Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruises, officially announced the return of the highly anticipated cruise yesterday with a double appearance: Norwegian Jade is not only the first of its fleet of 17 ships to welcome guests back on board after 500 days, She also made history for NCL by being the first ship to dock in her home port of Athens (Piraeus).
Norwegian jade off the coast of Santorini during sunset
Wake up every day in a new destination
Until November 2021, passengers sailing with Norwegian Jade along the Greek islands will wake up each day at a new destination. Here they always have from 8 to 9 hours to explore the most picturesque places in Greece, including the luxurious Crete, bustling Mykonos, historical Rhodes and the famous blue and white Santorini.
“Welcoming our guests and crew on board has been one of the most memorable moments of my more than 30-year career,” said Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. “We are excited to embark on the Great Cruise Comeback with a completely new itinerary and port of departure for our brand, allowing us to offer our guests an even greater selection of unique vacations at sea.”
Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis added: “We are delighted to welcome Norwegian Jade and her passengers to Greece. The planned itineraries provide unique experiences that combine our rich history, vibrant culture and famous gastronomy.”
Norwegian Jade’s presence in Athens is part of a long-term strategy to strengthen NCL’s position in Europe – one of the company’s most popular cruise destinations. Until 2023, NCL plans to place nine ships in the area, with the Norwegian Dawn, Epic, Escape, Getaway, Gem, Jade and Star scheduled to sail in Greece. “The first Norwegian Jade cruises to the Greek islands sold out shortly after we announced we were going back,” Sommer said. “With such strong demand, we are pleased to expand our offer in Greece with seven vessels until 2023, allowing our guests to choose from a multitude of innovative vessels and routes.”
Norwegian Jade is the first ship to return to voyages as part of the NCL restart. In addition, Norwegian Encore will be the first ship to return to the United States on August 7, 2021. This is where her first cruise season begins, as she travels to Alaska from Seattle. The restart effort continues in partnership with local authorities and is guided by the robust protocols of the Sail Safe Health and Safety Program, which means that all crew and guests must be fully vaccinated by October 31, 2021 prior to launch. Working with leading experts from the Sail Safe Global Health and Wellness Council, robust protocols will be regularly reviewed and modified as necessary, and science-based decisions made to protect guests, crew and destinations visited. As protocols evolve and additional information becomes available, updates will be posted on the site.
Travelers looking for the latest details on NCL’s scheduled cruises can find it here. The cruise line’s “peace of mind” cancellation policy remains in effect for cruises with departure dates until October 31, 2021. Guests on these cruises have the flexibility to cancel their cruise 15 days prior to departure and get a full refund in the form of a future cruise credit that can be applied to any Cruise until December 31, 2022.
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