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Plan ahead to 2025 with these can't-miss destinations with Norwegian Cruise Line
Erica Silverstein is the managing editor for TPG's cruise team. She’s covered the cruise industry for nearly 20 years and has sailed on more than 60 ships. Her work has appeared on Cruise Critic and in The Washington Post, Fodor’s and Let’s Go travel guides.
July 31, 2024 • 14 min read
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Quick summary
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a wide range of 2025 itineraries to destinations including Alaska, Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, Australia and Hawaii.
Travelers can customize their experience with diverse shore excursions, onboard entertainment and flexible dining options.
The cruise line provides logistical ease, eliminating the need for complex travel planning between destinations.
Special perks such as excursion credits, inclusive dining and Wi-Fi, and exclusive private island access enhance the overall value.
What to consider
Popular itineraries and preferred cabins may sell out quickly, so early booking is recommended for best selection and pricing.
Certain cruises feature unique perks, such as free airfare for a second guest or family-friendly deals, depending on the promotion.
Itineraries vary in length and focus, with options tailored for families, solo travelers or those seeking extended land stays.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of standout destinations, ship features and insider tips for maximizing your Norwegian Cruise Line vacation in 2025.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Make 2025 the year you realize your travel dream. Maybe that’s flying in a helicopter to an Alaskan glacier where you can ride on a dogsled pulled by adorable huskies. Or, perhaps it’s sipping wine at vineyards across Italy, Spain and France. Your bucket list might simply include visits to new countries across the globe, such as Japan, New Zealand or Thailand, or be as specific as watching the sun set over Hawaii's Haleakala Crater or snorkeling amid brightly colored coral and fish in Bonaire’s Marine Park.
You could put in a lot of time and effort to create the perfect travel itinerary, spending hours researching hotels and tour operators. Or, you could book a Norwegian Cruise Line sailing, letting the line’s travel planners do the heavy lifting while you choose the prearranged experiences you’re most excited to try.
An NCL cruise makes travel planning easy. Norwegian Cruise Line ships sail to a variety of destinations, from tried-and-true vacation hot spots in the Caribbean to far-flung destinations in Asia. You don’t have to worry about how to get from Greece to Turkey or from Sydney to Melbourne, Australia; the ship will take you there. There are no train tickets to buy or ferry schedules to puzzle out.
Once you’ve decided where to go, you can craft that experience to your preference with the line’s shore excursions. A Norwegian cruise is not one-size-fits-all; you can customize your vacation to your liking. In Alaska, you can choose to go kayaking, sample local food and beer, take a wildlife cruise, or learn about totem poles. In Italy, you could take a pasta-making class, immerse yourself in Florence’s art museums, drink wine at a Tuscan castle or get your steps in climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
No matter how you wish to spend your time ashore, NCL has already crafted excursions to give you the best day out. And did we mention that some of those tours will be subsidized by Norwegian, thanks to excursion credits on every cruise? That’s in addition to the line’s other inclusive Free at Sea offerings, such as unlimited open bar and Wi-Fi and specialty dining credits.
NCL has always been a leader in letting guests shape their own cruise experience, and that philosophy applies to the ship as well. You won’t be told when to eat (or forced to dine with strangers), what to wear (no ties and jackets required) or how to spend your time on board.
Spend your days at sea pampering yourself at your ship’s expansive spa, racing your family and friends around an onboard go-kart track, winning big at the casino or watching award-winning shows in a grand theater. With dozens of dining options covering a range of cuisines, you don't have to agonize about making dinner reservations in a foreign language.
With NCL handling all the logistics and providing you with tons of entertainment options on board and ashore, the only thing left for you to do is choose where to go. Here are six can’t-miss destinations you can sail to with Norwegian Cruise Line.
Alaska
Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
A cruise is one of the best ways to see Alaska, since a ship can take you to places where the roads don’t reach. See nature at its finest (glaciers and salmon and bears — oh my!) and learn about the Native peoples who have long inhabited this northerly region.
You can cruise to Alaska nearly any time you’d like because Norwegian Cruise Line has the longest Alaska cruise season of all the big-ship lines. Whether you want to take the kids for a summer vacation, avoid the crowds on an early-season sailing or chase the northern lights on an October cruise, Norwegian has a ship ready for you from April into October.
Four ships will be dedicated to Alaska in 2025, and all guarantee glacier views. Some cruises explore the limited-access Glacier Bay National Park, while others take you to Hubbard or Dawes Glacier. If you’ve never heard the thunderous sound of a glacier calving or photographed ice that is as blue as the sky, these scenic cruise days will be a highlight.
NCL is all about choice, and four ships give the line Alaska itinerary variety. Big ships Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Encore sail seven-night cruises out of the easily accessible Seattle home port and are perfect for families looking for all the whiz-bang onboard attractions, such as go-kart tracks, laser tag and a water park. (Yes, it can be warm enough in Alaska to use the ship’s pools!)
