norwegian cruise line identification requirements

Passports are required for all travelers, including citizens of the U.S. and Canada, who enter or re-enter the U.S. by air, land or sea .

There are a few notable exceptions pertaining to land and sea border crossings:

• U.S. citizens on cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port and travel to destinations in Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, the Bahamas or Bermuda are able to re-enter the U.S. with proof of citizenship other than a passport or passport card. Acceptable proof of citizenship includes a U.S. state-issued original or certified copy of their birth certificate (hospital certificates are not acceptable) or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization and a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license). Passports are required for cruises that begin in one U.S. port and end in another.  
• Children under the age of 16 who are citizens of the U.S. or Canada are exempt from the passport requirement for land and sea border crossings. In lieu of a passport, children are able to use a U.S. state-issued original or certified copy of their birth certificate (hospital certificates are not acceptable) or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization as proof of citizenship for entry into the U.S. by land or by sea. Children entering or re-entering the U.S. by air are required to have a valid passport.  
• A new, lower-cost alternative to the passport, called a passport card, is acceptable for entries into the U.S. by land or sea. The passport card is not acceptable for air travel.

Photocopies of required documentation are not acceptable in any circumstance.

Even though passports are not required at this time for U.S. citizens who sail on cruises to the above destinations that begin and end in the same U.S. port, we strongly recommend that all cruise passengers travel with a valid passport anyway. This is because guests who need to fly to or from the U.S. unexpectedly during their cruise will likely experience significant delays and complications related to booking airline tickets and entering the U.S. if they do not have a valid passport with them. For example, a passenger missing a cruise departure due to a late inbound flight to Miami would need a passport to fly to meet the ship at the next port. Similarly, guests needing to fly to or through the U.S. before their cruise ends because of medical, family, personal or business emergencies, missing a ship's departure from a port of call, or a mechanical problem of some sort with the ship, would need a passport. Of course, situations like these are rare, but they can happen.

Passports are not required for U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from Hawaii or a U.S. territory, including Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Passports are required for cruise travel to all International destinations not mentioned above, and for cruises that involve air travel that begins or ends outside of the U.S. Passports must be valid for at least six months after the last day of travel.

Vacations To Go has partnered with CIBT, the largest and most well-established travel visa and passport company in the world, to offer you a fast, easy and reliable way to obtain a passport or other document for travel anywhere in the world. For information about obtaining a passport or passport card for the first time, or about renewing a passport or passport card, click here to visit the CIBT Web site.

Legal U.S. Residents (Non-Citizens)

Legal permanent residents of the U.S. must have a valid passport from their country of citizenship and a valid Alien Registration Card (Green Card) to enter or re-enter the U.S.

Non-U.S., Non-Canada Citizens

The following countries participate in a visa waiver program with the U.S., and citizens of these countries must have a machine-readable passport for entry into the U.S.:

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

Citizens of the countries listed above who do not possess machine-readable passports, and citizens of countries not listed above must present a valid passport and a valid United States visa upon entry into the U.S. For those whose travel plans include multiple entries into the U.S., such as a cruise that begins and ends in a U.S. port, a multiple-entry visa is required.

All travelers, including U.S. and Canada citizens , are responsible for verifying visa requirements with consular officials, and obtaining visas where required, for every country visited during their trip, including countries visited via connecting flights.

Always check with your Vacations To Go cruise counselor at the time of booking to verify the documentation requirements for your vacation.

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Norwegian Cruise Line Passport Requirements [Updated 2023]

Do you dream of the open sea, swaying palm trees, and memories so sweet? When planning a cruise on the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), it is important to be aware of passport requirements for boarding.

To ensure your adventure is as smooth sailing as possible, read up on what documents are needed and if you need a visa to ride with NCL. From safety measures, the cruise line takes to information about processing times and additional recommendations.

This guide has all you need to know about the documentation required before setting sail.

Related Read: Is My Passport Valid with My Maiden Name?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What Do I Need To Bring for A Norwegian Cruise?

• ­A valid passport, or
• ­Proof of citizenship, such as original or certified U.S. birth certificates, original certificates of naturalization or citizenship, or a consular report of your birth abroad,  and  a government-issued photo identification card, or
• ­Any other  Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) travel document.
• “Open jaw” sailings : For cruises that depart from one U.S. port and return to another after visiting other countries in between, the requirements are the same as for entering the country at the airport. In other words, you require a valid passport, a U.S. passport card , or a U.S. or Canadian Enhanced Driver’s License.

Additionally, having any tourist visas required for any country on your trip would be best.

Related Read: Do You Need a Passport to Go to A Cruise?

Do You Need to Be Vaccinated to Go on a Norwegian Cruise?

It is highly advised by Norwegian Cruise Line that all guests acquire a passport for their cruise vacation. This is because if you happen to miss the ship’s scheduled departure from a U.S. port and need to travel internationally by air to catch up with the ship, you would require a passport.

Related Read: Do You Need a Passport for a Closed Loop Cruise?

Conclusion:

When traveling on a cruise, it is essential to make sure you have the necessary documentation for re-entry into your home country. U.S. citizens must have valid proof of citizenship and identity to enter or leave the United States, while non-U.S. citizens need valid passports.

Additionally, any tourist visas required by different countries should also be obtained in advance of travel.  If you need help with any of these requirements, contact National Passport Service for assistance.

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Norwegian Cruise Line Passport Requirements for Cruises

Passports are required for all travelers, including citizens of U.S. and Canada, who enter or re-enter the United States by air, land or sea.

Regarding Norwegian Cruise Line to destinations in Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Bermuda, there is a notable exception to this US passport rule, pertaining to land and sea crossings for US Citizens.

US Citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port) and travel to destinations in Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and Bermuda are able to re-enter the United States with proof of citizenship other than a passport or passport card.  Acceptable proof of citizenship includes an original or certified copy of a government issued birth certificate (raised seal and signature) and a laminated government issued picture ID (typically, driver's license), Consular Report of Born Abroad Certificate, or a Certificate of Naturalization.  NOTE: Baptismal records and certificates issued by a hospital are not acceptable.

General Documentation and Visa Information

U.S. Citizens

Hawaii Cruises

There's no need for a passport when you sail on any Hawaii inter-island cruise. If your ship never sails beyond the islands of Hawaii, all you need is a government-issued photo I.D. which includes a passport or a valid driver's license with a photo. A U.S. citizen under the age of 16 do not require a government-issued photo ID.

Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Alaska, Mexican Riviera, Or Canada & New England Cruises

For closed-loop sailings (cruises that depart from and return to the same U.S. port), you need a valid passport OR proof of citizenship and a valid government-issued photo I.D. (driver's license with a photo) or any other WHTI compliant document. Proof of Citizenship examples include: an original or state certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate, original certificate of U.S. naturalization, original certificate of U.S. citizenship, or a U.S. Consular report of your birth abroad. Baptismal paper and hospital certificates of birth are not acceptable. A U.S. citizen under the age of 16 do not require a government-issued photo ID.

For open-jaw sailings (cruises that depart from one U.S. port and return to a different U.S. port), you are required to carry a valid passport, U.S. passport card, U.S. or Canadian Enhanced Drivers License, as well as have in your possession all relative visas that pertain to your travel itinerary. Permanent residents of the U.S. are required to carry their valid ARC cards for boarding AND passport from their country of citizenship, if available.

Note: If you miss your ship at its scheduled U.S. departure port and need to travel outside the U.S. to meet your ship, or should you unexpectedly need to depart the ship from a foreign port prior to the end of sailing, a passport would be required to leave or re-enter the U.S. by air. To that end, NCL strongly recommends all guests to obtain a passport for their voyage on any NCL vessel.

Europe and South America Cruises

A valid passport is required and in some cases, a tourist visa is also required.

Russia - St. Petersburg

All guests going ashore (even guests on shore excursions) must provide a photocopy of their passport details (page with picture and personal information) to the Russian Immigration Officials. Guests who purchase any available shore excursion organized by NCL will not require a visa for Russia. In this case guests will need to present a valid passport and the NCL tour ticket to the Russian Immigration Officer as they depart the ship. Please note that without a visa, the time ashore is limited to the period of the excursion and you are not allowed to leave the ship outside of the tour hours without a Russian Tourist Visa. Guests who wish to explore Russia on their own or want to sightsee after NCLs' shore excursion hours have to obtain an individual Russian Tourist Visa before leaving home. Russian Tourist Visas cannot be issued during your cruise. Guests who have not purchased an organized shore excursion with NCL and do not own a valid Russian Tourist Visa will not be permitted ashore in St. Petersburg.

Source: http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=VisaRequirements#usCan

NON-US Citizens, US Citizens on open-loop cruses (being and end in different ports) and passengers on cruises that stop at ports in South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Antartica ALL require a valid passport, and in some cases a visa as well as a copy of  your Alien Registration Card (Green Card).

Passports and Visas.com is based in Miami, Florida and assists travelers going on a cruise with obtaining an expedited passport, passport renewal, or other passport or visa services.  If you need a US passport quickly for your cruise, Passports and Visas.com is a private company that works with the Passport Agency to obtain your US passport application in as fast as 24 hours, with services starting at $59.

We are a nationally recognized US Passport and visa service by the Washington Post, New York Times and USA Today.  Our team has been getting passports and visas for over 15 years.

The benefits of using our private passport expediting service are :

• You can get your passport back as fast as the same day we receive your application materials.
• Our service is guaranteed; if you don't make your trip - the passport is on us.
• You will see online real-time tracking of your order.
• We are based in Miami, Florida - not far from many embarkation ports (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach)

Need to know about passports or visas?  Contact us or review our Travel Document Learning Center.

