Update (10/25/2025): USA Today confirmed with Norwegian Cruise Line that 63 individuals were rescued. The rescued individuals were transported to Kalamata, Greece, according to the cruise line.
Passengers aboard Norwegian Epic experienced an unexpected change during their 11-day Mediterranean cruise after the ship diverted to rescue dozens of migrants stranded at sea.
The Norwegian Cruise Line vessel, which departed from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, on October 21, 2025, was scheduled to visit Santorini, Athens, Mykonos, Valletta, Sicily, Salerno, Livorno, and Cannes before returning to Rome on November 1, 2025.
After a day at sea en route to the Greek Isles, Norwegian Epic’s crew encountered a distressed 30-foot sailboat adrift in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.
According to a passenger’s firsthand account shared on Reddit, “Last night we had to stop in the middle of the Med and rescue 67 migrants that were in a 30-foot sailboat. It took a few hours for the crew to get them onboard the ship.”
Initially, the plan was for the rescued individuals to be transferred to the Greek Coast Guard near Santorini, Norwegian Epic’s first scheduled port of call. However, passengers awoke the following morning to find the ship docking instead at an unplanned port on mainland Greece.
“We were supposed to hand them over to the Greek Coast Guard in Santorini, our first stop. But when I woke up this morning, we were pulling into a random port on mainland Greece. I guess the Greek authorities wanted them there and not on the island of Santorini. Now we have missed Santorini,” the passenger wrote.
“Really bummed — this is my second time trying to get to Santorini.”
NCL Epic’s current position and itinerary
According to CruiseMapper.com, Norwegian Epic is located in the Eastern Mediterranean at coordinates 36.38747° N / 22.83733° E, cruising at a speed of approximately 10 knots (19 km/h | 12 mph) en route to Piraeus (Athens), Greece.
Norwegian Epic’s current itinerary began in Civitavecchia, Italy on October 21, 2025 and includes the following scheduled ports:
- Oct 23 – Santorini, Greece
- Oct 24 – Athens (Piraeus), Greece
- Oct 25 – Mykonos, Greece
- Oct 27 – Valletta, Malta
- Oct 28 – Siracusa, Sicily
- Oct 29 – Salerno, Italy
- Oct 30 – Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy
- Oct 31 – Cannes, France
- Nov 1 – Return to Civitavecchia (Rome)
The rescue reportedly took place during the ship’s first day at sea between Rome and Santorini, roughly halfway through the central Mediterranean. The diversion to mainland Greece means passengers missed the planned stop in Santorini, with the next scheduled destination now being Athens.
Why cruise ships must stop for maritime rescues
Under international maritime law, ships are required to render assistance to anyone in distress at sea, regardless of nationality or status.
Commercial and passenger vessels such as Norwegian Epic must respond to distress calls within their vicinity and coordinate with local authorities for transfer and care once safe.
While the missed port call has understandably disappointed guests, the ship’s actions have been widely recognized online as a necessary humanitarian response.
About Norwegian Epic
Launched in 2010, Norwegian Epic is one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s largest and most distinctive ships, known for its lively entertainment and diverse dining options.
The 155,873-gross-ton vessel can carry more than 4,100 passengers and features signature venues like the Spiegel Tent dinner show, an Ice Bar, and a massive water park.
Norwegian Epic regularly sails Mediterranean itineraries in summer and Caribbean voyages in winter, offering a mix of resort-style amenities and freestyle cruising flexibility.
The ship has also faced occasional controversy over the years, from mechanical issues and itinerary disruptions to guest complaints about its unusual stateroom bathroom layout.
I am in this cruise now. It is true that many people was not happy because of the cancellation of Santorini. But many others accepted the decision of Cap. Idar. There were small kids between the refugees (3 years old). We cannot be so inhumans not understanding.
We are on the Epic right now. Missing Santorini was a bummer, however dealing with VIATOR for the missed shore excursion has been a nightmare. They have refused to refund us even though this was a humanitarian emergency effort. I will never use them for shore excursions again.