Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, today announced a further restart of operations in Europe from the homeports of Barcelona and Rome with previously scheduled port-intensive itineraries to the Mediterranean and Greek Isles beginning Sept. 5, 2021.
“Europe is a top travel destination, so we are very much looking forward to returning to some of our most beloved homeports, resuming those itineraries and welcoming our guests to experience a vacation of a lifetime in the safest possible manner,” said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “We are actively working with our local partners and government officials, as we plan for resumption of voyages in the region with Norwegian Epic and Getaway joining Norwegian Jade this summer. Relaunching Norwegian Epic and Getaway will allow us to provide a greater variety of highly sought-after itineraries for those travelers preparing to take their first cruise vacation in over a year.”
“While cruising has not yet restarted from Spanish ports, the Port of Barcelona has been closely working and cooperating with the Spanish Ministry of Health and with the Health Department of the local government of Catalonia towards the same objective: the resumption of cruise traffic following the safest protocols for guests, crew and the inhabitants of Barcelona,” said Mercè Conesa, president of the Port of Barcelona. “We are hopeful that we will soon welcome Norwegian Cruise Line and its guests to Barcelona.”
Guided by the robust protocols of the Sail Safe Global Health and Safety Program, and in partnership with local governments, NCL plans to welcome travelers to experience the warm and vibrant cultures and sites of Spain, Italy and Greece. Currently scheduled to sail from Barcelona, Norwegian Epic will cruise seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries from Sept. 5, 2021 through Oct. 24, 2021, with Norwegian Getaway sailing a mix of 10 to 11-day Greek Isles voyages from Rome (Civitavecchia) from Sept. 13, 2021 to Oct. 25, 2021. With five to eight ports of call, up to 13 hours in each city and no more than two days at sea, guests can spend their days exploring ancient ruins and medieval architecture, admiring artistic masterpieces or simply savoring a variety of local cuisine.