Key Aspects
- Norwegian Jewel departed Philadelphia on April 16, 2026, marking the first homeport cruise sailing from the city in more than 15 years.
- The 7-night voyage visits Bermuda and Charleston, South Carolina, before returning to Philadelphia on April 23.
- The ship was delayed due to embarkation issues at the temporary PhilaPort terminal.
Philadelphia’s waterfront saw a milestone moment Thursday evening, April 16, 2026, when Norwegian Jewel departed the Port of Philadelphia as the sun began to set over the City of Brotherly Love.
It is the first regularly scheduled cruise sailing from the city in more than 15 years.
The departure marks Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) return to the Mid-Atlantic port and signals the restart of homeport cruise operations in Philadelphia after more than a decade without them.
City and state officials gathered earlier in the day aboard the ship for a ceremony recognizing the return of cruise activity to the port, and presenting the ship’s captain with a replica of the Liberty Bell, one of Philadelphia’s most recognizable symbols.
The event included Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, and leadership from PhilaPort.
“This is a defining moment for The Port of Philadelphia,” said PhilaPort executive director and CEO Jeff Theobald. “The arrival of Norwegian Cruise Line and Norwegian Jewel signals the beginning of a new chapter for our port, our city, and the entire region.”
Cruise operations from the city had largely disappeared in the early 2010s, leaving cruisegoers in the region to sail primarily from ports such as New York, Baltimore, or Florida.
NCL said restoring departures from Philadelphia gives guests in the Mid-Atlantic another convenient homeport option.
“Norwegian Cruise Line’s return to Philadelphia marks an exciting and meaningful milestone for us and the region,” said Marc Kazlauskas, president of NCL. “For the first time in over 15 years, travelers in the Mid-Atlantic area will once again be able to sail from their own backyard with us to experience everything NCL is known for.”
Kazlauskas highlighted both Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Pearl, which will be arriving later in 2026, for providing the cruise line’s “exceptional experiences our guests know and love.”
The cruise line is working with PhilaPort and local officials on a new cruise terminal intended to support passenger operations and streamline embarkation and disembarkation in the coming seasons.
However, a harsh winter delayed construction on the new terminal, requiring passengers on the first cruise and several subsequent voyages to utilize a nearby hotel as a makeshift terminal, busing to the ship for boarding, and delaying the original scheduled 4 p.m. departure by three hours.
Bermuda Sailing Launches New Itineraries
The historic sailing is a 7-night roundtrip Bermuda itinerary, with Norwegian Jewel traveling along the Delaware River to reach the Atlantic Ocean. The 93,502-gross-ton, 2,368-passenger vessel will arrive at Kings Wharf in Bermuda on April 18.
The ship will remain in port overnight before departing Bermuda on April 19. The itinerary then continues to Charleston, South Carolina, where the ship is scheduled to arrive on April 21.
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The cruise concludes with the ship returning to Philadelphia on the morning of April 23. NCL plans to operate additional Bermuda sailings from Philadelphia through August 2026.
After that, Norwegian Jewel will shift to Canada and New England itineraries to coincide with the fall foliage season.
Beginning in late 2026, Norwegian Pearl, carrying up to 2,344 passengers, will replace Norwegian Jewel and return NCL guests to Bermuda, as well as the Caribbean and the Bahamas.
Scheduled to remain based in Philadelphia through April 2028, sailings will include calls at NCL’s private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay, which is undergoing a multi-million upgrade.
