09-07-2025
Norwegian Prima and Breakaway port swap causes cancellations
A port swap has resulted in a season's worth of canceled sailings on two Norwegian Cruise Line ships.
The affected sailings were scheduled for between Nov. 8, 2026, and March 28, 2027, on the Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Prima, according to letters the cruise line distributed to booked guests.
Norwegian Breakaway, which was originally going to be homeporting in San Juan, will now sail from New Orleans during that period.
Prima will take its place in San Juan. Its first affected sailing was scheduled to depart Nov. 15, 2026.
The cruise line declined to provide a reason for the port changes.
Customers booked on canceled sailings are being offered refunds and 10% discounts on any sailing through Dec. 31, 2027.
The original itineraries will still be available on the replacement ships and open for bookings beginning Aug. 8, the cruise line wrote. The sailings from San Juan are through the southern Caribbean and those from New Orleans will sail the western Caribbean.
"As passionate cruisers ourselves, we know this wasn't part of your plan, and we truly apologize for any disruption or disappointment this has caused," read the July 7 letter to booked guests. "We want to assure you that we're here to make this process as smooth as possible."
The Prima and the Breakaway are from different ship classes, are different sizes and offer different amenities.
The Prima is just three years old and has a smaller, 3,099-passenger capacity but has 20 decks and four outdoor pools. The Breakaway was built in 2013 and can sail with close to 4,000 passengers. It has 18 decks and two outdoor pools.
