Details announced for Norwegian Spirit’s first ever cruise from Cape Town and Dubai in 2020

Following on from Norwegian Cruise Line’s announcement earlier this year that Norwegian Spirit would offer inaugural sailings from Dubai in the Arabian Gulf and Cape Town in South Africa, the cruise line has now announced details of the itineraries.

Norwegian Spirit will cruise from Dubai on March 2^nd, 2020 on a 20-night cruise to Cape Town. The itinerary is a slimmed-down version of the annual 30-night Dubai to Cape Town cruise undertaken by Oceania Nautica every year (Oceania Cruises is the premium brand in the Norwegian Cruise Line group).

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Norwegian Spirit will visit Abu Dhabi and Fujairah in the UAE, Muscat in Oman, Mahe in the Seychelles, and Nosy Be, Mauritius and Reunion before reaching the South African coast.

Richard’s Bay is the first South Africa port of call, followed by Port Elizabeth and Mossel Bay before she arrives in Cape Town. Unlike Oceania Cruises, which stays overnight in Dubai and Cape Town on Nautica’s similar voyage, Norwegian Spirit’s only overnight port call will be in the Seychelles.

Norwegian Spirit will spend the day in Cape Town, taking on new guests, and will then depart for Singapore on March 22^nd, 2020. This circuitous 24-night itinerary through the Indian Ocean visits South Africa’s Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth and Richard’s Bay, as well as Mauritius and Reunion.

After Reunion, Norwegian Spirit will once more spend the night in port in Mahe, Seychelles, this is the only port call with an overnight stay. After the Seychelles, the ship will call in the Maldives, Phuket in Thailand, and Langkawi, Penang and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia before getting into Singapore early on April 15^th.

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Norwegian Spirit will be conducting these cruises fresh from a major refurbishment. She will be the final ship to undergo enhancements under the Norwegian Edge fleet refurbishment program, which aims to modernise and standardise features and amenities across the line’s fleet.

All her staterooms will be upgraded with smart televisions and USB ports, as well as new carpets, abstract artwork and select furniture.

Several dining outlets and public spaces will also be renovated, including Cagney’s, La Cucina, Le Bistro, Teppanyaki, the Mandara Spa, Stardust Lounge Theatre, Splash Academy and more.

Carrying just 2,000 passengers and with a 75,000 gross tonnage, Norwegian Spirit is a similar size to Costa Mediterranea, homeporting in Dubai this coming cruise season, or MSC Sinfonia, which was recently replaced by MSC Musica in the South African market.

She’ll be popular with passengers looking for the intimacy of a smaller ship, offering the casual free-style cruising concept pioneered by Norwegian Cruise Lines.