Norwegian Cruise Line Returns to Philadelphia After 15 Years
The seven-year PhilaPort agreement runs from April 2026 through March 2033, making Norwegian Cruise Line the exclusive operator with up to 41 sailings a year.
Norwegian Cruise Line has resumed Philadelphia homeport cruising for the first time in more than 15 years, with Norwegian Jewel now sailing from the city to Bermuda before moving into Canada and New England service later this season. Norwegian Pearl is scheduled to enter the Philadelphia program in November, adding Bermuda, Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries through early 2028, including calls at Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas.
The return gives NCL a close-to-home departure point for travelers in the Washington, D.C. area and anchors a seven-year PhilaPort homeport agreement running from April 2026 through March 2033. NCL is the exclusive operator under the arrangement, which allows up to 41 sailings a year and is expected to support 2,185 jobs and about $300 million in annual economic output for Pennsylvania.
Norwegian Jewel’s current Philadelphia deployment follows a 2024 docking that PhilaPort identified as the city’s first cruise-ship call since 2004.
Jewel opens the schedule before Pearl expands the destination mix
Through August, Norwegian Jewel is offering seven-day Bermuda cruises from Philadelphia; many Bermuda sailings include overnight stays. Beginning in September, the ship shifts to 11-day Canada and New England voyages.
When Norwegian Pearl enters the schedule, the destination mix broadens beyond Bermuda and northeastern routes to include the Caribbean and the Bahamas. The itineraries keep Philadelphia in NCL’s close-to-home network alongside Bermuda service from Boston and New York.
Temporary check-in setup remains part of Philadelphia operations
Cruise operations are centered at the PhilaPort Cruise Terminal at 4 Atlantic Ave., a 16-acre site next to Philadelphia International Airport. The terminal was developed by PhilaPort, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and Energy Transfer Marketing and Terminals, owner of the former Hog Island Dock Terminal Facility.
While terminal work continues, full check-in is handled at the nearby Clarion Hotel Philadelphia International Airport, with complimentary shuttles required for guests moving between the hotel and the pier. Security screening is conducted in a covered tent at the terminal; direct independent access to the pier and rideshare or taxi pickup from the pier are not permitted.
Parking is available in a satellite lot near the Clarion for $16 a day. Prepayment is recommended. The older Pier 1 facility on South Broad Street is not the active terminal for NCL’s Philadelphia operation.
Close-to-home sale accompanies the restart
NCL is also offering a summer promotion across close-to-home voyages from 15 homeports in the continental United States and Canada, with 50 percent off all cruises in that category and Kids Sail Free on select departures. The line is also packaging the offer with Free at Sea, which NCL values at more than $2,000 in amenities such as open bar, specialty dining, shore excursions and Wi-Fi.
“Summer is the perfect time for families to reconnect, recharge and explore,” said Marc Kazlauskas, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. Kazlauskas said Norwegian gives travelers “the freedom and flexibility to plan their dream vacation at sea.”
From June through September 2026, NCL is also assigning four ships to Caribbean and Bahamas cruises from Miami and Port Canaveral, with three-, four- and seven-day itineraries. Great Tides Waterpark is scheduled to open at Great Stirrup Cay on Sept. 4, 2026, adding 19 waterslides, cliffside jumps, Splash Cay and the Wandering River to the private-island calls included in the Philadelphia program.
Compare Norwegian Cruise Line sailings by price on Cruise Lookup.
