Norwegian Cruise Line, named Europe’s Leading Cruise Line for the past three years, has launched a variety of new shore excursions in Europe for the summer on its three Freestyle Cruising ships sailing the Mediterranean and the Baltic, including Norwegian Epic, the line’s newest and most innovative ship, Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Sun. Guests can depart from Barcelona, Spain; Venice, Italy or Copenhagen, Denmark and sail to a variety of exotic ports such as Naples, Italy; Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; Piraeus (Athens), Greece; and Izmir, Turkey, among others. With more than 500 shore excursions in Europe, there are a variety of exciting options for guests.
“We are always in search of exciting ways for our guests to experience Europe on and off our ships,” said Kevin Sheehan, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. “The variety of unique shore excursions in Europe is extensive as we want to offer our guests the most memorable experiences ashore, along with the best entertainment and dining at sea.”
For culinary-inclined guests who want to dine their way across Europe, the Ultimate Taste of Dalmatia in Dubrovnik, Croatia will please even the most discerning taste buds. Guests travel through the village of Orasac to sample local cuisines as well as a visit to Ston, the “oyster capital” of Croatia. Also included in the tour is a demonstration of how olive oil is made. For those who want to combine adventure with their dining experience, the Pisa Fly-over by Helicopter and Wine Tasting is the perfect pairing. The tour starts with a fly over the Tower of Pisa and surrounding vineyards and ends with wine tasting of famed Tuscan wines at the Torre a Cenaia Estate, an ancient property once owned by the Noble Florentine Pitti family.
If playing the quintessential tourist and spending the day sightseeing the culturally-rich towns and villages sounds appealing, a variety of historical tours are offered. Experience the local culture of St. Petersburg, Russia in a two day tour with Best of St. Petersburg. A local guide escorts guests through Catherine’s Palace, an old summer residence of the Royal Family; the Hermitage Museum, the largest art museum in Russia; the Peterhof Grand Palace, a castle that rivals Versailles as well as a stop in the town of Pushkin. For any Olympic fanatic, the Best of Olympia (Katakolon), Greece is a must. The excursion explores the history of the Olympic Games with a tour of the first Olympic Stadium, the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Hera and the Gymnasium.
For a day of family fun, visit the local aquarium on the Palma Aquarium and Orientation tour in Palma, Majorca, Spain. Guests of all ages can explore the 55 different aquariums that contain over 8,000 specimens from the Mediterranean Sea, Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. For those with kids of an exploratory nature, the Chugging on the Molli Steam Train excursion from Warnemuende, Germany is a perfect option. “Molli,” a narrow gauge steam train, takes guests on a journey from Bad Doberan, a former summer residence of the Dukes of Mecklenburg, to either Heiligendam or Kuehlungsborn. These old seaside resorts offer families the chance to stroll along the beach promenade or village center.
