Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America is cutting short its current Hawaii itinerary to return to Honolulu ahead of Tropical Storm Lala, which is expected to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane before reaching the Hawaiian Islands.
The decision will delay disembarkation by one day and impact both current guests and passengers booked on the following sailing.
The 2,180-passenger Pride of America departed Honolulu on 8th August 2026 for what was meant to be a standard 7-night inter-island cruise through Hawaii.
Guests aboard the vessel have already experienced an overnight visit to Maui and day trips to both Hilo and Kailua-Kona on the Big Island.
However, the developing tropical storm in the Central Pacific has forced Norwegian Cruise Line to make significant adjustments to protect passengers, crew, and the ship itself.
The cruise line issued a letter to current guests explaining the situation and the necessary changes to the itinerary.
“A developing tropical storm in the Central Pacific, southeast of the Hawaiian Islands, is expected to bring strong winds and challenging conditions to the region, resulting in the potential closure of the Port of Honolulu,” Norwegian Cruise Line wrote.
Kauai Overnight Visit Cut Short For Safety
Pride of America’s scheduled overnight port call to Nawiliwili on the island of Kauai has been significantly shortened.
Rather than departing at 5:30 p.m. on 14th August as originally planned, the ship will now leave the port at 6:30 p.m. on 13th August – nearly a full day earlier than scheduled.
This early departure allows the vessel to make a beeline back to its homeport of Honolulu, arriving at 7:00 a.m. on 14th August.
The decision mirrors actions taken by Norwegian Spirit, another Norwegian Cruise Line vessel that Cruise Hive previously reported also rushed back to Honolulu to stay ahead of the storm system.
Both ships are prioritising safety over maintaining their published itineraries, a common practice in the cruise industry when severe weather threatens.
Ship To Weather Storm Outside Harbour Waters
Whilst Pride of America will arrive in Honolulu on the morning of 14th August, the ship won’t remain docked at the cruise terminal during the height of the storm.
Instead, Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that the 2005-built vessel will head to deeper waters just outside Honolulu Harbour to safely weather Tropical Storm Lala.
This strategic positioning allows the ship to avoid potential damage from storm surges and heavy swells that could impact vessels moored at the pier.
“We then intend to head back out to sea ahead of the anticipated port closure, and return to Honolulu on Sunday, 16th August 2026 for disembarkation,” the cruise line informed passengers.
The ship will remain at sea until 5:00 p.m. local time on 14th August before departing for open water, returning only when conditions improve and the port reopens for safe
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