Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) revealed its captivating autumn and winter 2025/26 voyages, featuring the highly anticipated return of the Norwegian Dawn to the picturesque shores of South Africa.

• The news comes on the heels of NCL’s robust performance in November, driven by an ever-growing demand for cruising.
• To meet this demand, NCL has meticulously crafted a selection of exotic and port-intensive Africa sailings for the Norwegian Dawn, set to commence from November 2025 through March 2026.
• The itineraries will include multiple embarkation ports, treating travelers to the delights of Cape Town, South Africa; Port Louis, Mauritius; and Doha, Qatar.
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The curtain rises on this exciting season with a 21-day repositioning cruise from Barcelona, Spain to Cape Town, South Africa, starting on November 2, 2025. The voyage will weave through sought-after destinations like Santa Maria, Cape Verde; Casablanca, Morocco; and Agadir, Morocco.

Responding to popular demand for open-jaw voyages beginning and ending in Cape Town, NCL offers four 12-day sailings, exploring ports such as Antsiranana and Nosy Be, Madagascar. An overnight stay in Richard’s Bay, South Africa, invites guests to delve into local wildlife through safari tours, discover South African history, or unwind on the Aklantstrand Beach.

Our guests have spoken! The solid number of bookings this past month is a positive indicator of what to expect early in the new year during wave season, when many of our guests typically book their cruises with us. In recent years, we have begun to offer more diverse and longer itinerary options, and this positive momentum is a sure sign that our guests are delighted with our offerings and are looking forward to exploring the world with us. Our new 2025 and 2026 itineraries will bring them more of what they want and more opportunities to enjoy their ideal holiday visiting their dream destination aboard any NCL ship.

// President of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), David J. Herrera

NCL stands out with its extensive array of sailings, reaching 450 destinations worldwide, including Africa, Asia, South America, the Caribbean, and beyond. The carefully curated itineraries aim to showcase the most popular and highly-rated ports, ensuring that travellers immerse themselves in each destination and wake up to new, fantastic locations almost every day.

Among the highlights of the newly released season are several ships making their debut in new destinations. Norwegian Sun, for example, will explore new ports in Asia, including Kyoto (Kobe), Japan. Meanwhile, the brand-new Norwegian Viva will homeport in Galveston, Texas, embarking on a series of Caribbean voyages.

A Voyage Through Continents: Highlights by Region

Asia: Norwegian Sun will kick off its season in Asia from 3 November 2025, with an 11-day open-jaw sailing from Tokyo to Incheon, South Korea. The itinerary includes visits to Jeju (Jeju Island), South Korea, and Kyoto (Kobe), Japan. The ship will continue to offer Southeast Asia cruises between December 2025 and March 2026, featuring embarkation ports like Singapore, Laem Chabang, Thailand, and Keelung, Taiwan.

The Caribbean: Norwegian Viva, NCL’s newest ship, will homeport in Galveston, Texas, from December 2025 through April 2026. The vessel will embark on seven-day roundtrip Western Caribbean itineraries, exploring Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, Roatan, Honduras, and Harvest Caye in Southern Belize. Norwegian Escape will also homeport in New Orleans, offering seven-day roundtrip Western Caribbean voyages from November 2025 to April 2026.

South America: The South America itineraries commence with a transatlantic crossing from Lisbon, Portugal, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 20 November 2025. Norwegian Star will then embark on a 17-day cruise from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, calling at ports in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and even cruising by Paradise Bay and Elephant Island in Antarctica.

Panama Canal: Norwegian Jade will traverse the Panama Canal from October 2025 through April 2026, offering 11 to 17-day cruises with various embarkation and disembarkation ports, including Miami, New York City, Tampa, Fla., and for the first time, Callao, Peru.

Australia & New Zealand: Norwegian Spirit will offer open-jaw sailings to and from Sydney, Australia, and Auckland, New Zealand, from December 2025 to March 2026. With itineraries ranging from 11 to 14 days, the voyages will include guest-favorite ports like Melbourne, Australia, and Napier and Dunedin, New Zealand, with select sailings cruising by the majestic New Zealand fjords.

As NCL charts its course into 2025/26, the possibilities for cruise enthusiasts are vast and varied. With a commitment to delivering exceptional experiences, NCL ensures that each voyage is a journey of discovery and memories.

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