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MISSED PORTS AND PROMISED REFUNDS NOT THROUGH

We were booked into the Dawn, sailing from Mauritius, but were unable to sail for the first two days as there was potential Cholera onboard. NCL did put us up in a hotel with $75 per person per night allowance, plus offered a pro rata refund. This should have been refunded within fourteen days of our claim going in. None of the crowd we met on the cruise have received the refund yet, now 2 months later. We are all appalled as this spoiled our holiday - missed Mozambique and Madagascar and no refunds. Please get this sorted out - we are a very disgruntled crowd.

Date of experience : February 24, 2024

The cruise its self was good having…

The cruise its self was good having said that be careful of using a credit card as payment on board use cash and settle up on the last day , they took two payments of the same amount leaving us in a real awkward position overseas and a empty credit card. Contacting this company is almost impossible its a never ending circle of " not our department and customer service after the cruise is email only no phone number" with a unto 30 days for a reply. Be careful how you manage your money

Date of experience : April 03, 2024

Loss of shore days on NCL Pride of America Hawaiian cruise

We had a Hawaiian cruise which was to include 2 days on Maui, 1 day at Hilo, 1 day at Kona, and 2 days at Kauai. Due to a technical issue with the ships backup generator, the boat was unable to leave from Hilo to Kona. Someone said the Coast Guard wouldn't let the ship sail. We had to stay in Hilo and didn't get to see Kona. As Hilo and Kona were on opposite sides of the same island, we decided to rent a car and drive from Hilo to Kona when we found out we wouldn't be going there. Unfortunately, the captain told us around 8 AM of day 2 on Hilo that everyone needed to be back on the ship by 1 PM to leave. Therefore, we had to cancel our plans to drive to Kona. The ship ended up leaving the next morning and sailed all day which was the first day we were supposed to be in Kauai. Thus we got cheated out of another day of seeing the islands. We had to wait in line at the excursions desk a couple of times to get the credit for the canceled excursions that we prepaid for. We also had to talk to guest services to get a bar bill corrected. To make up for the loss of 2 days island experiences, NCL gave us $200 credit and the offer of 20% off our next cruise if used by December 31, 2025. As we don't have any plans to take another cruise, this offer was meaningless to us. The entertainment that was offered on the ship wasn't that great and certainly didn't make up for the loss of excursions to the islands. We also didn't think the food was anything special. We did enjoy the suite we were in in.

Date of experience : April 13, 2024

BAIT and SWITCH!

BAIT and SWITCH! we have traveled Norweigen for years reaching sapphire status and can confirm that the quality has been steadily declining. After the pandemic they apparently discovered they could save money and make money by cancelling ports. this has happened on each of the last 5 cruises and the port that is cancelled is always the most popular one and the cancellation is always after they have taken your money with no chance of refund. the reason given on the last cruise was wind but this was not supported by the forecast and there were also 2 other cruises headed to that destination when they made that statement

Date of experience : April 06, 2024

NCL has become such a low-quality…

NCL has become such a low-quality cruise line in the past few years that I will not sail on NCL again. They nickel-and-dime you to death. The free-at-sea promotion is a scam, and how they advertise this is deceptive. The benefits do not equal the cost. Shore excursions are more expensive than any other cruise line, and their service is deplorable. In addition to the lower quality of service, the food in their main dining room has become so bad that it's reminiscent of a High School Cafeteria. Low-quality food at a full cruise price.

Date of experience : April 01, 2024

They just refused to compensate

I have been on many different cruise ships and NCL was the worst earlier this year. Three countries port visits were cancelled. I booked the holiday specifically to visit these countries. It’s like ordering a new car and when it arrives it’s a van. Not fit for purpose. NCL wouldn’t compensate me for that. My advice, don’t go anywhere near them!!

Date of experience : March 04, 2024

Never travel with you

Where do I start? We missed 2 malgascia,the cabin was shocking,the entertainment??? Are you havin a laugh… The same act for 45 minutes each night, For the price we paid for our first cruise was £6000, And then at finding out at the end of our unpleasant and miserable unforgettable experience that we then had another £400 for services charges i.e bedding changed which we never asked for!!! Also paying the price what we paid where was the English tea bags n also you the serve the worst coffee n when we tasted the coffee we had to pay for a proper coffee at Starbucks, all inclusive you are havin a joke,Also we are getting charged for food which we are not paying

Date of experience : March 11, 2024

Think twice before NCL Encore

I was not impressed with NCL Encore or her crew. Bar staff was rude and it took forever to get drinks. Food at the buffet was ok at best. Food was better at some of the restaurants. Nester at Guest Services was HORRIBLE. Found out that the Encore is usually an Alaska ship, WHY would you use it for a Caribbean cruise. There was ONE pool (and a kids pool) for everyone. Guest shops onboard are a joke. EVERYTHING is an added fee. I did not find the ship to be "user-friendly" in gettting around.

Date of experience : March 03, 2024

Had a cruise May of 2023

Had a cruise May of 2023. We had them setup all our travel arrangement. Our flight was delay, we contact the Cruise line and travel arrangement. We lost 1600.00 because they said we canx our cruise. We tried to explain that they made our travel arrangements. Wouldn't recommended this Cruise line to anybody. Norwegian cruise line wasn't helpful at all

Date of experience : May 06, 2023

Disappointing trip

On a recent Caribbean cruise we were genuinely shocked by the quality of the experience. First, the pros: Our cabin was spacious and had plenty of storage space. The service was great from all the staff with whom we interacted. Our cabin steward, Gilbert, was fantastic. Our room was cleaned every day and Gilbert was very responsive to any requests that we made. Since we ate in different places, we did not develop any relationships with particular staff. However, Alvin, a server in Tankards and Rachel the bartender in Sugarcanes were right on top of things. They knew us by name and by drink every time we stopped by their facility. Not so good things: The bathroom in our cabin had a bath tub/shower combination which was both unsafe and uncomfortable. In addition to the height of the side of the tub, there was a 3-4 inch addition to accomdate the shower door. All of our group was over 70 and two were over 80. Getting in and out of that tub was the low point of the day. Once in the tub, you could not stand with your feet side by side. The floor of the tub was so narrow that you had to stand with one foot in front of the other making it very hard to maintain your balance. All in all, the bathroom was unacceptable because of that tub. In addition, there was an ashtray permanently fixed to the wall by the toilet! How long has it been since anyone was allowed to smoke in their cabin? The food was barely acceptable. The salad bar in the buffet consisted of lettuce, tomatoes, corn, onions, ham and cheese. No veggies, no olives, no croutons, just this sad assortment. One night in La Bistro, two of our group ordered dover sole and found it to be inedible. Dry, grainy, and tasteless was how it was described. We did enjoy a few dishes in the other specialty restaurants. The lamb shank in the Italian restaurant was delicious as was the pasta. And Cagney's produced one of the best steaks I've ever had. Lunch and dinner in the Grand Pacific was hit or miss. Nothing really terrible but at best "meh" was all you could say. For breakfast some ordered the bagel and smoked salmon . Out came a half a small, dried bagel that some one put two glancing blows of cream cheese on, a few capers, virtually no tomato, and some sliced onion. We had to change the order for the bagel to two orders (so we could have a whole bagel) extra cream cheese, and a sliced tomato on the side. The portion of smoked salmon served was good and had a great flavor. Sides (other than french fries) were miniscule, maybe a tablespoon of slaw with the barbecue. Very sad state of affairs with the food generally. Communications were spotty if not nonexistant. In disembarking, for example, many of us headed to Deck 4 which had been where one left the boat for all excursions. Somehow, on disembarkation day, we needed to exit on Deck 7. Unfortunately there were no signs or staff directing people to the right deck and many of us spent too much time just trying to figure out how one got off the boat! Very disappointed with so much of this cruise that we don't think that we will use NCL again.

Date of experience : April 09, 2024

DO NOT BUY Trip insurance from…

DO NOT BUY Trip insurance from Norwegian Cruise line. We did and ended up having surgery before our planned cruise. Norweign uses ION insurance which denied our claim stating it was pre existing condition. Why I would schedule a 10 day cruise with lots of walking when I had a preexisting condition with my knee is beyond me....

Date of experience : December 15, 2023

Beyond your expectation

I’d like to write a review for NCL EPIC cruise because it gave me & my wife a fantastic vacation that we’ve never experienced before. The followings are reasons based on my real situations. 1. I booked an inside cabin and requested a shower stool for myself after booking. NCL EPIC offered me beyond my expectation--- an accessible wheelchair cabin. 2. My wife forgot her coat after onboard buffet eating one night then, we got it back without any difficulty at customer service counter of NCL EPIC next morning. 3. CBP(US Customs & Border Protection) had been thinking we were overstay in the US because we entered New York by airplane and cruised with NCL EPIC for Europe next day. They were so wrong about it and I needed to correct this CBP record, in order to clean my name. NCL cruise line was very helpful on this issue as provided me with required documents after the voyage. I finally made CBP to acknowledge their mistake in Nov. 2023. In one word, choosing NCL and you got it all.

Date of experience : April 22, 2023

SAFETY IS LACKING ON DESTINATION EXCURSIONS

We have been longtime advocates for Oceania Cruises but our most recent experience has soured us forever. We will never take another cruise on Oceania or its parent company's ships due to the apparent lack of conCern for SAFETY on destination shore excursions. We wereon a ship-based land tour and the guide never showed up so the bus driver attempted (poorly) to be guide but to do so he had to shift with the same hand he was using to hold the microphone on the very small island of Dominica with very very narrow, curvy, steep, hilly switch-back roads. It was INCREDIBLY SCARY. When I reported this to Destination Services, after reviewing for ten days, they denied any safety issues and refused to even refund our tour expense. THE LACK OF CONERN FOR PASSENGER SAFETY IS UNBELIEVEABLE!

