Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) said that it will become the first cruise line to seasonally homeport in Panama City, Panama when Norwegian Jewel begins offering roundtrip Panama Canal voyages starting March 20, 2022.
That ship's nine-day itinerary will traverse the canal and also visit Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curaçao; Kralendijk, Bonaire; and Cartagena, Colombia before arriving to Colon, Panama on the Caribbean side of the country.
NCL's parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH), signed a multi-year agreement with the Panama Tourism Authority, which allows the cruise 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. The new contract is part of an agreement that will provide Panama Canal transit benefits to NCLH from 2022 through 2024, while operating home-port turnarounds. In 2022 and 2023, Norwegian will offer 12 such voyages.
"Part of our company's mission is to create unforgettable experiences in some of the most special places around the world," says Harry Sommer, president and CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line. "This new agreement enables nearly 24,000 guests to experience the beauty of Panama each year."
In addition to Norwegian Jewel's itineraries, starting January 14, 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 before ending in New York City.
On December 6, 2023, Norwegian Joy will offer a 10-day voyage sailing from Panama City (Fuerte Amador), Panama and visiting notable destinations including Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; George Town, Grand Cayman; Roatán, Honduras; Harvest Caye, the brand's private resort destination in Belize; Cozumel, Mexico and Great Stirrup Cay, the company's private island in the Bahamas, before the voyage ends in Miami.
For more information, visit www.ncl.com.