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Your Norwegian Cruise Line Cruise Information

Congratulations on your upcoming Norwegian Cruise Line cruise and thank you for selecting The Cruise Web! Here you will find important information to assist you in your preparations to your cruise vacations:

NOTICE : Health and safety protocols, guest conduct rules, vaccination requirements and regional travel restrictions are fast evolving, vary by cruise line, ship, destination and travel supplier, and are subject to change without notice. Due to evolving health protocols, imagery and messaging may not accurately reflect onboard and destination experiences, offerings, features, itineraries, protocols and/or restrictions. These may not be available during your voyage, may vary by ship and destination, and may be subject to change without notice.

Each traveler is responsible for ensuring their compliance with all passport, visa, vaccination and/or other entry/exit requirements and payment of any charges, fees, duties, taxes or assessments related to your travel.

To learn more about the latest travel requirements for Norwegian Cruise Line, CLICK HERE .

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Proof of citizenship and photo identification will be required for your vacation. A valid US passport and visa (for certain destinations only) may also be required for your travel . The United States Department of State has recently changed documentation requirements for travel outside of the United States, and continues to review these requirements. For example, when traveling to certain countries, your passport must be valid for several months beyond the date in which you expect to complete your travel and return home. Please visit the State Department website at www.travel.state.gov , for the official and most up to date documentation requirements, and also for instructions on how to renew or obtain a passport. You may also contact the National Passport Information Center toll free at 1-877-487-2778.

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• Norwegian Cruise Line

national ID card instead of passport

By Aaleby , June 5, 2022 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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I have booked Norwegian Escape, travelling from Rome 20th June. Been impossible to get a new passport in Norway for months because of production related problems. Have anyone successfully used the national ID card instead of a passport?

The NCL-homepage only states passport as a valid form for legitimation when entering the ship for the first time.

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I think this is a case of you needing to contact NCL and get the answer direct from them. I'm no expert in the European travel rules with regards to EU/Schengen policies, but normally when going to multiple countries, you require a passport, not just a national ID.

I guess that you are meaning the EU national ID card that is available for all travels withing Schengen, and that is also available for Norwegian citizents? I can't see why that should not be accepted by NCL the same way they accept national US ID for cruises that visits US ports only. After all, it IS accepted when crossing all European borders within EU/Schengen.

27 minutes ago, TrumpyNor said: I guess that you are meaning the EU national ID card that is available for all travels withing Schengen, and that is also available for Norwegian citizents? 

Correct. Royal Caribbean states the following: " EU Nationals may present a European ID Card." NCL only mentions a regular passport, which is kinda worrying. But totally agreed, hard to see why an EU ID Card shouldnt be accepted.

36 minutes ago, Aaleby said: Correct. Royal Caribbean states the following: " EU Nationals may present a European ID Card." NCL only mentions a regular passport, which is kinda worrying. But totally agreed, hard to see why an EU ID Card shouldnt be accepted.

Unfortunately "should be" are famous last words. You had best get verification that is allowed from NCL, and preferably in writing.

55 minutes ago, ontheweb said: Unfortunately "should be" are famous last words. You had best get verification that is allowed from NCL, and preferably in writing.

I agree.  You don’t want to find out at the pier that you don’t have what you need. 

Just now, Turtles06 said: I agree.  You don’t want to find out at the pier that you don’t have what you need. 

Very true. Ive sent a mail, hopefully it will work out.

45 minutes ago, Aaleby said: Very true. Ive sent a mail, hopefully it will work out.

You may also get some answers that can be helpful by submitting an digital questionaire to the EU commision about this subject:

https://ec.europa.eu/eu-rights/enquiry-complaint-form/home?languageCode=en&origin=yec_Travel

Even if travel with a national ID card is permissible under EU rules or the rules of other countries the cruise line has the right to set more stringent standards such as requiring a passport. This is very common practice for super premium and luxury cruise lines such as Oceania and Regent Seven Seas...both part of the NCLH family, which require all passengers on all itineraries to have a passport with a minimum of six months remaining validity regardless of whether lesser documentation meets the legal requirements for the cruise. 

While mass market lines such as NCL typically will accept the minimum legally required documentation there is nothing preventing NCL from requiring a passport and if that requirement is documented on the website you have to assume it will be enforced. Having a reply to the contrary from the EU doesn't override NCL's requirement.

• 2 weeks later...

eurodolphin

I am Belgian, I took a back to back cruise on the Dawn last month sailing from Trieste to Barcelona and back to Trieste, visiting European ports only. I traveled with my national ID card only and had no problems whatsoever at the pier check-in or on the ship.

Enjoy your cruise!

NorthernJoey

It should be just 100% fine as long as the ports visited are in Schengen states. And your ID is a real EU-ID, not EU drivers license which is used, at least in Finland on daily basis.

I have seen people thinking that EU drivers license is the same but it is not. Does have some same features but still not same.  For example it is legit ID in most European countries but not for crossing borders.

On 6/5/2022 at 6:58 PM, Aaleby said: Very true. Ive sent a mail, hopefully it will work out.

Did you get an official answer to your question from NCL?

Or even more important - did you get to go on your cruise? According to your initial post, you should normally be on board the Escape right now. 

I know that for the original poster it is too late, but NCL does not really care about IDs, whether they are passports or identity cards.  

Interestingly, though, when asked about IDs (we had some problems with them as well), NCL told us that they don't really care; they just need the IDs so that they can run a background check on the passengers.  

13 minutes ago, pdmlynek said: I know that for the original poster it is too late, but NCL does not really care about IDs, whether they are passports or identity cards.     Interestingly, though, when asked about IDs (we had some problems with them as well), NCL told us that they don't really care; they just need the IDs so that they can run a background check on the passengers.    

I don't know who told you NCL doesn't care about your ID or passport, but that is absolutely wrong. They have to verify that every embarking passenger holds the types of ID or passport and in some cases visa required by every country on the ship's itinerary. 

12 hours ago, njhorseman said: I don't know who told you NCL doesn't care about your ID or passport, but that is absolutely wrong. They have to verify that every embarking passenger holds the types of ID or passport and in some cases visa required by every country on the ship's itinerary. 

My point is that they don't care if a person travels under a passport or a national ID card, as in the case of OP, or in our case where we had multiple sufficient travel documents to chose from.  As long as they have proper visa as needed, then any of the sufficiently valid documents are fine.  They do not prefer one sufficient document over another.

1 hour ago, pdmlynek said:   My point is that they don't care if a person travels under a passport or a national ID card, as in the case of OP, or in our case where we had multiple sufficient travel documents to chose from.  As long as they have proper visa as needed, then any of the sufficiently valid documents are fine.  They do not prefer one sufficient document over another.

That is different from not caring. To be precise, I think you meant they don't care about what type of id as long as it meets requirements. Your original post seemed to imply they did not care at all as long as there was some type of id without mentioning it still had to meet certain standards.

14 hours ago, njhorseman said: I don't know who told you NCL doesn't care about your ID or passport, but that is absolutely wrong. They have to verify that every embarking passenger holds the types of ID or passport and in some cases visa required by every country on the ship's itinerary. 

I concur.  NCL is pretty specific about the identification they will and won’t accept.

They outline it here….

https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/cruise-travel-documents

As far as background checks?  I don’t see them being able to do that, or willing to go through the expense and time it would take to do so.

If you’re flagged as having an arrest warrant, are on probation or parole, have a court order preventing you from travel, your passport will already be revoked or invalid.  That means, you either won’t have the documentation to embark, or your specific ID will flag you as having legal restrictions from travel.  Your Social Security number will also flag anyone who’s not allowed to travel because of criminal behavior.

While I’m retired now, my former company required background checks for anyone I wanted to hire.  We used an agency that did nothing but background checks.  It took the agency days to complete a background check and it wasn’t an insignificant charge to do so.  

On 6/26/2022 at 1:26 PM, eurodolphin said: Did you get an official answer to your question from NCL?

On 6/26/2022 at 2:50 PM, TrumpyNor said: Or even more important - did you get to go on your cruise? According to your initial post, you should normally be on board the Escape right now. 

Almost didnt make it; had to hijack a taxi infront of a large taxi queue in the center of Rome and came to the port one hour before departure (felt like being in a movie), but that was for completely different reasons;p

The cruise was amazing!

4 hours ago, Aaleby said: Almost didnt make it; had to hijack a taxi infront of a large taxi queue in the center of Rome and came to the port one hour before departure (felt like being in a movie), but that was for completely different reasons;p   The cruise was amazing!  

Now that you gave us the teaser about how you almost did not make it to the ship, how about the full story?

Just now, ontheweb said: Now that you gave us the teaser about how you almost did not make it to the ship, how about the full story?

Full story would kinda be an hassle as my English aint exactly fluent, but Ill try somehow;  it involved arriving 1240 on the airport (departure time 5 pm), taking the wrong move (hindsight) and gambling to take the one and only train which would arrive on time (FCO->Rome Termini->Civitavecchia Port) instead of just jump in a taxi. 

Managed to catch the first train seconds before it left (or so I thought), got way too relaxed and suddenly realised that we should have been on Rome Termini 5 minutes earlier. Guess the train conductor, whom I asked whether the train went to termini, didnt really understand and uknowingly just said yes. As it clearly was the wrong route.

Should have arrived in Civitavecchia 3 PM, suddenly found ourself (me and my daughter) in a random place in Rome with no train to catch and a clock running far too fast. No taxi to be seen, lots of ppl waiting. Realised that I had one chance only; to hijack the first arriving taxi.

And it worked, luckily enough, even tho the taxi driver couldnt a single word of English. 1 1/2 hours later we walked into the departure hall and everything went smooth from there (spoked with NCL while sitting in the taxi and got the message that it was important to arrive no later then 4 pm. Succeeded with 1 minute to spare).

