Updated: Oct 18, 2024 04:54 PM
Norwegian Prima is an occasional caller to Bermuda (Photograph supplied)
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Prima will make its last 2024 visit to Dockyard in November, instead of December.
In a letter to passengers scheduled to visit Bermuda on December 21, NCL wrote: “We recognise the importance that destinations play in our guests’ vacation decision-making process and assure you that these modifications were made with an optimal guest experience top of mind. As such, we will no longer be visiting the Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda.”
Instead, NCL extended the Norwegian Prima’s visits to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.
“Discover the vibrant culture and stunning beaches of Puerto Plata,” the letter stated.
Bermuda’s 2024 Marine and Ports cruise ship schedule lists NCL’sNorwegian Prima under occasional callers, because it was only supposed to visit a few times late this year. A one-day visit on November 21, has been cancelled, but their two-day November 27 call is still listed.
According to the Cruise Critic website, NCL made similar cruise cancellations earlier this month, citing “fuel efficiencies as the driver”.
Cheryl Hayward Chew, chairman, president and chief executive, Meyer Group of Companies, ship’s agent for NCL, said the Norwegian Prima had never been a regular caller, but occasionally stopped in Bermuda when repositioning between the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.
“Cruise ship itinerary planning takes in a variety of factors,” Ms Hayward Chew explained.
“Passenger demand is certainly one but also distance between ports and therefore required cruising speeds, fuel consumption, typical weather patterns. Likewise, cancelled cruise calls to Bermuda can be due to itinerary changes before or after the planned Bermuda call, weather, adjustments to cruising speed, global security factors.”
She dismissed the idea of the Dominican Republic being a more competitive destination.
“Bermuda does not have a direct competitor in the cruise ship domain, due to its isolation,” she said. “This is why some cruise lines opt to have Bermuda as the sole destination. That is unique in that most itineraries have at least two ports of call on a seven-day cruise.”
NCL introduced Prima in 2021, the first of six new Prima-class vessels they planned to roll out.
The ship was smaller than others in the NCL’s fleet: 965 feet long, carrying 3,215 passengers, compared to the Norwegian Encore at 1,100 feet long, holding 4,000 passengers. The emphasis was on luxury and a more intimate experience.
UPDATE: the story has been altered to reflect that the Norwegian Prima’s scheduled call to Bermuda during her December 21, 2024 sailing was a one-off cancellation made for operational reasons. The vessel will visit Bermuda during her November 23, 2024 sailing with additional calls to the island in April 2025. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
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