Cruise line announces newest Prima Class ship Norwegian Viva will visit Haifa in 2025
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, celebrated a new milestone as Norwegian Epic became the first of its 18 ships to homeport in Haifa, Israel.
The 4,100-passenger and 155.873-gross tonnage ship will embark on her open-jaw 11-day voyage to five countries including Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and Italy.
Nick Wilkinson, NCL Regional Vice President of Israel, Middle East and Africa, said: “We are excited to offer a new embarkation from Haifa. What’s more, we’re thrilled to announce that none other than the newest ship in our Prima Class, Norwegian Viva, will be visiting Haifa in 2025.”
Commencing her maiden voyage from Haifa on November 15, Norwegian Epic will sail a variety of 10, 11 and 12- day sailings in December 2023 as well as in March and October 2024, calling to Ashdod, before stopping in Limassol (Cyprus), Rhodes (Greece) (Turkey), Patmos, Piraeus (Greece) Naples, Livorno, Venice (Trieste) and Civitavecchia (Italy) as well as Split in Croatia.
Norwegian Epic’s The Haven by Norwegian™ underwent an extensive refurbishment at the end of 2020, which resulted in 75 reimagined and upgraded suites combined with redesigned experiences including The Haven Restaurant and The Haven Courtyard Pool and Sundeck. Norwegian Epic was the first in the fleet to premiere the brand’s key-card access ship-within-a-ship concept in 2010, complete with private amenities, dedicated services and the most luxurious accommodations on board and she continues to feature one of the largest The Haven spaces in the NCL fleet.
The international cruise line has further announced that Norwegian Viva, its newest ship and the second vessel of its ground-breaking Prima Class, will offer open-jaw voyages from Istanbul, Haifa and Piraeus (Athens) in summer 2025. The 9 and 10-day sailings will visit highlight ports in the Eastern Mediterranean including Athens (Piraeus), Mykonos and Santorini in Greece, Kusadasi in Turkey as well as Alexandria and Port Said in Egypt. NCL will be the only cruise line to offer open-jaw sailings between Istanbul and Haifa for Eastern Mediterranean sailings in spring and fall 2025.
Mirroring the upscale design and structure of her record-breaking sistership Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Viva, will boast a redefined The Haven by Norwegian, NCL’s ultra-premium keycard only access ship-within-a-ship concept as well as the Prima Class’ signature experiences including Indulge Food Hall, the brand’s first upscale food marketplace with 11 eateries, the fastest freefall drop dry slides at sea with The Rush and The Drop and the largest three-level racetrack at sea with the Viva Speedway.