Norwegian cruise includes Philippines in 2026 Southeast Asia offering

MANILA, Philippines — Vacation spots around the Philippines are among the most in-demand hotspots for cruise company Norwegian Cruise Line.

Asia-Pacific vice president and managing director Ben Angell shared some of the company's port-intensive itineraries, including the Philippines, to encourage interested tourists to book trips on their ships this 2026.

Angell hailed the Philippines as a "tropical island lover's dream" because of the country's islands, lagoons, landscapes, cliffs, and diving spots.

He also cited natural hot springs, the local food scene, and the famous White Beach of Boracay as reasons why the Philippines is among the world's established island holiday destinations.

Boracay is one of the stops of the Norwegian Jade ship alongside Puerto Princesa and Coron in Palawan in the company's Southeast Asian pre-Christmas offering.

That two-week trip sails from Hong Kong on December 9 with stops in Malaysia's Kota Kinabalu, Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh, Thailand's Ko Samui and Bangkok (the latter overnight), and Singapore.

Before that, the Norwegian Jade has a nine-day trip exploring Taiwan and Japan starting on November 30 from Yokohama.

Related: Higatangan, other Eastern Visayas islands eyed as luxury cruise stops

Taiwan capital Taipei is also one of the year's most desirable destinations, said Angell, because of the city's natural beauty, beaches, ambience, and hospitality, as well as a top-notch culture scene thanks to night markets, temples, museums, and tea shops.

This particular trip will visit the Kyoto, Kochi, Hiroshima, and Miyakojima in Japan before a full day in Taipei. It caps off in Hong Kong to start the Southeast Asian offering.

Right after, the Norwegian Jade will explore more of the region with an 11-day trip exploring Thailand and Vietnam, the latter listed as a must-visit for savvy travelers in 2026.

The Christmas offering departs from Singapore on December 23, with visits in the Vietnamese ports of Da Nang, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh. It also includes Thailand stops in Ko Samui and Bangkok and an overnight stay in Hong Kong.

In Europe, Norwegian Cruise Line offers two different nine-day Baltic trips in September visiting Denmark, Finland, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, and Sweden.

The Western side of the continent has a four-day Lisbon tour and an 11-day tour across 10 ports in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.

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