Norwegian air promotion is worthless, and it causes you loss of free stateroom upgrade

The air promotion Norwegian offered is worthless. They put us on indirect flights which take many more hours than direct flights. Also, they can only book flights with 2 days before and after the cruise departure and arrival. With 200 dollars more, we can buy much better two round-trip flights with more flexibility. What made it even worse was that the air promotion eliminated us from free upgrade of stateroom. We ended up with paying 2 times more than the current cost of the cruise resulting from making reservation 6 months in advance. I would suggest that you should not book in advance and not use their air promotion. With this type of service, we are so disappointed at Norwegian.

Delay with deposit refund

In early 2023 my wife and I booked a cruise around the Greek Islands for August 2024 on the Norwegian Epic. Due to circumstances we had to cancel the cruise. I notified them in October 2023 and was informed that I was entitled to a full refund. Today 5/4/24 I finally received the refund of my deposit in full. It took 6 months and numerous unanswered emails to get the deposit back. I'm sure that if I had not pursued this matter I would not have seen my money again. I have never in my life had to deal with the incompetence and ignorance of a company as I have in this time. I was promised in writing that the refund was being processed only to find that it was not. We plan on booking a similar cruise at a later time but it will definitely not be with Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Date of experience : April 05, 2024

Worst cruise line to be honest 0/10

I regret to say that my experience with this cruise line was deeply disappointing. The crew's attitude was consistently poor, with minimal effort to provide satisfactory service. Most facilities, including the bar and common areas, were inexplicably closed for the majority of the voyage. While the food was passable, it failed to make up for the overall lack of quality service. I would never recommend this cruise line to others. Glad I know now and will never step on this cheap cruise line again.

Date of experience : March 29, 2024

OK cruise ruined by overcharging and uselesss Guest Servuces

We enjoyed our Australia and New Zealand cruise with hard-working and happy staff. Unfortunately, I had a very minor bladder infection This would have been a 20-minute doctor consultation in the UK with an antibiotic and maybe paracetamol prescribed plus an instruction "drink plenty of fluids". Onboard I went to the Medical Centre who 'went to town' with antibiotic and omeprazole injections, intravenous paracetamol plus saline drip, blood samples for liver and kidney tests, monitored my condition for two hours and gave me a bill for $3,000. They would not deal directly with our insurance company so we paid this, along with a few hundred dollars of other expenditure, prior to disembarkment in Sydney. Then the problems started. Our credit card was declined when we tried to pay for lunch with the message 'short of funds' which we knew we were not. We checked our bank statement online to find that the final bill had been paid but also there was a ‘hold’ for the medical expenses bill which meant we had effectively paid this twice. We tried to contact NCL Guest Services which was almost impossible though they did eventually come back with a statement to the effect 'We value your comments and will try to get back to you within 30 days'. Useless. I also contacted my bank and Iglu travel agent, who responded within 24 hours and at least tried to help. When NCL Guest Services eventually replied, after we got home, they sent a standard letter stating that we had agreed when we signed up with them, to them putting 'holds' on guests' bank accounts to cover expenditures as they occurred and these funds would be released after up to 30 days. NCL implied that this was the bank’s fault but I now realise it was theirs. Had they put a hold on the original $3,000 and then marked the same $3000 as collected, the bank would have matched the two up and cancelled the hold. However because the total bill was different to the hold amount, they were unable to do so. This is difficult to explain but it would have been so easy for NCL to do this correctly and I suggest they should do so in the future to prevent the same thing happening to future guests. Comments please NCL?

Date of experience : February 21, 2024

Our cruise was delayed by 2 disappointed days in…

Our cruise was delayed by 2 days in Mauritius! Lack of communication from start to finish, we still not having communication from them after returning home! 3ports cancelled and we went into all industrial ports! If this had been our first cruise it certainly would be our last! We have cruised with them before and had a good experience but we should have known when they cancelled the Brazil cruise. So NEVER again with ncl

Date of experience : February 25, 2024

DONT BOOK WITH NORWEGIAN! …

I agree with the recent posts about them not helping at all with concerns, especially with flights. We have been looking forward to our cruise for so long and also asked to travel as a family. They originally booked us on the same flights, but then randomly rebooked my kids on a flight pattern six hours apart from ours. My son has anxiety when traveling which I have explained multiple times. They don’t seem to care and no one will help me. All I want is for them to put my kids back on their original flight. There was no reason to change them and I had already reserved seats for us to sit together. This is ruining our vacation when all they need to do to make it right is simply move them back. They were happy to take my money and seem to sadistically enjoy the fact that they have the power to ruin our experience. It’s easier to do the right thing NCL!

Date of experience : April 04, 2024

False advertising

False advertising for ports they have no intention of stopping in at Greenland. Booked for July 2024 cruise that was supposed to have 3 stops in Greenland (Nuuk, Paamiut, and Qaqortoq). Was hesitant to book after I read they changed itineraries and cancelled Greenland stops on 2023 cruises. Thought maybe due to fluke in weather and it was new route, surely they’d have it figured out a year later so we took our chances. First issue was seeing itinerary change for the June cruise, still kept hoping, but got email yesterday of change-now only 2 stops in Greenland,(not Nuuk). Hopefully no more changes. What is really suspect is that it seems they don’t announce these changes until right after date of final payment and no real reason given. Surely not weather this far in advance. I suspect they had no intention of making these stops and it’s a bait and switch. What’s worse is the is still advertising old itinerary. It appears they have been consistently pulling this bait and switch on a number of destinations. There should really be some way to address this as it is too often to be for legitimate, emergent reasons and is basically a way to scam customers. Greenland was the only reason I took this cruise. Trust has been broken before I’ve even stepped on the ship.

Date of experience : April 02, 2024

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Norwegian Cruise Line Review – Ships, Destinations, Dining, and More

Katie Seemann

Senior Content Contributor and News Editor

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Keri Stooksbury

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Basic Information

Departure ports, featured shore excursion, onboard activities, complimentary dining, specialty dining, bars and beverages, accommodations, latitudes rewards, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Norwegian Cruise Line has been around since 1966. Since that time, it’s grown to be one of the largest cruise lines in the world. It has been an innovator in the cruise industry by being the first cruise line to eliminate set dining times with their Freestyle Cruising program.

A Norwegian ship is easy to spot since each one’s hull is adorned with bright artwork, some of which have been done by world-famous artists like Peter Max, Guy Harvey, and David “Lebo” Le Batard.

With 17 ships sailing to over 450 destinations across the world, there’s a Norwegian cruise to suit every traveler’s dreams!

Name: Norwegian Cruise Line

Parent Company: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (which also owns Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises)

Number of Ships: 17

Destinations: 450+

Loyalty Program: Latitudes Rewards

Credit Card : Norwegian Cruise Line ® World Mastercard ®

Norwegian currently operates 17 cruise ships:

• Norwegian Bliss
• Norwegian Breakaway
• Norwegian Dawn
• Norwegian Encore
• Norwegian Epic
• Norwegian Escape
• Norwegian Gem
• Norwegian Getaway
• Norwegian Jade
• Norwegian Jewel
• Norwegian Joy
• Norwegian Pearl
• Norwegian Sky
• Norwegian Spirit
• Norwegian Star
• Norwegian Sun
• Pride of America

Norwegian Encore, built in 2019, is the newest ship in the NCL fleet. In 2022, the new Leonardo class of ships will be introduced.

Hot Tip: Think you can’t use miles and points to book a cruise? Think again. Check out our ultimate guide to booking a cruise using miles and points.

Norwegian sails to over 450 destinations from 17 departure ports across Europe and North America.

Private Ports/Islands

Norwegian Cruise Line has 1 private island in the Bahamas called Great Stirrup Cay. Activities offered on the island include snorkeling, kayaking, zip-lining, paddle boarding, and more!

If luxury is what you’re after, you can rent a private villa at Silver Cove. Each villa comes with a private bathroom, a TV with on-demand movies, air conditioning, a retractable glass wall, and access to the upscale Silver Cove buffet.

You won’t go hungry during your day at Great Stirrup Cay. You can make your own tacos at Abaco Taco, grab a quick bite at the food truck, Tropic Like It’s Hot, or enjoy lunch at the Jumbey Beach Grill. You’ll also find 3 bars on the island — Bacardi Bar, Bertram’s Bar, and Patron Bar.

If you’d prefer to explore beyond Great Stirrup Cay, you can book the exclusive shore excursion at this port to visit the famous swimming pigs! Your excursion includes round-trip transportation to Treasure Island to interact with these playful piggies.

Hot Tip: Want to make sure you’re getting the best price on your cruise? Check out our list of the  best websites to book your cruise  at the lowest price to get started.

There is so much to do on a Norwegian cruise! In addition to cruise ship staples like pools, a casino, art auctions, Broadway-style shows, and a spa, Norwegian also offers lots of unique and thrilling activities including:

• Kids’ Aqua Park
• Ropes course
• Virtual reality
• The Waterfront oceanfront promenade
• Waterslides: Ocean Loops, Free Fall, The Epic Plunge, The Whip

Note that some of these activities may come with additional fees, and not every activity is available on every ship.

Hot Tip: When booking your cruise, make sure you’re using the right credit card to maximize your benefits. See our guide to the  best credit cards to book cruises  for some guidance.

