Hurricane Helene’s and Hurricane Milton’s effects are still being felt, weeks after the storms blew through Florida on September 26 and October 9, 2024, respectively.
After extensive damage to the Tampa Bay area, Port Tampa Bay, which was forced to close during both storms, is fully operational but still feeling the aftermath. This has forced Norwegian Cruise Line to adjust Norwegian Jewel’s arrival into her new homeport on November 24, 2024.
Guests sailing on the 2,376-passenger vessel’s 17-night Panama Canal repositioning cruise from Los Angeles to Tampa, scheduled to depart on November 7, 2024, have been notified of a delay in disembarkation.
“Although the port in Tampa, Florida, had exceptional post-storm coordination to return to normal operations, there are still port limitations from the recent damage caused by the hurricanes,” Norwegian Cruise Line sent in a letter to passengers.
“As a result, the disembarkation time for your upcoming vacation has been changed from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., local time,” it continued. “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”
Read Also: Tampa Cruise Port – Terminals, Transportation, What’s Nearby
The cruise line went on to say that it “remains committed to the well-being of the communities recently impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and to support their recovery.”
Despite the delay in Tampa, the remainder of the cruise schedule remains unaffected. Port visits or departure times on the voyage that features stops in San Diego, California; Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and numerous ports in Central America, including Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia, have not changed.
The hour-and-a-half delay at arrival could affect passengers’ flight plans home from Tampa.
Flight Changes and Reimbursement Offered
Cruise passengers on any ship, even those scheduled to begin disembarkation as early as 6 a.m., are typically advised not to book flights home until after 12 or 1 p.m. on arrival days to allow for potential disembarkation delays.
This alteration is a prime example of why return trips home should be planned for the afternoon, as well as why purchasing travel insurance is encouraged.
Norwegian Jewel guests who purchased November 24, 2024, flights directly through Norwegian Cruise Line will receive automatic reticketing, with updated flight information sent by the cruise line by October 31, 2024.
Meanwhile, travelers who booked flights independently are encouraged to reschedule and ensure their new departure times are no earlier than 12:30 p.m. local time.
To compensate for any change or cancellation fees incurred, Norwegian is offering to reimburse passengers up to $300 per person for costs not covered by travel insurance or the airlines. However, documentation must be submitted to the cruise line via its website to receive this reimbursement.
Norwegian Jewel’s first winter cruise of its season in Tampa, scheduled to depart at 4 p.m. on November 24, 2024, may be slightly delayed, as well, although no announcement has been made at this time.
That initial 7-night journey to Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Norwegian Cruise Line’s private destination, Harvest Caye in Belize, remains unaffected.
The 93,502-gross-ton Norwegian Jewel will remain in Tampa until March 30, 2025, offering a variety of cruises to Eastern and Western Caribbean destinations.
