Norwegian Cruise Line Expands Sailings to Cuba, Caribbean

Norwegian Cruise Line will sail a full season of Cuba cruises on Norwegian Sun next fall, offering seven-, nine-, and 13-day itineraries.

“These new itineraries offer a remarkable breadth of experiences for guests with a culturally immersive full day and evening in Havana, complemented by several visits to world-class destinations across the Caribbean and beyond,” Norwegian President and CEO Andy Stuart said in a statement announcing the sailings.

Norwegian Sun will kick off its fall season on Sept. 3, sailing a new five-day cruise to Cuba and the Bahamas from Port Canaveral. The sailing will visit Key West Havana and Norwegian’s private-island Great Stirrup Cay.

Starting on Sept. 9, Norwegian Sun will set out on seven-day sailings from Miami each Sunday, through Oct. 14. Those sailings will include calls at Havana, Great Stirrup Cay, Costa Maya, and Harvest Caye. The ship will then embark on a nine-day Cuba sailing, adding calls at Roatan, Bay Islands, and Cozumel.

On Oct. 30, Norwegian Sun will sail a 13-day Panama Canal itinerary that features calls in Cuba and the Caribbean before heading through the canal. Stops during that sailing include Puerto Limon, Cartagena, Santa Marta, and Oranjestad.

There is also a new five-day sailing from Port Canaveral on Sept. 3 that will include both Cuba and Bahamas calls.

According to Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings CEO and President Frank Del Rio, the Cuban sailings, which were initially approved in December 2016, have been a “home run” for the company. “No new destination has had quite the impact of Cuba,” Del Rio said during a conference call last August.”