Key Aspects:
- Norwegian Star‘s September 27, 2026 sailing is being extended from a 7-night to a 10-night sailing.
- The change is due to scheduling needs at the shipyard where Norwegian Star will be dry docked after the cruise.
- There is no charge to guests for the extra cruise days and prepaid packages are also being extended for free.
Guests looking forward to their September 27, 2026 sailing aboard Norwegian Star have been notified about an extra bonus – three days more to enjoy their cruise! Norwegian Cruise Line has reached out to alert booked guests to a change in the ship’s dry dock schedule, which will extend that sailing.
The cruise will be departing Southampton, UK on September 27 as planned, but the voyage will now be longer than expected. This is the ship’s last sailing before dry dock, and the change is due to the shipyard’s schedules.
“Following a change in Norwegian Star’s scheduled dry dock for technical enhancements, your sailing has been extended from seven days to ten days,” the cruise line announced. “As part of this change, the itinerary has been adjusted.”
The original itinerary included calls to Amsterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, La Coruna, and Oporto before arriving in Lisbon on October 4, 2026.
Because of the extension, the call to Oporto has been cancelled and La Coruna has been moved later in the sailing. New ports have also been added, and Norwegian Star‘s new itinerary is as follows:
- Sunday, September 27, 2026 – Depart Southampton
- Monday, September 28 – Amsterdam from 1-9 p.m.
- Tuesday, September 29 – Zeebrugge from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 30 – Le Havre from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Thursday, October 1 – Day at sea
- Friday, October 2 – La Rochelle from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (previously La Coruna)
- Saturday, October 3 – Le Verdon from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (previously Oporto)
- Sunday, October 4 – Bilbao from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (previously arriving in Lisbon)
- Monday, October 5 – La Coruna from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 6 – Vigo from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 7 – Arrive in Lisbon
Who doesn’t want a longer cruise vacation? And even better for booked guests is that this extension will not cost anything further with respect to the cruise fare, even if the reservation is not yet paid in full.
“This new ten-day itinerary provides three extra days to enjoy these exciting destinations at no additional cost,” the notification confirmed. “All existing pricing, promotions, and packages tied to your reservation will remain fully protected.”
Furthermore, if guests have prepaid for any add-on packages, those will likewise be price-protected and extended without additional cost.
“If you’ve added prepaid daily service charges, a promotional beverage package, or promotional dining package, those will be price protected based on your original sailing length,” the email explained.
“Even better, the number of specialty dining package meals and Wi-Fi minutes associated with any promotional packages will be increased to match the new sailing length.”
This represents a great bonus for booked guests and the opportunity for an even longer cruise vacation than originally anticipated.
Read Also: The Different Norwegian Cruise Line Ship Classes
If guests have already arranged airfare or other plans after the original debarkation date, those plans may need adjusting. Fortunately, because this sailing is 11 months away, there is plenty of time for travelers to make those changes if necessary.
Why the Dry Dock Change?
Norwegian Cruise Line has not given any reason for the dry dock change, nor has there been any indication that Norwegian Star has any unexpected mechanical or operational concerns.
Rather, this is likely a shipyard issue that could be related to other ships getting upgrades or refreshment, labor availability, or supply issues that are impacting the overall schedule at the shipyard.
It is not uncommon for dry dock schedules to be shifted as necessary. That is a risk guests take if they book sailings right before or right after a planned dry dock, as those itineraries can be impacted if the schedule changes.
More From Cruise Hive
At this time, there is no change to Norwegian Star‘s first sailing after completing her dry dock. That cruise is a 14-night transatlantic sailing from Southampton to Miami that will depart the UK on November 20, 2026.
Guests booked on that cruise will want to stay in close contact with Norwegian Cruise Line in case further scheduling adjustments may be needed.
