Itinerary Change Leads to Chance to Make History f...

A final-minute itinerary change is normally thought-about dangerous information. However for present friends of Norwegian Encore, the change means they get to expertise one thing that no different NCL passengers have ever gotten to do.

The Norwegian Cruise Line ship launched into a 7-night Caribbean and Bahamas itinerary in Miami, Florida, on January 17, 2026.

The crusing was supposed to go to Roatan, Honduras; Harvest Caye, NCL’s private island in Belize; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Nice Stirrup Cay within the Bahamas.

However as a consequence of modifications in port availability, the decision to Costa Maya on January 21 was cancelled.

This was almost certainly associated to ongoing development, as Royal Caribbean is presently within the means of turning Costa Maya into Good Day Mexico. The brand new resort is anticipated to open within the fall of 2027.

Royal Caribbean formally took possession of Costa Maya in the summertime of 2025 and has vowed to maintain the port open to all cruise traces, however development wants could also be creating a brief barrier to accessibility.

An Thrilling Alternative

In liu of Costa Maya, the as much as 3,958 friends onboard will get to be the primary to expertise an in a single day name to Nice Stirrup Cay. That is thrilling because the cruise line has not beforehand provided in a single day visits at their personal vacation spot within the Bahamas.

Learn Additionally: Great Stirrup Cay – A Full Overview of NCL’s Private Island

“We’re thrilled to introduce a unprecedented, first-of-its-kind expertise, an in a single day keep at our personal island within the Bahamas, Nice Stirrup Cay. This can mark the primary in a single day go to provided to Norwegian Cruise Line friends,” NCL wrote to present passengers.

“This second provides you the uncommon alternative to be among the many first friends to expertise Nice Stirrup Cay after darkish, really making cruise historical past,” the cruise line continued.

As an alternative of arriving on the island on the morning of January 23, the Breakaway Plus-class ship will dock at the newly completed pier at 4 p.m. on January 22.

Friends can have till midnight to benefit from the island, and are invited to take part in a Glow Get together beneath the celebrities from 9 p.m. till 11 p.m. The subsequent day, passengers will have the ability to return to the island for enjoyable beneath the solar till the ship departs at 5 p.m.

One Extra Slight Change

With a purpose to accommodate this new plan, the decision to Harvest Caye, Belize, on January 20 additionally needed to be adjusted.

“We’ve adjusted the timing of our go to to Harvest Caye, Belize to raised align with port logistics,” Norwegian Cruise Line famous.

As an alternative of visiting the personal vacation spot from 8 a.m. to six p.m., the 169,116-gross ton ship was within the port from 7 a.m. to three p.m.

This in the end equated to about two hours much less within the port for friends, however gave the ship extra time to cowl the roughly 1,400 nautical miles between the 2 locations.

Friends Excited By the Change

Cruisers onboard and cruise followers following alongside on social media appear to unanimously agree that this alteration was made for the higher. Many felt that having additional time within the port would trigger much less stress and make them fear much less about lacking their ship.

“Omg. I’d like to in a single day and never fear about getting again in time,” one cruise fan reacted.

Different cruisers merely choose Nice Stirrup Cay to Costa Maya and can be glad to have extra time on the personal vacation spot.

“Costa Maya is an overpriced vacationer lure anyhow. I’d undoubtedly not be complaining about an in a single day within the Bahamas,” one other chimed in.

A 3rd subset had been additionally excited by the thought of a seaside celebration beneath the celebrities.

One cruiser exclaimed: “A night seaside celebration sounds great!!”

“I choose the seaside at night time so it sounds cool,” one other agreed.

Assuming this name is successful, it’s fairly attainable that extra overnights may make their manner onto future itineraries, particularly as NCL has invested round $150 million into making Nice Stirrup Cay extra fascinating.

Overnights may be a part of the record of enhancements which were or are being made on the island, such because the newly accomplished Nice Life Lagoon pool space and the upcoming Nice Tides Waterpark.