A new rhythm is guiding travellers — and it’s one that’s unhurried, immersive, and deeply intentional. Known as “slow travel”, this trend’s roots trace back to Italy’s Slow Food and Cittaslow movements — emphasising local traditions, environmental awareness, and depth over breadth in tourism. In today’s context, it's a response to the fatigue of packed itineraries and bustling tourist traps; instead embracing relaxation, cultural connection and meaningful engagement with each place visited.
Mastercard’s "Value of Experience" report indicated a 40% increase in travellers seeking “meaningful, immersive activities” this year, while Forbes, Slow Travel News and others predicted that “silent travel”, “quietcations” and “radical sabbaticals” would become essential to many travellers in 2025 and beyond. To date, these forecasts have been accurate: the slow travel trend has been big in 2025, and continues to gain momentum.
As Europe grapples with overtourism reaching unsustainable levels, slow travel offers not only respite but a potential solution for harmony between visitors and locals. Destinations like the Greek island of Zakynthos have seen staggering visitor pressure — up to 150 overnight stays per resident — while Paris and Mallorca rank among Europe's most crowded spots, with Paris hosting nearly 49 million tourists in 2024 and Mallorca tallying over 51 million overnight stays annually.
In response, protests have flared up — from Montmartre residents denouncing the “Disneyfication” of their neighborhood to Greeks taking to the streets to rally against increasingly unaffordable summer stays in their homeland. Such pressure has prompted widespread interventions: Greece now levies €20 per cruise passenger visiting Santorini or Mykonos during the peak, Portofino enforces a strict dress code with fines up to €500, and Venice has expanded its day-trip entry fee programme to curb overcrowding.
In this fraught landscape, slow tourism — with longer stays, fewer busy hotspots and immersive local experiences — can ease congestion, support resident well-being and protect cultural authenticity, and luxury cruise holidays are perfectly positioned to cater to this growing demand.
Cruising naturally lends itself to slow travel: unpack once, immerse deeply, soak in multiple destinations — all at a relaxing pace. New innovations and itinerary trends across the cruise industry increasingly support this synergy, such as:
Extended & Overnight Port Stays: Cruise lines are adding more immersive stops, while extended itineraries now offered by many lines allow for fewer rushed calls at port and more time ashore.
Authentic Cultural Immersion: Cruise guests are increasingly drawn to itineraries that root them in local life — featuring culinary experiences, cultural talks and land tours, all of which blend onboard enrichment with destination discovery.
Nature-Oriented 'Coolcations': A growing trend sees travellers swapping sun-soaked beaches for cooler, scenic destinations — think fjords, northern lights and natural landscapes.
These shifts underscore how cruises — once seen as only fast-paced, mass tourism leisure travel — now offer slow travel seekers the option to go slower and deeper.
Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) is a stalwart of the cruise industry, and has been doing “slow travel” long before it became a trend. The cruise line’s itineraries offer passengers a blend of relaxed sea days with enough time to explore ports of call, like these three sought-after European cruise itineraries:
Step into Europe’s storybook past — wander London’s landmarks, lose yourself in Amsterdam’s canals and savour an overnight stay in Hamburg with time for Lübeck’s medieval magic. History, charm and culture, all in one unforgettable week.
Go Here With Sure: NCL is offering 50% off its 7-Night England, Germany and Belgium cruise if booked by 11 September 2025; now priced at R24,553 pps (discount included in rate). Plus quoted rate includes an upgrade to NCL’s More at Sea package: Premium Beverage Package; Speciality Dining Package; Wi-Fi Minutes Package; Shore Excursions Credit. Full package details here.
Unpack once and wake up to a new slice of the Med almost every day. From Italy’s Amalfi Coast to France’s sun-kissed Riviera, you’ll stroll cobbled villages, sip seaside espresso and soak up dazzling views at every leisurely turn.
Go Here With Sure: NCL is offering 50% off this 7-Night Mediterranean cruise if booked by 11 September 2025; now priced at R23,802 pps (discount included in rate). Plus quoted rate includes an upgrade to NCL’s More at Sea package: Premium Beverage Package; Speciality Dining Package; Wi-Fi Minutes Package; Shore Excursions Credit. Full package details here.
This voyage feels like an epic saga — think Iceland’s wild fjords, Viking legends in Norway and Scottish castles straight out of folklore. A journey of rugged beauty, ancient history and plenty of “wow” moments along the way.
Go Here With Sure: NCL is offering 50% off this Northern Europe cruise if booked by 11 September 2025; now priced at R38,788 pps (discount included in rate). Plus quoted rate includes an upgrade to NCL’s More at Sea package: Premium Beverage Package; Speciality Dining Package; Wi-Fi Minutes Package; Shore Excursions Credit. Full package details here.
These cruise experiences — and many more on offer from NCL — align perfectly with the broad shift toward purpose-driven, experiential travel:
Detour Destinations & Off-the-Beaten-Path Travel: Choosing places like Taormina, Avaldsnes or Hamburg (instead of overrun European metropolises) reflects the growing desire to explore quieter, more authentic European locales.
Wellness & Reset-Centred Travel: Whether it’s lingering in a serene fjord, sipping coast-view coffees, or embracing Nordic quiet, these European cruise itineraries resonate with the wellness-driven, slow ethos of the moment.
Environmental and Cultural Consciousness: Slower travel minimises overtourism, supports local communities and offers more mindful movement — all values echoed in NCL's luxury cruise itineraries.
Slow travel isn’t just a passing trend in 2025; it’s a recalibration of how we value time, place and self. Cruises — once synonymous with fast-track holidays — are now powerful vehicles for meaningful, unhurried explorations.
With last minute booking deals, like NCL’s current 50% discount on all cruises booked by 11 September 2025, slow travel is now more accessible — and even more affordable. The offer includes these three top European cruise itineraries:
7-Night Europe Cruise (England, Germany and Belgium) onboard NCL Sky: NOW priced at R24,553 pps. Plus quoted rate includes an upgrade to NCL’s More at Sea package: Premium Beverage Package; Speciality Dining Package; Wi-Fi Minutes Package; Shore Excursions Credit. Full package details here.
7-Night Mediterranean Cruise (Nice, Florence and Marseille) onboard NCL Epic: NOW priced at R23,082 pps. Plus quoted rate includes an upgrade to NCL’s More at Sea package: Premium Beverage Package; Speciality Dining Package; Wi-Fi Minutes Package; Shore Excursions Credit. Full package details here.
10-Night Northern Europe Cruise (Iceland, Scotland and Norway) onboard NCL Star: NOW priced at R38,788 pps. Plus quoted rate includes an upgrade to NCL’s More at Sea package: Premium Beverage Package; Speciality Dining Package; Wi-Fi Minutes Package; Shore Excursions Credit. Full package details here.
Contact your nearest Sure Travel Agent to enquire/book a 50% discounted NCL deal today.
