As one of the most popular and largest cruise lines in the world, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) offers a bevy of ships for cruisers to book — including its brand-new ship, Norwegian Aqua, which I had the pleasure of recently sailing.

However, as is the case with all cruise lines, as NCL’s fleet has welcomed new ships, some of its older ships have fallen out of favor, and it hasn’t quite made sense to keep operating them.

Norwegian Cruise Line has nearly 20 such ships that have been retired, some as recently as 2025. Here’s what’s happened to them.

Sunward

Before there was Norwegian Cruise Line, that we know and love today, there was Norwegian Caribbean Line. Founded in 1966, the line’s very first ship wasn’t actually purpose-built as a cruise ship. Instead, it was originally a ferry!

The Sunward (not to be confused by similarly named ships to come) worked as a car ferry between the United Kingdom and Spain before the cruise line took it over, taking Sunward from Europe to the Caribbean, where it would sail from Miami to the Bahamas, to great success.

The Sunward could carry just over 500 passengers and it was hardly a luxury ship. It had two cabin decks, two decks with public spaces and two decks with outdoor spaces and a lounge. The one luxury that did make it stand out? Air conditioning — an amenity not found on some other cruise ships of the day.

However, the Sunward was not to stay long under the Norwegian Caribbean Line umbrella. Sunward was booted from the fleet in 1973.

The ship went back to Europe, and then the Middle East, serving as a ferry, hotel and cruise ship in its next lives, under various new names. The ship finally met its fate after nearly 40 years at sea, being sold for scrap in Bangladesh in 2004.

Starward

As Norwegian Caribbean Line saw greater and greater success, it decided to order some purpose-built cruise ships for its own use. Starward was the first of these, built in 1968.

However, in a unique nod to Sunward’s past, Starward could also carry cars, just like a ferry — though the car-carrying spaces within the ship were converted into public spaces and cabins for passengers after a time.

Starward remained in the fleet for much longer than Sunward, though, until 1995, when the ship was sold. Over its life, the ship changed hands multiple times.

It sailed for Festival Cruises, Louis Cruise Lines and others (including the U.S. government as an evacuation ship in 2006), until it was eventually sold for scrap in 2018.

Skyward

Skyward was very similar to Starward, also being ordered as a purpose-built ship for Norwegian Caribbean Line after the line saw its increase in bookings after launching Sunward.

It likewise featured that car-carrying space that was later converted. Additionally, both ships were about 80% larger than Sunward and capable of carrying around 750 passengers.

These earlier ships were known as the White Fleet, because, at the time, NCL’s ships were all white on the hull, rather than sporting the colorful hull art the line is known for today. As a fleet, the ships served very short sailings from Miami.

However, while Norwegian Cruise Line was seeing a good degree of success with these earlier ships, the line was not without its issues.

On Skyward in particular, the line faced a series of illnesses due to serving infected water on the ship, and, in 1979, a fire broke out on the ship.

After leaving NCL in 1991, Skyward served multiple purposes, as a cruise ship and casino ship, for a handful of different owners, its last being New Century Cruise Line. In 2021, the ship was sold for scrap in India.

Southward

Between Skyward and Southward, there was supposed to be another ship, Seaward, but this 1970s ship never saw the light of day, at least not as a Norwegian Cruise Line ship.

Seaward’s builder went under, the hull was sold to P&O and the ship that was intended to be Seaward eventually became Spirit of London.

Regardless, Southward was the next ship for Norwegian Caribbean Line and would eventually be the next ship to leave the line’s fleet.

Southward departed from earlier ships Starward and Skyward by being the first ship in the fleet to have none of those ferry-esque car-carrying capabilities.

The Southward was built in 1971 and is actually partially to credit for Norwegian Caribbean Line changing its name to Norwegian Cruise Line.

When Southward moved from the Caribbean to offering similarly short itineraries out of Los Angeles, the cruise line couldn’t very well call itself “Caribbean” anymore, and so it became Norwegian Cruise Line.

Norwegian Cruise Line relieved itself of Southward in 1994 and the ship changed hands several times before eventually becoming scrap in 2013.

Sunward II

Next up was the Sunward II, acquired in 1977 after the original Sunward I’s retirement from the fleet. Sunward II was not purpose-built for Norwegian Cruise Line. Instead, the cruise line purchased the Cunard Adventurer from Cunard, and transformed it into Sunward II.

The ship remained in the fleet until 1991, after which it was sold to Epirotiki Lines, for Greek Isle cruises. The ship changed hands a few more times before eventually being scrapped in India, in 2014.

Norway

Very similarly, the Norway was not built for Norwegian Cruise Line at all — but that didn’t stop the ship from making waves when it first debuted under the NCL banner in 1980.

Norway was significantly, significantly larger than the cruise line’s prior ships. In its past life, the Norway was known as the France. Already on the older side, the ship had been out of service for a few years before Norwegian Cruise Line purchased it.

