Norwegian Cruise Line has alerted guests booked on a November cruise to Japan that their ship’s itinerary has been tweaked, cutting out one overnight in port and altering arrival and departure times in five other destinations.
Just six weeks before the November 15, 2024 departure, cruisers set to sail on Norwegian Spirit’s 11-day voyage from Incheon, South Korea, to Tokyo, Japan learned that they will not enjoy an overnight in Osaka, which had been planned for Day 6 of the cruise.
Instead, the ship will call at the port from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on November 20, 2024, then add a day at sea on November 21, 2024. While guests will likely be disappointed with the change, the long, 12-hour port call does provide for a full day of exploring and extends late enough to enable dinner ashore if desired.
In addition to Osaka, the itinerary features port calls at Jeju Island, Korea, and Sasebo, Kagoshima City, Miyazaki, Hiroshima, Kochi City, Nagoya, and Shimizu, all in Japan.
Port times are being altered in several destinations. At Sasebo, the November 17, 2024 call was originally from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and was changed to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On November 19, the call to Miyazaki was 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is now 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Also, the ship’s November 22, 2024 call to Hiroshima was from noon to 10 p.m. and was altered to 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the November 24, 2024 call to Nagoya was 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is now 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Finally, on November 23, 2024, Norwegian Spirit will expand its port call to Kochi, Japan, remaining in port from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Originally, the itinerary called for a visit from noon to 5 p.m.
Norwegian Cruise Line did not indicate any reason for the multiple itinerary changes. However, in acknowledging the inconvenience to guests, it is providing a $100 onboard credit per stateroom.
Any shore excursions booked through the cruise line for tours in Osaka on November 21, 2024 will be automatically cancelled and the cost refunded to the guest’s original form of payment.
Likewise, excursions booked through the cruise line at all of the other affected port calls will be adjusted to reflect the new arrival and departure times.
Norwegian Cruise Line noted in its alert to guests that any shore tours that cannot be adjusted will be automatically cancelled and refunded.
Norwegian Spirit, a Leo-class ship, is the cruise line’s oldest and smallest ship, in terms of gross tons. With capacity for 1,966 guests in double occupancy, the ship entered service in 1998 as SuperStar Leo for Star Cruises. The ship joined the Norwegian fleet in 2004, and her most recent major refurbishment was a $100 million update in 2023.
Cruise Series Is Part of Broad Expansion in Asia
Norwegian Spirit’s deployment to Asia is part of a broad expansion of Norwegian Cruise Line’s capacity in the region. In May 2024, the line revealed its plans to introduce 30-plus itineraries across Asia/Pacific and Australia/New Zealand.
With three ships sailing in the region from September 2024 to March 2026, the line will offer some 90 voyages with diverse itineraries. Along with Norwegian Spirit, the line is deploying the 1,944-guest Norwegian Sky and the 1,976-guest Norwegian Sun to the region.
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Norwegian Spirit is operating 9- to 15-day voyages through Japan and Southeast Asia from September 2024 to November 2025. In December 2025 the ship will begin a series of Australia/New Zealand voyages.
Norwegian Sky will enter the Asia market in January 2025 with a series of Japan and Southeast Asia itineraries through March 2025. Norwegian Sun is set to make her debut in Australia in December 2024, with a cruise series that features Australia, New Zealand, and French Polynesia.
