New ship’s alternative route reduces the cruise crush in Venice

There’s one place to be at sunset in Trieste. At the Molo Audace or Bold Wharf, which juts into the bay across from the Piazza Unita d’Italia, couples hold hands, families buy gelato and children dangle their feet above the lapping water as gliding seabirds and bobbing ducks join as extras in this nightly spectacle. Soon a touch of pink in the sky softens the Italian light even further, until the cast gathered here is bathed in a rosy glow that deepens by the second.

Norwegian Viva, pictured arriving in Lisbon on her maiden voyage. It marks her Europe debut.

Trieste, in north-east Italy, with its Grand Canal, Austro-Hungarian grandeur and proximity to Slovenia, has been a maritime hub since the 1700s. In fact, directly under the feet of those on the pier is the wreck of the San Carol which ran aground close to shore in 1740 and was used as a basis for the wharf’s construction. But it’s the hulking visitor berthed across from the Molo Audace on this hot August night that is helping to write a new chapter in this seafaring history. The gleaming new Norwegian Viva with its distinctive purple markings is making its European debut with a nine-day sailing to Portugal, heralding a new option for those wanting to experience Italy while helping to ease pressure on cruise-crowded Venice, about 90 minutes away by road. We have joined for a section of the cruise, leaving from this city that is wooing Venetian diehards, and disembarking in Civitavecchia near Rome.

Trieste de resistance

The Piazza San Marco. St Mark’s Basilica. Canals and gondolas. Narrow winding streets. You, and the millions of other visitors who cram into Venice, get the picture. But we are among the first to sail on Norwegian Cruise Line’s new ship, Norwegian Viva, and so are bypassing the canal city after arriving at its Marco Polo Airport. Instead, we are heading 160 kilometres by road to Trieste.

Grand pastel-coloured buildings line the canal.Credit: iStock

The road is a good one and Venice’s less-than-romantic outskirts soon give way to small vineyards, farmhouses, and the occasional field of sunflowers, all suffused with that soft light that causes Australians to first wipe their sunglasses in puzzlement before the delightful connection is made.

But the real joys of the journey appear just outside this ancient city that sits between the Adriatic and Slovenia’s mountain peaks. Grand pastel-coloured buildings with ornate facades, geranium-filled balconies and fairytale towers appear on hillsides to our left, while on the right, swimmers and sunbathers stretch on deckchairs or chat in groups along a beachfront dotted with coffee and wine bars, red-flowering oleanders and gelato carts. But this is a mere teaser. In minutes we are in the wide streets of the city where architectural marvels such as the Palazzo del Municipio vie for attention alongside the grandest of grand squares, the Piazza Unita d’Italione, one of the few in Europe to face the water.

Miramare Castle (Castello di Miramare) seems to float on the Gulf of Trieste.Credit: iStock

There are other unforgettable options for prospective cruisers planning to spend time here: the white 19th-century Miramare Castle which seems to float on the Gulf of Trieste; Roman ruins or a trip to nearby Slovenia. And James Joyce fans can track this one-time resident’s footsteps in Trieste, sight the apartment he lived in, the bookstore he frequented and take a selfie with his statue.

By late afternoon street restaurants are abuzz yet not crowded and getting a table is no problem in mid-August. After watching the sunset from the pier, we marvel that this city is like a film set, albeit an authentic one that is easy to navigate. And as it turns out we are not the only ones. We are told that a red carpet and a police escort we spotted earlier belong to a film crew working on the latest Idris Elba blockbuster.

The ship-shape of things to come

The next day, boarding is smooth, despite growing excitement that we will be sailing on a brand new ship. First some history: Norwegian Viva is NCL’s second ship in its Prima class, the first being the Norwegian Prima, which set sail last year with much fanfare.

Norwegian Viva includes all of the bells and whistles of the Prima, such as the three-level Viva Speedway go-kart racetrack – which is so quiet we don’t realise at first that it’s operating – and wet and dry water slides.

But it’s the less adrenaline-filled features, such as the Ocean Boulevard walkway with 360-degree views that winds around the ship, that make the biggest first impressions and add to a surprising feeling of space. (Norwegian Viva holds a maximum of 3219 guests and is about half-full on her first voyage.)

Norwegian Viva’s lounge spaces are enhanced by a soothing palette of natural tones.

There are plenty of private spots on deck to sit with a book or a drink and these are enhanced by a soothing palette of natural tones. Then there’s the Infinity Beach and pool where you can swim up to the horizon; the Oceanwalk glass bridge where you can walk on water; the outdoor sculpture garden on the Concourse and the Beetlejuice The Musical production, which sadly we will miss on this leg.

Norwegian Viva has the most spacious cabins in the NCL fleet and our Balcony Stateroom is light and airy, more like a hotel room, with glass doors to the balcony and clever wardrobe and bathroom space. Finally, what better place for some one-upmanship than when you are on one? When pressed, Captain Giorgio Voussolinoss says that having Norwegian Prima as almost a prototype ship means some improvements were able to be made on Norwegian Viva: so the mattresses are more comfortable, the vanity lighting brighter, and the showers have more pressure: straight from the captain’s mouth.

