– Two Added Voyages Launch May 2 and May 12, 2027, Following Norwegian Aura’s Anticipated Early Delivery –
– New 10- and Nine-Day Voyages Visit Italy, Croatia, Montenegro and the Greek Isles Before the Ship Begins Caribbean Cruises from Miami –
JOHANNESBURG: 12 October, 2026 – Norwegian Cruise Line® (NCL) has announced that two new inaugural Mediterranean sailings aboard Norwegian Aura™ are now open for sale. The new voyages, made possible by the ship’s anticipated early delivery, mark the first opportunities for guests to sail aboard Norwegian Aura, NCL’s newest and largest ship, beginning May 2, 2027.
Norwegian Aura’s newly added inaugural Mediterranean sailings include a 10-day voyage from Trieste, Italy, to Athens (Piraeus), Greece departing May 2, 2027 and a nine-day voyage from Athens (Piraeus), Greece, to Trieste, Italy, departing May 12, 2027. The 10-day itinerary will call to Dubrovnik and Split, Croatia; Bar, Montenegro; and Corfu, Santorini and Mykonos, Greece, and the nine-day sailing will visit Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini, and Corfu, Greece; Bar, Montenegro; and Split and Zadar, Croatia. Together, the newly released voyages give travellers the opportunity to be the first to experience Norwegian Aura during her inaugural season while visiting bucket-list Mediterranean ports.
“The early delivery of Norwegian Aura allows us to welcome guests aboard sooner than expected and begin creating unforgettable vacation experiences earlier than planned,” said Marc Kazlauskas, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. “As our largest and most innovative ship yet, Norwegian Aura was designed to bring families and travellers of every generation together, with more freedom, choice and ways to enjoy their ideal vacation so no one has to compromise on their experience. We’re thrilled to open these inaugural Mediterranean sailings and look forward to welcoming our first guests aboard and introducing them to the ship’s new entertainment, dining, wellness and innovative family-friendly experiences.”
Norwegian Aura will be NCL’s largest and longest ship to date at nearly 1,130 feet long and approximately 170,000 gross tons. The ship will be 10% larger than Norwegian Aqua® and Norwegian Luna® and will feature Ocean Heights™, a first-in-the-fleet outdoor activities complex spanning decks 18 through 21. Ocean Heights will include Eclipse Racers, NCL’s first dueling mat racer waterslides; Aura Free Fall, a drop-in body waterslide; the 82-foot Aura Ropes Course; Moon Climber obstacle course; Aura Midway with carnival-style games; and dedicated areas for children, teens and families. Norwegian Aura will also offer NCL’s largest pool deck and largest Vibe Beach Club to date.
Guests sailing aboard the new inaugural voyages will also be among the first to experience Norwegian Aura’s all-new entertainment lineup, including “Whitney: A Celebration of Whitney Houston,” developed in partnership with The Estate of Whitney E. Houston and Primary Wave Music; “ILLUMINOX: Infinite Wonder Unboxed™”; The Vinyl Republic™; Aura FIRST NIGHT™; and Latin LIVE!™.
Norwegian Aura will introduce new dining and wellness experiences, including Tamara, NCL’s first specialty Indian restaurant; The Panorama Room, an immersive complimentary dining venue; and NCL’s most comprehensive wellness offering to date, anchored by the cruise industry’s most expansive Thermal Suite and the first-at-sea Sensory Rain Pool at Mandara Spa.
After the two new inaugural Mediterranean sailings, Norwegian Aura will sail an additional seven-day Mediterranean voyage from Trieste, Italy, to Barcelona, Spain, on May 21, 2027, with calls to Valletta, Malta; Salerno, Italy; and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy. The ship will then sail a 13-day transatlantic voyage from Barcelona to Miami before beginning seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruises from Miami from June through October 2027, with calls to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island destination in the Bahamas and home of the all-new Great Tides Waterpark. In winter 2027/28, Norwegian Aura will offer seven-day Western Caribbean voyages to Roatan (Islas de la Bahia), Honduras; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and Harvest Caye, NCL’s resort-style destination in Belize.
Guests booking the newly added sailings can take advantage of NCL’s promotion running from 13 to 26 October 2026 offering up to 50% off all cruises as well as the guest-favourite Free at Sea™ package, which includes premium beverages, speciality dining meals, excursion discounts and Wi-Fi – adding over US$2000 in value to the cruise.
For more information about the Company’s award-winning fleet and worldwide itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional, call +27 087 550 3914 or visit www.ncl.com.
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About Norwegian Cruise Line
As the innovator in global cruise travel, Norwegian Cruise Line® has been breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising for 59 years. Its tagline, “It’s Different Out Here®” reflects the emotional connection guests experience aboard and pays tribute to the company’s history of pioneering the cruise experience. Most notably, NCL revolutionised the industry by offering guests the freedom and flexibility to design their ideal vacation on their preferred schedule with no assigned dining and entertainment times and no formal dress codes. Today, the company continues to deliver on that freedom, choice and uncompromising hospitality so no one has to settle on their ideal vacation. With award-winning entertainment, globally inspired dining and thoughtfully designed accommodations, including solo staterooms, Club Balcony Suites and The Haven by Norwegian®, the company’s exclusive ship-within-a-ship concept, NCL ensures every guest enjoys a seamless and personalised journey that allows them to enjoy the moment and connect with those who matter most. To further deliver guests with more value, the company’s signature Free at Sea™ package provides added benefits and inclusions such as premium beverages; speciality dining credits; high-speed Wi-Fi; and shore excursions discounts (terms and conditions apply). NCL guests sailing to the Caribbean can also enjoy exclusive experiences at Harvest Caye, the company’s resort destination in Belize, along with new and enhanced experiences at Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s expanded private island in the Bahamas. NCL sails to nearly 350 of the world’s most desirable destinations with its fleet of 20 contemporary ships.
For additional information or to book a cruise, contact a travel professional, call call +27 087 550 3914 or visit www.ncl.com. For the latest news and exclusive content, visit the NCL Newsroom and follow Norwegian Cruise Line on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube @NorwegianCruiseLine; and Twitter @CruiseNorwegian.
Norwegian Cruise Line is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. To learn more, visit www.nclhltd.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Norwegian Cruise Line
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Locally Issued By: Celine Patterson | Big Ambitions | celine@bigambitions.co.za
