Norwegian Cruise Line focuses on various itineraries

When I decided to sail with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) for the first time in 2010, I was drawn to the cruise line for more than the flexible, freestyle dining. What really piqued my interest were the more unique ports of call its itineraries featured compared to the Royal Caribbean cruises I was considering.

Norwegian Cruise Line prides itself on offering a flexible cruise experience, with a wide variety of destinations to explore and no strict schedule that passengers must follow aboard its ships. It was the first cruise line to eliminate set dining times. Passengers can choose from a variety of dining options and are encouraged to plan their own day according to their mood, not a schedule.

My favorite part of that Eastern Caribbean cruise with NCL was our stop in the small tourist port of Samaná in the Dominican Republic. My husband and I booked an NCL shore excursion that took us on an ATV adventure tour through the countryside to a waterfall, cocoa and coffee, then through a tropical jungle to a stunning secluded beach. It is still one of my favorite travel experiences of all time.

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Norwegian Cruise Line has become popular with adventurous cruisers like myself who want unique itineraries that venture off the beaten path. With its newest itineraries, the cruise line promises an even greater focus on these types of sailings and on giving passengers even more time in port in sought-after destinations.

NCL has recently expanded its Asia-Pacific and Europe cruise itinerary options to offer passengers more variety and more immersive and intensive port sailings. With its exotic cruises, NCL also offers more opportunities for passengers to explore less visited ports and bucket list destinations.

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Norwegian will sail to new ports.

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NCL offers more exotic cruises, including more exciting Asia-Pacific itineraries

This month marks the start of a new exotic cruise season, and with it, NCL will take passengers on more voyages to Antarctica, South America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand than ever before. During these voyages, NCL will sail three ships in Asia for the first time and visit new ports in Argentina, Bahrain, Japan, Egypt and more.

Noting that Asia is of increasing interest to travelers, NCL has expanded its offerings in the Asia-Pacific region for the coming season. From September 2024 to March 2026, the cruise line will operate 85 voyages in the Asia-Pacific region, Australia and New Zealand from 15 departure ports.

Recently added exciting Asia-Pacific cruise itineraries give passengers more time to explore, with an average of 10 hours in port in over 60 destinations. The 18 month season will also include 36 port nights in Asia Pacific to 11 unique destinations including Osaka, Himeji and Tokushima in Japan, Hong Kong, Bangkok (Laem Chabang), Melbourne, Australia and Bali and Lembar (Lombok ) in Indonesia.

Related: Norwegian Cruise Line is trying to shake up the cruise industry

NCL is adding more exciting European cruises for the 2026 season

Norwegian Cruise Line also recently expanded its cruise offerings for the spring/summer 2026 season in an effort to increase its appeal to cruisers who want more diverse itineraries and destination-oriented sailings in Europe as well.

NCL’s 225 new sailings for the 2026 season feature 150 unique ports of call and more immersive European cruise options. The cruise line offers passengers a wider variety of seven- to 14-day itineraries to choose from in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Greek Islands.

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Many of the European voyages in 2026 include limited or no sea days to allow passengers the opportunity to dive deeper into each destination. With 22 overnight port calls in Europe for the 2026 season, cruises on select sailings can enjoy late-night dining and nightlife in destinations such as Reykjavik, Iceland; Copenhagen, Denmark; Istanbul, Turkey and more.

NCL’s 2026 European cruise itineraries offer voyages to 10 different European countries and include first-time NCL visits to Portree, Scotland; Leirvik (Stord), Norway; and Palamós, Spain. European voyages will sail from 11 unique ports of call, including Helsinki, a new home port for NCL.

From April 2026 to October 2026, NCL’s newest ship, Norwegian Viva, will sail open nine- and 10-day cruises in the Western Mediterranean and the Greek Islands, which offer passengers multiple embarkation and disembarkation port options, including Barcelona, ​​​Spain; Venice (Ravenna), Italy; Istanbul, Turkey; and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.

NCL’s spring and summer 2026 itineraries also include South Pacific voyages, Fire and Ice voyages to Alaska and Hawaii, Western Caribbean cruises and Canada and New England voyages from New York to kick off the fall season .

Related: Norwegian Cruise Line is trying to shake up the cruise industry