Bookings are live for Norwegian Bella, Norwegian Cruise Line's newest and joint-largest ship, which will launch its first Mediterranean season in May 2028. The debut program is a simple one: seven-day roundtrips from Barcelona, calling at places like Rome, Florence, Salerno, Marseille and Palma de Mallorca. It's a neat setup for anyone wanting to bolt a Spanish city stay onto the front or back of a European summer cruise.

The ship itself is the sixth and final vessel in NCL's Prima Class, built by Italian shipyard Fincantieri at around 344 metres and 170,000 gross tonnes — roughly 10 per cent bigger than earlier Prima Plus ships Norwegian Aqua and Norwegian Luna. It carries 3,921 guests at double occupancy across nearly 2,000 staterooms, and the hull art comes from Australian artist George Rose, a nice point of conversation for Antipodean passengers.

The headline attraction is Ocean Heights, an activity zone spanning decks 18 to 21. Expect side-by-side Eclipse Racers waterslides, a four-person raft ride, a dry slide dropping ten decks, a ropes course, mini golf and a harness-free climbing structure. The pool deck grows more than 15 per cent versus sister ships, adding an infinity hot tub and a big entertainment screen, and the zone doubles as an evening hangout with LED projections.

Families are clearly the target: Adventure Alley caters to six-to-10-year-olds, Surf's Bay gives teenagers their own space, and there's a kids' aqua park plus two family slides. A wraparound promenade on deck eight includes Infinity Beach with daybeds and hot tubs, and Horizon Park on deck 19 offers lawn games away from the splash zones. Adults aren't forgotten — Vibe Beach Club is a quieter, adults-only retreat with an oceanfront bar.

At the premium end, The Haven complex sits aft with 159 suites, private elevators, a sundeck with infinity pool, sauna and cold room, plus butler service and priority boarding. Solo travellers should look into the studio cabins.

One practical caveat from the itinerary: Rome is reached via Civitavecchia and Florence via Livorno, both a fair drive from the actual cities, so time ashore is shorter than the port names suggest. Check each departure's port order and hours before committing if city sightseeing is the priority.

Fares can be bundled with NCL's Free at Sea package, covering drinks, speciality dining, Wi-Fi and excursion credits depending on the deal, and some sailings discount third and fourth guests in a cabin. Worth doing the maths on what's genuinely included versus onboard extras.

Who's this for? Families and multigenerational groups get the most obvious fit, but couples who like big-ship entertainment with quieter daytime corners are well served too. With sailing dates years out, cabins on a brand-new ship in peak European summer will sell — booking early matters, especially for specific room types.