A new ship, new itineraries and a new design – those are the highlights of NCL’s new Freestyle Cruising brochure for the April 2010 to March 2011 season. The new brochure will be delivered to NCL sales partners within the next two weeks.¨

As a special extra for the brochure launch NCL rewards those clients who decide to book a cruise in the 2010/11 season before July 31, 2009 with savings of up to 250,- Euro compared to the brochure rate (valid for all cruises of six nights and longer, except cruises on board Norwegian Epic).

In the upcoming season the cruise line offers a varied programme aboard its eleven ships that represent the youngest fleet among the world’s leading North American cruise lines. The cruise programme focuses on the year-round, once again expanded European deployment: Three modern Freestyle Cruising resorts – Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Jade – will be en route between the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean until spring 2011.

Further advancements to the NCL Freestyle Cruising offer include attractive combination cruises available in Europe, the Caribbean and New England. Additionally families benefit from attractive child fares: Children of up to 17 years of age travel from only 99,- Euro including all port fees and taxes.

NCL cruises in Europe

For the first time in its company history the cruise line offers cruises from/to Venice. Norwegian Gem (year of construction 2007) hoists its anchor in its new home port on April 24, 2010 and cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean and to the Greek Isles on seven-night itineraries in weekly turns. Ports of call on the Eastern Mediterranean itinerary are Dubrovnik, Piraeus (Athens), Izmir (Ephesus) and Nafplion. On the itinerary “Venice & Greek Isles” Norwegian Gem calls at Corfu, Santorini, Mykonos, the Crete capital Iraklion as well as Split. Both seven-night cruises are bookable from 699,- Euro per person. To intensify the Mediterranean experience both itineraries can be combined into a 14-night cruise (available from 1.299,- Euro per person).

Norwegian Jade will stay in Europe until April 2011. Between April and November 2010, she will offer the seven-night cruise “Barcelona & Western Mediterranean” starting from the Catalonian capital with departures every Sunday and taking passengers to Livorno (Florence & Pisa), Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples, as well as Palma de Majorca on 31 departure dates with prices starting from 599,- Euro per person. For the first time, the princedom of Monaco (Monte Carlo) will be port of call on this itinerary. As of November 21, 2010, Norwegian Jade will divert its course and offer alternating cruises from/to Barcelona to the Eastern Mediterranean and to the Canary Islands and Morocco. The nine-night itinerary “Canary Islands & Morocco” is available from 749,- Euro per person, whereas the 12-night cruise “Barcelona & Classic Mediterranean” is already bookable from 949,- Euro per person. Those who combine the itineraries into a 21-night cruise can set sail from already 1.529,- Euro per person.

Dover (London) will be the home port of Norwegian Sun as of April 26, 2010. Its regular twelve-night cruise “Baltic Capitals” includes the ports of call Copenhagen and Warnemunde as well as the Baltic metropolises of Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki and Nynaeshamn (Stockholm). Between May and September 2010 there will be a total of eleven departures to the Baltic capitals, the cruise is available from 1.049,- Euro per person.

World-wide itineraries

Furthermore, the new programme offers the usual variety of worldwide cruise itineraries. Eleven Freestyle Cruising resorts sail on 45 different itineraries starting from 16 different embarkation ports towards the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Hawai’i, Alaska, Canada & New England, the Panama Canal and the Mexican Riviera.

For instance, Norwegian Jewel sets sail year-round from the Big Apple from April 2010 through to April 2011. Apart from the seven-night Florida & Bahamas cruise (during the winter season 2010/11 also available on board Norwegian Gem) and the ten-night cruise “Manhattan & Eastern Caribbean” (available from 599,- Euro per person) the floating resort also sails towards Canada and New England during the Indian Summer. Guests travel from 799,- Euro per person on this itinerary.

For the first time, Norwegian Sun sets sail from/to Port Canaveral (Orlando) offering cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean on two new seven-night itineraries in weekly turns (available from 499,- Euro per person). Both itineraries can also be combined into a 14-night cruise (available from 929,- Euro per person).

Miami is still the most important embarkation port for cruises to the Caribbean. Four Freestyle Cruising resorts (Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Dawn and Norwegian Sky) offer three-, four-, five-, seven- and nine-night cruises to the Western, Southern and Eastern Caribbean as well as to the Bahamas.

New-build Norwegian Epic

The new-build Norwegian Epic celebrates its inauguration season on cruises to the Caribbean in the 2010 summer season. Guests can experience the next generation of Freestyle Cruising on board as of July 17, 2010. Miami will be the homeport of the new Norwegian Epic, which will sail on alternating seven-night itineraries in the Western and Eastern Caribbean year-round (available from 599,- Euro per person). Those who want to get to know the new NCL flagship in detail can combine the two seven-night itineraries and cruise from 1.189,- Euro per person for 14 nights.

Norwegian Epic accommodates up to 4.200 passengers and features a variety of innovations, among them new stateroom types such as the New Wave staterooms with their curved wall architecture or the largest ship-within-a-ship suite complex consisting of 60 suites and villas located on the upper decks. In addition, the cruise line presents three new stateroom categories: the Studio Inside staterooms for budget-conscious guests who have access to the new Living Room as well as Spa staterooms with complimentary access to the Mandara Spa wellness area and Family staterooms that are located in the vicinity of the Kid’s Crew.

A unique nightlife awaits the guests on board – for example the first true ice bar on the high seas and the multifunctional outdoor complex Spice H2O. With the “Epic Plunge” the ship features the first tube slide and largest bowl slide on board a cruise ship in the new Aqua Park. Further highlights include the ten-metre high, 20-metre wide climbing wall, the first abseiling wall as well as the largest bowling offer at sea with six lanes in two different venues. There are eight kinds of sports activities available on the sports deck, three areas are designed for kids and teens and there will be the first squash court at sea integrated in the fitness centre. In addition, Norwegian Epic will present the largest culinary choice at sea with 14 international restaurants as well as a varied choice of 18 bars and lounges.

On board Norwegian Epic NCL will present a completely new entertainment concept. In another industry first, the company will welcome Blue Man Group, performing in the 685-seat Epic Theater. Blue Man Group is best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows and concerts which combine music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a totally unique form of entertainment. The blissful party atmosphere created at their live events has become the trademark of a Blue Man Group experience and beginning in the summer of 2010 will be seen for the first time ever at sea only on Norwegian Epic. In addition, guests will find the only “big top” at sea on board Norwegian Epic. In this intimate 265-seat theatre-in-the-round, famed producer/director Neil Goldberg will present Cirque Dreams® and Dinner. This one of a kind interactive theatric dining experience will be performed in the air, while juggling dinner courses, with music, mayhem and acrobatic imagination. During this two-hour show, guests will marvel in amazement and become part of a celebration of spectacle and fantasy. The entire experience will be unlike anything else at sea.

Sist oppdatert: 17.06.09 08:29