Since most cruise ships operate back-to-back sailings, where they disembark and re-embark on the same day, it’s quite common for disembarkation to begin early in the morning.
But on Norwegian Gem’s upcoming voyage on December 2, 2024, the disembarkation process will essentially commence in the middle of the night.
The 19-ship cruise line wrote to guests to inform them that they would need to be ready to leave the ship as early as 4 a.m. local time when their 9-night, one way sailing concludes on December 11, 2024.
“The embarkation time for your upcoming cruise on board the beautiful Norwegian Gem on December 2, 2024, has been updated, and will now commence at 4:00 a.m. local time,” the cruise line wrote in an email to impacted guests and travel agents.
NCL stated that all guests who arranged airfare directly through the cruise line would be provided with new flights automatically.
The brand also offered to reimburse up to $300 (USD) per person in change fees for independently booked flights, but didn’t provide any further compensation as of the time of publication.
The December 2 voyage is the first of two unique Panama Canal cruises – as the 2,394-guest ship typically homeports in Miami, Florida.
After departing from Miami, this sailing will call on Puerto Plata / Amber Cove, Dominican Republic; Catalina Island, Dominican Republic; Willemstad, Curacao; and Oranjestad, Aruba; before arriving in Panama City, Panama, for an overnight visit and disembarkation.
The 93,530-gross ton vessel then departs Panama City on December 11 – the same day the previous cruise disembarks – to return to Miami, from where she will offer a variety of sailings throughout the Caribbean and the Bahamas until Mid-August of 2025.
The Reason for the Change
While Norwegian Cruise Line didn’t give an exact reason for why the extra early disembarkation was necessary, the letter they sent out strongly insinuates the change was made to be more environmentally friendly.
“We are committed to providing the best vacations at sea and have been working tirelessly to continue elevating the quality of the overall guest experience while positively impacting society and the environment,” said the cruise line.
“As we continue to optimize itineraries for fuel efficiency, as part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, enhanced turnaround operations, as well as global maritime regulations, we have adjusted the original itinerary,” continued the letter from NCL.
This also wouldn’t be the first time Norwegian has made itinerary changes for the purposes of sustainability.
For example, in January of 2023, the cruise line shortened Norwegian Getaway’s call on San Juan, Puerto Rico, in order to be more environmentally conscious.
The purpose of this change was that it would enable the 3,963-guest ship to sail to its next port of call at slower speeds, which is more fuel efficient and results in lower emissions.
Read Also: Cruise Industry on Track for 2050 Environmental Goals
Indeed, the popular cruise line has doubled down in its commitment to sustainability through the brand’s Sail & Sustain program, which was created to reduce NCL’s negative environmental impact.
Through the program, the cruise line has prioritized measures like optimizing wastewater treatment onboard, improving recycling, and connecting to shoreside power whenever the option is available.
The cruise line has also found more creative ways to go green, such as by serving zero-waste cocktails at the Metropolitan Bar aboard Norwegian Prima – in addition to reducing food waste in other ways.
More recently in August of 2024, Norwegian Cruise Line began rolling out new, reusable serveware that is partially made from recycled materials for room service orders.
So far, the bento-box style dishes are already in use on Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Prima – and will likely be spotted on more ships in the near future.
