Guests embarking on Norwegian Getaway in New York today will not be sailing the itinerary they originally booked.
Due to the path and intensity of Hurricane Fiona, the ship will not be sailing south to Bermuda, but instead will follow a northern New England and Canada route instead.
Complete Route Change for Norwegian Getaway
Norwegian Getaway was to have set sail on Thursday, September 22, 2022, on a 5-night roundtrip sailing to Bermuda, with an overnight visit to that beautiful tropical island from 9 a.m. Saturday morning until 3:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
Norwegian Cruise Line reached out to booked guests with details of itinerary changes on Wednesday, the day before sailing.
“While we always maintain original itineraries, at times, as with hurricanes, it is necessary to modify our ports of call,” the email read.
“Due to the storm’s projected path, we will no longer be able to call to Bermuda. Please review this communication in its entirety as embarkation/sailing requirements have changed due to the required change in itinerary.”
Now, the ship is heading in a completely opposite direction and nothing is the same except departing New York at 4 p.m., and spending the last day of the sailing – Monday, September 26 – at sea.
Norwegian Getaway will be visiting three northern ports of call: Newport, Rhode Island, on Friday; Portland, Maine, on Saturday; and St. John’s, Newfoundland, on Sunday.
Monday will remain a day at sea, but the ship is expected to arrive an hour later on its return to New York City on Tuesday, September 27, at 7 a.m. instead of 6 a.m.
These changes are due to the expected impact Hurricane Fiona – now a major Category 4 storm – which will be just east of Bermuda and impacting the island on Friday.
Travel Requirements Changes
Because the Breakaway-class Norwegian Getaway will now be visiting Canada, travel requirements for the cruise have changed. Now, all guests age 12 and older must be fully vaccinated, which is not required for travel to Bermuda.
Furthermore, all guests must complete ArriveCan to document their vaccination status and COVID-19 test results prior to embarkation. Bermuda has a similar travel authorization requirement, but the two are not transferrable and the new documentation must be completed.
Guests must also present negative COVID-19 test results, but the testing windows vary between the two destinations. While vaccinated guests sailing to Bermuda may have been able to complete a NAAT test up to four days prior to embarkation, Canada requires the same test to be administered no earlier than three days before sailing.
This could mean some guests may be left scrambling for tests just hours before embarkation, while also needing to complete their ArriveCan documentation.
Norwegian Cruise Line is offering full refunds in the form of future cruise credits (FCCs) to guests who are now unable to travel on the cruise. The FCCs will be applied to guests’ Latitudes accounts, and will be available no later than October 10, with an expiration date of August 31, 2023.
But the Storm Will Be Gone!
While Norwegian Getaway‘s route and the time of the ship’s scheduled visit to Bermuda would not be directly impacted by the storm, rough waters can be felt far from the center of the storm and would not make for the most pleasant cruise if the ship were to head south as planned.
Furthermore, if docking facilities are damaged in Bermuda on Friday, it might be impossible for the ship to visit on Saturday. Similarly, power outages or other damage on the island can disrupt services, cancel tours, and close local retailers, impacting tourist options.
Read More: Cruise Dock in Grand Turk Damaged After Hurricane Fiona
Hurricane Fiona has strengthened to a Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour (210 kilometers per hour), and is currently positioned west-southwest of Bermuda, approximately 440 miles (708 km) from the island.
Moving north-northeast at 13 miles per hour (21 kph), the storm is expected to most closely approach the island on Friday. Hurricane warnings are currently in effect for the entire island.
