Today’s cruise news is full of 2028 possibilities, and a few deadlines you’ll want to know about. Norwegian Cruise Line has opened its Summer 2028 season, Princess Cruises is now taking bookings for its expanded Alaska program, and Holland America Line has opened its 2028 Europe season.
And honestly? This is exactly when planning starts getting exciting. You can still test the waters (pun absolutely intended), compare ships and routes, and potentially catch some useful cruise deals before the current promotions disappear.
Here’s the simple breakdown from your friends at ITS Travel Services in Flushing, Michigan.
Norwegian Cruise Line: 450+ Summer 2028 Voyages Are Now Open
Norwegian Cruise Line has opened its Summer 2028 season with more than 450 voyages across 20 ships.
That is a lot of vacation choices. NCL says the season will include sailings from approximately April through October 2028, visiting nearly 150 destinations in 51 countries.
You’ll find itineraries ranging from short getaways to longer, destination-heavy voyages in places such as:
- The Caribbean
- Alaska
- Europe and the Mediterranean
- The South Pacific
- Bermuda
- The Americas
The big story here is not just the number of sailings. It’s the amount of time travelers may have in port.
NCL is highlighting approximately 175 overnight stays and late departures in 53 destinations. In plain English, that can mean more time to explore, enjoy dinner ashore, experience local nightlife or take an excursion that would feel too rushed on a typical port call.
New Ships and Caribbean Options (the wow-moment part)
The Summer 2028 season includes Caribbean sailings on the newer Norwegian Aura and Norwegian Luna.
Norwegian Aura is scheduled for seven-day Eastern Caribbean itineraries from Miami. Norwegian Luna will also offer Caribbean-area options, along with sailings from New York and longer repositioning routes.
That gives travelers a few different ways to plan:
- A traditional warm-weather Caribbean escape from Miami
- A shorter Bermuda-style getaway from New York
- A longer cruise that combines several islands and destinations
- A sailing with more late-night or overnight port time
If you’re traveling from Flushing, Fenton, Grand Blanc or elsewhere in mid-Michigan, Miami is a popular cruise gateway, but you’ll want to think about flights, hotels and transportation before you lock in a ship.
Pro Tip: For a Miami cruise, I usually recommend arriving at least one day early. Yes, it adds a hotel night. But it also protects you from turning a delayed flight into a very expensive missed-ship problem.
NCL End of Summer Sale: Book by August 18, 2026
NCL’s End of Summer Sale runs through August 18, 2026.
The advertised offer includes:
- 50% off cruise fares
- Up to $750 in onboard credit per stateroom on select sailings
- Potential combination with NCL’s Free at Sea offer, depending on the booking and fare terms
Here’s the thing: “50% off” does not necessarily mean every cabin on every sailing receives the same final price. The eligible fare, cabin category, sailing date and offer terms all matter.
Onboard credit is also not cash in your pocket before the trip. It is generally applied to eligible onboard purchases, such as drinks, shore excursions, specialty dining or other services.
Read the current details on NCL’s official cruise page and NCL’s Summer 2028 announcement.
Princess Cruises Opens Its 2028 Alaska Season
If Alaska is your jam, Princess Cruises just gave you plenty of reasons to start planning.
Princess has opened its 2028 Alaska season with:
- 185 departures
- 14 itineraries
- Eight ships
- Cruises ranging from approximately 4 to 16 days
- Departures from Seattle, Vancouver, Whittier, San Francisco and Los Angeles
The eight-ship lineup includes:
- Star Princess
- Discovery Princess
- Emerald Princess
- Royal Princess
- Coral Princess
- Crown Princess
- Island Princess
- Ruby Princess
That range is helpful because not everyone wants the same Alaska vacation. Some travelers want a classic seven-day Inside Passage cruise. Others want a longer sailing or a cruisetour that adds time inland near Denali and other national parks.
Star Princess Joins the Alaska Lineup
The new Star Princess is one of the biggest attractions in the 2028 Alaska announcement.
Princess highlights Star Princess for seven-day or longer Alaska Inside Passage voyages. The ship combines glacier views and scenic cruising with newer onboard spaces, including panoramic areas, expanded entertainment and multiple dining choices.