A few critically wrongs made by stress in the moment and an agent booking dangerously late tickets

On 7/2/2022 at 4:36 PM, Aaleby said: Full story would kinda be an hassle as my English aint exactly fluent, but Ill try somehow;  it involved arriving 1240 on the airport (departure time 5 pm), taking the wrong move (hindsight) and gambling to take the one and only train which would arrive on time (FCO->Rome Termini->Civitavecchia Port) instead of just jump in a taxi.    Managed to catch the first train seconds before it left (or so I thought), got way too relaxed and suddenly realised that we should have been on Rome Termini 5 minutes earlier. Guess the train conductor, whom I asked whether the train went to termini, didnt really understand and uknowingly just said yes. As it clearly was the wrong route.   Should have arrived in Civitavecchia 3 PM, suddenly found ourself (me and my daughter) in a random place in Rome with no train to catch and a clock running far too fast. No taxi to be seen, lots of ppl waiting. Realised that I had one chance only; to hijack the first arriving taxi.   And it worked, luckily enough, even tho the taxi driver couldnt a single word of English. 1 1/2 hours later we walked into the departure hall and everything went smooth from there (spoked with NCL while sitting in the taxi and got the message that it was important to arrive no later then 4 pm. Succeeded with 1 minute to spare).   A few critically wrongs made by stress in the moment and an agent booking dangerously late tickets

Whew, at least you made it. Now it makes a great story.

On 7/2/2022 at 5:12 PM, Aaleby said: I did:

Thank you! And glad you made it!

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The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship

T hinking of booking a cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line ? You have a lot of choices. The Miami-based line operates vessels in almost every corner of the world, with a wide range of itineraries in many destinations.

You'll find Norwegian ships everywhere from the Caribbean and the Bahamas to Europe, Asia and Australia. The line is also a big player in Hawaii.

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In addition, Norwegian is particularly known for cruises to Bermuda out of Boston and New York City, and it offers Canada and New England cruises regularly. It also operates some Panama Canal sailings and trips from the West Coast of the U.S. to the Mexican Riviera.

In North America, Norwegian ships sail from a relatively wide range of home ports, including Baltimore; Boston; New York City; Miami and Tampa; Galveston, Texas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; New Orleans; San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco; Seattle; Honolulu; Vancouver, British Columbia; Quebec City and Quebec in Canada; and Seward, Alaska.

Here is a look at the best destinations you can visit on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship.

Related: The ultimate guide to Norwegian Cruise Line

Some of Norwegian's most exciting itineraries are in Europe, where the line is a significant player. It offers a wide range of itineraries in the Mediterranean and across northern Europe.

Norwegian will typically deploy around half of its 19 ships to the continent from spring to fall, making Europe its biggest focus for more than half the year. Norwegian also sometimes offers Europe cruises in the winter — albeit typically with just one ship.

Norwegian's Mediterranean sailings provide the chance to see such iconic destinations as Barcelona in Spain; and Florence, Rome and Naples in Italy in a single cruise. Or, you can sign up for a Mediterranean cruise that focuses on the Greek Islands.

In northern Europe, Norwegian will take you to such famed Baltic cities as Stockholm; Tallinn, Estonia; and Helsinki in a single sailing.

In past years, such Baltic trips have also included a multiday call at St. Petersburg, Russia — traditionally the highlight of any Baltic sailings. However, like all major cruise lines, Norwegian pulled St. Petersburg from Baltic itineraries in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

As of the publishing of this guide, Norwegian had opened bookings for all of its Baltic sailing through late 2025, and St. Petersburg remains off the schedule for all of them. The line hasn't said when it might return to St. Petersburg.

For those looking to explore northern Europe, Norwegian also offers itineraries that zero in on Iceland, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Norwegian's Europe voyages range widely in length from just four nights to a whopping 19 nights (for a repositioning cruise itinerary that begins in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and ends in the European city of Lisbon).

Among the longest sailings that Norwegian offers that focus solely on European stops is a one-way trips between Reykjavik, Iceland, and Oslo, Norway, that includes a wide range of stops in Greenland, Iceland, Denmark's Faroe Islands and Norway.

In Northern Europe, Norwegian ships mostly sail out of Amsterdam, Stockholm, Copenhagen, England's Southampton and Reykjavík in Iceland.

In the Mediterranean, the line's hubs are Barcelona; Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) and Trieste (near Venice) in Italy; Piraeus (the port for Athens) in Greece; and Istanbul.

Related: Everything you want to know about cabins and suites on Norwegian ships

Norwegian isn't the biggest player in Alaska cruises. The giants of cruising to Alaska are Princess Cruises and Holland America , two brands that are sister lines to each other and control a large percentage of the market.

Still, Norwegian typically sends three to five vessels to Alaska every summer, and its big, activity-filled ships are a popular pick with families looking to visit the destination.

The Alaska cruise season is a short one, lasting roughly from April to late October.

For 2024, Norwegian plans to deploy four ships to the Alaska market for the full season:

• Norwegian Encore : Norwegian's biggest vessel will operate seven-night voyages to Alaska round trip out of Seattle. It will call at the Alaska towns of Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, plus Victoria, British Columbia. It will also visit Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park for glacier viewing.
• Norwegian Sun: This ship will operate a mix of nine- to 10-night sailings to Alaska out of Seattle. The list of port calls varies based on the length of the trips.
• Norwegian Bliss : The 3,958-passenger vessel will operate seven-night voyages to Alaska round trip out of Seattle. On most sailings, it will call at Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point in Alaska, plus Victoria, British Columbia. It will also visit Alaska's Endicott Arm for glacier viewing. Some sailings at the start and end of the season substitute a visit to Skagway and Glacier Bay National Park for the stops in Sitka and Icy Strait Point, and drop the visit to Endicott Arm.
• Norwegian Jewel. The 2,330-passenger ship will operate one-way voyages to Alaska between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seward, Alaska. The trips typically include stops in Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, plus a visit to either Glacier Bay National Park or Icy Strait Point.

In recent years, the 1,972-passenger Norwegian Spirit also has spent its summers sailing in Alaska, but most of its Alaska voyages for 2024 were canceled as a result of the vessel being chartered to another company (Norwegian still is marketing two unusual one-way voyages to Alaska on Norwegian Spirit that will take place at the start of the 2024 season — the first a 16-night trip to Alaska that starts in Honolulu on April 22 and ends in Vancouver; the second an 18-night trip that starts May 8 in Vancouver and ends in Tokyo).

The appeal of the one-way sailings on Norwegian Jewel is that they can be combined with Norwegian-organized land tours of Alaska lasting from three to six days to create 10- to 13-night "cruisetours."

The land tour portion of such trips brings visits to such well-known interior Alaska locations as Denali National Park and the town of Fairbanks.

Related: The ultimate Alaska cruise guide

The Caribbean and the Bahamas

The Caribbean and the Bahamas have always been a big area of operations for Norwegian. In fact, for a long time, the regions were so much the focus that the line included "Caribbean" in its name. Up until 1987, Norwegian was known as Norwegian Caribbean Line.

These days, Norwegian usually keeps just two of its 19 vessels in the Caribbean and the Bahamas year-round (in recent years, the year-round ships have been Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Escape, both sailing to the Caribbean and the Bahamas from Florida ports). However, it really ramps things up in the region in the winter, when it deploys a large portion of its ships to the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

Norwegian currently has 15 of its 19 ships scheduled to sail to the Caribbean and the Bahamas for at least part of 2024 — including its newest and most advanced ship, the 3,195-passenger Norwegian Viva.

Related: I've sailed on nearly every Norwegian ship. Here are my first impressions of Norwegian Prima

Norwegian offers a broad range of Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries from more than half a dozen home ports. If you're looking for something short, the line has you covered in the form of lots of quick, three- and four-night trips from Miami to the Bahamas.

It also offers an abundance of seven-night sailings to Caribbean and Bahamian ports, as well as a handful of longer trips in the region that range from nine to 14 nights.

At the core of the line's Caribbean and Bahamas program are its seven-night sailings, which break down into three broad categories:

• Eastern Caribbean voyages
• Western Caribbean voyages
• Southern Caribbean voyages

A typical seven-night Norwegian sailing to the Eastern Caribbean includes stops in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; and Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian's private island in the Bahamas.

Norwegian's seven Western Caribbean voyages will typically include a visit to Roatan, Honduras; Harvest Caye, Belize; and Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico.

The line's Southern Caribbean itineraries will often bring visits to Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, St. Lucia and St. Kitts. They typically begin and end in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

When sailing to the Caribbean, Norwegian ships generally sail out of Miami, Port Canaveral and Tampa in Florida; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The line also offers Caribbean sailings out of Baltimore, Galveston, New Orleans, New York City and, occasionally, Panama City, Panama, and La Romana, Dominican Republic.

Related: The ultimate guide to Norwegian's Latitudes Reward loyalty program

Norwegian is the undisputed leader in Hawaii cruises. Most cruise lines that offer sailings to Hawaii only offer a limited number of such trips during a few months each year. Norwegian, by contrast, offers sailings around the Hawaiian Islands out of Honolulu every week of the year — the only cruise line in the world to do so.

Norwegian's Hawaii voyages are also more intensely focused on Hawaii than the Hawaii trips offered by most other lines. This is because Norwegian offers its Hawaii cruises on one of the only cruise ships in the world that meets the regulatory requirements allowing it to spend all its time in the destination.

Norwegian's Hawaii trips take place on Norwegian's 2,150-passenger Pride of America, which has the rare distinction of being both U.S.-flagged and U.S.-crewed. By law, only such a vessel can cruise full-time in Hawaii without regularly traveling long distances to foreign ports.

An iconic presence in Hawaii, Pride of America has been permanently dedicated to the archipelago since its debut in 2005. It offers a repeating seven-night itinerary that begins each Saturday in Honolulu and brings the chance to visit four different Hawaiian islands on a single seven-night trip.

