Norwegian Sky resumes service today for Norwegian Cruise Line after a long layover due to the pandemic. Setting sail from the new terminal in Miami, the ship begins its Bahamas and Caribbean cruise season today, March 2.
For its first post-pandemic sailing, the ship is offering a five-night cruise to the Western Caribbean that includes a visit to Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian’s private island in the Bahamas. Norwegian Sky, completed in 1999, is the cruise line’s second-oldest cruise ship.
Norwegian Sky‘s First Cruise Since March 2020
After a lengthy absence, Norwegian Sky resumes operations today from PortMiami. The 1999-built, 77,104 gross tonnes cruise ship will set sail from the award-winning new cruise terminal in the largest cruise port in the world.
Sailing the Western Caribbean and the Bahamas on her first cruise back in action, Norwegian Sky will set a course towards Key West, followed by a call in Cozumel, and to finish off, a visit to Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas.
Other cruises onboard the 2000-passenger cruise ship include 4-day Bahamas cruises with calls in Freeport, Great Stirrup Cay, and Nassau; and 3-day cruises with calls in Key West and Nassau.
From April, the ship will be setting off on two 9-day cruises with calls to Grand Turk Island, Turks and Caicos, Puerto Plata, St Thomas Island, St Maarten, San Juan, and Great Stirrup Cay. All cruises will be sailing from Norwegian Cruise Line’s award-winning new terminal.
Some uncertainty does remain over the itinerary for Norwegian Sky. Norwegian Cruise Line has canceled all voyages onboard Norwegian Sky between May 29 through December 29, 2023, and has not announced where the vessel would be sailing during those months.
Norwegian Sky Dry Dock
Guests who embark on the vessel today will be happy to see a fresh-looking ship, despite having no guests on board for two years. Norwegian Sky has only recently completed a dry-dock in Brest, France.
During the dry-dock period, Norwegian Cruise Line performed maintenance on technical areas of the ship such as the stabilizers, rudders, propellers, and thrusters, while also doing front-of-house maintenance such as replacing carpets and mattresses, maintenance to galley areas, and more.
The vessel also underwent a significant renovation only months before the onset of the pandemic, which included a complete overhaul of the vessel’s public spaces and the addition of several bars, lounges, and restaurants.
Norwegian Cruise Line Almost Fully Operational
With Norwegian Sky setting sail today, there are only six ships that are not operational yet for Norwegian Cruise Line.
This month, two more ships are scheduled to resume operations. Norwegian Jewel will resume operations on March 29, 2022, to the Panama Canal from Panama City, Panama. Norwegian Jade will resume operations on March 30, 2022, to the Greek Isles from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.
All ships will be operational before summer; this includes two ships in April of this year. Norwegian Star beginning April 3, 2022, to the Mediterranean from Barcelona, Spain, and Pride of America sailing April 9, 2022, to Hawaiโi from Honolulu, Hawaiโi.
The last two ships to start operations will be Norwegian Sun on May 5, 2022, to Alaska, and Norwegian Spirit on May 7, 2022, to Hawaii.