Key Aspects:
- Philadelphia has officially broken ground on a new 16-acre cruise terminal, set to open in April 2026.
- Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has a seven-year deal to make Philadelphia its exclusive homeport, committing to 41 sailings per year.
- Port officials project the terminal will generate $300 million annually for Pennsylvania’s economy.
Cruise lovers in the Mid-Atlantic will soon have a new cruise port to enjoy as PhilaPort has officially broken ground on its future cruise terminal.
The 16-acre facility, adjacent to Philadelphia International Airport, is slated to open in April 2026, giving Philadelphia a dedicated homeport just ahead of its hosting large-scale celebrations for the United States’ 250th anniversary.
The terminal groundbreaking is the latest step in a partnership between PhilaPort, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Energy Transfer Marketing and Terminals, and began after the sale of the former Hog Island Dock property was complete.
During the December 1, 2025, groundbreaking ceremony, Jeff Theobald, PhilaPort executive director and CEO praised Norwegian Cruise Line and Energy Transfer.
“It took a lot of hard work to bring this agreement together,” he said. “Energy Transfer and Norwegian Cruise Line were committed every step of the way.”
He added that there is a lot of hard work ahead, “but we are ready and excited to welcome cruise passengers this spring.”
Under a seven-year berthing agreement running through March 2033, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ three brands – Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises – will operate as Philadelphia’s exclusive homeport operator with an initial commitment of 41 sailings per year.
Officials estimate the terminal will support 2,185 jobs and generate about $300 million a year for Pennsylvania’s economy.
The groundbreaking comes just as Philadelphia prepares to serve as a focal point for America’s 250th anniversary, which is expected to draw an influx of visitors. Port officials say the timing couldn’t be better to showcase visibility for the port as a homeport option for the Mid-Atlantic.
“Philadelphia’s debut as our newest homeport marks a strategic milestone for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings,” said Daniel Farkas, executive vice president, general counsel and chief development officer at the cruise company.
“As we prepare to launch in 2026, this terminal represents the next wave in our commitment to innovation, regional growth, and delivering an unmatched guest experience from ship to shore,” he added.
PhilaPort will oversee the waterfront work, while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings will build and design the passenger terminal on land.
The new terminal is part of PhilaPort’s broader “Destination 2040” plan to expand the port’s infrastructure, increase berths, upgrade terminals, and shift the port from cargo to passenger operations.
Norwegian Gains New Cruise Homeport
Norwegian Cruise Line announced that it was making Philadelphia a new homeport in 2024, restoring the city’s direct cruise access for the first time in years.
The cruise line’s 93,502-gross-ton Norwegian Jewel will operate from the new port beginning April 16, 2026, and extending through October 17, 2026.
During the summer of 2026, the 2,368-guest Norwegian Jewel will run 7- to 9-day cruises to Bermuda with overnight calls at the Royal Naval Dockyard.
As the season progresses, the ship will shift to longer excursions of 10- and 11-day sailings to Canada and New England, alternating homeports between Philadelphia and Quebec City beginning in September 2026.
Ports for those sailings will include a mix of smaller and major stops such as Halifax, Nova Scotia; Bar Harbor, Maine; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; and Boston.
At this time, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania Cruises have not announced a Philadelphia-led lineup.
No other major cruise line is scheduled to homeport in the city in 2026, making Norwegian Cruise Line the only operator bringing passengers from Philadelphia to Bermuda and New England.
Other cruise lines are set to add Philadelphia to their lineup in 2026 for the historic 250th Semiquincentennial. Princess Cruises, for example, features the City of Brotherly Love on its land tours program, “Historic America Cruisetour.”
