Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)

Best at cruises

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)

Independent Expert Reviews by Professional Travel Journalists

NCL will be making a big splash this year (2008) by operating two ships from the UK for the first time.

The company’s Freestyle Cruising concept encourages passengers to leave deadlines and set dinner times behind and take a cruise where they’re free to do whatever they choose.

Unlike some of the more traditional cruise holidays, children are welcome on board.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Families can play when they want, wear what they want and dine when they like with who they like in up to 12 restaurants and dining rooms, with a wide variety of cuisine from Asian fusion and tapas to Italian and fish and chips.

NCL’s big, contemporary ships have the most flexible, adaptable cabins at sea, including versatile family suites and a Kids Crew (2-12 years) and Teen Crew (13-17 years) to provide activities to keep them happy for days.

Activities on board ship range from the Mandara Spa, where passengers can enjoy a range of luxury spa treatments, to cookery classes and salsa lessons. On NCL’s newest ships, Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Gem, there are even the world’s first bowling alleys at sea.

Norwegian Gem’s sister ship, the 2,376-passenger Norwegian Jewel, will be based in Dover offering 13 summer departures to Northern Europe, including Baltic Capitals itineraries.

Norwegian Jade will be making its debut in Southampton operating 10 sailings throughout the summer, including voyages to the Mediterranean, Norway and North Cape and a single 13-night round Britain and Ireland cruise in July including calls at Falmouth, Cork, Dublin, Belfast, Greenock, Invergordon, South Queensferry for Edinburgh, Amsterdam and Zeebrugge.

Norwegian Gem will be offering seven-night fly-cruises in the western Mediterranean from Barcelona between May and November.

NCL, which claims to have the youngest fleet afloat, will have seven ships in the Caribbean and North American in winter 2008-09 covering 22 ports of call, including fly-cruises operating from New York, Miami and New Orleans.

Alaska also features with three ships sailing from Seattle or Vancouver while New England and Canada are served with departures from both New York and Boston, including three new itineraries.

Hawaii is covered with pre- and post-cruise stays in Honolulu.