Dining and Beverages

Norwegian Cruise Line was a pioneer with its Freestyle Dining program. There are no set dining times or assigned seats, as is customary with “traditional” dining on many cruise lines. You can dine whenever and where ever you wish. Plus, there is never a formal night requirement.

• Main dining rooms (up to 3 per ship)
• O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill
• Asian Fusion
• 24-hour room service

Norwegian offers a selection of specialty dining restaurants that come with an additional cost (some offer à la carte pricing while others come with a flat per person charge). Not all of these locations are available on every ship.

• Bayamo by Ocean Blue
• Cagney’s Steakhouse
• Food Republic
• Margaritaville
• Moderno Churrascaria
• Pincho Tapas Bar

Hot Tip: You can purchase specialty dining packages ahead of time so you can enjoy these restaurants without having to worry about payment. Packages start at 3 specialty meals for $99.

A Norwegian ship can feature up to 22 different bars and lounges including:

• 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar
• Bliss Ultra Lounge
• Great Outdoors
• The Humidor Cigar Lounge
• Magnum’s Champagne and Wine Bar
• Maltings Beer and Whisky Bar
• O’Sheehan’s Bar and Grill
• Shaker’s Martini Bar
• Skyy Vodka Ice Bar
• Sugarcane Mojito Bar
• Vibe Beach Club
• Waves Pool Bar

As typical with many cruise lines, some beverages aren’t included in the cost. If you would prefer to pay for your drinks upfront, you can purchase a beverage package:

• The Corks and Caps Wine and Beer Package includes soft drinks plus beers and wines by the glass. The cost is $65 per person per day.
• The Premium Beverage Package includes soft drinks, select spirits, cocktails, wines by the glass, and bottled or draft beer up to and including $15 each. The cost is $99 per person per day. 
• The Premium Plus Beverage Package includes soft drinks, beers, spirits, cocktails, wines by the glass and select bottles of wine with dinner, plus sparkling water, energy drinks, and specialty coffees. The cost is $128 per person per day.

For the 3 packages above, you must be 21 years old or older to purchase. If 1 person purchases a package, everyone (over 21 years old) residing in the same stateroom or additional staterooms that were under the same form of payment is required to purchase it. Anyone under 21 years of age on the same reservation will be required to purchase the Soda Program.

• The Soda Program provides endless fountain soda throughout your cruise. The cost is $5.95 per person per day for ages 12 and under. For anyone over the age of 12, the cost is $7.95 per person per day.

Bottom Line: Beverage packages must be purchased for the entire length of the cruise . A 20% gratuity and beverage service charge will be added to all beverage package purchases.

Norwegian offers many different types of staterooms to accommodate all kinds of travelers. Whether you’re traveling solo or with the whole family, on a budget or looking to splurge, you’ll find a stateroom that will suit your needs.

Here are some of the highlights:

If you’re traveling by yourself, check out the Studios on Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss, and Pride of America. These 1 person accommodations are designed for the solo traveler — and priced accordingly.

At approximately 100 sq. ft., these mini rooms have just the essentials, but you’ll also get access to the Studio Complex and Lounge, a shared space where you can relax, order room service, watch TV, and meet your neighbors.

A Family Balcony Stateroom comes with a location that’s near the kid-friendly action, including the youth program and pool deck, and it sleeps up to 4 passengers.

If a spa experience is what you’re after, consider booking a Spa Suite, Mini-Suite, or Balcony Stateroom . These relaxing rooms are located close to the Mandara Spa and include access to the Thermal Spa Suites, sauna, hydrotherapy pools, steam room, and heated loungers.

For the ultimate in luxury at sea, try out The Haven by Norwegian . The Haven collection features the most luxurious staterooms located at the top of the ship. You’ll have access to a concierge and 24-hour butler, plus the private sundeck (complete with pool and hot tub) reserved just for Haven guests. Select ships also offer a private Haven bar and restaurant.

Hot Tip: Make sure you don’t forget anything — check out our  printable cruise vacation packing list!

Latitudes Rewards is Norwegian Cruise Line’s loyalty program. Each tier is determined by the number of points you have earned.

• You’ll earn 1 point for each cruise night (for example, you would earn 7 points for a 7-night cruise)
• Earn an additional 1 point per night when you book a Concierge, Suite, or Haven stateroom
• Earn an additional 1 point per night if you book a Latitude Rewards Insider Offer

Latitudes Rewards perks vary by tier — here are some of the highlights (each level of status includes all benefits offered by lower tiers):

• Bronze: Priority check-in at the pier, a bottle of sparkling wine in your stateroom, free artwork for attending the art auctions
• Silver: Exclusive onboard cocktail party, discounts on shore excursions, photos, and spa treatments while in port
• Gold: Priority tender tickets, discounted laundry service, priority disembarkation
• Platinum: Priority embarkation, dinner for 2 and a bottle of wine at Cagney’s or Le Bistro, free internet minutes
• Platinum Plus: Dinner with ship officers, priority restaurant and entertainment seating.
• Ambassador: Complimentary 7-day cruise

Norwegian Cruise Line has been a cruise industry leader since the 1960s. Whether you want to sail the Caribbean, explore Europe, or journey through exotic destinations in Asia, Norwegian has you covered.

It was the first cruise line to eliminate the traditional set dining times when it introduced Freestyle Dining, allowing guests to eat at any time at up to 28 different locations on each ship.

Plus, if you sail with Norwegian multiple times, you’ll be able to take advantage of their loyalty program, Latitude Rewards, which offers benefits like priority check-in, discounts on shore excursions, priority tender tickets, and even a free cruise!

Whether you’re looking for a quiet, relaxing room for 1, or are living it up with a big group, you’ll find lots of different staterooms to choose from on a Norwegian ship.

Norwegian is among the world’s largest cruise lines and offers everything from simple, budget-friendly vacations to all-out luxury sailing. The choice is yours!

Interested in other cruise lines? Check out of fact sheets of Carnival , and Princess Cruise Lines to see what other options are awaiting you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best norwegian cruise ship.

The idea of the “best” ship is subjective, but the biggest and newest ship is Norwegian Encore, which debuted in 2019. Norwegian will be introducing the new Leonardo class of ships in 2022.

Where does Norwegian Cruise Line cruise to?

Norwegian Cruise line sails to over 450 destinations across the world in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

Is Norwegian Cruise Line all-inclusive?

Norwegian Cruise Line isn’t totally all-inclusive, but it’s close. Each ship will have numerous restaurants to eat at that are included in your fare. However, many beverages require an additional charge, and there are always restaurants available that come with either à la carte pricing or incur a per person charge. A majority of the activities on board are included, so you are definitely able to have a great vacation without paying anything extra on board.

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About Katie Seemann

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.

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• Arts and Crafts Classes
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Table of Contents

About Norwegian Cruise Line sailings

Norwegian cruise line destinations, norwegian cruise line cruise prices, what is the best norwegian cruise line ship, what’s included on ncl cruises, ncl firsts in the industry: what is norwegian known for, ncl loyalty program: latitude rewards, norwegian cruise line credit card, what is ncl known for.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is one of the top players in large-ship cruising, and its fleet is seeing one of its biggest refits in decades with its new Prima fleet of ships. Norwegian Cruise Line ships are also known for their colorful hull art that makes them stand out in ports around the world.

The company dates back to 1966 when it got its start as a Norwegian shipping company. Today, it has become one of the more popular mainstream cruise brands and is part of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which also includes the Regent Seven Seas and Oceania brands.

If you’re scrolling through endless Norwegian Cruise Line reviews, let this complete guide to the cruise company give you the larger overview of what sets this brand apart from the rest. There are some interesting innovations from Norwegian that other cruise lines have since adopted, but they started here.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

NCL sails around the world with numerous routes from the U.S. to Caribbean destinations as well as around the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas.

Its loyalty program, onboard amenities and variety of cabin types offer something for every type of traveler.

Cabin types: You can expect a range of different cabin sizes and layouts ranging from solo-traveler interior studios and inside cabins for as many as four people to ocean view and balcony cabins. A wide range of suites are also available. The Prima class of ships feature the largest suites, some of which have private whirlpools on the balcony and as many as three bedrooms. 

Main U.S. routes: NCL has plenty of North America sailings from U.S. ports to Alaska, Bermuda, Canada and New England. There are also sailings to the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico and the Panama Canal, among others. 

Loyalty program: NCL's Latitudes Rewards loyalty program, which issues one point for every night sailed as well as bonus points for booking suites or participating in certain promotions. At each elite tier, members earn onboard benefits like discounts, laundry service and special event access. The more you travel with NCL, the more benefits you can earn. 

NCL spans the globe with sailings to every continent (even Antarctica) on a wide range of ships. They leave from both U.S. coasts as well as from Hawaii — where NCL has operated inter-island Hawaiian sailing for almost two decades.

Antarctica.

New Zealand.

Pacific Islands.

Panama Canal.

South America.

Depending on how long you want to sail and where you're going, you can find cruises as brief as two nights and as long as 21 days or more.

» Learn more: The pros and cons of cruises

You'll find lots of good deals on Norwegian, but cruise fares will fluctuate based on the destination, time of year and other variables. You’ll want to keep these factors in mind when booking a cruise, as they'll affect the price of the trip:

Time of year.

Trip duration.

Destination.

Ship class.

Cabin type.

You can find cruise bargains for as low as $350 on four-night cruises, but if you want to splurge and do a longer cruise, expect to pay as much as $4,600 or more (especially if you book a suite or a Haven category room).

Of course, the fare will always vary depending on which cabin type you book.

