Two Norwegian Cruise Ships Left Waiting After Hurricane Closes Honolulu Port

Norwegian Cruise Line has delayed the return of Norwegian Spirit to Honolulu until Monday, August 17, following the passage of Tropical Storm Lala. The Port of Honolulu remains closed pending a U.S. Coast Guard inspection to assess storm damage and ensure safe passage for cruise ships. The Pride of America, also operated by NCL, is similarly affected and awaits port reopening and berth availability.

Rough seas and limited berth capacity created a compounding challenge for the two ships. Norwegian Spirit, carrying 2,018 passengers, was originally scheduled to return on Sunday, August 16. The Pride of America, which was set to embark new guests on Saturday, August 15, has not yet received a confirmed new departure date. Guests on both ships received text alerts explaining the delay and instructing them to await further updates, with the cruise line promising additional information by 3 p.m. local time once the Coast Guard inspection was complete.

The Norwegian Spirit stayed safely offshore during the storm's peak and was tracked heading toward Honolulu at 10 knots as of press time. The ship's next sailing is a 16-night one-way voyage from Honolulu to Vancouver with stops throughout Hawaii and Alaska, scheduled to arrive in Vancouver on Tuesday, September 1. Depending on how much time the ship can recover, the delay may or may not impact port visits along the route.

Embarkation delays frustrate cruise travelers, but the silver lining here is that neither ship appears to have suffered significant storm damage. The 24-hour delay gives the Coast Guard time to ensure safe harbor conditions, and Norwegian Cruise Line's early notification allowed passengers time to adjust plans. Whether the Norwegian Spirit can make up lost time or must skip a port remains to be seen, but guests should watch their email for updates as soon as the port inspection concludes.

Originally reported by Cruise Hive, Melissa Mayntz (August 17, 2026).