NCL Ships Delayed Returning to Honolulu as Hurricane Lala Passes Hawaii

Hurricane Lala disrupted cruise schedules for thousands of Norwegian Cruise Line passengers after the Category 1 storm swept through Hawaii, forcing port closures and delaying two ships' arrivals in Honolulu. The U.S. Coast Guard shut down Honolulu Harbor to commercial traffic while safety inspections were underway, stranding vessels at sea and pushing back embarkation times by up to a full day.

Pride of America, NCL's year-round Hawaii-based ship, weathered the storm offshore and docked on Sunday, August 16, one day behind schedule. Passengers had the option to disembark early Friday or remain aboard with extra onboard credit while the ship rode out the worst conditions. To recover lost time, NCL shortened the ship's next Kahului, Maui port call. Norwegian Spirit faced a longer wait after completing a 16-night Vancouver-to-Honolulu transpacific crossing. The ship skipped scheduled stops in Hilo and Kona to avoid the hurricane's path, but couldn't dock until Monday, August 17, when the harbor's backlog of incoming traffic finally cleared. That delay pushed the start of Norwegian Spirit's next 16-night return voyage to Vancouver back by a full day as well.

The hurricane left over 180,000 Hawaiian residents without power and damaged or destroyed roughly 100 homes across the islands. NCL acknowledged the disruptions in a statement, thanking passengers for patience and expressing hope for a swift recovery for affected Hawaiian communities. Passengers who had to wait an extra night for disembarkation received complimentary accommodations on the ship.

For cruise travelers planning sailings to Hawaii or transpacific voyages, storms of this magnitude remain a seasonal risk. Most cruise lines, including NCL, have weathering protocols in place to keep passengers safe, and delays or itinerary modifications are preferable to proceeding through unsafe conditions.

Originally reported by Cruise Fever, J. Souza (August 17, 2026).