Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels Dozens of Sailings
Norwegian Cruise Line has recently informed travel agents about the cancellation of numerous sailings for two of its popular ships, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Prima. This decision affects 41 voyages scheduled between November 2026 and March 2027. Many travellers who had booked early for these cruises will now need to adjust their holiday plans.
Impact on Cruise Schedules
The cancellations span five months. Norwegian Breakaway’s cruises from 8th November 2026 to 28th March 2027 are no longer available. Similarly, Norwegian Prima’s sailings from 15th November 2026 to the end of March have been removed. The cruise line has not yet disclosed where these ships will be redeployed or what new itineraries might replace the cancelled ones.
Compensation for Affected Guests
Guests impacted by these changes will receive a full refund automatically. The refund will be returned to their original payment method. Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line is offering a 10% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) as a goodwill gesture. This credit can be used for future sailings. Direct communication is being sent to all affected passengers.
Entire Seasons Removed
One of the most significant impacts is the removal of Norwegian Breakaway’s entire winter Caribbean season from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The ship was set to transition from Boston-to-Bermuda itineraries to Southern Caribbean roundtrips. These included 7-night voyages to destinations like Aruba, Curacao, Barbados, and St. Lucia. Holiday cruises over Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s were also part of the schedule.
Norwegian Prima’s Schedule Changes
Norwegian Prima’s winter schedule from New Orleans has also been entirely cancelled. The ship was supposed to start roundtrip Western Caribbean voyages from New Orleans in mid-November 2026. These trips included stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Norwegian’s private island, Harvest Caye in Belize. Major holiday season departures are among the affected cruises.
Reasons Behind the Redeployments
While Norwegian Cruise Line has not provided specific reasons for these redeployments, such changes are not uncommon. Cruise lines often adjust ship deployments to meet market demands, fleet expansion strategies, or dry dock schedules. However, Norwegian Cruise Line has a history of mass cancellations, more so than other cruise lines. This pattern raises questions about why NCL frequently cancels cruises on a large scale.
In November 2024, the cruise line cancelled nearly 40 sailings for 2025-26. Shortly after, further cancellations on another ship were announced. This trend continues to be a point of concern for many cruise enthusiasts.
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