Tonight we dine on dumplings and satay at specialty restaurant Food Republic.

Let’s Split

The haze in the distance comes into focus. Yachts, white-washed buildings, towering rock faces: Split, Croatia. We head out early on a drive past the industrial port and stark yet fairytale-ish Game of Thrones ruins to Stella Croatica, a family-run olive farm, winery and museum, for a wine-tasting.

Split waterfront in Dalmatia, Croatia: this is Game of Thrones country.Credit: iStock

On paper this excursion looks pleasant; in reality it is exceptional, with the museum being voted one of the best in Europe. We wander through Mediterranean gardens and sample olives, cured meats, cheese, wine, olive oil (lovingly touted as the only health and beauty product you’ll ever need) with crusty bread, and traditional delicacies made by the Dabelic family over generations. Here, we learn that for the most part, supermarket cold-pressed olive oil is lamp oil, a grade of oil so low that the Romans saw it as being only fit for fuel. To reiterate that point, Roman oil lamps are on display on that wall. Yes, the Roman history here is mind-boggling.

As mentioned, this is Game of Thrones country and while some head out for an all-day pilgrimage, we, too, run into some scene-stealers with a visit to Split’s Old Town which has a car-free centre and is built around the World Heritage-listed Diocletian’s Palace, built for this Roman Emperor at the end of the third century.

One section of the royal abode is still being uncovered, including a pit where Romans threw their food waste over centuries. The palace can be spotted by Game of Thrones fans for being, among other things, the place where Daenerys kept her dragons. In a maze of ancient streets around it are good restaurants, cafes and bars and directly opposite is The Riva, the harbour promenade.

The palace, and our restaurant lunch of risotto, white fish and a salted chocolate mousse is compelling, but it is hot, it’s busy and being greeted by ice water and a cold towel as we return to the ship reminds us how easy cruise travel is.

All at sea

On sea days, head for some water-therapy pampering at The Thermal Suite.

Some choose not to leave ships at ports, preferring to luxuriate in floating comfort. Today is a sea day so we vow to try this out, but there is so much to do. After a breakfast at the complimentary Hudson’s (270-degree ocean views, white tablecloths, table service) we head for some pampering at the Mandara Spa, then to the Thermal Suite where we enter pools of varying temperatures and are pummelled by hot jets before being deposited on lounge chairs to lap up tea and ocean views.

The Local Bar & Grill is next for the agony and ecstasy of watching the Matildas’ penalty shoot-out among enthusiastic, if somewhat perplexed, Americans; and then there’s some virtual game play at the Galaxy Pavillion where we also check to see if some Escape Room volunteers actually escaped (they did). A pitstop on deck at a self-serve soft-serve ice-cream machine is essential as we head to the comfort of a shady lounge for lunch.

Cocktail hour is time to hit The Metropolitan Bar with its 53-metre interactive butterfly artwork for a Cafe Replay, a sustainable cocktail similar to an espresso martini that uses leftover coffee grounds from the ship’s kitchens. This is part of wider NCL environment plan (including commitments to halving emissions by 2030 and to be emissions-free by 2050) to save on food wastage and food miles. Tonight we dine on water views and Mediterranean seafood at Palomar specialty restaurant.

Pompeii and circumstance

“I’m so glad we found the brothel”. These are words I’m unlikely to ever utter again in my lifetime. But I am glad. We’re just finishing a three-hour visit to Pompeii and those who have been here before tell us that this bit of the living museum that was once engulfed by lava must not be missed – if just for the drawings on the walls.

Ancient walls in Pompeii with volcano Vesuvius in the background.Credit: iStock

And they are right. Pompeii, with its incredibly preserved theatre, houses, tiles and artworks is one of those destinations many want to visit, but can be put off by the logistics when travelling in a busy European summer.

When we discover Norwegian Viva can drop us here by bus after we dock in Salerno, we jump at the chance, while others opt for a similar excursion to Sorrento.

This is where a European cruise comes into its own: we take our time walking with an audio guide through these streets preserved forever as they were in 79AD thanks to Mount Vesuvius, then head through crowds of sweaty visitors to our air-conditioned bus.

Later, as Norwegian Viva begins to pull away from the port of Salerno with its crumbling castle on top of a hill, we watch as dozens line the wharf to wave. Whether it’s because of this, the accompanying sounds of Con te Partiro (Time to say Goodbye), or that second Cafe Replay, we feel our emotions rush to the fore.

Tonight we enjoy our final dinner on board with – what else – but Italian at Onda by Scarpetta.

THE DETAILS

Cruise

A nine-day Greek Isles cruise on Norwegian Viva departs Trieste on August 22, 2024. It visits 10 ports, including Split, Istanbul, Santorini. From $4990 a person including beverage package, specialty dining, Wi-Fi, shore excursion.

A 10-day Mediterranean: Italy, Greece and Croatia cruise departs Rome (Civitavecchia), August 12, 2024, visiting 11 ports including Trieste. From $3825. See ncl.com

The writer was a guest of NCL.