Key Aspects:
- The Port of Honolulu has reopened following the passage of Hurricane (now Tropical Storm) Lala, and cruise operations are resuming.
- Pride of America debarked and embarked passengers late Sunday evening, August 16. Norwegian Spirit will do the same on Monday, August 17.
- Itinerary changes may be forthcoming for both ships if necessary, but no port of call adjustments are yet confirmed.
Guests onboard two Norwegian Cruise Line ships and those waiting for their delayed sailings were pleased to learn Sunday that the Port of Honolulu was inspected and safely reopened, allowing the two cruise ships to resume homeport operations.
While both ships are delayed, the reopening of the port ensures there should be no more significant changes and cruise vacations are ready to go.
Pride of America is the first cruise ship to enter Honolulu Harbor following the impact of Hurricane Lala (which was downgraded to a tropical storm after passing the Aloha State), though more than a full day later than originally planned before the storm.
Guests on the ship’s August 15, 2026 departure received the reopening notification Sunday afternoon (August 16), advising them to head to the port for embarkation.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this weekend’s weather-related delays. We are pleased to share that we have received the all-clear to begin embarkation, and check-in at Honolulu Harbor is now open through 9:00 p.m. local time,” the text notification confirmed.
Embarkation, though late, was able to move ahead and Pride of America departed shortly thereafter late on Sunday, August 16. Guests will be notified of changes to their now 6-night itinerary once those changes are confirmed.
Read Also: Cruising During Hurricane Season – What You Must Know
Had the ship been able to depart on Saturday, August 15 as planned, she would have arrived in Kahului, Maui on Sunday morning, August 16, for an extended visit through 6 p.m. on Monday, August 17. Clearly that visit needs to be adjusted, but it is unknown whether the remaining ports on the schedule will also be impacted.
(Photo Credit: Jose Gil)
“We are currently finalizing itinerary details and will communicate as soon as it becomes available,” the cruise line texted.
The 2,180-guest Pride of America is homeported in Honolulu and operates 7-night interisland cruises year-round. In addition to Kahului, she is scheduled to visit Hilo, Kona, and Nawiliwili over the next few days before returning to Honolulu on Saturday, August 22.
Norwegian Spirit on the Way to Honolulu
The second impacted ship, Norwegian Spirit, is also now able to head back to Honolulu for debarkation after her storm-extended cruise. Originally, the ship was to have ended her 15-night voyage from Vancouver in Honolulu on Sunday, August 16.
Cruise Hive already reported on her delay to Monday, August 17. Guests have been asked to keep their same embarkation window time slot that they had selected for Sunday, but to move their embarkation to Monday instead.
Norwegian Spirit waited out the storm at sea, but did visit Honolulu early and permitted guests to debark if they wished to do so before leaving ahead of the storm. While some guests took advantage of that opportunity, others chose to remain onboard for the extra time until the storm passed.
Satellite tracking now confirms that the 1,972-guest Norwegian Spirit is less than 10 miles south of Honolulu but heading toward the port at roughly 11 knots (12.5 mph) as of 5 a.m. local time.
Norwegian Cruise Line has not yet confirmed any updated itinerary for the ship’s next cruise. Originally planned to embark in Honolulu on Sunday, August 16, the schedule includes visits to both Hawaiian and Alaskan ports during the 15-night sailing as the ship makes her way back to Vancouver.
