NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE TO REDEPLOY EIGHT ADDITIONAL SHIPS
Company’s Great Cruise Comeback to Continue with Planned Resumption of Operations from Highly Sought-After Destinations Around the World
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel with a 54-year history of breaking boundaries, today announced that it will resume operations from additional U.S. and international ports this fall.
Guests will once again sail aboard Norwegian Breakaway, Encore, Escape, Pearl, Jewel, Sun, Spirit and Norwegian’s Pride of America to explore Hawaii, the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Asia and much more. Earlier this week, NCL also announced its return to Seattle for the Alaska cruise season, with a start date of Aug. 7, 2021. Voyages expected to operate in the U.S. are contingent on obtaining a Conditional Sailing Certificate from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”).
Today the Company announced its redeployment plans for the following ships:
- Norwegian Joy will cruise from Miami beginning Oct. 19, 2021 with five to 11-day Caribbean voyages.
- Norwegian Breakaway will cruise seven-day itineraries to Bermuda from New York beginning Oct. 24, 2021.
- Pride of America will offer seven-day Hawaii interisland voyages from Honolulu beginning Nov. 6, 2021.
- Norwegian Bliss will cruise from Los Angeles for seven-day Mexican Riviera voyages beginning Nov. 7, 2021.
- Norwegian Encore will offer seven-night itineraries from Miami to the Caribbean beginning Nov. 14, 2021.
- Beginning Nov. 20, 2021, Norwegian Escape will cruise for the first time from Orlando (Port Canaveral), Fla., offering seven-day itineraries to the Caribbean.
- Norwegian Pearl will sail from Miami offering Panama Canal, Bahamas and Caribbean cruises beginning Dec. 23, 2021.
- Beginning Jan. 20, 2022, Norwegian Jewel will be the first ship in the fleet to offer roundtrip Panama Canal cruises from Panama City (Colón and Fuerte Amador).
- Norwegian Sun will sail for the first time in Asia beginning Jan. 28, 2022, offering a five-day Japan itinerary from Hong Kong, before sailing a variety of 11-day cruises from Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.
- Norwegian Spirit will cruise 12-day Australia and New Zealand voyages from Sydney, and Auckland, New Zealand beginning Feb. 9, 2022.
Further redeployments will be announced in the near future.
“When we first welcome our guests aboard Norwegian Jade this July, it will be exactly 500 days since our ships last sailed,” said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “I am so happy that we’re finally getting back to what we love the most, and I’m very proud that we continue to redeploy our fleet methodically. We always said we wouldn’t rush to sail again, but that we’d get back to it when we felt we could do so safely while maintaining our incomparable guest experience. Our efforts to resume cruising safely will continue to be slow and steady, guided by the science-backed protocols of our SailSAFE™ health and safety program and in collaboration with our destination partners as well as with a variety of governing bodies. We cannot wait to see our guests rediscover the world and make memories with their loved ones again.”
In conjunction with today’s redeployment announcement, the Cruise Line has canceled all voyages on Pride of America through Oct. 30, 2021; Norwegian Escape through Nov. 2, 2021; Norwegian Jewel through Jan. 9, 2022; Norwegian Pearl through Dec. 7, 2021; Norwegian Spirit through Jan. 28, 2022; Norwegian Sun through Jan. 18, 2022; and the Oct. 24, 2021 itinerary aboard Norwegian Bliss.
Due to the previously disclosed lead time needed to relaunch a vessel and in order to maximize the short Alaska cruise season, the cruise line has made the decision to transfer crew from Norwegian Joy to Alaska and has canceled itineraries aboard Norwegian Joy from Montego Bay, Jamaica. Guests and Travel Partners with impacted reservations will be contacted directly.
The Cruise Line’s Peace of Mind cancelation policy remains in effect for guests sailing on cruises with embarkation dates through Oct. 31, 2021. These guests have the flexibility to cancel their cruise 15 days prior to departure. Those who take advantage of the Peace of Mind policy will receive a full refund in the form of a future cruise credit which may be applied to any sailing through Dec. 31, 2022. In addition, the Company is extending its 60-day final payment requirement to all voyages with embarkations through Dec. 31, 2021, instead of the standard 120 days, allowing for more flexible booking.
NCL will continue its measured approach to redeploying its fleet, working in partnership with destination partners, governing bodies and the leading experts of the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council. The Council will regularly evaluate the robust protocols of the SailSAFE health and safety program and make science-based decisions to protect guests, crew and the destinations it visits. As protocols evolve and are modified and additional information becomes available, updates will be published at www.ncl.com/sail-safe.
Travelers seeking the latest details about NCL’s redeployment should click here.
For more information about the Company’s award-winning 17-ship fleet and worldwide itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional, call 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784) or visit www.ncl.com.
SOURCE Norwegian Cruise Line
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1 comment
James C.
We have been very disappointed in NCL and their manipulation of FCC’s. We originally signed up for a May, ’20, Pride of America cruise. They canceled our cruise to do maintenance on the ship and we agreed to reschedule our trip earlier, in April, rather than get a refund. Then Covid struck and the April cruise was canceled. NCL would not refund our money because of the maintenance change and we were forced to reschedule for April, ’21. They gave us an additional 10% off and onboard ship credits to compensate, and then offered everyone the 30% off and feebies.
Then they canceled the April, ’21 cruise, due to Covid. What was awful was that, when we rescheduled for Sept., ’21, they took away our onboard credits and raised the price, of the same suite, by $600.00. They said their costs had gone up. What about our opportunity cost of having $13,000 tied up in this endless game they play with FCC policy?
We now have re-booked for Sept., ’22, with not even a thank you for helping to keep their butts afloat during the pandemic. The pandemic is not their fault, but when I hear them crow about the billions of dollars they are bringing in in ’22 when they get going again, the least they could do is consider the pain they have caused those who have been cancelled 4 times while they have our vacation money in their bank. I hope the thousands of passengers that have been caught in this mess will join with my family and everyone I can get the word out to, that this will be the last time that we will have anything to do with Norwegian Screwz Line.