Beginning and ending on the island of Oahu, the itinerary includes two days each on the islands of Maui, Kauai and Hawaii. The two-day visit to Maui involves an overnight stay at the port of Kahului.

The two-day visit to Kauai involves an overnight stay at the port of Nawiliwili. The two-day visit to Hawaii is split between a call at Hilo and a call at Kona.

Related: The 8 classes of Norwegian ships, explained

Norwegian usually deploys two ships on Bermuda runs every year — one out of New York City and one out of Boston.

In both cases, the sailings offered are mostly seven nights in length and include a two-night stay in Bermuda.

For 2024, Norwegian will devote one of its biggest ships, the 3,782-passenger Norwegian Joy, to Bermuda. It will run out of New York. The line's 2,344-passenger Norwegian Gem will sail to Bermuda out of Boston.

In addition, the line's 3,903-passenger Norwegian Getaway will operate a handful of sailings to Bermuda out of New York during the early part of 2024 that include stops in the Caribbean (something that is relatively rare), and the 3,903-passenger Norwegian Breakaway will operate a few sailings to Bermuda out of New York toward the end of 2024.

The line's relatively new Norwegian Prima will operate a single Bermuda sailing out of New York at the end of 2024.

While most of Norwegian's Bermuda sailings are seven nights in length, the line also sometimes offers a few shorter four- and five-night Bermuda sailings and, occasionally, a longer, nine-night Bermuda sailing.

Note that the shorter Bermuda sailings can offer very little time in the country, sometimes as few as nine hours.

Bottom line

Norwegian offers a wide range of itineraries in destinations around the world, from the Caribbean to Asia. However, you'll find the most choices among Norwegian itineraries in the Caribbean and Europe.

The line is also well-known for voyages around Hawaii and to Bermuda. Its Hawaii sailings, in particular, are something of a rarity in the industry.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Norwegian Cruise Line Sees ‘No Cracks’ in Guest Spending

Dawit Habtemariam , Skift

July 31st, 2024 at 1:25 PM EDT

Norwegian Cruise Line executives say they have a number of advantages over hotels to keep guests spending.

Dawit Habtemariam

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings executives say they aren’t seeing a reduction in guest spending. 

“We are seeing absolutely no decrease in onboard spend,” said Mark Kempa, chief financial officer for Norwegian Cruise Line, on an earnings call Wednesday. “Overall, the short answer is no cracks, no deterioration.”

Analysts asked about a slowdown after Marriott executives reported in a slight softening in hotel guest spending in the second quarter.  

Spending on Norwegian Cruise ships remained strong thanks to onboard amenities like speciality restaurants. Pre-cruise bookings for amenities were up 15%.

Norwegian benefits from the fact that they have more time to sell to guests. Kempa pointed out that guests on cruises remain on a ship for their entire trip whereas at hotels they will “come and go.”

In addition, guests book their trips much further in advance, making it easier for the cruise company to market onboard activities.

“There are fundamental things that work in our favor that make our business quite a bit more resilient than the hotel in the ancillary/onboard spend category,” he said.

Total revenue amounted to $2.4 billion in the second quarter, up 8% from last year.

Norwegian Cruise Stays Out of the Middle East

In the second quarter, Norwegian executives rerouted its Oceania and Regent brands from the Middle East to avoid ongoing conflicts in Israel, Gaza and the Red Sea. The itinerary changes did not impact demand.

“Despite the setback, results for this quarter were strong enough to offset this, underscoring the robust demand environment for cruises and the agility and effectiveness of our team to overcome difficult challenges,” said Harry Somer, CEO and president of Norwegian.

Emissions Reduction Technology Adoption Speeds Up

Norwegian made significant progress toward equipping its ships and terminals with more short power technology. Short power technology allows ships to connect to local electrical grids and shut down their engines, reducing carbon emissions and cutting fuel costs.

About 50% of Norwegian’s fleet now use short power. “We remain on track to equip our fleet with this technology by 2025,” said Sommer.

Europe and Alasksa Dominate Norwegian’s Bookings

For the third quarter, Europe and Alaska are shaping up to be the popular destinations for customers.

“Over 70% of our sailings in the third quarter are in Europe and Alaska, regions where we are experiencing strong demand from North American customers,” said Kempa.

Cruise and Tours Sector Stock Index Performance Year-to-Date

What am I looking at?  The performance of cruise and tours sector stocks within the ST200 . The index includes companies publicly traded across global markets including both cruise lines and tour operators.

The Skift Travel 200 (ST200)  combines the financial performance of nearly 200 travel companies worth more than a trillion dollars into a single number. See more cruise and tours sector financial performance .

Read the full methodology behind the Skift Travel 200.

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Tags: earnings , indigo airlines , norwegian cruise line , norwegian cruise line holdings

Plan ahead to 2025 with these can't-miss destinations with Norwegian Cruise Line

Make 2025 the year you realize your travel dream. Maybe that's flying in a helicopter to an Alaskan glacier where you can ride on a dogsled pulled by adorable huskies. Or, perhaps it's sipping wine at vineyards across Italy, Spain and France. Your bucket list might simply include visits to new countries across the globe, such as Japan, New Zealand or Thailand, or be as specific as watching the sun set over Hawaii's Haleakala Crater or snorkeling amid brightly colored coral and fish in Bonaire's Marine Park.

You could put in a lot of time and effort to create the perfect travel itinerary, spending hours researching hotels and tour operators. Or, you could book a Norwegian Cruise Line sailing, letting the line's travel planners do the heavy lifting while you choose the prearranged experiences you're most excited to try.

An NCL cruise makes travel planning easy. Norwegian Cruise Line ships sail to a variety of destinations, from tried-and-true vacation hot spots in the Caribbean to far-flung destinations in Asia. You don't have to worry about how to get from Greece to Turkey or from Sydney to Melbourne, Australia; the ship will take you there. There are no train tickets to buy or ferry schedules to puzzle out.

Once you've decided where to go, you can craft that experience to your preference with the line's shore excursions. A Norwegian cruise is not one-size-fits-all; you can customize your vacation to your liking. In Alaska, you can choose to go kayaking, sample local food and beer, take a wildlife cruise, or learn about totem poles. In Italy, you could take a pasta-making class, immerse yourself in Florence's art museums, drink wine at a Tuscan castle or get your steps in climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

No matter how you wish to spend your time ashore, NCL has already crafted excursions to give you the best day out. And did we mention that some of those tours will be subsidized by Norwegian, thanks to excursion credits on every cruise? That's in addition to the line's other inclusive Free at Sea offerings , such as unlimited open bar and Wi-Fi and specialty dining credits.

NCL has always been a leader in letting guests shape their own cruise experience, and that philosophy applies to the ship as well. You won't be told when to eat (or forced to dine with strangers), what to wear (no ties and jackets required) or how to spend your time on board.

Spend your days at sea pampering yourself at your ship's expansive spa, racing your family and friends around an onboard go-kart track, winning big at the casino or watching award-winning shows in a grand theater. With dozens of dining options covering a range of cuisines, you don't have to agonize about making dinner reservations in a foreign language.

With NCL handling all the logistics and providing you with tons of entertainment options on board and ashore, the only thing left for you to do is choose where to go. Here are six can't-miss destinations you can sail to with Norwegian Cruise Line.

A cruise is one of the best ways to see Alaska, since a ship can take you to places where the roads don't reach. See nature at its finest (glaciers and salmon and bears — oh my!) and learn about the Native peoples who have long inhabited this northerly region.

You can cruise to Alaska nearly any time you'd like because Norwegian Cruise Line has the longest Alaska cruise season of all the big-ship lines. Whether you want to take the kids for a summer vacation, avoid the crowds on an early-season sailing or chase the northern lights on an October cruise, Norwegian has a ship ready for you from April into October.

Four ships will be dedicated to Alaska in 2025, and all guarantee glacier views. Some cruises explore the limited-access Glacier Bay National Park, while others take you to Hubbard or Dawes Glacier. If you've never heard the thunderous sound of a glacier calving or photographed ice that is as blue as the sky, these scenic cruise days will be a highlight.

NCL is all about choice, and four ships give the line Alaska itinerary variety. Big ships Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Encore sail seven-night cruises out of the easily accessible Seattle home port and are perfect for families looking for all the whiz-bang onboard attractions, such as go-kart tracks, laser tag and a water park. (Yes, it can be warm enough in Alaska to use the ship's pools!)

Norwegian Joy offers slightly longer nine- and 10-night sailings from Alaska, for travelers who want to maximize their time up north. These cruises visit five Alaska ports and Victoria, British Columbia, and include a glacier-viewing day.

Still not enough Alaska for you? Norwegian Jade does things differently, sailing one-way cruises between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Whittier, Alaska (one of the ports closest to Anchorage). Because your cruise starts or ends in Alaska, you have the freedom to tack on an extended land stay to venture into the state's interior.

You could put in all the work to arrange the trip yourself, but you can save yourself the trouble and let Norwegian plan it for you. Its 11- to 14-night cruisetours combine a cruise with bus and train travel to places like Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Seward and Anchorage. Meet adorable sled dogs and their mushers, search for bears and moose on a Denali wilderness tour, or take a once-in-a-lifetime flightseeing tour by the tallest peak in North America.

Got even more time on your hands? Set aside a little more than two weeks to cruise Alaska and also Hawaii or Japan on one lengthy Norwegian Sun cruise.

You can never get enough of Europe. From the sun-warmed Greek islands to the waterfall-lined Scandinavian fjords and the historic and culture-rich cities along the Mediterranean, you can't go wrong with a visit in 2025, whether it's your first or 10th trip across the pond. No matter where you want to go, NCL has a cruise for you with nine ships sailing 295 different itineraries calling in 160 individual ports.

