Ocean Discovery – Le Havre (Paris), Zeebrugge (Bruges) & Ijmuiden

About this cruise

Somewhere around day five the ship stops being transport and starts being home. This 11-night sailing from Southampton on May 23, 2027 visits Le Havre (Paris), Zeebrugge and IJmuiden (Amsterdam), with additional stops along the British Isles & Western France. There's a stretch of back-to-back port days, so those days are busy, but the sea days around them give you time to recharge. Crossing 5 borders through the British Isles & Western France: France, Belgium, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Ireland. You'll notice the culture shift at every stop. Most ports give you about 12 hours, so you can do more than just tick off the main sights. As for the ship itself, Norwegian Star takes the food seriously, with 13 restaurants to choose from. 4 are included, and the rest are worth the splurge. By night three you start recognising faces; by night ten you're swapping numbers. That's the magic of a longer sailing. A proper voyage for people who like to take their time and hate rushing through destinations. Pro tip: fly in the day before. Southampton has plenty to offer, and you'll board relaxed instead of rushed. A spring departure helps too: decent weather and a calmer feel at each port. Whether you've cruised before or not, this 11-night itinerary is a genuinely good one.