Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), announced it will be returning to southern Africa for its second and longest season when Norwegian Dawn arrives at Port Louis, Mauritius, on January 20.
The cruise line said it is thrilled to set sail once again in African waters after its successful 2022/2023 cruise season out of Cape Town.
Kevin Bubolz, vice-president and managing director of Continental Europe, Middle East and Africa, said for 2024, they’ve elevated their deployment to new heights.
“We are offering not one, but two seasonal home ports, a myriad of round-trip and open-jaw sailings and new-to-NCL destinations across the continent, with itineraries that not only whet our international and local guests’ appetites, but also cement NCL as the only contemporary cruise line to provide such a rich selection of destinations, ports, and home ports in the region,” said Bubolz.
Norwegian Dawn’s extensive Africa season offers 12-day open-jaw sailings departing from Port Louis, Mauritius, and Cape Town.
“These sailings feature stops at sought-after locations like Réunion, known for its volcanic landscapes and rainforests; Nosy Be, Madagascar, famous for its spectacular coral reefs; Richards Bay, a gateway to South Africa’s wildlife safaris and Mossel Bay, a haven for beach lovers,” said NCL.
According to the cruise line, guests seeking wildlife and cultural experiences can embark on Norwegian Dawn’s 12-day round-trips to South Africa and Namibia on February 1 and March 8 with calls to Mossel Bay and Durban, and Luderitz and Walvis Bay in Namibia, before she repositions on March 20, sailing from Cape Town to Barcelona, Spain.
During the 21-day voyage along Africa’s west coast, Norwegian Dawn will call to Luanda, Angola; Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Banjul, Gambia; and Dakar, Senegal, for the very first time in the company’s history.
“Building on the success of its Africa deployment and global demand for exotic sailings, NCL will reinforce its commitment to the region when Norwegian Dawn returns to home port from Port Louis, Mauritius, and Cape Town, South Africa, during the northern hemisphere winter 2024/25 and 2025/26 with a similar roster of itineraries,” said NCL.
With a capacity of 2 340 guests at double occupancy, Norwegian Dawn features a total of 14 dining options, including guest favourites Cagney’s Steakhouse, elevated French eatery Le Bistro and Brazilian churrascaria Moderno, as well as nine bars and lounges.