Cruises aboard the Norwegian Joy between January 6 and February 10, 2024, have been canceled due to an extended dry dock refurbishment. Guests were notified by email that reads: "As part of our commitment to continually offer our guests outstanding vacation experiences around the world and to support a consistent product of world-class classes around the world our fleet, Norwegian Joi will undergo revitalization in early 2024."
Guests will receive a full refund in the form of payment to secure their booking and those who used the Future Cruise Credit (FCC) will be told that the credit has been refunded, however, the expiry date will not be extended.
In addition to the refund, NCL is also providing 10 percent FCC on the price paid for the canceled trip that can be used on any future NCL until the end of 2024 and concluded his email, "we sincerely appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you very soon."
This cancellation affects a total of four sailings, including two 15-night one-way voyages between Miami and Los Angeles. The other two canceled cruises are a 5-night Mexican Riviera getaway from Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas and a 7-day sailing from Miami to Honduras, Belize, and Mexico.
No further details on the revitalization (the first since a $50 million upgrade in 2019) have been released, but the dry dock work will likely include standard hotel upgrades and public area remodeling, as well as various technical or behind-the-scenes upgrades.
There is also a possibility that there will be changes to the lounges and entertainment areas as a result of NCL's recent reduction in staff and entertainment.
Cruise ship drydocks are usually scheduled well in advance, and cruise lines try to plan for gaps in the ship's deployment so that it is not necessary to cancel cruises when the ship is out of service for upgrades and maintenance. In some cases, such as this one, shipyard schedules, material procurement, changes in environmental regulations, and unexpected repairs may require adjustments to dry dock plans.
NCL similarly canceled Norwegian Escape cruises in 2022 due to dry lock, Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Paradise also canceled five sailings in October 2022, representing current supply chain issues as a result of the COVID pandemic.
