Norwegian Cruise Line Advises Guests of Strike Impact

Norwegian Cruise Line has reached out to guests embarking on Norwegian Breakaway on July 15, 2023 that a scheduled labor strike may impact flights into Rome, Italy, and any delays or disruptions could potentially affect passengers arriving for their cruise.

Guests who booked air travel through the cruise line will be contacted with further instructions if necessary, while guests with independent flight arrangements should stay in close communication with their airline for updates and schedule changes.

Air Traffic Controller Strike May Impact Cruise Travelers

A scheduled labor strike by the Italian Air Navigation Service (ENAV) on Saturday, July 15, 2023 may create significant flight delays that could cause cruise travelers to miss embarkation aboard Norwegian Breakaway. To alert guests, Norwegian Cruise Line reached out to booked guests and travel partners this week with a notification.

ENAV is the company that provides all navigation services within Italian airspace, including air traffic control, flight information, airport weather forecasts, and other information necessary for safe and efficient air travel. With workers striking as part of a labor dispute, extensive flight delays and cancellations are expected.

Norwegian Cruise Line reached out to travelers booked on Norwegian Breakaway this week to alert them to the possibility of significant delays.

“We have been informed that flight cancelations and delays are to be expected in Italy. As this may impact your travel arrangements, we want to make sure you are aware of this situation and how it may impact your travels,” the email read.

The notification goes on to note that flights landing in Rome between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. are expected to be most affected.

Guests with air travel booked through the NCL Air Program will be contacted directly if their flights are affected, with further instructions about how to adjust their plans to reach Norwegian Breakaway. Guests should check their trash, spam, and junk email folders to be sure not to miss any announcements or updates.

If guests purchased flights on their own, they are advised to stay alert to communications from their airline about changes and adjustments.

Norwegian Breakaway departed Civitavecchia at 5 p.m. local time. The cruise port is located approximately 70 kilometers (44 miles) northwest of Rome.

The ship is sailing a 10-night Greek Isles & Italy itinerary, with ports of call scheduled for Santorini, Athens, and Olympia in Greece; La Valletta, Malta; Messina, Sicily; Naples and Pisa (Livorno), Italy; and Cannes, France.

The 145,655-gross ton ship can welcome 3,963 guests per sailing, with 1,600 international crew members onboard to provide memorable service.

What If Guests Miss the Ship?

If travelers have missed arriving to Norwegian Breakaway for departure, the next stop is Santorini, Greece on Monday, July 17. Travelers could arrange additional air travel or other means to reach Santorini and board the ship.

Santorini is approximately a two-hour flight from Rome, but guests would also need to arrange for hotel stays until Norwegian Breakaway arrives at 1 p.m. on Monday afternoon, July 17.

Norwegian Cruise Line has not provided details about possible arrangements, as every traveler may have different schedules and needs to reach the cruise ship. It is possible that cancelling the cruise may also be an option if guests cannot easily meet the ship, but this would likely incur steep penalties or a complete forfeiture of the cruise fare, depending on how air travel was booked.

Other Cruise Lines Impacted

Norwegian Breakaway is not the only ship potentially impacted by air travel difficulties in Italy this weekend. Norwegian Epic is also departing from Civitavecchia on July 15, as is Princess Cruises’ Enchanted Princess.

On Sunday, July 16, Royal Caribbean International’s Odyssey of the Seas is scheduled in Civitavecchia, while MSC Cruises’ MSC Seashore is also homeporting from the city that day.

Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises, Marella Cruises, and AIDA Cruises also have visits or departures scheduled from Civitavecchia in the next few days.

Other Italian ports are also likely to be impacted by travel delays in the coming days, including Ravenna and Trieste.

Guests booked on any cruise line departing from Italian ports in the next few days should be aware of potential travel delays. While the strike may be scheduled for only one day, rescheduling delayed travelers may have impacts on travel arrangements for the next several days.