NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE TO SAIL FROM JAXPORT BEGINNING IN 2025

The 2,394-Passenger Norwegian Gem will Offer Seasonal Cruise Service from Jacksonville, Fla., Beginning November 2025

Norwegian Cruise Line will start to sail from JAXPORT in 2025. The JAXPORT Board of Directors has unanimously approved an agreement for a three-year cruise operation with Norwegian Cruise Line to provide passenger cruise service from Jacksonville, FL beginning in November 2025. The 2,394-guest capacity Norwegian Gem will homeport in Jacksonville, from November to April every year through 2028. The ship will offer seasonal cruises to The Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean.

When Norwegian Gem arrives at JAXPORT in November 2025, it will mark the first time NCL homeports here. The city is a growing drive-to cruise market. It has more than 98 million consumers living within driving distance of the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal.

“Today marks a new milestone in the relationship between Norwegian Cruise Line and JAXPORT,” said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. “We look forward to Norwegian Gem’s arrival to Jacksonville in November 2025, and welcoming guests from the area, as well as neighboring cities and states, on board to deliver them an exceptional vacation. Thank you to the entire JAXPORT team for the partnership and welcoming us into your city!”

Norwegian Gem Itineraries

Norwegian Gem will sail immersive tropical getaways each year. She will offer three 12-day and two 11-day roundtrip Eastern Caribbean sailings from Jacksonville. These itineraries will call in the tropical destinations of Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas and St. John’s, U.S. Virgin Islands; Antigua; St. Kitts; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and more.

The ship will also sail a series of four- and five-day cruises to The Bahamas. These sailings will call to Great Stirrup Cay, Freeport, and Nassau.

Sailings will be available to book beginning Feb. 15, 2024 on ncl.com.

“Expanding our popular cruise program provides passengers throughout the Southeast U.S. and beyond with even more reasons to choose Jacksonville for their next vacation,” said JAXPORT CEO Eric Green. “We thank Norwegian Cruise Line for their partnership and look forward to working with them to attract more tourism, and the jobs and economic impact it supports, to our community.”

More on Norwegian Gem

Norwegian Gem’s amenities include a magnificent spa, pool with panoramic views, and a variety of award-winning specialty restaurants and bars. There’s also world-class entertainment, an arcade, a casino, and Splash Academy, NCL’s complimentary youth program.

To provide travelers with the best value at sea, Norwegian’s Free at Sea offer provides guests with six free perks including free unlimited open bar, free companion airfare, and more.

NCL has an endless number of sailings for cruisers to choose from across its 19-ship fleet as the Company sails to 450 destinations around the globe including Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean and more. 

More on JAXPORT Cruise Terminal

JAXPORT is a full-service international cargo and cruise seaport in Jacksonville, FL. In addition to a passenger cruise terminal, the port also owns, maintains, and markets three cargo terminals and two intermodal rail yards along the St. Johns River. The JAXPORT Cruise Terminal is located just minutes from major interstates, including I-10 and I-95, with fast access to and from Jacksonville International Airport.

The cruise industry in Jacksonville is responsible for nearly 800 jobs and more than $187 million in annual economic impact for Northeast Florida, according to a 2019 study. Sixty percent of travelers surveyed cited easy access to the port as the primary reason for cruising out of Jacksonville. And more than three-quarters of passengers surveyed said they would be “very likely” to return to Jacksonville for a future vacation.

SOURCE Norwegian Cruise Line

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