Norwegian Cruise Line returns to Southern African waters for its longest season to date

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the leader in global cruise travel with a 57-year history of breaking boundaries, will celebrate its return to Southern Africa for its second and longest season when Norwegian Dawn arrives at Port Louis, Mauritius on 20 January, 2024.

“We are thrilled to set sail once again in African waters after our successful 2022/2023 cruise season out of Cape Town,” said Kevin Bubolz, Vice President and Managing Director of Continental Europe, Middle East and Africa. “For 2024, we’ve elevated our deployment to new heights.  We are offering not one, but two seasonal homeports, a myriad of roundtrip and open-jaw sailings and new-to-NCL destinations across the continent, with itineraries that not only whet our international and local guests’ appetites – but also cement NCL as the only contemporary cruise line to provide such a rich selection of destinations, ports, and homeports in the region.”

Norwegian Dawn’s extensive Africa season offers 12-day open-jaw sailings departing from Port Louis, Mauritius and Cape Town, South Africa. These sailings feature stops at sought-after locations like Réunion, known for its volcanic landscapes and rainforests; Nosy Be, Madagascar, famous for its spectacular coral reefs; Richards Bay, a gateway to South Africa’s wildlife safaris and Mossel Bay, a haven for beach lovers.

Guests seeking wildlife and cultural experiences can embark on Norwegian Dawn’s 12-day roundtrips to South Africa and Namibia on 1 February and 8 March, 2024 with calls to Mossel Bay and Durban in South Africa, and Luderitz and Walvis Bay in Namibia, before she repositions on 20 March, 2024, sailing from Cape Town to Barcelona, Spain.

During the 21-day voyage along Africa’s west coast, she will call to Luanda, Angola; Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Banjul, Gambia and Dakar, Senegal for the very first time in the Company’s history. Building on the success of its Africa deployment and global demand for exotic sailings, NCL will reinforce its commitment to the region when Norwegian Dawn returns to homeport from Port Louis, Mauritius and Cape Town, South Africa during the northern hemisphere winter 2024/25 and 2025/26 with a similar roster of itineraries.

With a capacity of 2,340 guests at double occupancy, Norwegian Dawn features a total of 14 dining options, including guest favourites Cagney’s Steakhouse, elevated French eatery Le Bistro and Brazilian churrascaria Moderno, as well as nine bars and lounges. Guests can get active in the Pulse Fitness Centre or indulge in wellness at Mandara Spa and Thermal Suite, complete with Thalasso Therapy Pool, steam room and sauna.  

The voyage fare includes accommodations, meals in the main dining rooms, snack and buffet restaurants, world-class entertainment, as well as numerous activities on board. Guests wishing to customise their cruise holiday can opt for NCL’s popular Free at Sea offer and receive five additional amenities, including Speciality Dining and Beverage packages, complimentary WiFi, shore excursion credits and more. For additional information or to book a NCL cruise, visit www.ncl.com, contact your travel professional or call 021 200 6586.

Norwegian Dawn 2024 Itineraries:

• 12-day cruise from Cape Town to Walvis Bay, Namibia, with port stops in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Durban, Mossel Bay, and Luderitiz, Namibia.

• 12-day cruise from Cape Town to Port Louis, Mauritius, with port stops in Mossel Bay, Geqberha (Port Elizabeth), Richards Bay; Nosy Be, Madagascar, and Pointe Des Galets, Reunion Island.

• 12-day cruise from Port Louis, Mauritius, to Cape Town, with port stops in Pointe Des Galets, Reunion Island; Antsiranana, Madagascar; Richards Bay, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), and Mossel Bay. 

• 21-day cruise from Cape Town to Barcelona, Spain, with port stops in Walvis Bay, Namibia; Luanda, Angola, Dakar, Senegal; Santa Maria, Cape Verde; Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, and Casablanca, Morocco, to name a few of the west African ports you will get to explore on this Extraordinary Journeys itinerary.