Norwegian Sky operated its final voyage for Norwegian Cruise Line with its onboard shops closed and some spa services curtailed as preparations began for the ship's departure from the NCL fleet.
The nine-night Mediterranean sailing departed Barcelona on 31 August 2026 and was scheduled to conclude in Piraeus on 9 September. It marked the end of a relationship between the vessel and Norwegian Cruise Line stretching back to the ship's entry into service in 1999.
Shops closed throughout the farewell cruise
In a letter distributed to passengers, Norwegian Cruise Line said a limited number of venues, services and activities would be adjusted during the final sailing.
All onboard shops were unavailable for the voyage, while the ship's art gallery closed on 2 September. The cruise line said the changes formed part of preparations taking place ahead of the vessel beginning its next chapter.
The closures meant passengers could not use the ship's usual retail facilities during the farewell cruise, although Norwegian stressed that restaurants, bars, lounges and many other onboard experiences remained available.
Final spa appointments cancelled and refunded
The spa was scheduled to close before the end of the voyage. Treatments booked for 8 September were therefore cancelled automatically, with affected passengers receiving full refunds to their onboard accounts.
Norwegian also advised guests who required mobility or respiratory equipment to make arrangements before sailing. The notice specifically referred to equipment including powered scooters, manual wheelchairs and oxygen concentrators.
There was no indication that the service changes resulted from a technical or safety problem with the ship. They were presented as operational adjustments connected with the vessel's approaching handover.
Final Mediterranean itinerary
Norwegian Sky's farewell voyage visited ports in Spain, France, Italy and Greece. The itinerary included calls at Villefranche, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Salerno, Heraklion, Santorini and Mykonos before its conclusion in Piraeus.
An additional repositioning voyage towards the Middle East had previously appeared in deployment plans but was ultimately removed amid regional security concerns. The Barcelona-to-Piraeus cruise consequently became the ship's last passenger sailing for Norwegian Cruise Line.
Norwegian Sky preparing for Cordelia Cruises
Following its departure from the NCL fleet, the 1999-built ship is expected to transfer to Indian operator Cordelia Cruises under the agreement announced in 2025.
The vessel is set to be renamed Cordelia Sky and join Cordelia Empress, expanding the operator's capacity in the Indian cruise market. Its future programme is expected to include short cruises from Indian homeports, with the new operator promoting the ship ahead of its entry into service.
Norwegian Sky has carried more than 2.5 million passengers during its time with Norwegian Cruise Line. The ship also operated as Pride of Aloha in Hawaii between 2004 and 2008 before returning to the Norwegian fleet under its original name.
The restricted retail and spa operation provided a visible sign that the handover process had already begun before passengers disembarked from the final NCL voyage.