Norwegian Cruise Line cancels three sailings for 2025
Norwegian Cruise Line has canceled multiple sailings on its Norwegian Epic ship, the latest in a string of scrapped voyages for the cruise line.
The line canceled three 2025 cruises so the ship can undergo “a revitalization,” Norwegian said in a letter to guests and travel partners last week, which it shared with USA TODAY.
“In order to complete these enhancements, Norwegian Epic’s sailings on April 15, 2025, April 26, 2025, and May 5, 2025, have been canceled,” Norwegian said. “We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”
The line gave impacted passengers full refunds and a 10% discount on another cruise in the form of a future cruise credit. “This credit may be used by and applied towards any of our published sailings through December 31, 2025,” Norwegian said in the letter.
The line notified guests in late May it had canceled the vessel’s sailings in Europe between Dec. 1, 2023, and April 9, 2024, because the ship would be repositioned.
“Due to the growing guest demand for Caribbean sailings this winter, Norwegian Epic will be redeployed to Port Canaveral, Fla. to offer a mix of seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries beginning Dec. 17, 2023,” a spokesperson for the line said in an email.
The line also recently canceled months of voyages on its Norwegian Spirit ship set to take place between July 3 and Sept. 18, 2024, because of a full ship charter. In both cases, the line offered passengers full refunds and future cruise credits, as well.
What are Norwegian Cruise Line passengers owed if their cruise is canceled?
Cruise line cancellation policies are not regulated by the federal government like airlines’ are. And while Jared Feldman, owner of travel agency Jafeldma Travel, told USA TODAY earlier this month that the contracts passengers agree to when they purchase their tickets are “very cruise line friendly,” the lines generally always provide refunds and work to accommodate travelers on another sailing.
Norwegian passengers are entitled to full refunds of their fare for cruises that are canceled because of mechanical failures, or partial refunds for sailings that end early for that reason.
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“In the event a voyage is terminated early due to mechanical failure of the vessel, the guest is also entitled to transportation to the vessel’s scheduled port of disembarkation or the guest’s home city, at carrier’s discretion and expense, as well as lodging at the unscheduled port of disembarkation, if required, at carrier’s expense,” the line’s guest ticket contract reads.
The cruise line will also provide passengers with refunds for changes or cancellations related to full-ship charters, according to its website.
Travelers boarding at a U.S. port whose cruise is canceled or delayed over three days by the line – and who decline a different sailing or opt not to sail on a cruise that has been pushed back – are entitled to refunds of their fare and other charges paid to Norwegian “for accommodations, services and facilities” like port fees and taxes, according to its website. Guests must submit a request within 90 days after their original scheduled embarkation in order to claim those.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Norwegian Cruise Line cancels three more sailings
