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Why your next dream trip should be a Norwegian Cruise Line voyage in Europe
Featured image by JIM HUGHES PHOTOGRAPHY/NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
As TPG's cruise team lead, Gene Sloan oversees the site's cruise content and also writes many of TPG's main cruise guides. He has spent nearly 30 years writing about cruise ships and cruising, and he is one of the world's best-known authorities on the topic.
August 7, 2024 • 11 min read
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Quick summary
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a convenient way to explore multiple European destinations in a single trip, handling all logistics and accommodations.
Travelers can choose from over 295 itineraries, visiting more than 160 ports across regions like the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Canary Islands.
The cruise line emphasizes longer port stays and immersive shore excursions, allowing for deeper cultural experiences.
Onboard, guests enjoy a wide range of dining, entertainment and activity options, with flexible schedules and no strict dress codes.
What to consider
Itineraries range from four to 15 nights, with options for both quick getaways and extended journeys.
Many fares include extras such as Wi-Fi, specialty dining credits and shore excursion credits, reducing unexpected costs.
Cabin choices vary from budget-friendly inside rooms to luxury suites with exclusive amenities.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed look at specific itineraries, onboard experiences and tips for maximizing value on a European cruise with Norwegian.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Is a grand tour of Europe on your bucket list? We bet it is.
Home to some of the world's most iconic historic sites, art and natural wonders, as well as culinary traditions that will leave your mouth watering, it's been a dream destination for Americans for generations.
On a single trip to just one corner of Europe — Italy — you can walk in the footsteps of gladiators at the Colosseum in Rome one day and marvel at Michelangelo's statue of David in Florence the next. Another day could see you gliding in a gondola through the magical canals of Venice.
Head further east for a few days, and you can add strolling among the famed blue-domed roofs of Santorini, Greece, and savoring delicious local Greek cuisine to your list of experiences. Or visit Istanbul's colorful Topkapi palace — longtime home to Sultans. The ancient ruins of Athens surely will be on your schedule.
That is, if you organize the trip just right — something that isn't easy.
A better bet: Get someone else to organize it for you. Someone like the trip planners at Norwegian Cruise Line.
The Miami-based cruise company has 58 years of experience crafting the perfect multi-destination vacations in Europe. That's made it a leader in planning, organizing and delivering trips for Americans on the Continent.
There are few easier — and more affordable — ways to arrange an in-depth, multi-destination tour of Europe than by signing on for a Norwegian Cruise Line voyage to the destination.
Is a gondola ride in Venice on your bucket list? JIM HUGHES PHOTOGRAPHY/NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
Planning a multi-destination trip to Europe on your own isn't simple. Just figuring out how to travel between cities can be a chore, as is finding just the right place to stay or eat in every place you go. All the while, you'll be navigating a language barrier in many parts of Europe, where there are a whopping 24 different official languages.
The result is that many independent travelers to Europe scale back on their ambitions. They focus on trips that are limited as to just how much of the Continent will be included. Maybe they just visit one or two places.
On a Norwegian Cruise Line sailing, by contrast, the cruise line does all the planning and logistics work for you, and it does it in a way that lets you see a lot more of Europe than you would if you tried to organize a trip on your own.
On many Norwegian itineraries in Europe, every single day of the trip brings a visit to a different destination — something only possible because Norwegian ships can move between destinations in the night, while you're sleeping.
Often, you'll be able to see three, four or even five countries in Europe during a single sailing.
And as you go, Norwegian is providing you a place to stay (your modern and amenity-filled cruise cabin) and meals. Unlike on a land tour of Europe, you only have to unpack once, and you never have to scramble to find a place for dinner. Your cruise ship will be filled with restaurants that you can visit at your whim, many included in the fare.
In short, Norwegian Cruise Line takes the vacation planning work off your plate. All you need to do is decide where you most want to go.
You'll have maximum choice in curated itineraries
Norwegian Cruise Line ships can deliver you to Amsterdam. LORADO/NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
What do you dream of seeing in Europe? The ancient cities of the Greek and Roman empires? The beach-lined coasts of Spain and Portugal? The glacier-carved Norwegian fjords?
Norwegian Cruise Line has Europe itineraries for all of those destinations — and many more.
With 14 ships that sail at least part of the year in Europe, the brand offers one of the widest arrays of options in the region of any travel company, with more than 295 different itineraries in all. Norwegian's ships visit more than 160 ports of call across Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Greek Isles and the Canary Islands — more than any other contemporary cruise line. It offers sailings from 24 departure ports — also more than any other contemporary cruise brand.
Whether you're looking for a quickie trip to Europe for a taste of the region or more extended stay, Norwegian has an option for you. Its Europe trips range from just four nights in length to 15 nights.
On its longer sailings, you can visit as many as 14 of the best-known destinations across the Continent in a single, easy-to-arrange, mostly all-inclusive trip. That's something that's almost impossible to do any other way.
Among top destinations, Norwegian ships in Europe can take you to:
The Greek islands
Itineraries are specially curated to start with a sea day so you can settle in.
Sailings include late-night departures from iconic islands such as Santorini, so you can watch the sunsets from land.
The Mediterranean
Shorter, 7-night sailings in the Western Mediterranean out of Civitavecchia, Italy (the port for Rome), and Barcelona call on a new port every day.
Four-day itineraries out of Barcelona and six-day itineraries out of Civitavecchia or Barcelona
Longer sailings from eight to 15 days that offer a more in-depth exploration
Northern Europe
Nine-night voyages around the Baltic Sea out of Stockholm include calls at up to six ports.
