Combining heaps of onboard activities with off-ship adventures, Norwegian Cruises offer some of the most thrilling cruises from US ports. Find your sea legs with one of our editor’s favourites.
Norwegian Cruises is the world’s fourth-largest cruise line. Its 17-ship fleet offers the best big resort experiences, with award-winning entertainment, dozens of restaurants and plenty of onboard activities, from spas to aquaparks. Rooms vary from low-cost cabins to exclusive suites featuring private pools and retractable roofs. But what travellers like best about this cruise line is flexibility. With Norwegian Cruises, there are no formal dress codes, seating arrangements or fixed events. With so many Norwegian Cruises from US ports to choose from, our editor picks the best based on itinerary, price and onboard facilities.
3 Night Bahamas Cruise from Miami
Squeeze in a dose of Caribbean sunshine early on in the year aboard this short and oh-so-sweet Bahamas Cruise from Miami in January. You’ll depart from Miami in the evening and wake up the next morning on Grand Bahama Island. More beach frolics continue the following day at Great Stirrup Cay, a private island where you can snorkel, kayak and sunbathe to your heart’s content. The Norwegian Pearl is half the size of the cruise line’s newer fleet, but despite its small size it still offers big adventure. You’ll find all the usual onboard delights, as well as a range of rooms from budget to suites. From $300 (£100 per person, per night).
Book at CruiseDirect.com
5 Night Mexican Riviera Cruise from Los Angeles
This five night cruise to Mexico is one of the best bargains we’ve spotted. Departing from Los Angeles mid-afternoon, guests get to enjoy a full day at sea aboard Norwegian Bliss, one of the cruise line’s newest ships. The first stop is Cabo San Lucas, known as the ‘Jewel of the Baja Peninsula’. With a full day, there’s plenty of time to explore the iconic El Arco, as well as try your hand at world-class sportfishing. The next stop is Ensanada, famous for its local wineries and art deco resorts and casinos. From here it’s just an overnight trip back to Los Angeles. From $391 ($78 per person, per night).
Book at CruiseDirect.com
5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral
Sailing from Port Canaveral in Orlando, you’ll stop in Cozumel, Mexico. It’s a great base for exploring the walled city of Tulum, the only Mayan city built on the Caribbean Sea. You’ll then get to explore the 250-acre tropical oasis at Great Stirrup Cay, which is teeming with wildlife. You’ll have plenty of time to make the most of Norwegian Escape’s amenities with two days at sea. Kids will have plenty to keep them occupied, with an aqua park, mini-golf and five zip lines. From $482 ($96 per person, per night)
Book at CruiseDirect.com
7 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise from Miami
Norwegian Encore is the eleventh largest cruise ship in the world. It features 20 decks with room for more than 4000 passengers. This 7 Night itinerary combines blockbuster Caribbean destinations with plenty of time to explore the ship’s state-of-the-art offering. The round-trip calls in at the Dominican Republic, The British Virgin Island and the Bahamas, with two full days at sea. Onboard, there’s heaps of onboard entertainment, a 350 metre go-kart track, and suites. The Galaxy Pavillion got an upgrade too, now featuring high-spec virtual reality experiences, car race simulators and hang-gliding. It’s perfect for travellers looking to combine big, bustling resort vibes with blockbuster beaches. From $692 ($99 per person, per night)
Book at CruiseDirect.com
7 Night Bermuda Cruise from Boston
With just one stop in beautiful Bermuda, this round-trip is perfect for those who like to explore new places in their own time. After two days at sea, the Norwegian Gem pulls into the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda for three full days. That gives you plenty of time to build pink sandcastles, sail to the Bermuda Triangle, tee up on the famous Port Royal Golf Course and hike along The Freedom Trail. Or you could just spend your days stretched out in the sun on one of the world’s best beaches. It’s totally up to you. From $713 ($102 per person, per night)
Book at CruiseDirect.com
7 Night Alaska Cruise from Seattle/Tampa
(Photo: CruiseDirect.com)
Watch the landscape get wilder as you sail north on this thrilling seven night round-trip from Seattle. Departing from Seattle, you’ll have five full days of exploration, with just one full day at sea. Ports of call include Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria. You’ll also get to explore Icy Strait Point, home to the largest Native Tlingit village and waters teeming with orcas and humpbacks. When you’re not wildlife spotting, the Norwegian Bliss is brimming with activities to keep you occupied. From $932 (£132 per person, per night)
11 Night Panama Canal Cruise from San Diego
If you’re looking to make the iconic trip down the 40 mile Panama Canal, you may as well take it as slowly as you can on a one-way cruise trip from San Diego. You’ll get to see some very different sights along the way, with days in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica en-route. From exploring ancient Mayan Tazumal ruins to hiking through lush forest, this is a once-in-a-lifetime sort of itinerary. Sailing aboard the Norwegian Jewel, you’ll have the pick of theatres, speciality restaurants and an award-winning spa to enjoy too. That’s before you even arrive at Panama Canal, one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, too.
11 Night Southern Caribbean Cruise from Miami
This is the ultimate Caribbean cruise for island-hopping. If you’re dreaming of islands of white sands and cobalt blue seas, this itinerary packs in seven of the best. First up are the ABC islands – the three Dutch islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. Then there’s Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. Finally, after getting your fill of laid-back island life, you’ll stop at Puerto Plata, the ninth-largest city in the Dominican Republic. The Norwegian Joy is kitted out with heaps of onboard entertainment and activities for your two days at sea too. From £1179 ($107 per person, per night).
15 Night Transatlantic Cruise from New York City
Sailing from New York City to Barcelona, there are plenty of ports of call for off-ship exploration in Bermuda, Portugal and Spain. City stops include Ponta Delgada and Funchal in Portugal, and Granada, Alicante and Palma in Spain. On sea days, you’ll get to explore the delights of the Norwegian Epic, one of Norwegian’s newest and largest ships. Described as ‘Las Vegas-esque’, there are a dozen restaurants, award-winning shows, a double-decker sports deck and aqua park. There’s even a Teen Centre, a chill-out lounge by day and a teen-only disco at night. From $1280 ($85 per person, per night)
Book at CruiseDirect.com
16 Night Pacific Cruise from Seattle
This show-stopping 16 night cruise is the perfect tonic for a year spent in lockdown. It’s a repositioning cruise, so you’ll need to have your plans firmed up for the end-destination. Along the way you’ll take in some of the world’s most enchanting landscapes, stopping at Alaska, Russia and Japan. You’ll get to hike through the Glacier Gardens Rainforest, cruise across the Pacific Ocean, stop off at a remote port in eastern Russia surrounded by snow-capped volcanoes. In Japan, you’ll get to enjoy sky-high views from Mount Hakodate before finishing up in Tokyo. The Norwegian Sun is a beautiful liner, offering higher-end offshore entertainment, facilities and activities too. From $1203 ($75 per person, per night)
Book at CruiseDirect.com