Norwegian Cruise Line to offer ex-UK cruises for first time in seven years

Norwegian Cruise Line to offer ex-UK cruises for first time in seven years

by Hollie-Rae Merrick 

Norwegian Cruise Line will have a UK-dedicated ship sailing from Southampton for the first time in seven years from 2017.

The cruise line will offer a series of 11 Western Europe and three Norwegian Fjords sailings between May 12 and June 20 and August 7 and October 16, 2017. Also available will be two shorter taster cruises.

Norwegian Jade (pictured) will arrive in Europe after a two-and-a-half-week dry-dock. Ports of call featured on its itineraries include Hamburg, Amsterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Alesund, Geiranger, and Bergen.

The line’s 2017 programme includes a total of five ships sailing in Europe, the line’s biggest ever European deployment.

Norwegian Getaway, which launched in 2014, will return to Europe to sail on eight or nine-night Baltic Capitals cruises to and from Copenhagen.

Norwegian Epic will sail in the Western Mediterranean; Norwegian Spirit will offer 10 and 11-night voyages between Barcelona and Venice and Norwegian Star will sail between Venice and the Greek Isles.

Norwegian’s managing director for EMEA, Christian Boell, said: “We’re clearly demonstrating our commitment to our European customers, especially cruisers in the UK, with these exciting summer itineraries.

“Not only are we offering the possibility to embark in Southampton but we are also bringing one of our newest and most innovative ships back to Europe.

“We’re convinced that this will encourage continued growth in the UK market, where we have just seen record breaking guest numbers in 2015.”

Northern Europe general manager, Nick Wilkinson, added: “I’m sure these exciting Southampton sailings will be music to our travel partners’ ears.”

New ship Norwegian Escape, which launched in October 2015, will spend summer 2017 sailing alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Miami on May 6.