However, the France had set records already over its life, as one of the largest ships in the industry, as well as the longest ship ever built and the second-fastest passenger ship to offer transatlantic cruises. It took about $80 million to turn the France into the Norway.

There was just one issue. The new Norway was too large to visit the Caribbean ports of call that Norwegian Cruise Line was accustomed to visiting.

As such, the cruise line began using tendering ships known as the Little Norway I and the Little Norway II to get passengers from the Norway to shore. (Interested in these unique ships? You can actually see them if you have to tender at Great Stirrup Cay.)

Over Norway’s life, it received several upgrades in order to retain its status as one of the most impressive in the biz. The ship received luxury staterooms and private veranda cabins, and new public spaces, for example. The ship would sail all over the world, before it was eventually retired from the NCL fleet in 2003.

The ship was sold for scrap, but the process of actually turning the ship into scrap was a long one, as the ship’s large volume of asbestos required careful handling.

Seaward/Norwegian Sea

Remember how there was supposed to be a Seaward ship that debuted for Norwegian Cruise Line in the 1970s, but that ship never materialized and the hull was given over to P&O?

Well, finally, in the 1980s, Norwegian Cruise Line got another crack at this ship. By the time Seaward debuted, the ship was the first new-build ship for the cruise line in nearly two decades.

Seaward was built in Turku, Finland, and cost $120 million at the time. It could hold 1,534 passengers and measured in at around 42,000 GT. The ship offered a range of cruises and, by the mid-1990s, represented about 20% of Norwegian Cruise Line’s capacity, given the ship’s size.

Seaward was renamed Norwegian Sea in 1997 and, eventually, was transferred over to Star Cruises in 2005, at which point the ship became SuperStar Libra.

SuperStar Libra was heavily overhauled to meet the expectations of the Asian cruising market and began cruising out of India. In 2018, the ship became a hotel ship, and then it was finally moved to Turkey to be turned into scrap in 2022.

Westward

Norwegian Cruise Line’s parent company bought the Royal Viking cruise line in the 1980s and, in 1991, two of the line’s ships were transferred over to the NCL brand: Westward and Sunward (yes, yet another ship named Sunward). However, neither of these ships would remain in the fleet very long.

Westward was already pretty old when it joined the fleet, having been built in the early 1970s, and sailing for Royal Viking for nearly 20 years. As Westward, the ship offered itineraries between New York City and Bermuda.

However, after just a handful of years, the ship moved to Royal Cruise Line, where it was renamed Star Odyssey, but only lasted a handful of years here, too, before moving on to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. The ship became the Black Watch, sailed for a while longer, then was sold as a hotel ship in 2020, then beached for scrapping in 2022.

Sunward

Yes, there were already two other Norwegian Cruise Line ships that were named Sunward, but, at the time of this Sunward’s sailing, the other two were out of commission.

The latest Sunward was, like Westward, acquired from Royal Viking Line. The ship had already been sailing for quite some time and would only sail for NCL for a very brief period, about a year.

Over its lifetime, the ship would have more than 10 different operators, finally being sold for scrap in 2021.

Norwegian Star

Norwegian Star is kind of an outlier, as it didn’t really sail for the Norwegian Cruise Line that we know of now.

Instead, this ship, like Sunward and Westward, was originally a Royal Viking Line ship and, when it was turned over to Norwegian Cruise Line, it became a member of a small fleet (so small that this was the only ship!) known as the Norwegian Capricorn Line.

Worth Reading: The Different Norwegian Cruise Line Ship Classes

The Norwegian Capricorn Line had the same owners as Norwegian Cruise Line, but it was technically a separate cruise line meant to offer cruises to the Australian market. Unfortunately, the Norwegian Capricorn Line didn’t last long. In 2001, the ship was given to Star Cruises.

Since then, the ship has changed hands multiple times and was a hotel ship at one point. The ship was scrapped in 2021.

Dreamward/Norwegian Dream

Built in 1992, Dreamward — later renamed Norwegian Dream — didn’t really compete with the other cruise ships of its age, in terms of size.

However, it was a nimble little ship. Measuring in at around 40,000 gross tons, it was just a fraction of the size of Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships today, but it was actually built with the intention that it could be, if needed, lengthened and expanded.

In 1998, the ship was resized and renamed Norwegian Dream. However, this expansion did not ensure Norwegian Dream’s standing in the fleet for very long. Just six years later, the ship was turned over to Star Cruises.

While Star Cruises had plans to sell the ship multiple times over the years, those deals never materialized, and the ship remained in Star Cruises’ possession, undergoing some expansive refurbishments along the way, until the ship was finally sold for scrap in 2022.

Windward/Norwegian Wind

Sister ship to Dreamward, Windward was built in 1993 and likewise was able to be lengthened and expanded if needed. This occurred in 1998 as well, and the ship received its new name: Norwegian Wind.

However, Norwegian Wind’s story was much the same as Norwegian Dream’s tale. The ship was transferred over to Star Cruises in 2007 and became SuperStar Aquarius. It also was sold for scrap in 2022.

