Port Canaveral is where the families are and Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) wants a part of that market.
Port Canaveral is the home port for Orlando and with millions of families flowing through that part of Florida, the lines—Royal and Carnival as two examples—are increasing capacity to garner more of the family element of cruising.
NCL will home port the Norwegian Sun in Orlando starting in October 2010. It will sail alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises until April 2011. It’s somewhat of a home coming for NCL, having sailed out of there 11 years ago.
“As part of our homeland cruising initiative, we are always looking for attractive ports in which to base our ships,” said Kevin Sheehan, NCL’s president and CEO. “By bringing Norwegian Sun to Port Canaveral, we are offering cruisers in Central Florida—and to those vacationing in Orlando—quick and easy access to Freestyle Cruising.”
Norwegian Sun’s seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruise will stop in Nassau, Bahamas; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten. The ship’s seven-day Western Caribbean will call in Cozumel, Mexico; Santo Tomás de Castilla, Guatemala; Belize City, Belize and Key West, Florida.
NCL’s connection to the North East and Canada will continue in 2010. NCL will offer a variety of Canada & New England sailings from New York and Boston. In the fall of 2010, Norwegian Dawn will sail four seven-day Canada & New England cruises from New York, along with Norwegian Jewel sailing three 10-day Canada & New England cruises from New York. Norwegian Dawn’s ports of call include Halifax, Nova Scotia; Saint John, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick; Bar Harbor, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; and Newport, Rhode Island. Norwegian Jewel’s 10-day Canada & New England itinerary includes: Newport, Rhode Island; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Quebec City, Quebec; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; and Sydney, Nova Scotia.
From Boston, Norwegian Spirit will sail a series of four seven-day Canada & New England itineraries from September 25, 2010 through October 16, 2010, with alternating departures from Boston and Quebec. Ports of call from Boston include: Bar Harbor, Maine; Saint John, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick; Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia; and Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Ports of call from Quebec include: Sept-Iles, Quebec; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Portland, Maine, along with a cruise of the Saguenay Fjord.
I like the idea of two separate itineraries. It means you can start and finish in either Boston or Quebec and turn it into a 14-day unique itinerary.
All these cruises are on sale Thursday, with more details at http://www.ncl.com.
Back with you tomorrow.
Phil Reimer
