NCL schedules gap year from Sydney

[woodscruise]

Norwegian Cruise Line will not base a ship in Sydney for the 2024/25 wave season, opting instead to sail from Melbourne as part of a temporary adjustment to its presence in Australasia. The strategic shift was picked up by Cruise Weekly in the line’s reveal of maiden itineraries for Norwegian Sun between Mar and Oct 2025, which will see the ship return to Far North Queensland for the first time since 2019. Prior to that, the 1,936-guest Norwegian Sun will offer five oneway sailings between Melbourne and Auckland from Dec 2024 to Mar 2025, with the ship making just one visit to Sydney on 13 Jan during one of these itineraries. Norwegian Spirit, which recently left Sydney on charter operations for next summer, will return to Sydney from late 2025. The brief adjournment marks the first time Norwegian Cruise Line has not based a ship in Sydney since the brand debuted in Australia in 2017, excluding the pandemic when all cruise ships were locked out of Australia. Instead, Norwegian Sun will begin a new series of 14 cruises in the Asia Pacific region, including three sailings between Cairns and the Fijian port of Lautoka, the first time NCL has used either city as a turnaround point. The Mar-Oct season will also see NCL make maiden visits to Port Douglas and Townsville as part of this schedule. Additional maiden calls for Sun will include Mystery Island, Port Vila, Dravuni Island and Noumea. Travellers will be able to explore the South Pacific in greater depth, with Sun to offer three islandhopping itineraries between Fiji and Tahiti which also call in Aitutaki in the Cook Islands. The revised deployment also confirms the operations of Norwegian Sun after NCL last year cancelled seven months’ worth of sailings as a result of a “fleet redeployment” (CW 27 Nov 2023). Norwegian Sun is the slightly larger and younger fleet-mate of Norwegian Spirit and offers 15 dining options including French, Italian, Brazilian, Japanese and other Asian cuisine options. ML

 

Source Cruise Weekly 30April 2024

[MicCanberra]

Good news for Melbourne and Cairns.

[SinbadThePorter]

4 hours ago, woodscruise said:

Travellers will be able to explore the South Pacific in greater depth, with Sun to offer three islandhopping itineraries between Fiji and Tahiti which also call in Aitutaki in the Cook Islands.

 

This sounds interesting.

 

Edit: Just looked at the pricing. $300/p/n for an Inside cabin makes it much less interesting.

Edited April 30 by SinbadThePorter

[MicCanberra]

That would likely include the free at sea as well as gratuities.

[Ondine]

Prices at the moment are the all inclusive prices of Free at Sea plus discounted fares and some  OBC.  Not too bad if you like a drink plus $50 toward shore trips, internet, some speciality dining etc.  You can also purchase the coupon for $250 which gives you $500 off your fare "whatever they call it".

 

I booked Melb - Auk and Auk - Melb when I first saw these sailings last January.  Living in Melbourne I was desperate to sail somewhere when all others were deserting us.

 

I am hoping to re-fare when they release the Sailaway prices (basic) which I believe will be around 6 months or less prior to the sailings.

 

Compared to what I have to pay for the 2025/26 circumnavigation standard fares on Princess out of Melb they are not that much dearer but include far more.  

[icat2000]

On 4/30/2024 at 2:48 PM, MicCanberra said:

Good news for Melbourne and Cairns.

Maybe. Need to see the costs associated. But I will consider them. 

[MicCanberra]

4 hours ago, icat2000 said:

Maybe. Need to see the costs associated. But I will consider them. 

Compare like for like, drinks, grats, wifi cabin, etc