Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels 38 Cruises Across Multiple Ships for 2025-2026 Season
In a significant move affecting thousands of cruisers, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has revealed the cancellation of 38 upcoming cruises across three of its ships, the Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Star, and Norwegian Dawn. Scheduled sailings, which were set to depart between November 2025 and April 2026, will no longer take place. While the cruise line has yet to disclose specific replacement sailings, the cancellations are part of a broader fleet redeployment strategy. NCL promises that affected passengers will be fully refunded.
The announcement has sent ripples through the cruising community, with guests eagerly awaiting more information. While the move is disappointing, NCL is working to minimize the inconvenience by offering compensation options, including discounts on future bookings.
Here’s what you need to know about the changes and what affected travelers can expect:
Norwegian Jewel: Caribbean Itineraries
The Norwegian Jewel, which was slated to sail a series of 16 Caribbean and Bahamas cruises from Tampa, is among the most impacted by these changes. All sailings between November 23, 2025, and April 5, 2026, have been cancelled. This includes cruises ranging from five to fourteen nights in length, which were to visit popular ports in the Caribbean.
Norwegian Star: South America & Antarctica
Another ship heavily affected by the cancellations is the Norwegian Star, which was set to offer a full season of sailings to South America and Antarctica. These cruises were scheduled to take place between November 20, 2025, and April 14, 2026, and included a series of 11 cruises visiting bucket-list destinations in these remote regions.
Norwegian Dawn: Africa and Asia
The Norwegian Dawn will also be affected by these cancellations, with all 11 cruises scheduled between November 2, 2025, and April 12, 2026, now cancelled. These sailings were set to explore exciting destinations across Africa and Asia, including stops in the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
Other Cancellations: Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Getaway
In addition to the sailings aboard the Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Star, and Norwegian Dawn, NCL has also announced cancellations aboard the Norwegian Sun and the Norwegian Getaway.
- For the Norwegian Sun, a 14-night South Pacific cruise scheduled to depart on August 7, 2025, has been cancelled as part of the ship’s fleet redeployment.
- On the Norwegian Getaway, two cruises on August 17 and August 21, 2026, will also be cancelled due to a ship charter.
Refunds and Compensation for Affected Passengers
For passengers who had already booked their trips, the news may come as a disappointment, especially for those looking forward to bucket list destinations. The cancellation of these sailings is part of NCL’s fleet redeployment strategy, which is likely to result in new routes for these vessels in the coming months. The specific details regarding replacement sailings for these cruises have not yet been announced.
Norwegian Cruise Line has committed to providing a full refund for all affected bookings, with a 10% Future Cruise Credit offered as compensation for those still looking to set sail in the future. Norwegian has indicated that passengers will soon receive official notification letters detailing the specifics of the cancellations and the next steps for refunds and compensation. In addition, the cruise line has emphasized that commissions for travel advisors will be protected for all bookings that were paid in full, providing reassurance for the travel professional community.