Norwegian Joy offers slightly longer nine- and 10-night sailings from Alaska, for travelers who want to maximize their time up north. These cruises visit five Alaska ports and Victoria, British Columbia, and include a glacier-viewing day.
Still not enough Alaska for you? Norwegian Jade does things differently, sailing one-way cruises between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Whittier, Alaska (one of the ports closest to Anchorage). Because your cruise starts or ends in Alaska, you have the freedom to tack on an extended land stay to venture into the state’s interior.
You could put in all the work to arrange the trip yourself, but you can save yourself the trouble and let Norwegian plan it for you. Its 11- to 14-night cruisetours combine a cruise with bus and train travel to places like Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Seward and Anchorage. Meet adorable sled dogs and their mushers, search for bears and moose on a Denali wilderness tour, or take a once-in-a-lifetime flightseeing tour by the tallest peak in North America.
Got even more time on your hands? Set aside a little more than two weeks to cruise Alaska and also Hawaii or Japan on one lengthy Norwegian Sun cruise.
Europe
Amsterdam. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
You can never get enough of Europe. From the sun-warmed Greek islands to the waterfall-lined Scandinavian fjords and the historic and culture-rich cities along the Mediterranean, you can’t go wrong with a visit in 2025, whether it’s your first or 10th trip across the pond. No matter where you want to go, NCL has a cruise for you with nine ships sailing 295 different itineraries calling in 160 individual ports.
Norwegian’s newest and most upscale ships, Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Prima, make Europe their spring-through-fall home — and their sophisticated onboard spaces and culinary delights fit perfectly with their cosmopolitan home bases. In 2025, Norwegian Viva will follow the sun to the Greek islands and Turkey, while Norwegian Prima heads north to Iceland, Norway and the bustling cities of the Baltic.
Intrigued by Iceland? Norwegian is the only cruise line sailing round-trip from Reykjavik to Iceland and Greenland with its smaller ship, Norwegian Star.
Families should also consider big ships like Norwegian Breakaway, which offers onboard fun like a water park and ropes course while visiting Mediterranean highlights in Italy, France, Spain and Greece.
No matter where in Europe you choose to go in 2025, Norwegian Cruise Line will make your time there count. Its destination-intensive itineraries often feature a different city every day, so you can see as much as possible during your time abroad. If you’re an unstoppable explorer, look for long days and late departures in ports such as Santorini, Greece, or overnights in marquee destinations, such as Florence, Italy; Copenhagen; Stockholm; and Reykjavik.
For a local flair, you’ll want to book one of NCL’s Go Local tours, which lean into cultural experiences and activities that let you see how locals live. Perhaps you’ll take a tour of one of Europe’s oldest markets in Livorno, Italy, enjoying regional treats, or learn about fishing techniques and barbecuing sardines in Pedregalejo, Spain (near Malaga).
If the bean counter in your family is complaining about the cost to fly to Europe to catch your cruise, gently remind them that Norwegian Cruise Line really does think of everything. Its Free at Sea promotion often includes free airfare for the second guest on your reservation.
Caribbean
Harvest Caye. STEPHEN BEAUDET/NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
It’s no surprise that Norwegian will send a brand-new ship to the Caribbean in 2025; after all, the islands are the quintessential cruise destination. Norwegian Aqua is made for tropical sailings with Aqua Slidecoaster (its hybrid waterslide-roller coaster), onboard beach club and more outdoor spaces for enjoying sea breezes and island views.
Aqua is just one of 15 NCL cruise ships sailing through the Bahamas and Caribbean in 2025. With nine departure ports (including seven in the continental U.S. for easy access) and more than 70 different itineraries, Norwegian can offer something for everyone.
Travelers short on time and money can get away with two-night cruises to the Bahamas, families can sail attraction-laden megaships like Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Joy, and retirees with time on their hands can truly relax with two-week voyages to the farthest reaches of the Caribbean or through the Panama Canal.
Do you want to feel like a celebrity hanging out in the Virgin Islands, or do you want to dive into the ancient cultures (and reef-filled waters) of Central America? Whether you prefer to beach it up in the Bahamas, venture out to the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) or sample local rum in Puerto Rico or Jamaica, a Norwegian Cruise Line ship is going your way.
If you’re looking for an epic beach day, NCL offers not one, but two private islands exclusive to its cruise guests: Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas and Harvest Caye off the coast of Belize. Here, you can plop down on a complimentary lounge chair and only get up to grab a bite or cool down in the clear Caribbean waters, or you can get your adrenaline pumping with a zip line or parasail flight.
The Caribbean is a great vacation choice for everyone — including couples, solo travelers and groups of friends — but we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out the specific attractions of a Caribbean cruise vacation for families. Onboard attractions like water parks, ropes courses, kids and teens clubs, and twisting multideck slides keep the youngest cruisers happy.
