source market and a destination,” said Ben Angell, MD and VP for NCL in APAC.

“I’m thrilled that guests from all over the world will have more choice than ever before to explore our stunning region, and that more Australian guests will have the opportunity to experience the NCL difference while cruising from their very own doorstep.”

Norwegian Spirit returning to Australia after the pandemic (Source: NCL)

Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific

Following her tremendously successful debut Down Under, Norwegian Spirit will return to Australian and New Zealand waters for her third consecutive season from October 2024 through March 2025, offering a sailing from Australia to Asia as well as her ever-popular 12-day open-jaw cruises between Sydney and Auckland. In addition, the ship will make the Brand’s first port of call to Rarotonga, Cook Islands in November 2025.

Highlights include:

  • A 14-day Australia: Brisbane, Cairns, Lombok & Darwin cruise from Sydney to Bali in December 2024 via the Great Barrier Reef, including an extended overnight stay in Bali.
  • Two voyages in the South Pacific between Sydney, Australia and Papeete, Tahiti via the idyllic islands of French Polynesia, Samoa, New Caledonia and Vanuatu, departing November 2024 and March 2025.
  • Plus: A 16-day South Pacific: Fiji, Moorea & Samoa cruise from Papeete, Tahiti to Auckland, New Zealand in November 2025, including NCL’s very first call to Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

Rarotonga, Cook Islands (Source: NCL)

Asia

Sister ships Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Sky will both make their debut in Asia for the very first time, offering an extensive eight-month season from October 2024 through May 2025. Both more intimate ships at 1,936 and 2,004 guest capacity respectively, Norwegian Sun and Sky can access smaller ports, allowing port-rich and country-intensive itineraries that typically feature one or fewer sea days as well as overnight stays to maximise guests’ time on the ground. They will be joined in region by Norwegian Spirit, with one dedicated Asia sailing and a repositioning cruise from Australia to Asia. Norwegian Sun will make the Brand’s very first port of call to Akita, Japan in October 2024.

Highlights include:

  • A collection of Japanese spring cherry blossom cruises aboard Norwegian Sky together with Japanese autumn foliage cruises aboard Norwegian Sun.
  • A suite of country-intensive Asia cruises aboard both Norwegian Sky and Sun that take guests deeper into captivating destinations in Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
  • A 14-day Asia: Thailand, Vietnam & Indonesia cruise from Bali to Singapore in December 2024 via lesser-known Indonesian islands aboard Norwegian Spirit.
  • A 17-Day Asia; Maldives, Thailand & Seychelles Extraordinary Journey from Mauritius to Singapore across the Indian Ocean.

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