Sailings that bring calls at both Iceland and Greenland in a single trip
Longer, 10- and 11-night trips that combine a visit to Iceland with a visit to Norway's coast
The Canary Islands
9-, 10-, 11- and 14-night sailings to Portugal, Spain, the Canary Islands and Morocco
Trips that include up to 16 hours in ports
A choice of two embarkation ports: Lisbon and Barcelona
You'll have more access to immersive land experiences
Extended stays in Athens are available on Norwegian itineraries. PAVLINA POPOVSKA/NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
Looking for a deeper dive into the Europe experience than you can get with some tour companies and cruise lines? Norwegian is your brand. It has made longer stays in ports such as Barcelona, Athens and Amsterdam a focus of its Europe offerings, with more time in ports on average than its main competitors.
Specifically, in Europe, Norwegian ships spend an average of nine hours in port when visiting destinations. And many of Norwegian's Europe sailings have few if any sea days.
Some port stops are overnight stays that bring two days in a destination instead of one, as is the norm.
In addition, in more than 70 ports in Europe, Norwegian offers Go Local shore excursions that connect cruisers with locals for authentic cultural experiences.
The combination of all these factors means you'll have more time for an immersive land experience while on a Norwegian cruise.
In Reykjavik, for instance, extended overnight stays mean you can spend a day discovering the healing waters of the volcanic Blue Lagoon before experiencing the city's famously bustling nightlife.
You'll find more variety in onboard experiences
Dining al fresco on a Norwegian ship. ERIN KUNKEL/NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
While the port stops in Europe often steal the show, they're only part of what makes a Europe voyage with Norwegian great. Norwegian cruise ships are loaded with more restaurants, bars, showrooms and decktop fun zones than you can imagine — so many that you'll never be bored.
When it comes to restaurants, passengers can enjoy everything from pub eats at The Local, Asian food at Teppanyaki and seafood at Palomar to steak at Cagney’s, Italian at Onda by Scarpetta and French cuisine at Le Bistro. On some Norwegian ships, you can order barbecue, try street food or satisfy your craving for Indian fare before topping it all off with a cone of soft-serve ice cream. Or, if you’re feeling like a more laid-back bite, every Norwegian ship is home to a scrumptious buffet as well as room service. No matter what you’re seeking on the culinary front, you’re likely to find it on NCL’s ships.
Between meals, there are a ton of ways to spend your time, whether you choose to take a dip in the pool, relax on the adults-only sun deck, book a spa treatment or fitness class, stroll or dine on one of many waterfront promenades with astounding sea views, take a spin on the top-deck go-kart track, play laser tag or try your hand in the virtual-reality Galaxy Pavilion. Take a trip down the onboard waterslides, do some ax-throwing, attend daily trivia, give “Deal or No Deal” a whirl, get your adrenaline pumping on a ropes course, or play a round of mini golf for good measure.
At night, reserve seats for one of NCL’s industry-leading theater productions, which include “The Choir of Man,” “Beetlejuice” and “Burn the Floor” depending on the ship. As one of the forerunners in bringing award-winning entertainment to the high seas, Norwegian works with some of the best producers, cast members and crew members in the performance industry to bring high-quality sets, costumes, acting, singing and dancing to its shows.
The value provided by Norwegian Cruise Line is not just limited to the onboard amenities. NCL’s commitment to above-and-beyond service and guest satisfaction is evident in every aspect of the cruise. From the moment guests step on board, they are greeted by a dedicated and friendly crew, ready to cater to their needs and make their vacation truly special.
You'll have a vacation your way
Relax your way on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
One of the key advantages of sailing with Norwegian Cruise Line is the freedom it provides. Unlike other cruises that come with more rigid schedules, set dining times and strict dress codes, Norwegian Cruise Line allows guests to tailor their experiences according to their preferences.
Norwegian has done away with traditional set dinner times, forced tablemates and stuffy dress codes. Feel free to wear jeans to dinner or put on a gown or suit if that’s fun for you. Enjoy dinner at 6 p.m. one night and 8 p.m. the next, depending on your mood. Made new friends on your shore excursion? Invite them to dine with you — Norwegian is happy to accommodate those requests.
You can also choose the level of luxury you’d like for your voyage, based on the type of cabin you book. For cruisers on a budget, NCL’s inside cabins provide basic accommodations without windows, which make for an excellent night’s sleep. For a view, try an outside cabin with a window or, for fresh air, a balcony cabin with a veranda that will serve as your own private deck area.
For more space, inclusions and amenities, consider a suite in The Haven, NCL’s exclusive luxury enclave. Accessed with a special keycard, it features a dedicated restaurant with elevated cuisine, bar, lounge and pool deck for suite passengers only. A stay there will truly make you feel pampered and special while melding all the comforts of a small-ship luxury sailing with all the amenities and fun a big-ship experience provides.
Bruges in Belgium is one of more than 70 destinations that you can visit on an NCL cruise. LORADO/NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
Think a Europe vacation is beyond your budget? With Norwegian, it doesn't have to be. The brand is known for offering great value, whether you're booking an entry level cabin or one of the biggest suites.
In fact, with its Free at Sea booking promotion, NCL offers extras like Wi-Fi, unlimited open bar, specialty dining credits and shore excursion credits in its fares, and it also often includes discounts for the third or fourth passenger staying in a cabin. That means no surprises on your final onboard bill, like you might get on other cruise lines where you’ll pay for these vacation must-haves a la carte. Even better, the money you save on drinks and internet will leave you with more vacation funds to spend on things like indulgent spa treatments and mementos from the onboard shops.
Bottom line
Norwegian Cruise Line is a leader in offering expansive, destination-rich tours of Europe that can be adjusted to your specific tastes. With a wide range of cabin options, carefully curated itineraries, delectable food, top-notch service and don’t-miss entertainment, NCL provides exceptional value on its voyages. So why wait? With NCL, your journey of a lifetime to Europe is finally within reach.
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.
