In an update to its website travel advisory posted January 19, 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line has canceled further voyages for both the Norwegian Jewel and Pride of America cruise ships. This extends the pause in operations for Norwegian Jewel through the March 20, 2022 sailing, and voyages aboard Pride of America are now canceled through and including the April 2, 2022 sailing.
Norwegian Jewel Sailing Canceled
Guests booked aboard the March 20, 2022 sailing of the Jewel-class Norwegian Jewel will be disappointed to learn that their cruise has now been canceled. That voyage was to have been a 9-day roundtrip sailing from Panama City, Panama, visiting Costa Rica, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, and Colombia.
This cancelation is described as due to revitalization of the cruise ship, but details of that project have not been released or clarified.
Guests are understandably upset, as this cancelation comes the day after final payment for that sailing was due. While cruise lines often need to make sailing adjustments at the last minute, the timing of this announcement seems unclear.
Booked passengers will receive full refunds back to their original form of payment. If a future cruise credit (FCC) was used for the booking, that FCC will be returned to guests’ Latitudes account.
Pride of America Suspension Continues
Norwegian Cruise Line has also canceled further voyages aboard Pride of America, which was slated to resume her Hawaiian cruises on February 26. Now, Pride of America cruises through and including embarkation on April 2, 2022, have been canceled.
The 80,439-gross-ton Pride of America was slated to have begun its inter-island Hawaii itineraries on March 5. The ship typically offers 7-night round-trip voyages from Honolulu, calling on various ports around the islands to give passengers a true Hawaiian experience.
Now, Pride of America will not resume sailing until its scheduled April 9, 2022 departure.
This further suspension is likely due to ongoing health and safety restrictions in Hawaii that make it challenging to accommodate cruise travelers, especially those arriving from international flights. In recent weeks, COVID-19 cases have risen sharply in Hawaii, and local restrictions are strictly enforced to protect residents.
Pride of America was scheduled to have restarted sailings this month, but that restart has now been pushed back twice and guests will have to continue to wait before setting sail around the Hawaiian islands. As with booked passengers on other impacted sailings, full refunds will be issued back to the original form of payment.
What Norwegian Ships Are Sailing?
Norwegian Cruise Line has announced a wide range of canceled sailings in recent days, with 13 ships in their 17-ship fleet currently impacted by prior suspensions or new cancelations. The only Norwegian ships currently operating are:
- Norwegian Bliss offering 5- and 7-night Mexico cruises from Los Angeles
- Norwegian Encore sailing 7-night Caribbean itineraries from Miami
- Norwegian Epic offering 7-night Caribbean sailings from San Juan
- Norwegian Gem sailing 7- and 10-night Caribbean cruises from New York
While only these four ships are currently sailing, several more ships are scheduled to restart operations within the next few days, including Norwegian Breakaway from New Orleans, Norwegian Escape from Port Canaveral, Norwegian Dawn from Tampa, and Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Getaway, both from Miami.
Whether these ships do actually set sail or further cruises may be canceled is unknown, but passengers are advised to remain flexible in their travel plans and stay in contact with their travel advisors or Norwegian Cruise Line in case of additional changes.
