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Norwegian Cruise Line debuts in Haifa, will send Prima class in 2025

PHOTO Moshe Maoz CRUISE_NCL_Israel.jpg
L to R: NCL VP of international business Eamonn Ferrin, ship's Captain Rune Myre, VP ministry of tourism, Israel, Kobby Barda and NCL regional VP Nick Wilkinson at the plaque xxchange ceremony on Norwegian Epic
Norwegian Cruise Line celebrated a new milestone as Norwegian Epic became the first of its 18 ships to homeport in Haifa, Israel.

The 4,100-passenger, 155,873gt ship will embark on open-jaw 11-day sailings to five countries including Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and Italy.

Long-standing partnership

Nick Wilkinson, NCL regional VP of Israel, Middle East and Africa, said: ‘The Israeli market is hugely important to us, and we know that our Israeli guests have been longing for embarkations out of their beautiful country for a while.’

He said the debut marks ‘the beginning of a long-standing partnership between NCL and the region. What’s more, we’re thrilled to announce Prima-class Norwegian Viva will be visiting Haifa in 2025, reaffirming the significance of the Israeli market to us at NCL.’

The celebration was marked with a traditional plaque exchange ceremony onboard Norwegian Epic, attended by the VP from Israel’s ministry of tourism, Kobby Barda.

Haifa sailings

Barda said: ‘Minister Yoel Razvozov has worked tirelessly to bring back cruising to Israel, to increase tourism to the country, particularly to the city of Haifa and the north.’

He called Norwegian Epic’s debut sailing on Tuesday, as well as the line’s commitment to Haifa, ‘a celebratory moment for Israel’s tourism’.

Norwegian Epic will sail a variety of 10-, 11- and 12- day cruises in December 2023 as well as in March and October 2024, calling at Ashdod, before stopping in Limassol (Cyprus), Rhodes Patmos and Piraeus (Greece) and Naples, Livorno, Trieste and Civitavecchia (Italy) as well as Split in Croatia.

Viva arriving in 2025

Norwegian Viva will offer open-jaw voyages from Istanbul, Haifa and Piraeus in summer 2025. The nine- and 10-day sailings will visit ports in the Eastern Mediterranean including Mykonos and Santorini in Greece, Kusadasi in Turkey as well as Alexandria and Port Said in Egypt.

A first for Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International's Rhapsody of the Seas began homeporting in Haifa in August, a first for the cruise line. In total, the port will have 109 turnarounds and 116 transit calls this year.