Norwegian Introduces Dozens of New Asia Cruises for 2024 and Beyond

Norwegian recently shared that Gen-Z and Millennials are the fastest-growing segment of the cruise market. Photo: alphaspirit.it/Shutterstock

The new itineraries sail through the Asia Pacific region, as well as Australia and New Zealand. That brings the total number of trips available between September 2024 and August 2025 to 40. Cruises and costs range from a 17-day cruise to celebrity-loved islands like Maldives and Seychelles, with rooms priced between $3,699 and $15,399 per person, to a more affordable 11-day cruise making stops in Thailand and Vietnam, where inside room start at $949 per person. Cruises range from 9 to 19 days, leaving from 15 ports ranging from Vancouver to Manilla.

In the release, NCL President David J Herrera said that the huge investment into Asian destinations is to create offerings to more off-the-beaten-path destinations that may be harder to reach with other cruise companies. “With the increased interest in more immersive and exotic itineraries,” quotes the release on behalf of Herrera, “we are excited to expand our season and offer additional ships to cater to travelers looking to uncover the most sought-out cities in the region, but also those less discovered.”

Countries in Asia are predicted to be among the fastest-growing tourism destinations in 2024 and 2025. And while it’s tough to group a region of nearly 50 distinct countries and cultures into one generic trend, researchers predict that the region overall will see a 20 percent jump in tourism in 2024 over 2023. That number is far less for other global regions like Europe, predicted to grow by only about five percent.

Matsuyama Castle in Matsuyama, Japan, one of several new ports on the new Norwegian Asia cruises. Photo: TierneyMJ/Shutterstock

The roughly 30 new cruises will collectively stop in more than 60 cities and ports, including nine brand new to the brand. In Australia, cruisers can stop in Albany, Townsville, Port Douglas, Freemantle, and Busselton; and in Japan, port stops include Matsuyama and Niigata. Also new are Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, and Suva, on Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu. Also new are overnight stops on the islands of Bali and Lombok in Indonesia, allowing passengers to stay out late or spend the night on the islands.

The cruises are spread across Norwegian’s Sun, Sky, and Spirit ships. The three ships hold nearly 2,000 guests each but are still among the smallest in Norwegian’s fleet, making them ideal for travelers looking for a more intimate experience without the flashy entertainment draws of larger ships, like go-karts and waterslides. The smaller sizes also allow the new Norwegian Asia cruises to reach smaller ports inaccessible to larger ships (and make it much faster for guests to get on and off the ship quickly at port).