Norwegian's newest and most upscale ships, Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Prima , make Europe their spring-through-fall home — and their sophisticated onboard spaces and culinary delights fit perfectly with their cosmopolitan home bases. In 2025, Norwegian Viva will follow the sun to the Greek islands and Turkey, while Norwegian Prima heads north to Iceland, Norway and the bustling cities of the Baltic.

Intrigued by Iceland? Norwegian is the only cruise line sailing round-trip from Reykjavik to Iceland and Greenland with its smaller ship, Norwegian Star.

Families should also consider big ships like Norwegian Breakaway, which offers onboard fun like a water park and ropes course while visiting Mediterranean highlights in Italy, France, Spain and Greece.

No matter where in Europe you choose to go in 2025, Norwegian Cruise Line will make your time there count. Its destination-intensive itineraries often feature a different city every day, so you can see as much as possible during your time abroad. If you're an unstoppable explorer, look for long days and late departures in ports such as Santorini, Greece, or overnights in marquee destinations, such as Florence, Italy; Copenhagen; Stockholm; and Reykjavik.

For a local flair, you'll want to book one of NCL's Go Local tours, which lean into cultural experiences and activities that let you see how locals live. Perhaps you'll take a tour of one of Europe's oldest markets in Livorno, Italy, enjoying regional treats, or learn about fishing techniques and barbecuing sardines in Pedregalejo, Spain (near Malaga).

If the bean counter in your family is complaining about the cost to fly to Europe to catch your cruise, gently remind them that Norwegian Cruise Line really does think of everything. Its Free at Sea promotion often includes free airfare for the second guest on your reservation.

It's no surprise that Norwegian will send a brand-new ship to the Caribbean in 2025; after all, the islands are the quintessential cruise destination. Norwegian Aqua is made for tropical sailings with Aqua Slidecoaster (its hybrid waterslide-roller coaster), onboard beach club and more outdoor spaces for enjoying sea breezes and island views.

Aqua is just one of 15 NCL cruise ships sailing through the Bahamas and Caribbean in 2025. With nine departure ports (including seven in the continental U.S. for easy access) and more than 70 different itineraries, Norwegian can offer something for everyone.

Travelers short on time and money can get away with two-night cruises to the Bahamas, families can sail attraction-laden megaships like Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Joy, and retirees with time on their hands can truly relax with two-week voyages to the farthest reaches of the Caribbean or through the Panama Canal.

Do you want to feel like a celebrity hanging out in the Virgin Islands, or do you want to dive into the ancient cultures (and reef-filled waters) of Central America? Whether you prefer to beach it up in the Bahamas, venture out to the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) or sample local rum in Puerto Rico or Jamaica, a Norwegian Cruise Line ship is going your way.

If you're looking for an epic beach day, NCL offers not one, but two private islands exclusive to its cruise guests: Great Stirrup Caye in the Bahamas and Harvest Caye off the coast of Belize. Here, you can plop down on a complimentary lounge chair and only get up to grab a bite or cool down in the clear Caribbean waters, or you can get your adrenaline pumping with a zip line or parasail flight.

The Caribbean is a great vacation choice for everyone — including couples, solo travelers and groups of friends — but we'd be remiss if we didn't point out the specific attractions of a Caribbean cruise vacation for families. Onboard attractions like water parks, ropes courses, kids and teens clubs, and twisting multideck slides keep the youngest cruisers happy.

Norwegian Cruise Line often offers deals with free third and fourth fares, perfect for parents looking to save by booking one cabin for their entire family. Or perhaps a vacation at sea is the time to splurge on a family suite. With plenty of itineraries lining up with school breaks, Norwegian is primed to offer families a beach vacation they won't quickly forget.

If 2025 is your year for bucket list travel, Norwegian Cruise Line can take you to destinations across Asia that you've always wanted to see. One cruise can easily check off multiple countries on your wishlist.

A cruise is also one of the best ways to explore Asia and the Pacific islands if you find the language barrier and foreign culture intimidating. Think of the cruise line as a knowledgeable tour guide ready to recommend the best places to go, things to see and food to eat, all while taking the stress out of vacation planning in a far-flung destination.

Next year, NCL will base more ships than ever before in Asia, with three ships — Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Spirit — deployed to the region. The cruise line offers extensive time in port, with port calls averaging 10 hours in length and overnight stays in 11 ports, including Osaka, Japan; Hong Kong; and Bali, Indonesia.

Norwegian Sun will weave in and out of the Pacific islands in 2025, with visits to Tahiti and French Polynesia, Fiji, Indonesia and Malaysia. Norwegian Sky will explore Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Japan in the early part of the year, including cruisetours with multiday stays in Singapore. Norwegian Spirit will also spend time in Hong Kong, Thailand and Vietnam before moving on to Japan, Taiwan and Korea itineraries.

Sailing lengths of 10 to 19 nights can accommodate professionals who need to get back to their desks as well as travelers with time to immerse themselves in a new destination. Plus, the ship's range of cabins , from windowless inside rooms to expansive suites, means a bucket list trip can fit into a wide range of vacation budgets.

Asia isn't the only far-flung bucket list destination Norwegian Cruise Line can take you to. If you've been dreaming of the Land of Oz, a Norwegian cruise is a great way to hit all the hot spots in Australia and New Zealand without worrying about how to cross the long distances between major cities.

Norwegian Sun makes its debut Down Under in 2025 (technically, it will arrive in late December 2024). The ship will sail a selection of 12- to 15-night voyages between Australia and New Zealand through March 2025. Among the options are new NCL itineraries to the Great Barrier Reef and South Pacific as the ship sails between Cairns, Australia, and Lautoka, Fiji. You can visit destinations in Australia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji.

Norwegian Spirit will take over the route at the end of 2025, so if you're hoping to spend Christmas and New Year's 2025 on a 14-night tour of Australia and New Zealand, that will be your ship. Imagine it: Not only will you skip out on two weeks of North American winter, but you'll visit Sydney, Melbourne, Tasmania and multiple ports on New Zealand's North and South islands, all with just one round-trip transpacific flight and no long drives or pricey intercity flights.

No roundup of NCL's top destinations is complete without mentioning Hawaii. The cruise line is king in Hawaii, where it's the only big-ship line to offer year-round, seven-night, interisland itineraries on its U.S.-flagged ship, Pride of America. All the other foreign-flagged cruise ships must include a foreign port (usually Canada or Mexico) in their itineraries, necessitating at least one ocean crossing on each itinerary.

Most working professionals and families don't have time for leisurely ocean voyages with multiple days in a row at sea. They want what NCL's got — a weeklong trip packed with visits to five ports on four islands, including overnights in Kauai and Maui. Throw in an included scenic cruise of the Napali coast aboard the ship, and the value proposition is crystal clear.

Norwegian brings authentic local culture on board with hula dancing lessons, lei making workshops and even a Hawaiian language class. On shore, you'll have time to attend an evening luau; get up close to active and dormant volcanoes; learn to surf, snorkel and dive among colorful coral and sealife; and relax on the gorgeous beaches the islands are famous for.

If you can't get enough of Hawaii, NCL offers three-night land-based add-ons, so you can spend more time in Oahu, visiting Pearl Harbor, the Dole Plantation, Polynesian Cultural Center and Kualoa Ranch.

Bottom line

It's no secret that cruises have become so popular that the best itineraries are selling out far in advance. If you want to nab your preferred cabin or suite on an NCL cruise to one of these top destinations, you'll want to start planning your 2025 vacation now. These days, the early bird will likely get a better fare, too.

So whether your 2025 travel plans feature a tropical getaway in the Caribbean, a natured-based foray into Alaska, or cultural tour of Europe or Asia, you'll want to get that cruise fare locked in now. Then you can spend a year crafting your perfect days ashore, prioritizing the onboard restaurants and attractions you want to experience most, and simply dreaming of your upcoming Norwegian Cruise Line vacation.

825 Norwegian Encore 2024 Review | Norwegian Cruise Line Cruise Radio

• Places & Travel

In this episode, we review Norwegian Cruise Line's Alaska-based ship, the Norwegian Encore. Launched in 2019, this ship sails through Southeast Alaska during the summer. Matt shares his experiences from his trip, which started in Tampa, Florida, and embarked in Seattle. He provides a detailed review of the ship, including insights into the shore excursions and the onboard amenities on Norwegian Encore.  Follow Cruise Radio on Social LinkedIn  | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube  | Twitter | Patreon    

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What to Know Before Your Cruise

Travel requirements, required travel documentation and information for cruise holidays, last updated: october 6, 2023.

CRUISE THE USA WITH NO RESTRICTIONS: The United States Department of Homeland Security has announced that end of day May 11, 2023, vaccination requirements for international travellers will be lifted, allowing open travel within the U.S. to non-citizens regardless of vaccination status. We're thrilled to welcome all international guests back on our U.S. based ships and we look forward to making more holiday dreams come true all around the world.

Country Specific Travel Requirements Note:

Norwegian Cruise Line works closely with local government and health authorities to gather travel requirements for the destinations we visit. While this information is provided as a courtesy to our guests, destinations we travel to may have very specific entry requirements due to health and safety protocols.

Currently, there are no active protocol requirements specific to cruise line guests in any of the destinations we embark in and/or call to. However, we strongly encourage all guests to check back frequently for updates as protocols are always subject to change.

If travelling internationally, the countries you are flying to and/or connecting through may have different testing and vaccination/booster stipulations. We encourage you to visit the government and airport websites of every country you will be travelling to throughout your journey to familiarize yourself with their requirements. It is the responsibility of the guest to ensure they meet the entry requirements for each destination. Guests may be denied boarding if all country-specific requirements are not met.

For All Sailings

As you prepare for your upcoming sailing, we want to ensure that your embarkation process runs smoothly and inform you of the following important requirements.