» Learn more: The best ways to book a cruise

(Image courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line)

When it comes to which NCL ship is best, that depends on what you're looking for in a cruise. If you're traveling with a family, for example, water slides, amusement park-style games and multi-bedroom suites may be important. This means you may prefer one of the line’s newest Prima Class ships: Norwegian Prima or Norwegian Viva.

If you're looking for a romantic vacation, perhaps you'll want a smaller ship or a cabin in The Haven, which is a hotel-within-a-hotel concept with more personalized service. The Haven is only available on select Norwegian ships, including Encore, Viva and Prima.

What is the newest NCL ship?

Norwegian Viva launched in the summer of 2023, making it the newest ship for NCL. It has special features like a three-tier race track, the fastest slides at sea, a food hall with 11 complimentary eateries and a sustainable cocktail bar.

» Learn more: Do you need a passport for a Caribbean cruise?

On any NCL cruise, these benefits are always included:

Accommodations in the category you select at booking.

All meals in snack and buffet restaurants, main dining rooms and, when available, the food hall. 

Free non-bottled water, juice, hot chocolate, and some coffees and teas.

Fitness center access.

Shows and entertainment.

Pools and kids pool play area.

Onboard activities.

Government fees and port taxes.

If you want to partake in specialty dining reservations, Wi-Fi, Norwegian cruise excursions or upgraded beverage packages, you'll have to pay fees (sometimes bundled for greater savings).

» Learn more: Are cruises all-inclusive?

Norwegian Cruise Line pioneered many features aboard its ships, some of which other cruise lines have imitated. These are some of the special features you'll find aboard some or all of the ships in NCL’s fleet.

Freestyle dining: open-seating in restaurants with extended hours and no reservations. 

Private island: Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas is a private island for cruise passengers. NCL was the first cruise company to offer access to a private island, and it spurred a growing trend in the industry.

Full Broadway theater productions.

Onboard internet cafe.

Bowling alley at sea.

Ice bar at sea.

Studio accommodations for solo travelers, with a private lounge.

Sustainability-focused onboard bar with zero waste.

Collection of NFTs from a cruise company, available for sale.

Race track at sea.

Latitude Rewards awards members with points based on each night they sail, and they can earn bonus nights when booking certain categories of suites.

Occasional promotions also offer double-night credit. You will only earn cruise points on eligible sailings where you are paying a traditional fare; promotional sailings with a heavy discount might not be eligible, although you would still receive the benefits at your tier. Also, sailings on sister lines do not qualify for Latitude Rewards cruise points.

As you accrue nights, you earn elite status that delivers onboard benefits that grow with each status tier.

Latitude Rewards levels

The loyalty program has seven levels, from Bronze to Ambassador. The full roster of onboard amenities can be found on the Norwegian Cruise Line website . There are some extra perks that come with certain tiers.

How to earn Latitudes Rewards points

Earn one point for every night you spend on a sailing and double points in suites or The Haven category accommodations.

How to redeem points

This program does not offer any points to redeem. Instead, you would earn benefits on future cruises related to your particular elite tier. Ambassador members (700+ points) earn a free 7-night cruise.

Spending on the Norwegian Cruise Line® World Mastercard® won’t earn you Latitude Rewards points (the only way to do that is by sailing with NCL), but it will earn you WorldPoints. This currency can be redeemed for onboard credits on future sailings, Norwegian Cruise Line shore excursions and other travel experiences. The card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, making it ideal for world travelers.

With the Norwegian Cruise Line® World Mastercard, you earn WorldPoints as follows:

3x points on NCL sailings.

2x points on eligible airfare and hotel purchases.

1x point on everything else.

Earn 20,000 WorldPoints, which is good for a $200 onboard credit or discount toward a future cruise, if you spend $1,000 or more in the first 90 days the account is open.

How to redeem WorldPoints

Each WorldPoints point is equivalent to one cent, which you can then redeem for things such as:

Stateroom upgrades.

Travel discounts.

Last-minute cruises.

Onboard credits.

Car rentals.

Hotel stays.

Gift cards.

» Learn more: The best cruise lines

No, but you can pay for a Wi-Fi package, which starts at $29.99 per day per device.

No, but all sailings do include accommodations, activities, food and beverages, and entertainment. There is the ability to purchase extra benefits on each ship.

There are several drink package options on NCL sailings:

Non-alcoholic

The Unlimited Soda package includes all fountain soda drinks for $9.95 per person per day.

The Unlimited Starbucks package includes all Starbucks drinks for $12.95 per person per day.

An adult over the age of 21 could opt for a non-alcoholic drink package, but that means everyone else on their reservation must also get non-alcoholic drink packages.

Premium offers most drinks that cost $15 and under. You can pay the difference if you choose a more expensive drink. This unlimited package costs $109 per person per day.

Premium Plus offers even more drink options, mostly premium and top-shelf category labels, bottled water, Starbucks drinks and energy drinks for a flat price of $138 per person per day.

Keep in mind that alcoholic drink packages must be purchased for all people above the age of 21 in the same reservation, and those under 21 must pay for the soda package. The policy is intended to prevent people over the age of 21 from getting alcoholic drinks for other members of their party that did not pay for the alcoholic drink package.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers sailings at different price points to a global range of destinations. It is also known for its beautiful hull art, pioneering Freestyle Dining and adding buzzworthy amenities like ice bars and race tracks to its ships. NCL cruises are fun for all types of travelers, and its loyalty program can provide added perks along the way.

(Top photo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line)

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

on Bank of America's website

1.5x-2x Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Norwegian Encore review: A guide to Norwegian Cruise Line's newest Breakaway Plus-class ship

Have you ever been to a Starbucks where every single customer belted out the lyrics to "Sweet Caroline" in unison, mid-latte? I have. Even more interestingly, it was on a cruise — Norwegian Encore, to be exact — where the ship's atrium singalong shenanigans spilled over into the nearby onboard coffee outpost.

That's just one example of how boisterous my voyage was. If you're looking for an enjoyable big-ship experience on your next sailing, the good news is that Norwegian Encore, one of Norwegian Cruise Line's Breakaway Plus-class ships , delivers fun in the form of adrenaline-pumping top-deck activities, state-of-the-art gaming, Broadway-caliber theater performances and plenty of social activities.

The bad news is that you'll pay extra for a lot of it. (Thankfully, the singalongs are free.)

If you're wondering whether you'd enjoy a sailing on Norwegian Encore or one of Norwegian 's other similar ships, keep reading. I'll share a rundown of what it was like to experience the vessel's cabins, restaurants, shore excursions, entertainment and more.

For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Overview of Norwegian Encore

Norwegian Encore can offer something for everyone due to its large size and impressive array of amenities. The ship can carry 4,544 passengers, and among them you'll find couples, friend groups and families.

The 169,116-ton mass-market vessel is generally bustling. It's great for joiners, offering games like bingo and Deal or No Deal, dance classes, parties and more, but it also has quiet spaces like a library and card room, a spa with a thermal suite and the Vibe Beach Club, which is for adults only.

Of particular note is 678 Ocean Place, a three-story promenade that rises from Deck 6 to Deck 8 and serves as the ship's central hub. There, you'll find several bars, lounges and shops, as well as the casino and the ship's comedy club, art gallery, photography studio and, not far away, the atrium, where the guest services desk is located.

Another shoutout-worthy space is the Galaxy Pavilion, a giant indoor space on Deck 17 that's packed with the latest virtual-reality experiences and video games, as well as a 4D cinema and an escape room . On the two outer decks directly above it, passengers will find laser tag and Speedway, the ship's go-kart track. All of those attractions cost extra.

What I loved about Norwegian Encore

Choir of man.

Although Norwegian has phased out many of its Broadway shows, it does still offer a couple of Broadway and off-Broadway musicals, including "Choir of Man," a West End favorite about a group of Irish men who converge at a local pub to feel less alone when dealing with life's obstacles. Audience interaction includes bringing some attendees up on stage for drinks, as well as singing and dancing in the aisles. It's free, but you'll need to make reservations if you don't want to miss out. It was offered a couple of times on our voyage.

Food Republic

My meal at Food Republic was easily the best extra-fee meal I had on my sailing. The venue features street food from various countries but leans heavily Asian. I was surprised to find plenty of open tables when I showed up for my reservation but assumed it was due to the restaurant's out-of-the-way location on Deck 8 forward and the fact that its description on the cruise line's app is vague.

If you have a dining package, save one of your meals for this place; if you don't, it's worth the splurge. Trust me: You won't be disappointed.

The live music

I don't normally seek out live music, but I found myself unexpectedly enjoying performances throughout the ship. Standouts were the daytime performers in The Atrium, who played Green Day, Coldplay, Goo Goo Dolls, Incubus and other bands that took me straight back to my high school playlists. During my dinner at Q, the ship's barbecue restaurant, a band inexplicably played an entire set of ABBA tunes while we ate. It was an odd choice of genre for that venue, but it was fantastic nonetheless. Everyone was on their feet dancing by the end of the meal.

The escape room

Although it costs $15 per person, Norwegian Encore's escape room experience, "Bamboozled," is a terrific way to spend an hour of your day, especially at sea. Sign up in advance at the front desk in the Galaxy Pavilion on Deck 17 aft, and you'll be placed into a room where you'll have 45 minutes to complete a series of puzzles to save a sunken ship from its watery grave. (You will be grouped with other passengers if your party isn't large enough to fill the room.)

Note that the experience begins with a quick virtual-reality primer that gives you the backstory. If you're prone to motion sickness, opt out of that part. You can still listen to the story without the VR headset.

Tip: There are only six sets of VR goggles, so reservations are usually capped at six people per time slot. However, the room can hold up to 10 players. If you're having trouble making reservations, tell the person working the desk that you're happy to skip the VR part if they can squeeze you in.

