Norwegian Cruise Line’s Newest Home Port Might Surprise You
Are you signing up for a cruise departing from Helsinki?
Norwegian Cruise Line are betting on it.
On Thursday, the world’s third-largest cruise brand announced plans for summer sailings from the Finnish capital — something virtually no other cruise line offers.
The voyage, which will begin in 2026, will be Norwegian’s first sailing from Helsinki in the brand’s 58-year history. It will also put it among the few lines that have ever offered cruises from Helsinki.
Next year, only one small cruise brand, France-based Ponant Cruises, will operate cruises from Helsinki, and only a handful of them. Another small cruise brand, Windstar CruiseIt is scheduled to make a series of three short trips from Helsinki in 2026.
In his announcement, has been posted onlineNorwegian said the 1,936-passenger Norwegian Sun will sail to the Baltic from Helsinki starting in June 2026 and ending in October 2026.
Related: 5 Best Places You Can Visit on a Norwegian Cruise
Ranging from seven to 10 nights, the voyages are primarily one-way trips to Copenhagen, including port stops in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany.
One of the trips later in the season will be a one-way trip from Helsinki to Southampton, England.
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Related: Baltic Sea or Mediterranean: Which European Cruise Should You Choose?
Helsinki is a common stop on Baltic cruises, but it is not traditionally the home port. Baltic cruises typically start or end in European cruise hubs such as Copenhagen, Southampton and Amsterdam.
Norwegian’s launch of Baltic cruises departing from Helsinki will allow travelers to create extended Baltic Sea trips, combining days of exploring Helsinki and its surroundings by land with a boat trip around the region.
These trips will likely appeal to travelers who want to spend more time in Helsinki and its surroundings rather than just a few hours in the city as is typical on a Baltic cruise.
New sailings in summer 2026 include:
- Seven-night cruise from Helsinki to Copenhagen with stops in Tallinn, Estonia; Stockholm; Klaipeda, Lithuania; Gdynia, Poland; Warnemunde, Germany (from which the cruise can travel to Berlin); and Kiel, Germany (to visit Hamburg, Germany)
- Nine-night cruise from Helsinki to Copenhagen with stops at the same six ports
- A 10-night cruise from Helsinki to Southampton with stops in Tallinn, Stockholm, Klaipeda, Gdynia, Warnemunde, Kiel and Copenhagen
In parallel with the new sailings from Helsinki to Copenhagen, Norwegian Sun will also operate one-way sailings from Copenhagen to Helsinki from June 2026 to October 2026. The sailings will call at the same ports.
One-way trips from Copenhagen will allow visitors to have extra days in Finland at the end of their trip.
Related: Why Your Next Dream Trip Should Be a Norway Cruise in Europe
Norwegian Sun will be one of eight Norwegian ships operating in Europe in the summer of 2026. Voyages will begin and end in 11 different embarkation ports — in addition to Helsinki, Copenhagen and Southampton — including Le Havre, France; Barcelona; Ravenna and Civitavecchia (the port of Rome) in Italy; and Istanbul.
Other inland ports in Europe by 2026 will include Piraeus, Greece (port of Athens).
Other novel sailings planned for 2026 include 10- and 11-day sailings between Reykjavik and Southampton, allowing passengers to extend their cruise vacation by staying on land in Iceland. The sailings will take place on the 2,348-passenger Norwegian Star.
On select sailings between Reykjavik and Southampton, Norwegian Star will stop in Leirvik, Norway — a first in Norwegian’s 58-year history.
Norwegian Star’s 11-day cruise to Iceland also includes an overnight stay in Reykjavik.
Fares for the new Baltic cruise departing from Helsinki start at $1,387 per person, including taxes and fees, for a seven-night voyage.
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