Norwegian Cruise Line often offers deals with free third and fourth fares, perfect for parents looking to save by booking one cabin for their entire family. Or perhaps a vacation at sea is the time to splurge on a family suite. With plenty of itineraries lining up with school breaks, Norwegian is primed to offer families a beach vacation they won’t quickly forget.
Asia
Nha Trang, Vietnam. KARLIE PLACE AND COLIN RINGAS/NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
If 2025 is your year for bucket list travel, Norwegian Cruise Line can take you to destinations across Asia that you’ve always wanted to see. One cruise can easily check off multiple countries on your wishlist.
A cruise is also one of the best ways to explore Asia and the Pacific islands if you find the language barrier and foreign culture intimidating. Think of the cruise line as a knowledgeable tour guide ready to recommend the best places to go, things to see and food to eat, all while taking the stress out of vacation planning in a far-flung destination.
Next year, NCL will base more ships than ever before in Asia, with three ships — Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Spirit — deployed to the region. The cruise line offers extensive time in port, with port calls averaging 10 hours in length and overnight stays in 11 ports, including Osaka, Japan; Hong Kong; and Bali, Indonesia.
Norwegian Sun will weave in and out of the Pacific islands in 2025, with visits to Tahiti and French Polynesia, Fiji, Indonesia and Malaysia. Norwegian Sky will explore Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Japan in the early part of the year, including cruisetours with multiday stays in Singapore. Norwegian Spirit will also spend time in Hong Kong, Thailand and Vietnam before moving on to Japan, Taiwan and Korea itineraries.
Sailing lengths of 10 to 19 nights can accommodate professionals who need to get back to their desks as well as travelers with time to immerse themselves in a new destination. Plus, the ship's range of cabins, from windowless inside rooms to expansive suites, means a bucket list trip can fit into a wide range of vacation budgets.
Australia
KARLIE PLACE/NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
Asia isn’t the only far-flung bucket list destination Norwegian Cruise Line can take you to. If you’ve been dreaming of the Land of Oz, a Norwegian cruise is a great way to hit all the hot spots in Australia and New Zealand without worrying about how to cross the long distances between major cities.
Norwegian Sun makes its debut Down Under in 2025 (technically, it will arrive in late December 2024). The ship will sail a selection of 12- to 15-night voyages between Australia and New Zealand through March 2025. Among the options are new NCL itineraries to the Great Barrier Reef and South Pacific as the ship sails between Cairns, Australia, and Lautoka, Fiji. You can visit destinations in Australia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji.
Norwegian Spirit will take over the route at the end of 2025, so if you’re hoping to spend Christmas and New Year’s 2025 on a 14-night tour of Australia and New Zealand, that will be your ship. Imagine it: Not only will you skip out on two weeks of North American winter, but you’ll visit Sydney, Melbourne, Tasmania and multiple ports on New Zealand’s North and South islands, all with just one round-trip transpacific flight and no long drives or pricey intercity flights.
Hawaii
Pride of America in Kauai. DANNY LEHMAN/NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
No roundup of NCL’s top destinations is complete without mentioning Hawaii. The cruise line is king in Hawaii, where it’s the only big-ship line to offer year-round, seven-night, interisland itineraries on its U.S.-flagged ship, Pride of America. All the other foreign-flagged cruise ships must include a foreign port (usually Canada or Mexico) in their itineraries, necessitating at least one ocean crossing on each itinerary.
Most working professionals and families don’t have time for leisurely ocean voyages with multiple days in a row at sea. They want what NCL’s got — a weeklong trip packed with visits to five ports on four islands, including overnights in Kauai and Maui. Throw in an included scenic cruise of the Napali coast aboard the ship, and the value proposition is crystal clear.
Norwegian brings authentic local culture on board with hula dancing lessons, lei making workshops and even a Hawaiian language class. On shore, you’ll have time to attend an evening luau; get up close to active and dormant volcanoes; learn to surf, snorkel and dive among colorful coral and sealife; and relax on the gorgeous beaches the islands are famous for.
If you can’t get enough of Hawaii, NCL offers three-night land-based add-ons, so you can spend more time in Oahu, visiting Pearl Harbor, the Dole Plantation, Polynesian Cultural Center and Kualoa Ranch.
Bottom line
It’s no secret that cruises have become so popular that the best itineraries are selling out far in advance. If you want to nab your preferred cabin or suite on an NCL cruise to one of these top destinations, you’ll want to start planning your 2025 vacation now. These days, the early bird will likely get a better fare, too.
So whether your 2025 travel plans feature a tropical getaway in the Caribbean, a natured-based foray into Alaska, or cultural tour of Europe or Asia, you’ll want to get that cruise fare locked in now. Then you can spend a year crafting your perfect days ashore, prioritizing the onboard restaurants and attractions you want to experience most, and simply dreaming of your upcoming Norwegian Cruise Line vacation.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