Norwegian Cruise Line recommends for all guests to follow, and where possible, sign up for notifications from their local government on international travel regulations that may prevent, restrict, or require additional documentation when travelling to another country for embarkation or during their cruise. Please note, hotels booked through NCL for a pre and/or post hotel cruise stay may have additional protocols and requirements. Please check with the hotel directly for further information.

To learn more about our protocols and pre-cruise requirements check out our Sail Safe™ Health & Safety Programme page.

The below country specific protocols apply to cruises departing from or calling on specific countries identified unless otherwise specified. Effective January 5, 2023, enhanced health screening is required for all guests that have recently visited Mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau.

Countries Without Additional Travel Restrictions

The following Countries do not have any additional regulations. All guest are still required to follow Norwegian's Health and Safety Protocols.

• North America: Canada, United States
• Central America: Belize, Honduras, Mexico
• Europe: Belgium, Denmark, England, Estonia, Faroe Island, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Malta, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Scotland, Shetland Island, Sweden, Turkey
• Caribbean: Antigua, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, U.S Virgin Islands

The following Countries do not have any additional regulations. All guests are still required to follow Norwegian's Health and Safety Protocols.

All unvaccinated guests under the age of 12 will be required to bring proof of a negative NAAT test (i.e. PCR) result administered by a verified third party within three days prior to embarkation date. Failure to comply will result in denial of boarding .

Additionally, unvaccinated guests under the age of 12 on sailings from or to a U.S. or Canada port will be subject to additional testing at embarkation and disembarkation administered and paid for by the cruise line, as part of the U.S Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Voluntary COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships Operating in U.S. Waters.

• Luggage tags must be attached to each piece of luggage when arriving at the port to expedite the baggage drop-off process.

At time of check-in, all guests will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen or NAAT test (i.e. PCR) result administered by a verified third party or via medically supervised home test two days prior to embarkation date for cruises originating in a U.S. or Canadian port and within three days prior for voyages departing from a non-U.S. port.

• Guests must bring digital or printed proof of negative test results. Test results need to be in English and include the following information:
• Your name, which should match the name on your travel documents
• Your date of birth
• The result of the test
• The date the test sample was collected
• The name of the test provider
• Confirmation of the type of test provided
• In order to facilitate, Norwegian has partnered with Inspired Diagnostics lab to ensure that guests have access to a quick, efficient and easy way to access the required FDA-approved proctored in-home antigen test prior to embarkation from the comfort of their own home. Inspired Diagnostics is a subsidiary of Inspire Health Alliance, a leader in best-in-class health services. Testing at home is safe, simple, and convenient. Purchasing in-home testing kits is simple.
• Sign up on the testing site https://inspirediagnostics.com/ncl/
• Receive the test kit(s) by UPS
• Schedule an on-line proctoring consultation
• Receive certified results via email
• Guests are also responsible for complying with all local health and safety requirements which may include additional pre-embarkation testing at the terminal. On select sailings where local government or health authorities may require guests to partake in additional COVID-19 testing prior to boarding, NCL will provide free testing at the terminal. Please refer to Cruise Travel Requirements by Country for country specific requirements.
• All unvaccinated guests under the age of 12 on sailings from or to a U.S. or Canadian port will be required to bring proof of a negative NAAT Test (i.e. PCR) result administered by a verified third party within three days prior to embarkation date. Failure to comply will result in denial of boarding. Additionally, these guests will be subject to additional testing at embarkation and disembarkation administered and paid for by the cruise line, as part of the U.S Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Voluntary COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships Operating in U.S. Waters.
• Other available pre-embarkation testing services: Additionally, the following services offer a verified third party or medically supervised at home testing: https://www.emed.com/ or BioReference-Scarlett Concierge testing service – BioReference sends a trained Scarlet Health Professional to your home to collect your COVID-19 test specimen.
• Locate a Covid-19 Testing Provider Prior to Your Cruise: Should you need to locate a testing provider prior to beginning travel or while traveling prior to your cruise, please visit TestForTravel.com , an easy-to-use online tool for locating COVID-19 testing providers around the world. Simply enter your zip code, or city and country, and the website will display locations, contact information, and testing hours. It also allows you to search by test type – PCR or Antigen.

To understand the earliest you should test prior to your cruise vacation, see below:

FOR ALL CRUISES:

Mandatory Vaccinations

All guests age 12 and over must be fully vaccinated at least 2 weeks prior to departure, acknowledge vaccination status prior to sailing and present proof of vaccination at the pier at embarkation.

Failure to comply with the requirements will unfortunately result in denial of embarkation. Guests who are denied embarkation or re-boarding for failure to comply with Norwegian Cruise Line's COVID-19 Policies and Procedures shall not be entitled to a refund or compensation of any kind. For more information, please click here .

It is the responsibility of the guest to be aware of any local protocols and/or travel restrictions in place at the visiting destinations at the time of sailing. Some ports of call may require guests to carry their proof of vaccine when going ashore.

Face coverings may be required in certain settings to comply with local requirements, for example in terminals for embarkation and disembarkation or at ports of call.

For additional information on all you need to know to prepare for an amazing vacation ahead, click here .

Protocols may vary by itinerary; we will do our very best to communicate itinerary specific protocols with you as soon as the information becomes available. On certain sailings, guests should be prepared for the possibility of an additional COVID-19 test prior to boarding, which will be provided in the terminal on a complimentary basis.

As government regulations evolve, our health and safety protocols will evolve as needed to ensure compliance. This may mean different protocols from ship to ship based on local state or port requirements or in an abundance of caution to keep our guests and crew as safe as possible.*

*Please note, in the event a port included as part of an itinerary requires additional COVID-19 testing in order for guests to disembark, Norwegian Cruise Line will facilitate the testing onboard.

Testing Requirements:

• An antigen test will be administered at the terminal and a negative result is required – this test will be paid for and administered by Norwegian Cruise Line.

Testing must be administered by a verified third party.

Below only applies for sailings visiting Tasmania.

•  Vaccinated guests are required to provide proof of negative COVID-19 test in addition to vaccination documentation, as listed above, only for sailing to Tasmania.

•  Antigen tests may be self-administered. Guests choosing to use a self- administered COVID-19 antigen test must provide a timestamped photo showing the negative test result, the antigen test packaging displaying the batch number, and an I.D. (e.g., passport).

• At this time, the Bahamas Government will only be accepting vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson Janssen, AstraZeneca/Oxford, Sinopharm and Covaxin or Sinovac. Refer to https://www.bahamas.com/travelupdates for most up to date vaccine requirements.
• Guests must present government issued vaccination card in order to disembark.

For sailings September 3, 2022 and beyond:

• Tours approved for sale by tour operators through a Norwegian Cruise Line booked shore excursion.
• Guests exercising this option must take approved taxis dispatched from secured designated taxi facilities within the Bridgetown port, or must have a pre-booked tour confirmed by email from an approved tour operator for pick-up in the Bridgetown port.

FOR ALL SAILINGS VISITING BERMUDA ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER 13, 2022

PLEASE NOTE: All guests must complete Bermuda Travel Authorization (TA) within 30 days of sailing. The cost of the Travel Authorization is $40 per guest. Link to form: https://www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation

For sailings through September 2, 2022:

• Pre-cruise:
• All guests over the age of 2 must provide proof of negative test per standard Sail Safe testing requirements apply.
• Bermuda government does not allow certificate of recovery in lieu of negative test result. 
• If the ship takes longer than 5 days to arrive in Bermuda,  all guests , regardless of vaccination status, will be required to take an additional antigen test onboard no more than 2 days prior to disembarking in Bermuda. This test will be paid for and administered by our onboard medical team.

All guests must have an approved Travel Authorization before embarkation.

• A travel authorization number will be issued by Bermuda once approved.
• If you have any issues with the process, please contact:
• Bermuda Tourism Authority: 1.833.570.2594 (toll-free)
• Norwegian Cruise Line: 1.800.327.7030

Valid proof of health insurance for travel to Bermuda includes:

• Guests who have purchased BookSafe Standard, BookSafe Platinum, or Essentials travel protection through Norwegian Cruise Line may upload their cruise confirmation that shows travel protection coverage type as their proof of travel health insurance.
• Insurer name and address
• insured traveller’s name
• confirmation medical expenses are covered, including COVID-19 coverage (or "all medical expenses covered")
• Period of coverage: insurance coverage, start and end date
• Note: Unvaccinated children 11 years and under travelling with fully vaccinated parents/guardians can upload their guardian’s vaccination certificate instead of proof of travel health insurance.

FOR ALL SAILINGS VISITING BERMUDA ON OR AFTER NOVEMBER 14, 2022

• Nothing required
• ** Approximate cost per Covid-19 Antigen test is $95. Approximate cost per PCR is $199. This cost may vary and is the responsibility of the guest. We will share guests’ test results in the Bermuda Maritime Declaration and those guests with a negative result will be able to go ashore.

FOR ALL SAILINGS BEFORE OCTOBER 22, 2022

** Approximate cost per Covid-19 Antigen test is $95. Approximate cost per PCR is $199. This cost may vary and is the responsibility of the guest. We will share guests’ test results in the Bermuda Maritime Declaration and those guests with a negative result will be able to go ashore.

For Sailings on or after September 30, 2022:

Canada has removed all COVID-19 entry restrictions for all travelers regardless of citizenship. Guests will no longer have to:

• submit public health information through the ArriveCAN app or website
• provide proof of vaccination
• undergo pre- or on-arrival testing
• carry out COVID-19-related quarantine or isolation
• monitor and report if they develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 upon arriving to Canada.

For Sailings on or before September 29, 2022:

PLEASE NOTE: All guests must complete ArriveCAN submission within 72 hours of embarkation. ArriveCAN receipt must be presented at check in on embarkation day. Guests must select "Arriving by Ship."

