Key Aspects:
- Norwegian Encore is visiting Falmouth, Jamaica on Wednesday, December 17 instead of Cozumel.
- The itinerary change is due to pier damage in Cozumel, but details have not been released.
- The ship will also arrive at Grand Cayman earlier than planned, but there are no other changes.
It will be jerked chicken and reggae music instead of tacos and mariachi bands for guests onboard Norwegian Encore today, as the ship has skipped her visit to Cozumel, Mexico and docked instead in Falmouth, Jamaica.
The 169,100-gross-ton ship, the largest in Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet, departed Miami on Saturday, December 13. After a day at sea, she enjoyed a visit to Harvest Caye in Belize on Monday, December 15.
Following another day at sea, Wednesday was to have been a visit to Cozumel. Guests were informed on Tuesday evening that the Mexico visit would not be possible.
“Due to localized pier damage in Cozumel, Mexico, we have replaced the scheduled call with a visit to Falmouth, Jamaica,” the notification letter read. “Similar to Cozumel, Falmouth offers a lively Caribbean experience with access to beaches and popular shore excursions, but with a distinctly Jamaican cultural and historical focus.”
Norwegian Encore will be in Falmouth from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., one hour longer than the planned time in Cozumel, which was to have been from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. This will give guests even more time to enjoy this unexpected but vibrant destination.
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All Cozumel shore tours booked through Norwegian Cruise Line are being automatically cancelled and refunded to guests’ onboard accounts. Tours for Falmouth are available for booking at the Shore Excursion Desk on Deck 6, midship.
Grand Cayman Also Adjusted
Following what was to have been Cozumel but is now Falmouth, Norwegian Encore will be visiting George Town, Grand Cayman on Thursday, December 18.
Because Falmouth is roughly 125 miles closer to Grand Cayman than Cozumel, the ship will now be extending her time in George Town. Instead of arriving at 10 a.m. as originally planned, the ship will dock at 8 a.m.
The 6 p.m. departure time is unchanged from the original itinerary. The rest of the itinerary is also the same, including the day at sea on Friday, December 19 and the return to Miami by 7 a.m. on Saturday, December 20.
Because the departure time in Grand Cayman has not changed, shore tours should not be impacted. If any tours are adjusted for the earlier arrival, guests will be notified of the change.
What Happened in Cozumel?
The change in itinerary is entirely due to pier damage in Cozumel. There are no mechanical problems with Norwegian Encore, nor is weather a factor impacting the current itinerary.
Because Norwegian Encore is a larger vessel, measuring 1,094 feet long, the ship requires a longer pier to ensure safe docking and sufficient clearance.
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The “localized pier damage” has not been explained, nor has any cause of the damage been confirmed. It is possible the damage may be the pier itself or to the dolphins that keep a ship from rubbing, mooring points necessary to tie off the ship, or other essential structures.
Multiple other vessels are visiting Cozumel as planned on Wednesday, including Icon of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, Celebrity Eclipse, and three different Carnival ships.
Norwegian Encore is homeported from Miami, offering 7-night Caribbean itineraries through the winter season.
Most of her voyages do include Cozumel as a port of call, but it is unknown whether or not additional voyages will skip the destination.
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Any future itinerary changes will depend on the exact nature of the damage, how quickly it may be repaired, and what other ships are scheduled for docking in case berth assignments can be rearranged to accommodate Norwegian Encore.
Guests with sailings booked over the next few weeks will want to stay in close touch with Norwegian Cruise Line to be alerted to any changes as soon as possible.