What I didn't love about Norwegian Encore

The extra fees.

Make no mistake: Norwegian Cruise Line's ships are fun, with lots to see, do, eat and drink. But you're going to pay to access most of the best offerings, and at $20 per person, per day, for standard cabins, NCL's daily gratuities (which are automatically added to each person's onboard bill) are the highest in the industry.

So many things cost extra on Norwegian Encore, from top-deck laser tag and go-kart racing to the games at Galaxy Pavilion, as well as bottled water and coffee (even if you have the drink package that's included in most fares). The added fees could quickly amount to a lot of money — especially if you're traveling with kids.

Activity-related quirks

During my sailing, I saw a few things that made little sense. On the first night, my travel companion and I checked out the Levity Comedy show in the main theater. It was decent, but when we went to the Social Comedy Club a couple nights later to see the same two comedians perform, only one had new material to share.

Other activities were held in odd locations. For example, singalongs and gameshows like "Deal or No Deal" were held in the atrium. Although it's a central location, the space felt too small to accommodate everyone who wanted to join in or watch. Crowds often ballooned out to the sides, making it awkward for people just passing through.

The one experience that took the cake for the most absurd onboard rule was the water park. If you want to ride the water slides , you can't wear bathing suits with metal or plastic details. That includes women's suits with adjustable straps and men's trunks with metal eyelets or plastic ends to the drawstrings.

The latter prevented most people from riding, which was a shame. The crew member stationed at the ride's entrance asked men to pull down their waistbands so he could look for the plastic. Riders whose suits had it were banned, even if it was on the inside and covered by external material. Several people returned in their underwear, which seemed inappropriate.

The ship's Alaska particulars

Of the Norwegian ships sailing Alaska voyages , Norwegian Encore has one of the least desirable (and, therefore, most affordable) schedules, both in terms of when it arrives in port and where it docks.

My seven-day cruise traveled round trip from Seattle and visited Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan in Alaska and Victoria in Canada's British Columbia with a scenic Glacier Bay sea day thrown in. The ports themselves are great and absolutely on many cruisers' bucket lists. However, the scheduled arrival times and some of the related logistics had me scratching my head.

We didn't dock in Juneau until after 2 p.m., which meant anyone hoping to schedule a full day of salmon fishing — a popular excursion in Alaska — was out of luck. In Ketchikan, the ship docked seven miles outside of town, so because we didn't book an excursion, we spent 40 minutes on shuttle buses to get to the main area and back. We also waited 55 minutes in line to catch the return shuttle, so cumulatively, travel from and back to the ship wasted more than 90 minutes of the mere five hours we had in port. (The wait for the return was so bad that enterprising locals offered to drive passengers to the ship in their personal vehicles for $20 a person.)

Our call on Victoria — a technical requirement to satisfy the United States' Passenger Vessel Services Act — was only three hours, from 8 to 11 p.m., when most things in the city were already closed.

The port valet service

Ships that sail from Seattle can offer a port-facilitated luggage valet service to passengers flying home after they leave the ship. It allows cruisers with flights to leave their bags outside their cabin doors the night before disembarkation and pick them up again in their final destinations after their flights. The service costs nothing, but passengers must pay the associated checked bag fees levied by their airlines.

My companion — who receives free checked bags with his airline, thanks to a co-branded credit card — decided to try the service. On disembarkation morning, he noticed a $35 checked bag charge on his onboard bill, despite noting on the required paperwork that his bags should be free. (There's a section on the form to mention that and explain why, which he did.)

When he asked guest services to remove the charge, he was told he'd have to take it up with the port. He eventually got his money back, but it wasn't without several phone calls and emails that negated any convenience the service was supposed to provide.

Norwegian Encore cabins and suites

Norwegian Cruise Line offers an array of cabin types , ranging in size from 99-square-foot studios for one person to insides, outsides, balconies and 1,459-square-foot Owners Suites in The Haven — the line's exclusive suite enclave, which offers access to a private dining room, pool, sun deck, concierge service and more.

The ship also has a total of 43 wheelchair-accessible cabins across several categories, including inside, outside, balcony, suite and The Haven. Accessible rooms feature shower stools and toilet seat risers in the bathrooms, as well as extra square footage and wider doorways.

My room was a 214-square-foot standard balcony cabin with a 38-square-foot balcony. It was comfortable and elegantly appointed, and the only gripes I have are related to storage.

Although our specific cabin was designed to accommodate up to three people, we had trouble fitting all our clothes in the closet and drawers with just two of us. The bathroom had ample storage, but the shelving wasn't deep, forcing us to take everything out of our toiletry bags to store it there. The closet was also in a strange location next to the bed, and due to the sliding-door setup, only one side could be accessed at a time.

In addition to a queen-size bed that can convert into two twins, our room was outfitted with two nightstands and reading lamps, each with a USB port for charging; a sleeper sofa with drawer storage; a desk/vanity area with a mirror, three 110-volt North American-style outlets and one European 220-volt outlet, drawers and shelves and a minibar stocked with for-fee water in glass bottles and cartons; and a small block stool with a built-in removable lap tray for working or dining.

A wall-mounted TV offered NCL-produced programming, such as ship positioning, port information and shopping talks. It also offered for-fee on-demand movies, a small selection of live TV channels and interactive functions that allowed me to check my onboard bill.

The oddly placed closet, which ran the length of the wall on one side of the bed, offered two sides for storage — one with a bar to hang clothes and another with shelving for shoes, hats or items you'd like to fold. It also contained a code-operated safe for small valuables.

The hangers were the wooden kind that don't have hooks at the top — the ones with metal rods that lock into permanent mounting hardware so people can't steal them. I find that they always make hanging anything more cumbersome. The closet didn't have enough hangers for all our clothing, so I asked my cabin steward for a few extras. He brought me the cheap plastic kind, which left bumps in the shoulders of my shirts.

The bathroom offered a single sink with several narrow shelves, a toilet and a plexiglass shower with a removable showerhead. My cabin type also came with bathrobes and upgraded toiletries, which included Bulgari shampoo, conditioner, hand cream and aftershave balm, as well as L'Occitane bar soap. A hair dryer was available via a mount under the main cabin vanity, next to the block stool.

The balcony was tiny but sufficient for excellent sea views. It was furnished with a small drinks table and two chairs with adjustable backs.

Norwegian Encore restaurants and bars

Norwegian Cruise Line is known for pioneering "anytime dining" on cruise ships — eating whenever you want, wherever you want, with whomever you want. Passengers are not assigned set dining times, and you can eat in any of Norwegian Encore's main dining rooms or extra-fee restaurants by making a reservation or showing up when you're hungry. Other meal options include a complimentary buffet and 24-hour room service that comes with a delivery fee.

If you expect to dine at several added-fee alternative restaurants during your cruise, purchasing a dining package might save you some money. Norwegian's packages include a set number of meals at any of the extra-fee restaurants. The best tactic is to save your prepaid meals for the most expensive restaurants (Cagney's Steakhouse, Food Republic and Teppanyaki). All restaurants are priced a la carte if you don't have a dining package, except Teppanyaki (which has a $59 per person cover charge).

The line also has drink packages that are a good value if you consume a lot of soda or alcohol. A basic beverage package comes with most cruise fares but does not include specialty coffees or bottled water. (You'll need to upgrade for an additional fee for those to be included.)

Norwegian Encore restaurants

Free restaurants

Taste, Savor and The Manhattan Room are Norwegian Encore's three main dining rooms. The first two — located directly across from one another on Deck 6 — are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Manhattan, on Deck 7, is open for dinner only. Menus are the same across all three.

I was impressed with the food quality in the main dining rooms. The menus had a nice variety, and the food arrived freshly prepared and generally tasty with just the right amount of seasoning. For breakfast, I had a delicious omelet, hashbrowns and bacon. For lunch, my picks included a caprese salad and Baja fish tacos. For dinner, I enjoyed crab and cream cheese wontons, bruschetta and a veggie burrito.

Another gratis option is The Local Bar & Grill, a sports bar-style eatery that's open 24 hours a day and features pub grub like chicken wings, fish 'n' chips, Cobb salad, pasta carbonara, chili, BLTs, burgers and fries. It also serves amazing breakfast sandwiches in the mornings.

The Local is often crowded because it's free and the choice for anyone who wants a waiter-served meal not in one of the fancy dining rooms. It's also located just above the stage and screen area in the main atrium, so it draws crowds wanting to sit and watch what's happening below.

Other places for free fare include the Garden Cafe buffet, which has so many different cuisine stations it will make your head spin — in a good way. They include everything from cereal, pancakes and made-to-order omelets at breakfast to burgers, cold cuts, cheeses, Indian food and salads at lunch and carving stations and pasta at dinner. Fruit, soft-serve ice cream and other desserts are readily available, too.

A smaller buffet can be found in the Observation Lounge, which offers light bites throughout the day.

Free for and accessible only to passengers booked in Norwegian Encore's The Haven suite enclave, The Haven Restaurant is a serene escape from the usual bustle of restaurants elsewhere on board. I dined there one night, and the food quality was superior to the ship's other available dining options. The crabcakes and lobster tail were phenomenal, and the intimate setting and elevated decor gave the space an upscale ambience.

For-fee restaurants

While I was impressed with Norwegian Encore's included restaurants, I found the extra-fee venues to be less consistent. For example, I absolutely loved street food restaurant Food Republic but was underwhelmed by the Los Lobos Mexican eatery — and I adore Mexican food.