For cruises originating from or sailing to a Canadian port (which may include Alaska itineraries):

Vaccination Requirements:

• All guests age twelve and older must be fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to arrival.
• Embarkation:  all guests must provide proof of negative NAAT test (i.e. PCR) taken within 72 hours prior to embarkation, or negative antigen test taken within 48 hours of embarkation.
• All unvaccinated guests ages 5-11 will also be required to take an additional test at embarkation. This test will be paid for and administered by Norwegian Cruise Line.
• Please note, any embarkation testing in Vancouver will be administered at an offsite location, a 5 minute walk from the port at 757 West Hasting Street. There are no embarkation testing services available in the terminal.
• Mid Cruise Testing: required for unvaccinated guests ages 5-11. This test will be paid for and administered by Norwegian Cruise Line.
• Disembarkation Testing (for cruises ending in a Canadian port only): unvaccinated guests ages 5-11 will be tested onboard at disembarkation. This test will be paid for and administered by Norwegian Cruise Line.

Face Coverings:

Required ashore in business establishments based on local requirements.

Itineraries that include Croatia require a booster: All guests over the age of 18, whose primary COVID-19 vaccination will be beyond 270 days at the time of disembarkation from their voyage, must have a COVID-19 booster prior to embarkation.

• In lieu of a booster 270 days after the primary series, guests may present a government recognized or official medical Certificate of Recovery.
• For European Citizens, this would include an EU Green Pass or comparable certificate.
• For all others unable to present an EU Green Pass (i.e. U.S. citizens) a doctor’s note, plus a laboratory confirmed PCR test result with the proper information (i.e. name, date, date of birth, positive result, etc.) will be accepted.

*  Approximate cost per COVID-19 antigen test is $95. The approximate cost per PCR is $199. These costs may vary and are the responsibility of the guest.

For guests having recently visited Mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau:

As a result of growing concerns regarding COVID-19 in China, and recently implemented travel restrictions by countries including the United States, we are proactively implementing preventative health and safety measures beginning January 5th for all sailings embarking between Jan 5 – Feb 28, 2023.

• Guests who have visited Mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau within 10 days prior to embarkation will be required to submit proof of a negative medically supervised COVID-19 PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to the beginning of travel from their place of residence or place they had been visiting immediately prior to their cruise. This also applies to guests transiting through an airport in one of the aforementioned countries within 10 days prior to embarkation.
• Additionally, these guests will be required to take a medically supervised COVID-19 PCR test at the embarkation port within 8 hours of embarkation, and will be required to test onboard the ship every 48 hours until 10 days have passed from their last time in China, Hong Kong, or Macau.
• These guests must also be fully vaccinated and boosted with a World Health Organization approved vaccine prior to embarkation.
• Guests that hold a Chinese, Hong Kong, or Macau passport will be subject to the same protocols unless they can provide proof they have not visited these regions within 10 days prior to embarkation.

Expenses related to all required COVID-19 tests will be the guest’s responsibility. Testing onboard ships is currently offered at $99 per person per test.

* Please note, a COVID-19 Recovery Certificate may be presented as an alternative to the testing requirement as noted above.

• For European citizens, this would include an EU Green Pass or comparable certificate.
• For guests unable to present an EU Green Pass (i.e. U.S. citizens), a doctor’s note, plus a laboratory-confirmed PCR or antigen test result with the proper information (i.e. name, date, date of birth, positive result etc.) will be accepted.

Masks are required for all visitors

For cruises originating from a Greece port ( i.e. Piraeus and Crete ):

** Approximate cost per COVID-19 antigen test is $95. The approximate cost per PCR is $199. These costs may vary and are the responsibility of the guest.

*** All guests age 18 and over, whose primary COVID-19 vaccination will be beyond 270 days at the time of disembarkation from their voyage, must have a COVID-19 booster prior to embarkation to be considered up-to-date.

• In lieu of a booster 270 days after the primary series, guests may present a government recognized or official medical Certificate of Recovery (dated no less than 10 days and no more than 180 days before embarkation).

• Effective on 5/7/22 and beyond masks are optional on all sailings, unless visiting ports in Italy. In these ports, masks are required while indoors.
• Italian ports specifically require KN95/FFP2 type masks.
• Adhere to local regulations when visiting ports.
• Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica: Guests are required to wear a mask ashore. Only authorized vaccines Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca/Oxford, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson are accepted.

• Colon, Panama: Guests must show proof of vaccination to go ashore.

Travel requirements may vary from country to country in Europe.

Embarkation Requirements

For cruises embarking in Greece: all guests ages 2 and older must show proof of negative NAAT (PCR) performed 72 hours prior to embarkation or Antigen test performed 48 hours prior to embarkation. Medically supervised or proctored self-tests will not be accepted. If guest does not show proof of a valid test, an antigen test will be administered at the terminal covered by Norwegian.

• For cruises originating from Piraeus, Greece:
• Negative COVID-19 antigen administered by a verified third party within 2 days of the embarkation date (Proctored Self-administered home test not accepted)
• Negative NAAT (PCR) test administered by a verified third party within 3 days of the embarkation (Proctored Self-administered home test not accepted)
• COVID-19 Recovery Certificate*

* Individuals who test positive within 180 days of their scheduled embarkation date, do not require pre-arrival testing.

• EU Green Pass or comparable certificate for European citizens
• A doctor’s note, plus a laboratory-confirmed PCR test result with the proper information (i.e. name, date, date of birth, positive result etc.), for all others unable to present an EU Green Pass (i.e. US Citizens)
• For Sailings to Bermuda, the government does not allow certificate of recovery in lieu of negative test result. 
• France: In order to be eligible to enter France as a vaccinated person for guests who received a one shot vaccine (Johnson & Johnson), at least four weeks must have passed after the shot.

All guests age 12 and over must present proof of full vaccination against COVID-19.

EU Healthy Gateways currently defines individuals as "Fully Vaccinated" against COVID-19 if they carry proof of vaccination with at least 14 days and no more than 270 days passed since the last dose of the primary vaccination series or if they have received a third or booster dose. To clarify, guests that have received a booster dose can travel regardless of the amount of time that has passed since their booster dose. Booster requirements vary by country as follows:

Booster Requirements:

• Northern Europe/Baltic Itineraries (Baltic, British Isles & Iceland) do not require a booster.
• Itineraries that include Italy, Spain, Greece, France, and Portugal require a booster, for all individuals 18 years or older , if their original vaccine course was taken more than 270 days prior to embarkation.
• For itineraries which require boosters, in lieu of a booster 270 days after the primary series, guests may present a government recognized or official medical Certificate of Recovery.
• For all others unable to present an EU Green Pass (i.e. US Citizens) a doctor’s note, plus a laboratory confirmed PCR test result with the proper information (i.e. Name, Date, Date of Birth, Positive Result, etc.) will be accepted.
• Children and Teens between the ages of 12 and 17: Full vaccination protocol at least two weeks after receipt of the final dose of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or any WHO approved vaccine . Children under the age of 12 are not required to show proof of vaccination.

Guests who cannot meet the above requirements should not travel to the ship as they will be unable to board.

Effective 6/12/22, guests will no longer be required to show proof of negative Covid test to return to the United States.

Disembarkation Testing for all Norwegian Dawn and Jade sailings beginning June 12,2022 and beyond and for all Norwegian Epic, Escape, and Gem sailings beginning June 17, 2022 and beyond:

In order to best comply with local regulations, all guests who require proof of a negative COVID-19 test in order to return to their home country, will now have the following options:

• Purchase an easy-to-use telemedicine kit onboard (subject to availability)
• Visit a local clinic

For an easy-to-use online tool for locating COVID-19 testing providers around the world, please visit www.TestForTravel.com .

MALTA FORMS

Going Ashore:

All Guests who do not hold an EU-COVID certificate and intending to go ashore will need to use VeriFLY.  

• After creating a secure profile on their mobile device, passengers will upload vaccine information and other documentation as required directly into the VeriFLY app.
• Under the "Add other" section, select “Malta arrivals”. Once the information is completed and vaccine picture is uploaded, you have successfully submitted for review.
• The VeriFLY app will verify that the passenger's information matches the requirements set by Malta and displays a simple pass or fail message.
• Following that, the passenger will be guided to fill in the Passenger Locator Form for entry into Malta.
• The VeriFLY app is available on Google Play and on the Apple App Store, and users shall be able to activate their “Trip to Malta” pass, which encapsulates the requirements for entry into Malta. It is highly recommended that guests download the app and complete the required information prior to embarkation.

The above will not be required for guests opting to remain onboard the ship and not proceed ashore.

EU Healthy Gateways currently defines individuals as “Fully Vaccinated” against COVID-19 if they carry proof of vaccination with at least 14 days and no more than 270 days passed since the last dose of the primary vaccination series or if they have received a third or booster dose.  To clarify, guests that have received a booster dose can travel regardless of the amount of time that has passed since their booster dose.

• For EU sailings Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will be accepted for vaccinated children and teens between the ages of 5 and 17 and Moderna (Spikevax) for children 12-17 years of age.

Guests who cannot meet the EU Healthy Gateways definition of “Fully Vaccinated” should not travel to the ship as they will be unable to board.

• All guests must provide proof of negative antigen test within 24 hours prior to embarkation. This test will be paid for and administered by Norwegian Cruise Line.

Required on shore in public areas of Greece based on local requirements. Face coverings must be KN95/FFP2.

Includes the following ports of call: Papeete, Moorea, Bora Bora, Raiatea

French Polynesia currently defines individuals as "Fully Vaccinated" against COVID-19 if they carry proof of vaccination with at least 14 days and no more than 270 days passed since the last dose of the primary vaccination series or if they have received a third or booster dose. To clarify, guests that have received a booster dose can travel regardless of the amount of time that has passed since their booster dose.

