Norwegian Jade has finally departed on her next cruise, which is now dramatically altered following a full day’s delay as the ship developed propulsion difficulties at the end of her last sailing.
The ship was originally scheduled to return to Port Canaveral on Saturday, July 20, but her reduced speed meant she did not arrive until Sunday, July 21.
This has subsequently had a knock-on effect on the next sailing, which has been significantly revised with cancelled ports but is now underway. The ship did remain in port until after 10 p.m. on Sunday as repairs were made, though she had originally been scheduled to leave at 5 p.m.
Furthermore, the next itinerary – now a 6-night cruise rather than the originally planned 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing – has now been adjusted with only one port of all remaining the same.
Norwegian Jade was scheduled for visits the Puerto Plata, Tortola, and San Juan, as well as Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay. Because of the delayed departure and shortened sailing overall, the ship is unable to keep that schedule.
Instead, Norwegian Jade will visit Puerto Plata on Tuesday, July 23, instead of Monday, July 22. Fortunately, the time in port is being extended and the ship will be docked from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. instead of 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., giving guests more time to enjoy the vibrant destination.
The ship will then visit Nassau from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jul 25, followed by Great Stirrup Cay on Friday, July 26 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
While Nassau was not part of the original cruise schedule, Great Stirrup Cay was always planned for Friday. The ship will be arriving three hours earlier, however, for a longer day in port for guests to enjoy.
Guests onboard have been offered compensation for the shortened cruise and dramatic itinerary change.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding throughout the course of these updates as we know how disappointing itinerary changes can be,” the notification email acknowledged.
A $100 non-refundable credit is being given to every stateroom, and all guests are receiving a prorated refund for the shortened cruise.
The amount of the refund is based on the original fare paid, and will include any prepaid gratuities, beverage packages, and port taxes for the now-cancelled calls to Tortola and San Juan.
All guests are also receiving a 20% discount as a future cruise credit for another NCL sailing, for any published cruises through December 31, 2025.
Will the Next Cruise Be Impacted?
Norwegian Jade‘s return to Port Canaveral at the end of the cruise is still on schedule for early Saturday morning, July 27.
At this time, there is no indication that any additional itineraries may be impacted, but guests booked on upcoming sailings should stay in close contact with Norwegian Cruise Line in case of further updates or adjustments.
The exact technical nature of the problem has not been disclosed, but Norwegian Jade was traveling very slowly on her return to Port Canaveral at the end of her last sailing. Engineers worked on the ship while docked at her homeport, and now she is sailing at full speed en route to Puerto Plata.
At no time have any safety or navigation systems been impacted on the vessel, and likewise, the ship’s hotel and entertainment activities are fully operational.
Read Also: Norwegian Cruise Ships – Newest to Oldest
The 93,558-gross-ton, Jewel-class Norwegian Jade can welcome 2,402 guests aboard at double occupancy, or up to 3,590 travelers when fully booked. Also onboard are approximately 1,000 international crew members.
As a matter of interest, the ship was originally Pride of Hawaii, but was renamed in 2008 when her service area was changed.