Alaska itineraries may include memorable destinations and scenic areas such as:
- Juneau
- Ketchikan
- Skagway
- Glacier Bay National Park
- Hubbard Glacier
- College Fjord
- Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier
Princess also offers Alaska cruisetours that combine the cruise with inland lodging, rail travel and time near national parks. That’s a great option if you want more than a quick look at the coastline.
My Alaska planning tip: Don’t automatically choose the cheapest inside cabin. Alaska is a destination where scenery is part of the experience. Depending on your budget, an oceanview or balcony cabin may create some serious wow moments.
You can explore the official Princess Alaska page, learn about Star Princess, or browse Princess’ 2028 Early Booking Bonus.
Holland America Opens Its 2028 Europe Season
Holland America Line has also opened bookings for its 2028 Europe season, with sailings scheduled from January through early December.
The program includes five ships:
- Rotterdam
- Nieuw Statendam
- Nieuw Amsterdam
- Volendam
- Zuiderdam
Travelers can choose from seven-day getaways all the way up to longer 48-day Legendary Voyages.
The 2028 Europe program covers:
- Northern Europe
- Norway and its fjords
- The Mediterranean
- The Canary Islands
- Iceland and Greenland
- The British Isles
- The Baltic
- Transatlantic crossings
Holland America is also emphasizing more port calls, overnight stays, late departures and seasonal travel. That means you may be able to experience Europe in a more relaxed way instead of racing from one landmark to the next.
For example, spring can bring blooming landscapes and tulip season in the Netherlands. Summer offers long northern days and fjord scenery. Fall brings harvest-season food and cultural events throughout Europe.
Holland America’s 2028 Europe season also has separate benefits connected to its Have It All package and Early Booking Bonus. Depending on the booking, those benefits may include shore excursions, specialty dining, beverage packages, Wi-Fi upgrades and prepaid crew appreciation.
You can read the full Holland America 2028 Europe announcement.
Don’t Mix Up Save on Sunshine With 2028 Europe
This is an important piece of today’s cruise news.
Holland America’s Save on Sunshine promotion is not the same offer as its 2028 Europe launch.
Save on Sunshine applies to select warm-weather sailings in the fall 2026 through spring 2027 window. The promotion is available through August 31, 2026, and advertises:
- Up to 40% off
- Up to $400 in onboard credit per stateroom
- Select itineraries in the Caribbean, Mexico, Panama Canal and beyond
So, the myth-busting version is:
Save on Sunshine is not a discount for Holland America’s 2028 Europe cruises.
It is a separate promotion for qualifying tropical and warm-weather cruises. You can review the official Save on Sunshine details before booking.
What Should You Book First? (the honest answer)
It depends on what you want most:
- Choose Norwegian Cruise Line if you want newer ships, flexible Caribbean options, longer port stays and plenty of onboard activity.
- Choose Princess Cruises if Alaska, glaciers, wildlife and cruisetours are at the top of your list.
- Choose Holland America Line if you prefer destination-focused Europe itineraries, seasonal travel and a more relaxed onboard style.
- Choose the current Holland America Save on Sunshine offer if you’re considering a tropical cruise in fall 2026 through spring 2027.
And let me be straight with you: the “best” cruise deal is not always the lowest number you see online. It’s the right ship, cabin, itinerary, flights, hotel and protection plan for your situation.
That’s where a local travel advisor can save you time. At ITS Travel Services, we help travelers compare cruise lines, vacation packages, flights, hotels, rental cars and transfers instead of making you sort through a dozen cold booking websites by yourself.
We’re based in Flushing, Michigan, and we work with travelers from Fenton, Grand Blanc, Flint and throughout mid-Michigan. You can also read our guide on why using a Flushing travel agency can beat booking online.
Ready to Explore Without the Pressure?
You don’t have to know which ship you want before reaching out. You can simply tell us:
- Where you’d like to go
- When you might travel
- Who is coming
- What matters most to you
- Whether you’re watching the budget or looking for extra comfort
We’ll help you explore the options and check which cruise deals may apply to your preferred sailing.
Promotions can change, and restrictions apply to eligible sailings, cabin categories, deposits, taxes, fees and booking dates. But if one of these 2028 cruises: or the Holland America August sale: has you thinking, let’s start a conversation.
Visit our Contact Us page, email Travel@ITSTravelServices.com, or call 810-247-6455.
No hard sell. Just friendly help from your local travel agency as you figure out where your next cruise should take you.