• Please note that any guest whose primary COVID-19 vaccination will be beyond 270 days at the time of disembarkation from their voyage MUST HAVE a COVID-19 "booster" prior to embarkation if sailing out of Papeete. Guests arriving with the vessel, are not required to have the booster shot.
• Booster requirement from authorities in French Polynesia only applies to travelers over 18 years old.
• Unless with French Polynesian High Commission endorsement, there is no exemption for the adult travelers whose second dose is over 9 months.

Guests who cannot meet French Polynesia definition of "Fully Vaccinated" should not travel to the ship as they will be unable to board.

• All guests visiting Grenada must apply for a "Pure Safe" travel authorization prior to travel. The authorization form should be completed prior to commencing travel and can be found here: https://covid19.gov.gd/
• All guests over the age of 12 must be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination when going ashore.
• Guests will be required to wear a face covering ashore.
• All guests visiting Grenada must be booked on a Norwegian Cruise Line shore excursion, a pre-booked independent tour, or use an authorized taxi in order to go ashore.

Guests will be required to take a Norwegian Cruise Line organized shore excursion for ports in Italy as guests will not be allowed to explore on their own.

Richard’s Bay has no entry restrictions therefore is exempt from below

• Guests are not permitted to walk off the port of Ocho Rios, Jamaica . In order to go ashore while in Ocho Rios, guests must comply with one of the following:
• Book a Norwegian Cruise Line shore excursion.
• Book a restricted or controlled freelance tour. This is the traditional Taxi Freelance Line.
• Walk or take transportation to Island Village, Harbour Shops & Taj Mahal Shopping Centre. These shops are closed to the public on ship days and opened exclusively for cruise passengers.

All guests must complete a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) within 96 hours prior to the estimated time of arrival into Portugal. A QR code will be generated that may be presented upon arrival.

• At this time, the Madeira islands are only accepting the following vaccines: AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, Sinovac, Instituto, Buntantan, Instituto Gambaleya (Sputnik V) Sinopharm (VeroCell)

All guests age 12 and older must provide proof of negative NAAT test (I.e. PCR) taken within 72 hours prior to embarkation or antigen test taken within 24 hours of embarkation.

Going Ashore and Testing Requirements:

• Fully vaccinated guests do not require additional testing beyond their standard pre-embarkation test. To go ashore, guests must bring approved document of vaccination, EU COVID certificate, or CDC card.
• Unvaccinated guests must be show proof of negative PCR test (72 hours prior to arrival) or Antigen Test (24 hours prior to arrival). This test will be facilitated and paid for by NCL onboard.

• Residents of Puerto Rico:
• Complete the Online Travel Declaration Form (TDF) from the Puerto Rican Department of Health and Safety, which can be found here, https://www.travelsafe.pr.gov . This must be completed PRIOR to disembarking the ship and guests must show proof of the resulting QR code at disembarkation. Passengers must select option number two (2) which establishes that the passenger will perform a molecular or antigen test at an authorized facility in Puerto Rico within 48 hours after disembarkation. Passengers who do not comply with the prior arrival test requirement will be imposed a $300 fine.
• San Juan, Puerto Rico:
• Effective 1.16.2022, Puerto Rico will implement post-cruise testing requirements for guests who are disembarking in Puerto Rico as follows:
• Must have a COVID-19 test performed within 48 hours after disembarking the ship.
• Non-residents of Puerto Rico departing the same day of disembarkation:
• No additional testing is required to disembark the ship.
• Non-residents of Puerto Rico staying overnight in Puerto Rico after the cruise:
• Must complete the Travel Declaration Form (TDF) prior to disembarkation at https://www.travelsafe.pr.gov
• Must have a COVID-19 antigen test performed within 48 hours prior to disembarking the ship.
• Norwegian Cruise Line will facilitate the test that is required (cost may apply).
• Guests who secured their flights and/or post cruise hotel stay with Norwegian Cruise Line will not be charged for the test.
• Guests who secured their flights and/or post cruise hotel stay independently will be responsible for the cost of the COVID-19 test:
• $99 per person for an antigen test
• $150 per person for a PCR test (if required)  

• For cruises originating from a U.S. port:
• negative COVID-19 antigen administered by a verified third party within 2 days of the embarkation date or
• negative NAAT (PCR) test administered by a verified third party within 3 days of the embarkation
• Negative NAAT test (i.e., PCR) result administered by a verified third party within three days of the embarkation date, as well as additional antigen testing at embarkation and disembarkation administered and paid for by NCL. Failure to comply will result in denial of boarding.
• unvaccinated children under the age of 12 will be subject to additional testing at embarkation and disembarkation administered and paid for by NCL. 
• All unvaccinated guests under the age of 2 do not need to complete a pre-cruise test.
• All unvaccinated guests age 12 and above are unable to cruise

*Individuals who test positive within 90 days of their scheduled embarkation date, do not require pre-arrival testing.

• A doctor's note, plus a laboratory-confirmed PCR test result with the proper information (i.e. name, date, date of birth, positive result etc.), for all others unable to present an EU Green Pass (i.e. US Citizens)
• For Sailings to Bermuda, the government does not allow certificate of recovery in lieu of negative test result.

Testing Requirements to Return to US:

• Effective 6/12/22, fully vaccinated guests will no longer be required to show proof of negative Covid-19 test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 prior to return to the United States.
• Only unvaccinated guests ages 2-12 require a disembarkation test. Individuals under 2 years of age are exempt from any testing requirements.

Booster Requirement

• To be considered fully vaccinated on itineraries that include Spain, guests age 18 and over must have a booster if their original vaccine was received 270 days or more prior to embarkation.
• For all others unable to present an EU Green Pass (i.e. US Citizens) a doctor's note, plus a laboratory confirmed PCR or antigen test result with the proper information (i.e. Name, Date, Date of Birth, Positive Result, etc.) will be accepted.
• Guests who cannot meet the above requirements will need to follow the requirements for "unvaccinated" guests.
• Tours and activities within the bubble tour arrangements provided through a Norwegian Cruise Line booked shore excursion.
• Walk-around activities within the port's restaurant and bars areas.
• Visiting designated taxi booths to arrange for certified taxi operators to take them to a certified area that's been approved by the local government.

At this time, the Croatian Government will only consider guests to be fully vaccinated if they received their vaccines less than 365 days prior to arriving in Croatia i.e. guests with a 2 dose vaccine, the 2nd dose must have been received less than 365 days prior to arrival in Croatia; guests with a 1 dose vaccine, the vaccine must have been received less than 365 days prior to arrival in Croatia. Guests who have had their 2nd dose of a 2 dose vaccine, or their 1 dose vaccine more than 365 days prior to arriving in Croatia will not be able to go ashore while in port.

Guests must show proof of vaccination to go ashore.

On Europe sailings, the EU Healthy Gateways guidance requires all guests to wear masks while onboard while indoors except for when actively eating or drinking or when in their stateroom.

• Guests will be required to wear masks outdoors when social distancing is not possible.
• Guests will also be required to adhere to local regulations when visiting ports of call.

• For guests embarking in Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy : The Italian government requires all travelers entering Italy to complete an EU Digital Passenger Location Form (dPLF) before entering the country.
• For guests embarking or disembarking in Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy: Guests who have received the Sinovac vaccine will only be permitted to sail on cruises that embark or disembark in Civitavecchia (Rome) if they have not been to a “List E” country (as defined on the Italian government’s website) for at least 15 days prior to arriving in Italy.
• For more information, click here .
• For guests embarking in Barcelona, Spain : The Spanish government requires all travelers entering Spain to complete a Health Control Form before entering the country.
• For guests embarking in Piraeus (Athens), Greece: The Greek government requires all travelers entering Greece to complete a Passenger Location Form (PLF) before entering the country. This must be completed no later than 11:59 p.m. the day before entering Greece and only one PLF should be submitted per family. After completing the PLF, travelers will receive a unique QR code.

Due to local government regulations, guests are required to take a Norwegian Cruise Line shore excursion while visiting ports in Italy as guests will not be allowed to explore on their own. Book your shore excursions through your MyNCL account.

Guests must wear a face mask when going ashore.

• For guests that are boarding our ship immediately upon arrival in Argentina: At the time of check-in, guests will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result administered by a verified third party within three days prior to sail date.  As you are embarking the ship on Sunday, the test must be taken no earlier than Thursday. 
• For guests that live in Argentina or who are staying in Argentina in a hotel prior to boarding our ship: At the time of check-in, guests will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test results administered by a verified third party within 2 days prior to sail date . As you are embarking the ship on Sunday, the test must be taken no earlier than Friday.
• Argentina: All guests must complete a sworn affidavit for arrival to and departure from all ports in Argentina. The form can be found here: https://ddjj.migraciones.gob.ar/app/home.php
• Uruguay: All guests must complete an online Health Declaration form prior to entering all ports in Uruguay. The form can be found here: https://declaracionjurada.ingresoauruguay.gub.uy/ING
• Chile: All guests must complete a sworn affidavit and mobility pass form. The sworn affidavit can be found here: www.c19.cl and the mobility pass form can be found here: https://mevacuno.gob.cl/
• All of the above can be completed up to 15 days prior to arrival in each port.

Vessels repositioning to the United States must undergo full guest COVID-19 testing prior to arrival. All guests sailing to the United States on a transatlantic voyage will receive a COVID-19 test while onboard. This test will be paid for by the Cruise Line.

A COVID-19 Recovery Certificate may be presented as an alternative to the testing requirement as noted above in select countries.

• At check in, these guests must have one of the below acceptable forms of COVID-19 Recovery available (dated no less than 10 days and no more than 90 days (US, Caribbean, Central and South America) and 180 days (EU and Canada) before embarkation):
• This excludes all voyages visiting Bermuda.