Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced on 14DEC 2021 that it will seasonally homeport the Norwegian Jewel in Panama City, Panama. It becomes the first cruise line to homeport there, and will do so while offering roundtrip Panama Canal voyages beginning 20MAR 2022 with Norwegian Jewel.
In addition, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which also operates the Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, signed a multi-year agreement with the Panama Tourism Authority, which allows the company to seasonally homeport at the Colon Cruise Terminal as well as at Fuerte Amador Cruise Terminal located on the Pacific Ocean side the country and adjacent to Panama City. According to a press release, the agreement will provide Panama Canal transit benefits to NCLH from 2022 through 2024, while operating homeport turnarounds.
"This new agreement enables nearly 24,000 guests to experience the beauty of Panama each year," said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line.
In 2022 and 2023, the NCL will offer 12 homeport voyages starting with Norwegian Jewel on 20MAR 2022, where it will sail a nine-day itinerary traversing the Panama Canal and visiting destinations including Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; Oranjestad Aruba; Willemstad, Curaçao; Kralendijk, Bonaire and Cartagena Colombia before arriving to the Caribbean side of Panama in the city of Colon.
Starting 14JAN 2023, Norwegian Gem will feature select Panama Canal voyages including an 11-day journey visiting seven ports of call, including Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curaçao; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and Grand Turk,Turks and Caicos Islands before ending in New York City. On 06DEC 2023, Norwegian Joy will offer a 10-day voyage sailing from Panama City (Fuerte Amador), Panama and visiting destinations including Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; George Town, Grand Cayman; Roatán, Bay Islands; Harvest Caye, the cruise line's private resort destination in Belize; Cozumel, Mexico and Great Stirrup Cay, the NCL's private island in the Bahamas before ending its journey in Miami.
For more information, visit Norwegian Cruise Line's web site.
