Guests booked on a 9-night Norwegian Star cruise in November 2027 are facing a major itinerary shake-up after Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed the sailing will now depart from a different country and visit an entirely new collection of destinations.
The voyage, scheduled to begin on 13th November 2027, was originally planned as a one-way sailing from Lisbon, Portugal, to Barcelona, Spain. The itinerary included calls in Portugal, the Canary Islands, Morocco and Spain.
Under the revised plans, however, the ship will now embark from Tarragona, Spain, instead of Lisbon. Norwegian Cruise Line told guests the change was necessary because of port availability issues in the Portuguese capital.
The adjustment also includes a slight alteration to the ship’s departure time. Rather than leaving Lisbon at 4 pm as originally scheduled, Norwegian Star will now sail from Tarragona at 5 pm.
The change mirrors a similar move previously announced for Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Dawn, which is also set to switch embarkation ports from Lisbon to another location for a sailing in October 2026.
Five Ports Removed From Original Schedule
While a change in embarkation port can be disruptive, the most significant aspect of the update is the complete redesign of the cruise itinerary itself.
In a notification sent to guests, the cruise line confirmed that several originally scheduled ports have been removed.
“As part of this change, our visits to Funchal, Portugal, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Arrecife (Lanzarote), Spain, and Agadir and Casablanca, Morocco, have been removed from the itinerary,
“In their place the journey has evolved into a Mediterranean-focused itinerary, now featuring visits to Marseille, France; La Spezia, Livorno, Civitavecchia, and Salerno, Italy; and Valletta, Malta.”
Cruise line’s email to booked guests
The revised route shifts the cruise from an Atlantic and North African-focused itinerary to one centred almost entirely on the western and central Mediterranean.
For many travellers, the new ports represent an entirely different holiday experience. The replacement destinations are located more than 1,800 miles from the original ports and offer distinctly different cultures, landscapes and sightseeing opportunities.
The changes also affect the sailing schedule itself. The first full day of the cruise, which had originally been planned as a sea day, will now be spent in Marseille, France.
Only the final two days of the voyage remain unchanged. Norwegian Star will still spend 20th November at sea before visiting Palma de Mallorca on 21st November from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. The ship is also still scheduled to arrive in Barcelona for disembarkation at 7 a.m. on 22nd November 2027.
Guests Divided Over Extensive Changes
With the sailing still around 17 months away, many guests have time to reassess their travel plans and decide whether the revised itinerary still suits their holiday preferences.
Some passengers have expressed frustration at the scale of the changes, arguing that the new voyage bears little resemblance to what was originally advertised.
“That’s not even close to the cruise you booked,” one guest noted. “I can understand a port or even [two] changing, things happen, but this a complete rewrite.”
Others pointed out that the lengthy notice period provides guests with flexibility to cancel or switch to a different sailing if they were specifically interested in destinations such as Morocco, Madeira or the Canary Islands.
“Definitely an entirely different cruise, but thankfully you have plenty of time to change,” another guest commented.
Experienced cruisers have also noted that because the sailing remains so far in the future, many passengers are unlikely to have purchased flights or finalised extensive travel arrangements, making it easier to alter plans if necessary.
While itinerary adjustments are common in the cruise industry due to weather, operational requirements, port availability and other factors, it is relatively unusual for a voyage to undergo such a comprehensive transformation while retaining the same cruise length and arrival port.
For travellers who specifically selected the sailing for its Atlantic islands and North African destinations, the revised itinerary may prompt a search for alternatives. Others, however, may welcome the opportunity to visit some of the Mediterranean’s most popular cruise ports, including Rome-access port Civitavecchia, Valletta and several destinations along the Italian coast.
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