Travel blog

Cruising local with NCL

If you’ve had your eye on cruise holidays, 2023 will be the year you walk up the gangway to one of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) cruise ships plying the world’s waters.

2min read

Published 23 January 2023

If you’ve had your eye on cruise holidays, 2023 will be the year you walk up the gangway to one of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) cruise ships plying the world’s waters.

It has never been easier or more affordable to hop on board one of the many NCL cruises on offer and you’ll be in good company. South Africans love their ‘freestyle cruise’ style for all the right reasons –see a myriad of destinations and enjoy a ton of on-board entertainment and activities on one trip without juggling airports, transfers and living out of a suitcase.

What’s more, you can hop on board a range of NCL cruises in 2023 much closer to home. Having just successfully concluded their inaugural season homeporting and sailing out of Cape Town, NCL will be operating cruises from Cape Town and Port Louis on its Norwegian Dawn in the 23/24 season.

Ask your travel advisor for the latest holiday cruise specials and family cruise holidays with NCL on the following sailings in 2024:

January 20: 12-day itinerary from Port Louis, Mauritius, calling to the most-sought after ports Pointe des Galets, Réunion, Fort Dauphin, Madagascar, and Maputo, Mozambique.
February 1 and March 8: 12-day roundtrip through South Africa and Namibia with calls to Mossel Bay, Durban, Luderitz and Walvis Bay.
March 20: 21-day trip from Cape Town to Barcelona, with calls to Luanda, Angola, São Tomé, São Tomé und Príncipe, Banjul, Gambia and Santa Maria and Cabo Verde.

It pays to book early!

Here’s why cruise holidays are better with NCL:

1. Your holiday, your way

You can do as much or as little as you like on cruise holidays, from soaking up the sun on deck, to enjoying luxurious treatments in the spa, to dining in world-class restaurants and watching industry standard shows. Choose from 14 restaurants, 10 bars and a range of activities and award-winning entertainment on board the Norwegian Dawn.

2. Visa-free travel

Need we say more? The opportunity to enjoy a world-class travel experience in your own backyard and not worry about the hassles of applying for visas? Priceless!

3. Ditch the long hauls

Simply hop on a domestic flight to Cape Town and from there, step onboard.

4. Value for money cruise holidays

With accommodation, selected dining, activities and entertainment already included in our holiday cruise specials, you can truly feel free at sea and leave the wallet at home.

5. The journey is the destination

Discover how true this saying is when you get to enjoy two holidays for the price of one. If you’re heading to Mauritius hop onboard and experience the magic of slow travel – where the journey is the destination.

6. Be free at sea

South Africans love NCL’s freestyle concept which allows a completely flexible holiday, the opportunity to experience contemporary ships at sea and the chance to snap up add-on offers such as the Free At Sea promotion. Choose from Free Unlimited Open Bar, Free Specialty Dining, Free Shore Excursions, Free WiFi and Free third and fourth Guests. Ask your Travel Expert for the latest holiday cruise specials.