Leeward

In the 1990s, beyond building a few new ships, Norwegian Cruise Line also continued its pattern of acquiring older ships and repurposing them for its own use. As somewhat of a throwback to its origins, the cruise line acquired another ferry in 1995.

The Leeward was built in 1980 and did serve as a partial ferry for six years, before becoming a full cruise ship in 1986, then operated by the now-defunct Sally Cruise. The ship led a dramatic life for a while, suffering fires, partial sinkings and an array of rebuilds.

As mentioned, Norwegian Cruise Line put its stamp on the ship in 1995, renaming it Leeward, but the ship only remained in the fleet for five years, before it went on to join Star Cruises.

Following this stint, the ship changed hands several other times. It most recently operated as Celestyal Crystal for Celsystal Cruises, until 2023.

In April 2025, the ship was sold to a UAE buyer. While final plans for the ship have not been announced, it’s expected the ship will resume cruising or be repurposed into a hotel ship.

Norwegian Crown

In 1996, Norwegian Cruise Line moved another ship over from the previously purchased Royal Cruise Line (NCL had purchased the entire line in the late 1980s — don’t confuse Royal Cruise Line with Royal Viking Line!) to the NCL fleet. The prior Crown Odyssey, built in the 1980s, became Norwegian Crown.

This ship was traded back and forth between fleets several times. In 2000, NCL passed it over to Orient Lines, which it had also purchased, and the ship became Crown Odyssey again. Then, in 2003, the ship went back to being a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, retaking the Norwegian Crown name.

Finally, the ship was sold in 2006 to Fred. Olsen Cruises, at which point the ship was renamed Balmoral, and, today, the ship still offers itineraries. It’s currently the smallest ship in the Fred. Olsen Cruises fleet.

Norwegian Dynasty

In 1997, Norwegian Cruise Line purchased Majesty Cruise Line and gained two ships in the process. Norwegian Dynasty was originally Crown Dynasty, operated by Cunard Line, before being operated by Majesty Cruise Line under the name Crown Majesty.

Norwegian Cruise Line only operated Norwegian Dynasty, a very small ship at only about 25,000 GT, for two years, before eventually selling the ship to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

The ship operated under the line for nearly two decades, until it was sold to Villa Vie Residences. The ship offers long-term, residential-style cruises, with cruisers sailing for more than three years at a time. As of early 2025, cruisers are still actively living on the ship.

Norwegian Majesty

Also once a Majesty Cruise Line ship, Norwegian Cruise Line gained this ship as well in the line’s acquisition.

Norwegian Cruise Line expanded the ship, lengthening her, and renamed her Norwegian Majesty, but only kept her for less than a decade before transferring her to Star Cruises.

The ship was sold to Louis Cruise Lines in 2008 and then eventually to Mano Cruise, in 2018. The ship currently goes by the name Crown Iris.

Norwegian Sun

After Norwegian Majesty, Norwegian Cruise Line more or less slowed its continual revolving door of ships, while also slowing its acquisition of other, older ships, instead focusing on its own new-builds.

This has resulted in the modern Norwegian Cruise Line fleet that we see today. Since Norwegian Majesty’s retirement, we’ve not seen any other ships leave the fleet until announcements were made in 2025 — starting with the announcement regarding the retirement of Norwegian Sun.

This Sun-class ship originally launched in 2001. It’s long been one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s smaller and more modest ships, so it’s no surprise that the cruise line decided to transfer her over to Cordelia Cruises, in a joint transfer along with Norwegian Sky.

While the announcement was made in 2025, the transfers are scheduled for 2026 and 2027, for Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Sun, respectively.

Don’t worry, though. While some cruisers may have been out of sorts at the thought that their previously scheduled cruises on these two ships were canceled, Norwegian Cruise Line is replacing the ships with bigger and newer ships to come over the next few years. 

Norwegian Sky

Before its retirement was announced in March 2025, Norwegian Sky was not the oldest or smallest ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet (that title is held by Norwegian Spirit, which is still in operation).

However, the cruise line still felt that Norwegian Sky was a better choice to leave the fleet than its sister ship.

Norwegian Sky itself has an interesting history, as it was originally destined to become a Costa Cruises ship, but then, during the ship’s construction at Lloyd Werft in Germany, the ship became Norwegian Sky, launching in 1999. Over the ship’s lifetime, it’s also served as the Pride of Aloha.

Read Also: Norwegian Cruise Ships by Age – Newest to Oldest

The ship was rumored to be sold or transferred, to either Star Cruises or Pullmantur Cruises at various points in time, but those changes never materialized.

Now, though, Norwegian Sky finally will have a new life under a new name and new cruise line. The ship is being transferred to Cordelia Cruises, which serves the Indian cruise market.

While the ship is small by Norwegian Cruise Line’s standards, the ship is a big get for Cordelia Cruises, expanding the line’s capacity significantly.