NCL moves to nine ships in Europe this year with Sun redeployed from Asia

'Due to challenging and developing regulations regarding international travel and cruising in Asia, we have made the difficult decision to reposition Norwegian Sun from Asia to Europe to offer round-trip voyages to the Canary Islands,' an NCL spokesperson said Tuesday. All sailings aboard Norwegian Sun from Oct. 11, 2022, through April 25, 2023, have been canceled.

Norwegian Sun joins a lineup that includes Norwegian Escape, set to become the first Breakaway Plus vessel to sail a full season in Europe. Escape also will be NCL's largest ship in Europe.

Most extensive season

President and CEO Harry Sommer said it will be NCL's most extensive Europe lineup with more than 100 ports of call,

Norwegian Escape returned to Europe for the first time since 2015 and has completed its first Eastern Mediterranean voyage from homeport Civitavecchia (Rome). Varied seven- to 11-night cruises are scheduled.

Escape resumed service in mid-April from Port Canaveral after five Caribbean cruises were canceled for repairs following the ship's March 14 grounding at the new Taino Bay port in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

Port-intensive cruises

In Europe Norwegian Escape will be calling at such ports as Santorini, Mykonos, Naples, Valletta and Messina. The itineraries include five to eight ports with stays of up to 13 hours each and no more than two sea days.

Escape will also debut NCL’s 'Meet the Winemaker Series' in Europe as it sails around the Greek Isles and Italy. The July 17 cruise will feature Certified Angus Beef and noted winemaker Antonio Hidalgo of the family-owned Spanish sherry house Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana. The Oct. 17 edition will be hosted by Sandro Bottega of Bottega S.p.A.

Norwegian Prima

NCL's new Norwegian Prima, first of the Prima class, is set to debut in Europe in August. Further fleet members there will be Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Star and Norwegian Getaway. 

Getaway, however, will not be operating a full Baltic season as originally scheduled and will redeploy to Port Canaveral in June.