Norwegian Cruise Line Europe 2028

Where does Norwegian sail in Europe in 2028?

Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2028 European season spans six distinct regions — British Isles, Mediterranean Sea, Norway, the Baltic Sea, and both the western and eastern Mediterranean — with departures running from May through to late in the year. Most sailings are one-way voyages, so you cruise from one port city to another rather than returning to where you started, which makes combining a cruise with time ashore at either end genuinely worthwhile. From Australia, every itinerary here involves a flight to Europe, and our team can build that into a single holiday package.

British Isles

The British Isles is one of the two most popular regions in NCL’s 2028 European season, and Southampton is the dominant departure point — more sailings in this programme leave from Southampton than from any other port. Sailing from Southampton means you are at sea by the same afternoon you board, with no airport at the far end of the journey either if the itinerary loops back. For Australian travellers flying in, cruises from Southampton in 2028 are easy to plan around: fly into London, take the train down, and we can add the hotel the night before and the transfer to the pier. The British Isles region pairs naturally with a few days ashore before or after the cruise — our team can arrange that too.

You can also explore all British Isles cruises if you want to compare what other lines offer in the same waters.

Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean matches the British Isles as NCL’s second most popular region for 2028, and it divides neatly into western and eastern itineraries. Mediterranean cruises in 2028 depart from Barcelona, Civitavecchia (Rome) and Ravenna, giving you a choice of gateway city depending on where you want to spend time before or after sailing. Western Mediterranean routes tend to take in ports along the coasts of Spain, France and Italy, while eastern itineraries push further — through the Adriatic and out towards Istanbul. If you are planning around Barcelona, our Barcelona 2028 sailing guide lays out all the options from that port.

Sailings ending in Rome or Ravenna are natural bookends for a few days in Italy — we can add those hotels and transfers to your booking without you having to piece it together separately.

Norway

Norway is the third-largest region in this season, and the fjord itineraries here are the ones that tend to sell earliest. These are among the most scenic sailings NCL operates anywhere in the world, and the one-way format — common across this programme — means you can sail north to south or south to north without doubling back. Durations typically run around 10 nights, long enough to reach ports well into the fjord network.

Baltic Sea and beyond

NCL’s Baltic sailings in 2028 depart from Copenhagen, which sits at the gateway to the Baltic and makes a compelling city to spend a day or two in before boarding. Itineraries in this region typically call at ports across Scandinavia and the eastern Baltic, including Helsinki. For those who want to push even further, a small number of sailings venture into the Transatlantic and Arctic Ocean — the latter departing from Reykjavik, which is itself a rewarding destination to arrive into a couple of days early. See all transatlantic cruise options if that longer crossing appeals.

If you are drawn to Iceland specifically, our broader Iceland cruises page covers the full range of sailings available through that region.

Which ships sail Norwegian Cruise Line Europe in 2028?

Six ships share the 2028 European programme across Norwegian Cruise Line‘s fleet. Here is what each one is known for, so you can match the ship to the kind of holiday you want.

Norwegian Star

Norwegian Star carries the most sailings in this programme. The adults-only Spice H2O area is where the ship really comes into its own — sun loungers and cocktails by day, and a proper party atmosphere after dark, all in a space that feels separate from the rest of the ship. Dining is freestyle: Brazilian, Japanese or a classic steakhouse, whenever the mood takes you, with no set sittings and no dress-code pressure. At the very top of the accommodation scale, the Garden Villas come with a private pool, an outdoor deck and a butler — less a cabin, more a private resort that happens to be at sea. To see how cabin grades compare, the Norwegian Star cabins and deck plans page has the full layout.

• Family Inside I4 — 13.2 m², sleeps 4; upper deck position means shorter walks to the pool and recreation areas
• Ocean-view O4 — 14.8 m², sleeps 4; large picture window with an unobstructed sea view and natural daylight throughout the day
• Club Balcony Suite MA — 26.3 m², sleeps 2; private balcony with direct access to fresh sea air
• Garden Villa S1 — 621.9 m² of living space including 413 m² of private garden with hot tub, sleeps 7; the largest accommodation on board by a considerable margin

Norwegian Getaway

Norwegian Getaway’s signature feature is The Waterfront — an oceanfront promenade where you can eat, drink or simply walk with open sea on one side. The Illusionarium dining-and-entertainment space makes for an evening unlike most ships can offer, and the Savour restaurant sets a high bar for everyday dining. For cabin options, see the Norwegian Getaway cabins and deck plans.

• Family Inside I4 — 12.5 m², sleeps 4; two fold-out extra beds ideal for families
• Family Ocean-view O4 — 15.0 m², sleeps 5; lower deck position for a quieter, steadier ride
• Club Balcony Suite with stern panorama M1 — 47.7 m², sleeps 2; one of only 2 suites with a unique open-sea stern view
• The Haven Deluxe Owner’s Suite — 86.6 m², sleeps 4; wraparound balcony of around 19 m², nearly 3 times the outdoor space of smaller Haven penthouse suites

Norwegian Jewel

Norwegian Jewel gives you 13 bars and lounges to work through — enough that you’ll still be finding new favourites at the end of a 14-night sailing. The Chin Chin Asian Restaurant is a genuine highlight, and the Stardust Theatre fills most evenings with live productions. Full cabin details are on the Norwegian Jewel cabins and deck plans page.

