Norwegian Cruise Line Set to Sail from Philadelphia

Philadelphia as seen from the water
The Americas Cruise Industry
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Updated Published

Norwegian Cruise Line has announced a groundbreaking homeporting program from Philadelphia with the Norwegian Jewel, marking the first time in over 15 years that a cruise ship will sail from the city.

Starting on April 16, 2026, the Norwegian Jewel will offer a series of seven-to-nine-day cruises to Bermuda. Departures will be from the SouthPort Marine Terminal Complex, where current plans with the local government aim to develop a facility ready to welcome cruisers by 2026.

These Bermuda itineraries will include overnight stays at the Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda.

Norwegian Cruise Line highlighted that it will be the exclusive cruise line sailing from Philadelphia until October 17, 2026.

David J. Herrera, president of Norwegian Cruise Line, expressed the company’s dedication to providing diverse and memorable experiences for their guests. "We remain committed to delivering more experiences for our guests to create unforgettable memories, so they can vacation better with us,” Herrera stated. “We are particularly proud to partner with PhilaPort to launch cruising in the area, making it even more accessible to the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region.”

Jeff Theobald, executive director and CEO of PhilaPort, shared his enthusiasm about the partnership. “The Port of Philadelphia is extremely excited to partner with Norwegian Cruise Line, one of the world’s premier cruise lines,” Theobald said. “Philadelphia has so much to offer, as the birthplace of freedom and the home to much of our nation’s history, we look forward to connecting cruisers with our world-class city. This new service rounds out the portfolio of services offered at PhilaPort, and we look forward to this next phase of growth.”

Herrera also noted that the new 2026 spring/summer deployment will cater to various vacation preferences. “Our new 2026 spring/summer deployment further meets the vacation demands of our guests with more shorter cruise offerings to fun-in-the-sun destinations, such as the Bahamas and the Caribbean, as well as a variety of longer itineraries to bucket-list destinations, such as Alaska.”