Let's start at the top. Food Republic, hidden away on Deck 8 forward, was my favorite alternative dining option on Norwegian Encore. A light and airy space, it offers a selection of street food from Korea, Mexico, China, Germany, Thailand, Vietnam, Peru and Japan. You might even find some Italian and Hawaiian influences. Absolutely do not miss the edamame, pork belly bao buns and chicken teriyaki.

If you have a dining package, you can select four items per person. You can pay per item if you'd like extra. Alcohol options include sake by the bottle or glass and a small selection of cider and beer. The Food Republic cocktail menu has only five drinks, but it was difficult to choose among them. I went with the Thai rum tonic and wasn't disappointed.

American Diner is an open-air eatery on Deck 17, near Galaxy Pavilion and up one flight of stairs from the Ocean Loops waterslide entrance. It was chilly on our Alaska sailing, but heat lamps kept us warm. I absolutely love the decor, which features a black-and-white checkered floor, booths that look like old Chevy cars and tabletops covered in a license plate print.

I ordered a burger with fries and a milkshake when I ate there for lunch, and it was the perfect bit of comfort food to hold me over until dinner. Although the American Diner's fare was tasty, you can order similar items (minus the milkshake) for no fee at The Local. Your dining package will cover a meal at American Diner, but milkshakes still cost extra.

Q Texas Smokehouse embraces all things barbecue. If the smell isn't enough to draw you in, let yourself be carried by the wonderful live music that accompanies the experience each night. For dinner, I started with tortilla soup and fried green tomatoes before moving on to pulled pork with cornbread, pickles, potato salad and coleslaw. It was just OK — not the best barbecue I've had, but also not the worst.

Los Lobos was my least favorite of the extra-fee venues I tried. I was extra sad because Mexican food is one of my favorite cuisines. I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh guacamole, which our waiter prepared tableside, but the tortilla chips were too salty. The fish tacos I ordered for my main course were unappetizingly wet and soggy, which caused the soft shells to completely disintegrate, necessitating the use of a fork. The service was also hit-or-miss, with our waiter often disappearing for long stretches.

Other added-fee options include a teppanyaki venue called, unoriginally, Teppanyaki; Italian restaurant Onda by Scarpetta; seafood eatery Ocean Blue; Cagney's Steakhouse; and Le Bistro if you're hankering for French cuisine.

Reservations are recommended at all extra-fee restaurants, and if you don't make them before you board, you could be out of luck. I waited until the evening of the first day of my sailing, and I ended up with some horrendously late dining times.

If you're looking for coffee, ice cream or a between-meal snack, added-cost options include a full Starbucks, found just off the atrium, across from the guest services desk on Deck 6; Coco's for chocolates, mini-cakes and ice cream, including sundaes (try one of the gargantuan milkshakes for a true splurge); The Bake Shop, which offers cupcakes, chocolates and macarons; and Dolce Gelato, which is attached to The Bake Shop and serves up a few flavors of gelato.

You can order room service 24/7, but note that there is a $7.95 delivery charge attached. Room service breakfast, including Continental selections, comes with a $4.95 delivery fee. Both fees are per order, so you'll pay $7.95 (or $4.95) whether you order one item or several.

Norwegian Encore bars

If you're in search of a drink, the best variety is on Deck 8, where passengers will find dedicated wine, whiskey and mojito bars in proximity to several alternative eateries and lounges that are worth discovering.

The Cellars Wine Bar, which has a menu of more than 300 wines, is attached to Italian restaurant Onda by Scarpetta, making it easy for waiters to serve your favorite vintage with your pasta. Tastings are offered for a fee.

Across the hall, Maltings Whiskey Bar, which has a rich ambience and an impressive selection of whiskeys, is flanked by The Humidor Cigar Lounge, where passengers can smoke stogies while sipping cognac, and The Cavern Club, where you can order a cocktail while listening to live performances by a Beatles tribute band.

Two of my favorites, also found on Deck 8, are the Sugarcane Mojito Bar and The District Brew House. Sugarcane has an entire menu of interesting takes on the popular minty drink. My favorite was the Coco Mojito, which is a mix of coconut rum, simple syrup, mint bitters and coconut water. (An outdoor area offers eco-friendly drinks like the Pineapple Surplus and the Sustainable Spritz, which are made partially from kitchen leftovers like fruit peels and juices.)

The District Brew House — which is tucked away at the front of the ship, across from Food Republic — has two dozen beers on tap, as well as dozens more bottled choices. They include standards like Stella Artois, Heineken and Angry Orchard; local selections like Alaskan Amber and Alaskan Husky; and even NCL's own brew, 66 by Norwegian. (The line also has branded 66 spirits, found at select onboard bars.)

Other standard bars include the Atrium Bar, which is central to the ship's social hub; the Skyline Bar, which serves the Encore Casino; Mixx Bar, located between the Taste and Savor main dining rooms; and the A-List Bar, which is the perfect spot for a pre-dinner drink when you're dining at either Cagney's or Los Lobos.

Norwegian Encore entertainment

Entertainment on Norwegian Encore is well above average for a mainstream cruise line. In addition to an astounding number of daily activities like game shows, trivia and art classes, passengers can enjoy top-deck fun that ranges from laser tag to waterslides.

Evening shows include Broadway-caliber musicals, comedians, magicians and more. Here's a roundup of what you shouldn't miss.

Norwegian Encore activities

Although there are lots of activities on the daily schedule, complimentary stand-outs for me were trivia, balloon-twisting sessions, fruit- and vegetable-carving demonstrations and enrichment lectures about Alaska, including live narration from a National Park ranger on the day we sailed through Glacier Bay. There were also plenty of pay-to-play options, such as bingo and art classes.

Atrium activities like movie screenings (when the weather is too chilly for films to be shown on the outdoor screen), daily sudoku puzzles, singalongs and "Deal or No Deal" are also popular.

Water babies will enjoy the ship's two pools (Deck 16) and four hot tubs (Deck 17). Neither of the pools was too crowded on my Alaska sailing — even on sea days — due to the cooler temperatures, which hovered between the high 60s and low 70s. The ship offers accessible lifts for onboard pools but not hot tubs.

A water park area on decks 16 and 17 features four waterslides (two of which are for kids and are part of a children's splash area). The two larger slides have height requirements — 48 inches for Ocean Loops (which has ridiculous bathing suit requirements and weight minimums so riders don't get stuck on the uphill portion) and 40 inches for the Aqua Racer.

Two bars — Waves Bar and Surf Bar — serve the pool area.

The Haven also has its own private pool with a retractable roof and hot tub. There are also two hot tubs on the exclusive area's sun deck.

If you want an elevated experience without The Haven's price tag, pay for a spa thermal suite pass or a pass to the two-deck adults-only Vibe Beach Club sun deck. The former features its own hot tub and large thalassotherapy pool, as well as a variety of aromatherapy, salt and steam rooms, plus a sauna. Vibe is home to tons of loungers, a couple clamshells, a bar and two hot tubs. (You won't find a pool there, though.)

For those who are looking to work up a sweat while they're outside, there's a jogging track on Deck 17. For inside fitness options, visit the Pulse Fitness Center on Deck 16 aft. It's equipped with free weights, kettlebells, medicine balls, foam rollers, weight machines and cardio machines (ellipticals, rowers, treadmills, etc.). Instructors offers classes like TRX, spin and high-intensity interval training for a fee.

If a day of pampering is more your speed, treatments are available at the Mandara Spa, near the fitness center. You can book massages, facials and a slew of other treatments at prices that are higher than what you'd find on land. Separate salon and barber shop facilities are also available for haircuts, shaves, manicures, pedicures and other extra-cost services.

For the kids, check out the pay-to-play video arcade, just off of The Local. They'll also love the Galaxy Pavilion, which offers an impressive array of virtual-reality rides and video games, all for a fee. It's also where you'll find the aforementioned escape room, which is a fantastic way to spend an hour problem solving with your family (or testing the limits of your friend group's patience).

For a fun outdoor experience, try a game of laser tag, or pretend to unleash your inner speed demon on the Encore Speedway. (I say "pretend to unleash" because the go-karts' maximum speed isn't very fast. It's still fun to say you tried it, though.) Both of these cost extra, and you have to sign up in advance.

After a busy day of activities or exploring ashore, cruisers will find that the ship comes alive at night, too — especially for anyone who loves dancing — with activities like '50s and '60s sock hops, silent discos and even a glow party (formerly the White Hot Party but now with glow sticks). Some of the best onboard entertainment venues for night owls include the Social Comedy & Night Club, where you'll find comedic performances and themed parties, and The Cavern Club, which hosts an excellent Beatles tribute band.

Other onboard hangouts include the Studio Lounge, which is exclusive to travelers booked in the ship's solo accommodations and the Observation Lounge, where passengers gather to watch as the ship sails into Glacier Bay, complete with drinks, nibbles and National Park guide narration.

The atrium is where games are held, indoor movies are screened and passengers can find guest services, desks for restaurant and shore excursion reservations, the future cruise desk and the internet cafe. There's also an art gallery, photo studio, meeting rooms and a dual card room and library, where passengers can borrow books and board games.

The onboard shops, which are clustered on Deck 8, sell everything from snacks, toiletries and logo apparel to designer purses and duty-free jewelry, cigarettes and alcohol.

The medical center is located on Deck 13.

Norwegian Encore shows

Choir of Man is easily the main event in the Encore Theater on Norwegian Encore. Even if you're not a fan of musicals, I can almost guarantee you'll like what you see, which includes everything from singing, dancing and jokes to plenty of references to beer — perhaps with some free drinks thrown in if you're chosen for audience participation.

