Norwegian Ship Itinerary Impacted Due to Worsening Conditions

Lately, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing aboard Norwegian Getaway. After getting a late start to a cruise to Bermuda on Sunday, March 17, 2024, the Breakaway-class vessel had to make a last-minute itinerary change due to stormy conditions. 

Norwegian Getaway Will Miss First Day In Bermuda

Despite embarking on St. Patrick’s Day, Norwegian Getaway’s 7-night Bermuda sailing has been experiencing a lot of bad luck. 

First, embarkation from New York City was delayed by several hours due to a mechanical issue on the previous sailing. Now, only one day into the cruise, Norwegian Cruise Line announced that the ship’s itinerary had been altered due to bad weather. 

The itinerary originally included four days in the Royal Naval Dockyard, the largest cruise port in Bermuda, beginning on March 19. Instead, cruise guests will be spending an extra day at sea and will arrive in the port on March 20 at approximately 8 a.m. local time. 

According to local weather reports, the region is predicted to experience thunderstorms and up to 36 mph winds on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, when the 145,655-gross ton vessel was originally due to arrive in the port. While large cruise ships can handle high winds and rough seas with little issue at sea, the windy conditions make docking in the cruise port dangerous. 

“Due to worsening weather conditions forecasted in Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda, on March 19, 2024, preventing us from entering the port safely, our call has been delayed,” read a letter from Norwegian Cruise Line. 

The Bermuda cruise port can host up to two ships at one time between two piers. Norwegian Getaway is meant to dock at King’s Wharf, while Oceania Cruises’ Vista is scheduled to be nearby at Heritage Wharf from March 19 to March 20. However, Oceania has not announced any weather-related itinerary changes of its own as of the time of publication.

In an effort to make up for the lost time, Norwegian Cruise Line delayed the ship’s scheduled departure time from 7 a.m. on March 22 to 2 p.m. to give guests more time to explore the port on the backend. 

“In an effort to provide you with the best experience possible, despite the weather conditions that are outside of our control, we are happy to share that we have extended our call to Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda, on March 22, 2024. We will now depart at 2 p.m. local time; affording you an additional seven hours to explore all this fascinating destination has to offer,” continued the letter. 

In an acknowledgment of the inconvenience caused by the multiple delays, cruise guests onboard the 3,963-passenger vessel will also receive a $100 credit per stateroom to use during the remainder of their sailing.

Norwegian Getaway Plagued By Technical Difficulties 

Cruise lines work hard to keep their ships in good condition. But even with the best maintenance, things can still go wrong. 

Prior to Norwegian Getaway’s current sailing to Bermuda, the almost 10-year-old ship experienced technical difficulties on a 10-night Bermuda and Caribbean itinerary that was also out of New York. The cruise embarked on Thursday, March 7, and concluded in New York on March 17 – albeit several hours later than planned.

The vessel, which joined Norwegian’s fleet of 20 ships in 2014, experienced a maintenance issue that impacted her speed. This caused the ship to arrive in New York about 4 hours later than expected, which also resulted in a delayed departure for her current Bermuda cruise.

Read Also: What Happens If The Cruise Ship Is In Bad Weather

It’s unclear what exactly went wrong with the 1,600-crew vessel, but the cruise line clarified that it’s not related to the ship’s navigation, safety systems, or maneuvering. No further announcements have been made about the technical hiccup, but it can likely be assumed that the issue has been addressed by the ship’s skilled engineers. 

As of now, Norwegian Getaway’s next sailing, which is another 7-night Bermuda cruise sailing to and from New York beginning on March 24, has not been impacted by the technical or weather delays. This sailing will also include a 4-day port call to King’s Wharf in Bermuda.