Norwegian Cruise Line has begun announcing new itineraries and cruise destinations for its 2026 deployment, including the exciting addition of the Port of Philadelphia as a new US homeport.
Norwegian Jewel will be based from the City of Brotherly Love from April through October, offering coveted Bermuda itineraries for passengers to enjoy.
The ship’s first sailing will be from April 16, 2026. Norwegian Jewel’s itineraries will be from 7-9 nights to Bermuda, offering overnight calls to Royal Naval Dockyard so visitors have ample time to explore the beauty of the destination and its iconic pink sand beaches.
The sailings also include a call to Charleston, South Carolina, for guests to enjoy that historic city’s unique southern hospitality.
“We remain committed to delivering more experiences for our guests to create unforgettable memories, so they can vacation better with us,” said David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. “We are particularly proud to partner with PhilaPort to launch cruising in the area, making it even more accessible to the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region.”
In addition to the Bermuda sailings, Norwegian Jewel will also offer two fall foliage Canada and New England sailings from Philadelphia, departing on Saturday, September 5 and Saturday, September 26, 2026. These 11-night, one-way cruises to Quebec will visit charming ports along the way, including Boston, Bar Harbor, Saint John, Halifax, Sydney, and more.
No other cruise lines utilize Philadelphia as a homeport or port of call. The closest homeports to the city are the ports in New York and New Jersey, as well as Norfolk, Virginia. By offering sailings from Philadelphia, Norwegian Cruise Line is making cruising even more convenient for the 1.6 million residents of the city, as well as providing another convenient homeport for the mid-Atlantic region.
“The Port of Philadelphia is extremely excited to partner with Norwegian Cruise Line, one of the world’s premier cruise lines,” said Jeff Theobald, executive director and CEO of PhilaPort. “Philadelphia has so much to offer, as the birthplace of freedom and the home to much of our nation’s history, we look forward to connecting cruisers with our world class city.”
This gives travelers the outstanding opportunity to also spend time in Philadelphia either before or after their sailings, exploring all the unique city has to offer – from immersing in US history at Independence Hall to sampling authentic Philly cheesesteak, to running up the famous “Rocky Steps.”
The new sailings from Philadelphia are now available for booking, with great deals for guests eager to set sail from the new homeport.
New Cruise Terminal Being Developed
Norwegian Cruise Line’s sailings from Philadelphia are nearly two years away, and in the meantime, the city is developing a new cruise terminal at the SouthPort Marine Terminal Complex.
The original cruise terminal closed in 2011, following an economic downturn and dwindling cruises in the area owing to the challenges of navigating the Delaware River.
The new terminal is just downriver from the SS United States at Pier 82, which is currently embroiled in a legal battle over docking fees. The iconic ship is searching for a new home, and it is possible that the return of cruising to Philadelphia may help highlight the aging ocean liner’s struggles and raise awareness of her needs.
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Ahead of her move to Philadelphia, the 93,502-gross-ton Norwegian Jewel is currently offering Alaska itineraries from Vancouver, Seward, and Seattle, before the ship will move to Tampa to spend the winter of 2024-2025 in the Caribbean. The summer of 2025 will see her homeported from Boston, before another winter in Tampa before she arrives in Philadelphia.
Norwegian Jewel can welcome 2,376 guests aboard at each sailing, and is also home to approximately 1,100 international crew members.