• Family Inside I4 — 12.8 m², sleeps 4; flexible bed system convertible to queen-size plus 2 additional berths
• Ocean-view (obstructed view) — 15.0 m², sleeps 4; 2 m² larger than standard ocean-view cabins at the same price point
• Club Balcony Suite MA — 25.3 m², sleeps 4; private balcony with direct sea view
• Deluxe Family Suite with 2 bedrooms and balcony — 50.5 m², sleeps 6; two completely separate bedrooms so parents and children each have their own retreat
• The Haven garden villa H1 — 454.4 m², sleeps 8; 3 bedrooms and more than 4 times the space of a Club Balcony Suite

Norwegian Dawn

Norwegian Dawn punches above its size in two areas: the Mandara Spa, which has consistently been rated the best spa at sea, and its 13 restaurants — Japanese, Brazilian, sushi, steak — all operating on NCL’s freestyle schedule with no set seatings. Book a Garden Villa and you step from your cabin onto a 621 m² private outdoor terrace. The Norwegian Dawn cabins and deck plans page shows every grade and its location on the ship.

Norwegian Viva

Norwegian Viva brings a distinctly modern energy to this season. The Rush and The Drop — the fastest free-fall dry slides afloat — will settle any debate about whether a cruise ship can be genuinely exciting. The 360° Ocean Boulevard lets you walk the entire outside of the ship, with an infinity pool that makes the horizon feel like part of the deck. At the quieter end, The Haven offers Lissoni-designed suites, a butler and private spaces that feel like a completely different ship from the one everyone else is on. See Norwegian Viva in full, or go straight to Norwegian Viva cabins and deck plans to choose your grade.

Norwegian Epic

Norwegian Epic is the choice for solo travellers and those who like their evenings loud. NCL invented the studio cabin concept — compact single-occupancy cabins that share a sociable Living Room lounge designed specifically for solo guests, so you never pay a supplement and never eat alone unless you want to. The Haven sits at the other end of the scale, with butler service and a private sun deck that the rest of the ship simply cannot reach. After a 2025 refit, Norwegian Epic also stages a Beatles bar straight from Liverpool — the kind of venue you find yourself in at midnight having intended to stay for one drink. Check Norwegian Epic cabins and deck plans before you book.

You can also browse Norwegian Cruise Line Alaska cruises or Norwegian cruises from Australia if you want to compare other regions on the same fleet.

Where do these sailings depart from?

Departure ports for the 2028 European season span the UK, Italy, Denmark, Spain and Iceland. Every sailing here requires a flight from Australia, and our team can build those flights — plus any hotels and transfers — into your booking.

• Southampton, England — the busiest departure port in the programme; fly to London and take the train straight to the pier, or let us arrange the transfer
• Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy — a natural base for a few days in Rome before you sail; we can add those hotel nights to your package
• Copenhagen, Denmark — gateway to the Baltic, and one of the most walkable cities in Europe for a day or two before boarding
• Barcelona, Spain — a well-served flight destination from all Australian capitals, with plenty to fill a pre-cruise day or two; see all 2028 cruises from Barcelona
• Ravenna, Italy — a quieter alternative to Rome for Mediterranean departures, worth arriving early to explore
• Reykjavik, Iceland — departure point for the Arctic Ocean and Iceland itineraries; plan at least 2 nights here, and we can add them to the booking

Explore the full range of European ocean cruises if you want to see how other lines cover the same ports.

Is a one-way or round-trip itinerary better for me?

Roughly 2 in 3 sailings in this programme are one-way, meaning you board in one city and disembark in another. That is genuinely useful if you want to make the most of two different parts of Europe, but it does mean planning both ends of the journey. A Barcelona-to-Rome sailing, for instance, finishes in Civitavecchia — a domestic flight or train connects the two if you are basing yourself in one city, or we can book hotels at both ends so you get proper time in each place.

Round-trip sailings return you to the same port, which keeps the logistics simpler and suits those who want to fly in, cruise, and fly home without repositioning. If that is your preference, it is worth filtering by itinerary type when you search, and our cruise experts can help you weigh up the options.

Whichever format you choose, our team will help you pick the cabin grade and the fare inclusions that suit your budget — and put the entire holiday on one booking. Prices start from A$2,815 pp*.

How to book Norwegian Cruise Line Europe 2028 with CruiseAway

CruiseAway is a cruise specialist — every booking on this site is a cruise or a cruise-inclusive package. Our cruise experts know the NCL fleet in detail: which cabin grades represent the best value on each ship, which fare types suit which travellers, and how to build the flights, hotels and transfers around your sailing so nothing is left to chance. Our Best Price Guarantee backs every booking.

If you want everything in one place, a DreamAway Package covers your cruise, return flights from Australia, hotels before and after, transfers and travel insurance — built by us and held together in a single itinerary. Browse all cruises available or call our team to talk through the options. We are also CLIA-accredited, so you are booking with a team that is recognised across the cruise industry for specialist knowledge.

Planning to cruise in a different season or with a different line? The Princess 2027–2028 season and Cunard 2027–2028 World Cruise season are also open for booking, or take a broader look at all 2028 cruises to compare what is available across every line.

If the Mediterranean is your main draw, you might also want to compare what was on offer in Mediterranean cruises 2027 to get a sense of how the programme evolves year on year. And for the year before this season, the Norwegian Cruise Line Europe 2027 programme is still available for early departures.

*Prices are per person based on 2 people sharing, and are subject to change. This price is not kept up to date and therefore does not reflect live pricing and availability. Prices and any discounts shown were checked on 14 October 2026.