Following the successful conclusion of its inaugural season sailing from Cape Town, South Africa, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, is counting down to its second extraordinary African season by sharing five fantastic itineraries for adventurous travellers to add to their bucket list, each featuring an extensive selection of immersive shore excursions to explore the wildlife, cuisine, wineries and scenery of this fascinating region.
NCL’s expanded offering in Africa taps into the trend for adventurous travel in the region – South Africa was recently named one of Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel 2023’ and Virtuoso identified South Africa as a trending destination for discerning travellers this year.
Ben Angell, Managing Director and VP of NCL APAC, said, “As part of our Guest First philosophy we are focused on enhancing our destination offerings, providing our guests with more immersive itineraries that are designed to create memories of a lifetime. Our new Africa voyages are a testament to that, combining bucket-list locations such as Cape Town and Mauritius with hidden gems like Pomene and Maputo in Mozambique or Fort Dauphin in Madagascar. With an average of almost 12 hours in each port, allowing more time to fully experience these unforgettable destinations, the new voyages are already amongst our fastest selling cruises for 2024 and are attracting guests from almost 60 countries worldwide.”
Norwegian Jade was the first vessel from NCL’s 18-ship fleet to homeport in Cape Town, with the company recently announcing the deployment of Norwegian Dawn to the region between January and March 2024 for a series of Extraordinary Journeys setting sail from homeports in Cape Town and Port Louis, Mauritius.
Travellers with a taste for less discovered cruise destinations will love Norwegian Dawn’s 17-day Africa: UAE, Seychelles, Kenya & Tanzania repositioning cruise, the first in the company’s 56-year history to sail from Doha, Qatar to Mauritius. Departing 3 January 2024, this itinerary offers a unique selection of ports throughout the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Seychelles, Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar. From scaling the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai, to roaming the colours and creatures of the Seychelles National Botanical Gardens to relaxing on a blissful beach in Zanzibar to wondering at the plentiful wildlife of Africa’s east coast, this is the ultimate sailing for those with an appetite for adventure.
Norwegian Dawn will then sail a 12-day Africa: South Africa & Madagascar itinerary from Port Louis, Mauritius departing 20 January 2024, calling to Pointe des Galets, Réunion, where the lush rainforest meets the reef. Highlights include two overnight stays in Richards Bay and Cape Town, South Africa and two ports in magical Mozambique, the idyllic undiscovered beauty of Pomene and the vibrant markets and melting pot of cultures of Maputo.
Norwegian Dawn will offer two 12-day South Africa: Port Elizabeth, Durban & Lüderitz roundtrip voyages from Cape Town, South Africa departing on 1 February 2024 and 8 March 2024, with calls to Luderitz and Walvis Bay in Namibia, in addition to Mossel Bay, Durban and overnight stay in Richards Bay, South Africa. During these sailings, guests will have the chance to discover the
cosmopolitan culinary scene and beaches of Cape Town, paddling a canoe to observe majestic waterbirds along the Sundays River, witness wildlife conservation in action at Addo Elephant Park, learn about local traditions at the Dumazulu Cultural Village, indulge in wine and cheese at farms along the acclaimed Garden Route or enjoy a thrilling game drive to track the iconic ‘Big Five’ animals – lion, giraffe, elephant, rhino and leopard.
To round out her 2024 summer season, Norwegian Dawn will embark upon her most extensive itinerary departing on 20 March, a 21-day Africa: Namibia, Cape Verde, Angola & Ivory Coast voyage sailing from Cape Town, South Africa to Barcelona, Spain. After exploring Africa’s west coast, including Namibia, Angola, Sao Tome and Principe, Ivory Coast, Gambia and Senegal, this extraordinary sailing then calls at stunning destinations in the Canary Islands and Morocco, including Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Lanzarote, Agadir and Casablanca en route to bustling Barcelona.
For more information or to book a cruise with NCL, please contact a travel professional; call NCL in Australia on 1300 255 200 or in New Zealand on 0800 969 283; or visit www.ncl.com.
