Norwegian Cruise Line is celebrating the success of its first ever season sailing from Cape Town, South Africa, as Norwegian Jade sets sail on its last itinerary from the region.
There has been such great interest in Norwegian Jade‘s sailings that the cruise line is already planning to deploy Norwegian Dawn for the 2024 season to offer a range of longer, port-intensive South African itineraries.
Norwegian Jade Finishes South Africa Season
The Jewel-class Norwegian Jade has departed on her last itinerary in South Africa, having left Cape Town on Thursday, January 26, 2023. This last sailing is an 18-night one-way cruise from Cape Town to Dubai, calling on various ports in South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, the Seychelles, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates along the way. The ship will arrive in Dubai on Monday, February 13.
Since December 21, 2022, Norwegian Jade has sailed from Cape Town, offering longer visits to more unique ports of call that appeal to many travelers looking for less-traveled destinations.
“We are focused on enhancing our destination offerings, providing our guests with more immersive itineraries that are designed to create memories of a lifetime. Our new Africa voyages are a testament to that, combining bucket-list locations such as Cape Town and Mauritius with hidden gems like Pomene and Maputo in Mozambique or Fort Dauphin in Madagascar,” said Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line.
Norwegian Jade will sail from Dubai to Athens, where it will remain homeported through October 2023, offering primarily 7-night Greek Isles cruises, though select longer sailings are also available.
Longer African Visits With Norwegian Dawn in 2024
Following the success of Norwegian Jade‘s South Africa season, the cruise line is deploying Norwegian Dawn to continue offering African destinations in 2024.
Homeporting from Cape Town, South Africa and Port Louis, Mauritius, the ship will offer a series of six 12-night voyages between January and March, calling on such amazing destinations in Reunion, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, and Namibia.
“With an average of almost 12 hours in each port, allowing more time to fully experience these unforgettable destinations, the new voyages are already amongst our fastest selling cruises for 2024 and are attracting guests from almost 60 countries worldwide,” said Sommer.
Norwegian Dawn will depart South Africa on April 10, 2024, for a one-way repositioning cruise to Europe. The fantastic voyage will visit ports of call throughout western Africa, including destinations in Namibia, Angola, the Ivory Coast, the Gambia, Senegal, Cape Verde, the Canary Islands, and Morocco, truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for cruise travelers.
The ship will then remain in Europe for several months, offering a range of sailings from various homeports, including northern European and British Isles itineraries.
Norwegian Dawn is only slightly smaller than Norwegian Jade – welcoming 2,340 guests as opposed to the 2,402 Norwegian Jade can accommodate – but offers all of the cruise line’s characteristic “freestyle” cruising and amenities for guests to enjoy.
More Cruises From Cape Town
While Norwegian Cruise Line is beginning to offer a broader range of itineraries featuring African destinations, it is not the only cruise line homeporting in South Africa or visiting the vibrant city as a port of call. Depending on the season, Cape Town also hosts ships from Azamara Cruises, MSC Cruises, Oceania Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Holland America Line, Cunard Line, Silversea Cruises, and more.
The northern hemisphere’s winter months – December through February – are the busiest for South Africa cruises.
Travelers interested in cruising to Africa should reach out to their preferred cruise line or travel agent to discuss options and itineraries, as new cruises are continually being planned and the region has many outstanding ports to visit.
