Port opening hours adjusted for Norwegian Joy due to whale zone restrictions

Cruise passengers plan for months to enjoy their chosen itinerary, eagerly anticipating port stops and what they will be able to do in the places they visit.

Unfortunately, these visits don’t always go as planned and it can be disappointing when guests find out at the last minute that their travel plans will need to be changed.

This is the case for passengers sailing on board Norwegian joy September 2, 2024. Upon arrival at the cruise terminal and boarding their ship in New York, they were informed of two port time changes for their 8-day, one-way trip to Quebec City, Canada.

“We made every effort to maintain the original route, but due to speed restrictions in the whale zone from New York to Boston, Massachusetts, we changed the route” the notification letter said.

Although the ship’s departure from New York at 3:00 PM has not been disrupted, it is now necessary Norwegian joy will sail slower, which will affect when it reaches Boston and when it calls at its next port of call in Portland, Maine.

The ship was originally scheduled to spend Tuesday, September 3, 2024, in Boston from 1:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. However, it will now only arrive there at 4:00 p.m. and will also stay an extra hour until 11:00 p.m. to try to make up for time lost earlier in the day.

Because Norwegian joy will sail from Boston later than planned, her next port of call has also been changed. The ship was scheduled to be in Portland, Maine, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 4. Now, Portland time has been moved forward one hour, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

If travelers have booked excursions through Norwegian Cruise Line to visit Boston or Portland, the times of those excursions will automatically be adjusted to the new port times. If any excursion cannot be rescheduled, guests will receive a full refund of that excursion returned to their account on board the ship.

Excursions to both destinations can still be booked at the Shore Excursion Desk on Deck 6. Excursions to other ports along the route can also be booked: Sydney, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Saguenay.

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No other port hours are affected by speed restrictions in the whale zone, nor will they be Norwegian joy Arrival in Quebec City and disembarkation will be delayed on Tuesday, September 10.

The time change will be disappointing for the 3,883 passengers on board Norwegian joyespecially since the speed restrictions in the whale zone may have been known for some time and last minute notice of the embarkation day could have been avoided. Nevertheless, the change is relatively minor and the vessel will still visit both changed ports of call.

Will the changes affect more flights?

Breakaway Plus class with a gross capacity of 167,725 tons Norwegian joy Currently homeported in New York, the ship rotates from Quebec until September, allowing you to enjoy the spectacular autumn greenery for which the region is famous.

However, this means that the ship’s next few sailings could have similar changes. This includes a seven-day return cruise from Quebec City to New York that will depart on September 10, as well as the next pair of itineraries — an eight-day cruise from New York to Quebec City on September 17 and a seven-day return to New York on September 25.

Guests who have booked cruises should remain in constant contact with Norwegian Cruise Line regarding any changes to itinerary or port of call.

Although Norwegian Cruise Line does not explain exactly what speed restrictions in the whale zone cause a slight change Norwegian joyare probably related to North Atlantic Right Whaleswhich the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has designated as one of the most endangered whale species in the world.

New security measures have been introduced and speed limit zones have been expanded. first implementation in 2022when it was thought there were only 350–360 left.

The whales’ western Atlantic habitat stretches from Canada’s coastal provinces to the southern tip of Florida. Protections have been put in place throughout much of that area to protect the roughly 50-foot whales from collisions and other threats.

In addition to the changes for Norwegian joyIt is possible that other cruise ships operating during fall foliage season in the region may also be affected. Cruise lines will communicate any changes to their booked guests as needed.