The show involves a group of Irishmen who gather at their local pub to reminisce and share their tribulations in the hopes of feeling better. The show is offered two nights on each weeklong cruise, with two times scheduled each night. You will definitely need reservations; make them early.

Comedy shows are offered several times throughout each voyage. At least one performance will be in the main theater, while the rest are held in The Social Comedy & Night Club on Deck 7. Of the two comedians I saw, one was impressive without being vulgar, which I appreciated, while the other was just so-so in terms of laugh factor. He also had no new material for his subsequent performances.

I couldn't attend the "Women of Soul" show, which featured singer Siobhan Walsh singing hits by Whitney Houston. It was offered one night of my voyage with an early and a late show scheduled, with a 3:30 p.m. matinee on a different day.

The other major theater performance consisted of magician Neil Croswell, who put on a show that felt similar to what NCL used to do during dinner theater performances in The Illusionarium on Norwegian Getaway — lots of table floating and some other "meh" tricks I had seen done before.

If needed, sign language interpreters are available at no additional charge when requested at least 90 days in advance.

Norwegian Encore itineraries and pricing

Norwegian Encore spends April through October homeporting in Seattle and conducting Alaska sailings before repositioning through the Panama Canal and taking up residence in Miami to offer Caribbean voyages during the winter and early spring months.

For the vessel's 2024 Alaska season, prices at the time of publication start from $111 per person, per night for a similar weekly itinerary.

Panama Canal repositioning sailings begin at $43 per person, per night, for an inside cabin on a 21-night voyage from Seattle to Miami in the fall of 2023.

The ship's seven-night Eastern Caribbean offerings round-trip from Miami will set you back $96 per person, per night, in the beginning of 2024.

What to know before you go

Required documents.

If you're a U.S. citizen traveling on most sailings (including those to Alaska, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean and the Mexican Riviera) departing from and returning to U.S. home ports, you can board Norwegian Encore with your original birth certificate and a government-issued ID, such as a driver's license. Otherwise, a passport can be used. If you're sailing from a port outside of your country of citizenship, you must have a passport with at least six months' validity from the time your sailing ends.

Norwegian Encore levies automatic surcharges of $20 to $25 per person , per day, to final bills, depending on your cabin category. Based on the level of service received, cruisers can adjust the amount at the front desk before the final morning of the sailing. In addition, a 20% gratuity is added to extra-fee restaurant, bar and spa purchases.

Many NCL fares include basic ship Wi-Fi . However, passengers who don't have it included — or those who have the basic plan included but want to upgrade — can pay to connect. Prices vary, but they're generally pretty expensive, ranging from about $30 to $35 per person, per day, depending on whether or not you need streaming capabilities. The cost is slightly cheaper if you purchase in advance instead of waiting until you board.

Carry-on drinks policy

You can bring your own bottles of wine on Norwegian Encore, but you'll be charged a per-bottle fee of $15 to do so, regardless of where you plan to consume them.

Smoking policy

Passengers are only allowed to smoke — including cigarettes, e-cigarettes and cigars — in designated areas on Norwegian Encore. Those areas include the casino, Humidor Cigar Lounge (cigars only) and a portion of the pool deck on Deck 16, starboard.

Norwegian Encore does not have self-service laundry facilities . Passengers wishing to have garments laundered or pressed can send them out to be cleaned or dry-cleaned for a fee. On my sailing, prices ranged from $1.95 to launder one undergarment to $19.95 to dry-clean (and press) a suit or evening gown.

When items are sent out by 9 a.m., they are guaranteed back by 6 p.m. the following day when using standard service. Same-day service is available for an additional 50% of the total cost.

Members of certain tiers of the line's Latitudes loyalty program receive free or discounted laundry services.

Electrical outlets

All cabins on Norwegian Encore are outfitted with a combination of North American-style 110-volt outlets and European-style 220-volt outlets. In my cabin, there were three of the former and one of the latter located at the vanity. Reading lamps on either side of the bed each had one USB port.

The currency on Norwegian Encore is the U.S. dollar. ATMs are available for use on board, but there is a hefty surcharge to withdraw cash.

The ship operates on a cashless system where passengers use their room key cards to charge purchases to their onboard accounts.

Drinking age

The drinking age is 21. Cruisers between the ages of 18 and 20 can drink beer and wine in international waters with parental permission. Parents must be present on the sailing and sign a waiver.

Norwegian Cruise Line is one of the few cruise brands with no formal nights . The line pioneered "Freestyle" cruising, which means you can wear just about whatever you'd like whenever and wherever you'd like.

During the day, cruisers can often be found in T-shirts and shorts or jeans. For dinner, they might choose to put on khakis with collared shirts or sundresses, but generally most people keep it casual. Dressing up is strictly optional for those who enjoy cleaning up a bit.

Bottom line

Ultimately, Norwegian Encore offers a solid cruise product. The ship is large, so it's likely not the best choice if you enjoy smaller (or quieter) vessels. However, Encore's variety of activities appeals to travelers of all ages, making the ship ideal for multigenerational family groups. Just be aware that you'll likely incur a significant onboard bill if you want to try the latest and most adrenaline-pumping pursuits when you sail.

The ship's wide selection of both complimentary and for-fee cuisine is a boon to any group with picky eaters. Cabins are largely affordable, making a cruise on Norwegian Encore attainable for just about any budget, and the entertainment alone represents terrific value for the price paid.

Overall, you're likely to be pleased with a sailing on Norwegian Encore as long as you're prepared for some nickel-and-diming.

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This Norwegian Cruise sailing takes you on a bucket list adventure: What it's like aboard

F or Kylie Herd, an Australian passenger on Norwegian Dawn’s Feb. 25 southern Africa itinerary, cruising has been the best way to check places off her bucket list.

“I just go with whatever cruise line has the itinerary that I want to do at the time that I’m available. It tends to be Norwegian, and when I saw that Norwegian had all these African cruises, I just thought, ‘I’m going to spend summer in Africa,’ because it’s an amazing itinerary,” she told USA TODAY.

When it comes to cruising, most Americans probably think of bopping around the Caribbean or checking out the wilds of Alaska if they’re feeling especially adventurous, but that’s really just scratching the surface. Cruise lines are increasingly offering diverse itineraries including expedition cruises to remote parts of the globe and introductory sailings to help travelers explore countries and regions they might never visit otherwise.

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Madagascar was the real draw for months of consecutive cruises on the Dawn for Herd.

“I’ve been trying to go to Madagascar for years. I always wanted to go there way before the movies ever came out. It’s one of those places that’s really difficult to get to,” she said. “When I saw Madagascar on a cruise itinerary I was like, ‘I have to do it.’ ”

Although the Feb. 25 sailing had to skip Madagascar for logistical reasons after a delay departing Mauritius, Herd said that she was able to visit the country earlier on her trip and that it was a real highlight.

Norwegian’s Africa itineraries had various changes and missed ports throughout the season. Passenger contracts give cruise lines some leeway to alter itineraries on short notice for reasons including weather or conditions on the ground that prevent ships from reaching or being accommodated safely in a scheduled port. Such changes can be especially common in regions prone to political unrest or that lack sophisticated port facilities.

Even so, Herd said she understood why passengers who missed out would be frustrated, but she encouraged her fellow travelers to keep an eye on the positive. “I understand the disappointment. I was disappointed, too, but we’re still having a great time.”

The Feb. 25 cruise still stopped at Reunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean, which has an active volcano, as well as ports in South Africa where travelers could spot local wildlife.

Safari from a cruise

Norwegian Dawn stopped at four ports in South Africa, three of which offered safari experiences as shore excursions.

▶ From Richard’s Bay, passengers could visit the iSimangasilo Wetland Park , home to elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, zebras and other classic African big game. The park is about an hour and a half drive from the port, and Norwegian’s shore excursion included two game drives, snorkeling and a traditional South African braai, or barbecue.

Just as cruise itineraries can sometimes be subject to last-minute changes, safaris are at the whim of wild animals. Sightings are not guaranteed, but patience and vigilance are often rewarded.

▶ In Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), Norwegian Dawn’s passengers could visit Addo Elephant National Park, also about an hour and a half drive from the port.

As the name suggests, Addo is home to a huge and docile population of more than 600 elephants. These animals often congregate around watering holes accessible from well-worn safari tracks.

Even after a strong rainfall the night before the excursion, which allowed elephants to retreat into the bush and temporarily lessen their reliance on overtaxed wells, dozens of the creatures greeted visitors coming from the ship for two-hour game drives.

▶ In Mossel Bay, passengers could also access private game reserves, which often have a higher concentration of wildlife roaming free but can include animals that are not directly indigenous to the area.

Cape Town and the winelands

There’s more to Africa than safaris, and Cape Town is an especially good place to experience metropolitan life and other kinds of outdoor activities on the continent.

South Africa’s legislative capital offers excellent hiking, a great foodie culture, beautiful (if slightly chilly) Atlantic beaches, penguins and more.

For travelers willing to explore beyond the city, South Africa’s wine country is close at hand in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, and many vineyards offer tastings and meal experiences. One Norwegian excursion took passengers to the Blaauwklippen wine estate in Stellenbosch, which is best known for its Zinfandel.

Is an Africa cruise worth it?

From a financial standpoint, a cruise around Africa can be an excellent way to explore. For American travelers, however, flights to and from the ship are often more expensive than the cruise itself.

For example, a 13-day Norwegian itinerary that begins in Cape Town on Dec. 7 and ends in Mauritius on Dec. 20 has prices that start at $899 per person for an inside stateroom, but flights can be well over $1,000 round trip. The current cheapest itinerary from Detroit, for example, is a 42-hour slog on multiple airlines via Montreal and Dubai to Cape Town. The return trip is a bit shorter, at 31 hours, also via Dubai and Montreal. That routing would cost $1,694 per person in economy as of March 18, according to Google Flights.

