Norwegian Cruise Line ship Norwegian Escape has completed its first eastern Mediterranean cruise since 2015.

Norwegian Escape is NCL’s first Breakaway-Plus class vessel to sail in Europe for a full season.

It is based in Rome for summer, operating sailings ranging from seven to 11 nights.

Itineraries will feature calls at the likes of Santorini, Mykonos, Naples, and Livorno.

A total of eight NCL ships are sailing in European waters this summer, including new ship Norwegian Prima.

The others are Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Jade, and Norwegian Star.

Europe a ‘key destination’ for Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line president and CEO Harry Sommer said: “Europe has always been a bucket-list destination for travellers from all over the globe and is a key cruise destination for NCL.

“We strive to offer our new and loyal guests a wide range of destinations and itineraries. We’re excited that this year’s Europe season is our most extensive to date with eight ships and more than 100 ports of call.

“Our guest first philosophy compels us to put our guests at the heart of every decision and development we make, which is why we continue to innovate our product offering, as we have done for the last 55 years.”

Norwegian Prima will be joined by a second Prima-class ship – Norwegian Viva – in June 2023.

In April, the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) group announced a commitment to pursue net zero emissions by 2050 across its operations.

Part of this is the development of alternative fuels and the associated infrastructure at destinations globally to support the use of these fuels.

NCLH president and chief executive officer Frank Del Rio said at the time: “The pursuit of net zero will be one of the most defining voyages that our company will take.”