Key Aspects:
- Issues with the propulsion systems have forced several itinerary changes for Norwegian Bliss.
- Four port visits on the current 7-day Alaska sailing have been shortened by up to three hours.
- While NCL is compensating guests, future itineraries are facing similar delays.
Guests aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s 168,028 gross ton Norwegian Bliss just got a last-minute shake-up to their Alaska cruise itinerary.
The seven-day sailing departed from Seattle on May 30, 2026, at 4:00 pm, with the sailing including calls to Sitka, Juneau, Holkham Bay Glacier Fjords, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan, and Victoria in Canada before returning to Seattle on June 6.
Shortly after boarding, however, guests were met with a notice from Captain Viktor Vranic informing them that a propulsion issue would affect their itinerary.
“Our vessel is currently experiencing a technical issue affecting one of our propulsion systems,” the notice read. “Please be assured that at no time does this situation impact the safety of our guests or crew. However, In order to allow our technical teams to thoroughly address the matter, adjustments to our planned itinerary will be necessary.”
Norwegian Bliss is outfitted with the ABB Azipod XO electrical propulsion system. While this electric motor system is designed for easy maneuverability and reliability in difficult sailing conditions, like the icy conditions faced during an Alaska cruise, it appears something has affected its ability to run at its full capabilities, possibly affecting the ship’s overall cruising speed.
This has led to significant delays at four scheduled port stops.
The stop in Sitka on June 1 was delayed by two hours, arriving at 12:00 p.m. instead of the originally scheduled 10:00 a.m. The following day, the arrival in Juneau was delayed by half an hour, arriving at 7:00 a.m. instead of 6:30 a.m. Holkham Bay Glacier Fjords later that evening and Icy Strait Point the following morning on June 3 remained unchanged.
The delays kicked back into gear the following day on June 4, with the 6:00 a.m. stop in Ketchikan being delayed until 6:30 a.m. The final stop in Victoria on June 5 will be the most delayed, arriving three hours later than planned, at 11:00 p.m. instead of 8:00 p.m.
The departure times remain unchanged from all ports, meaning that guests will not be able to make up the lost time on the backend, and will get less time in port than expected.
Victoria is the most affected by these changes. With the departure time set for 11:59 p.m., just an hour after arrival, any plans guests may have had to briefly explore the Canadian city have been thoroughly quashed.
Despite the disappointment of these delays, the itinerary remains more or less intact, with all ports remaining, if somewhat shortened.
Propulsion issues can have drastic impacts on cruise itineraries, even removing popular ports altogether, as recently happened on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, which Cruise Hive reported on May 27, 2026.
How Will Guests Be Compensated?
A delay can greatly impact plans, especially for those with excursions booked at specific times.
Norwegian Cruise Line assured guests that any impacted shore excursions booked through Norwegian will be automatically cancelled, and the funds refunded to the guest’s onboard account.
Additionally, as compensation for the lost time and any difficulty it may cause, Norwegian provided guests with $100 of non-refundable onboard credit per stateroom.
Future Cruises Affected
While the propulsion issues appear minor, it seems as though Norwegian Cruise Line is not confident about the prospect of a quick and permanent fix.
A passenger booked on the June 13, 2026 sailing aboard the 4,010-guest capacity ship posted to Reddit about the impact the issues have had on their upcoming itinerary.
“Just got a note from Norwegian that due to propulsion system maintenance, ALL of the port schedules have shortened for Jun 13 sailing, ending with a 59 min stop in Victoria (ha!). How rare/normal is something like this? Worth complaining about?” the guest posted.
Five stops on that identical seven-day Alaska itinerary were shortened. Sitka has been shortened by an hour and half, Juneau, Icy Strait Point, and Ketchikan by half an hour each, and Victoria has once again been shortened by three whole hours.
The sailing between these two cruises, an identical itinerary departing June 6, 2026, also seems to be affected, with guests taking to Facebook to express their frustration.
“All port times have been shortened,” one guest commented. “Sitka is 1 and 1/2 hrs shorter! I had the shuttle booked for 10:45am. They will not be in port until 11:30am. Now the only time available is at 1:30pm!”
Norwegian Bliss most recently underwent a major dry dock refurbishment from January 17, 2025 to February 2, 2025. While she is not due for another dry dock for another year or two, these issues make one wonder if her maintenance schedule ought to be moved up.