Logistically speaking, though, it can be much easier to book a cruise and rely on the line’s shore excursions to expand one's horizons than to coordinate one's own safari.

“With multiple diverse ports of call within one coastal continental area, our Africa voyages provide our guests the opportunity to explore lush rainforests or volcanoes, experience captivating wildlife tours, learn about the rich culture on the South African coastline, indulge in Cape Town’s incredible wine regions, and so much more,” Brian Gilroy, vice president of revenue management and itinerary planning for Norwegian Cruise Line, said in a statement to USA TODAY.

The one thing to keep in mind is that the African cruise market is less mature than the Caribbean – at many ports, there just aren’t comparable facilities to handle big ships. That doesn’t mean the cruises can’t or don’t happen, just that sometimes the operation is a little less fluid than the well-oiled Miami machine.

“Our 11- and 12-day cruises start and end in either Cape Town, South Africa, or Port Louis, Mauritius, and include an overnight stay in one of those magnificent cities, giving our guests the chance to fully explore what these regions offer. The variety of adventures our guests can experience in these destinations are endless, which makes for a truly unforgettable cruise experience," Gilroy said.

Travelers may be more likely to encounter a hiccup on their Africa cruise, but that’s all part of traveling to a new and exciting place. A missed port or an extra sea day can be a great time time to take stock, focus on the highlights, enjoy the experience of unlocking a new destination, and maybe take another sip of the wine your onboard sommelier recommended.

Just take a page out of Herd the Australian’s book. Despite some schedule changes, she said, “I’ve loved every single thing.”

The reporter on this story received access to this sailing from Norwegian. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.  

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: This Norwegian Cruise sailing takes you on a bucket list adventure: What it's like aboard

Norwegian Sun

Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line |

Find a Cruise on Norwegian Sun

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Traveler Reviews

A ship’s traveler rating is provided under license by Cruiseline.com , which manages one of the largest databases of cruise reviews and ratings by travelers. A total of 1978 guests have reviewed Norwegian Sun , giving it a rating of 3.7 on a scale of 1-5.

Cruiseline Travel Rating:

Reviews by traveler type, most recent reviews.

Fun Getaway BUT Very Tired Ship!

Apr 4th, 2024

In the future, the next time I shop for a cruise I will consider the ship to be equally as important as the itinerary.

Traveler Type

Singles/Friends

4-6 cruises

Mar 31st, 2024

Worst Trip Ever

Mar 30th, 2024

Of all the cruises that we have done, this was by far the absolute worst experience we have ever had. Our friends booked with us, and they had never cruised before. They were very disappointed in their first cruising experience. I am so embarrassed and ashamed for Norwegian Cruise Lines!!!

Not the vacation we was hoping for!!!

Overall, very disappointed in this ship and overall vacation. I have always been true to Norwegian but going forward that might change.

Family (older children)

2-3 cruises

Not The Best, Not The Worst

Overall, it was just okay. The ship had issues with sewage, amount of service staff at the bars, and a slight lack of onboard activities, particularly for the cost of some activities.

It was okay

The ship was freezing cold. Many people were wearing jackets The food was not very good and it was same every day. There were not many shows or things to do like on every other ship I have been on. No DJ on the upper deck and no dance club or area. Had lots of boring trivia. Had one deck with 5 hot tubs and 2 pools and they were filled with children. No adults could get in the hot tubs. All other cruise lines are better and offer more things to do on the boat and better food.

Sisters Sail Splendidly

Mar 26th, 2024

Much needed R&R. Weather always plays a big factor in cruising and we were blessed with great days!

1 cruise (first)

Basic cruise no frills, Norwegian is the Spirit airlines of cruises.

Mar 16th, 2024

Will not sail on Norwegian again. It has the basic elements of a cruise (clean cabin, food and entertainment) but missing many extras.

OK, BUT.....There are better cruise lines (Holland)

Mar 11th, 2024

Norwegian failed to give us our complimentary room upgrade (as Diamond Lattitude members) which we had requested. Told us no rooms available and to submit a cash request which they accepted. Cruise Next will lie to you and claim you'll get the upgrade free, but Corporate Norwegian won't grant it. Company is based on a series of marketing lies and misconceptions. Don't fall for it.

Amazing Trip

Feb 17th, 2024

Booked the ship for the itinerary. Times in port could have been longer. For price paid it was excellent value and an amazing experience.

Disclaimers about ship ratings: A ship’s Health Rating is based on vessel inspection scores published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If a ship did not receive a CDC score within 22 months prior to the calculation of its Overall Rating, its Health Rating appears as N/A; in such a case, the ship’s Overall Rating is calculated using the average Health Rating of all CDC-rated ships within the cruise line. All ship Traveler Ratings are based on ratings provided under license by Cruiseline.com.

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More From Forbes

How to see the best of northern europe on a scandinavian cruise.

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Cruise ship passengers enjoy the view of Sweden’s Stockholm archipelago from the Royal Caribbean ... [+] ship ‘Serenade of the Seas.’

If you’ve ever wanted to dive into the culture of the Vikings or explore what makes people in the Nordic region the so-called happiest on earth, you could do a lot worse than book a Scandinavian cruise.

Scandinavia—and Norway in particular—is an expensive place to travel around, so a cruise can make financial sense for those seeking an introduction to the region. For one price, you get your travel, accommodation, meals, and entertainment covered.

Such a trip offers the opportunity to sample various Scandinavian travel highlights , whether you prefer the Scandinavian capitals, the stunning Norwegian fjords, or soaking up the atmosphere of beautiful islands and historic ports in the Baltic Sea.

Popular Scandinavian Cruise Itineraries

Many different types of itinerary can be advertised as Scandinavian cruises. Typically, they focus on the Nordic capital cities. Some may also include the highlights of the Baltic Sea region, including the Baltic countries and ports in the north of Germany and Poland.

With popular Norwegian fjords cruises together with midnight sun and northern lights tours to the north of Norway also available, there is a lot of diversity in Scandinavian cruises.

Scandinavian Capitals : Cruise itineraries starting in the U.K. or Germany and calling in at two or even all three of Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen have long been popular.

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The Nyhavn district of Copenhagen, Denmark, is a popular destination for cruise ship passengers ... [+] visiting Scandinavia.

Helsinki is often included on such itineraries. If you want to explore modern Scandinavia while gaining access to some of the region’s best museums, such an itinerary is a perfect choice.

Such itineraries tend to be shorter, and are a great introduction to both cruising and Scandinavia, with limited sea days and plenty to see and do while in port.

Baltic Sea : Longer Scandinavian itineraries often include stops at Baltic Sea islands and ports. The beautiful Estonian capital city, Tallinn, or the Latvian capital, Riga, are particular highlights, as are ports on the northern coastline of Germany and Poland.

For those interested in Viking history, look out for smaller ship itineraries featuring Visby on the wonderful island of Gotland .

One such trip is this 12-night itinerary from Celebrity Cruises, which includes a visit to both Visby and Tallinn. Other highlights include a visit to Stockholm and Copenhagen, including an overnight stop in the latter.

The old city walls of Visby on Gotland island, a popular cruise port.

Norwegian Fjords : By far the most variety can be found in the Norwegian fjords region , with almost all major cruise lines operating at least some itineraries here. Although port calls in Flåm and Geiranger will soon be severely limited, many alternative ports will still be able to welcome some of the world’s largest cruise ships.

Whether you prefer the action-packed ships of Royal Caribbean or MSC, or the smaller ships that can sail along narrower fjords, there will be a Norwegian fjords itinerary for you.

Following the recent rise in popularity of the region as a cruising destination, the fjords season has extended, with trips available as early as April and as late as September.

British line P&O Cruises operates its relatively new megaship Iona in the fjords region for much of that period, with regular departures from Southampton on a popular 7-day itinerary.

Midnight Sun : Although all summer cruises in the region will experience long summer days, specific midnight sun itineraries set sail for the far north of Norway to let guests experience the thrill of being outside with the sun in the sky at midnight. Many of these trips visit Honningsvåg, which allows guests to travel by bus to the North Cape.

Northern Lights : In recent years, Scandinavia—or more specifically Norway—has become a year-round cruising destination thanks to the growth in popularity of northern lights cruises .

Aurora borealis in the sky seen from a cruise ship in Arctic Norway.

These itineraries can be found heading north of the Arctic Circle between October and early April.

Planning Tips For Scandinavian Cruises

Cruising in Northern Europe offers a fantastic variety of excursions and experiences, from historical city tours to adrenaline-filled outdoor adventures.

The region’s love of the outdoors lifestyle means active experiences are easy to find, both through cruise line excursions and independent operators.

The high levels of English comprehension across the region means booking your own activities and exploring ports independently is much easier than in many other parts of the world. Even so, look for independent tours that take place earlier in the day to reduce any time-related risk.

No matter when you visit Scandinavia, pack for all weathers. The height of summer can be marred by heavy rainfall, while it’s possible to get sunburnt in the snow-covered conditions of February and March.

Pack a versatile wardrobe. Layered clothing accommodates the region's variable weather, while specialized gear might be necessary for specific excursions.

Cruising And Sustainability

Prospective travelers should be aware of environmental concerns associated with cruising in this pristine region. The industry is moving towards sustainability, with initiatives to introduce zero-emission vessels in sensitive areas, particularly the UNESCO-listed Norwegian fjords .

Some local initiatives protesting against cruise travel have also gathered momentum, so cruisers should be aware of these issues before setting foot ashore.

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