Philadelphia Welcomes Back 2,300 Passengers, Endin...

The final time a cruise ship sailed from Philadelphia was in 2011. In the present day, for the primary time in 15 years, passengers are returning to the port.

Greater than 2,300 passengers at the moment are again from their 7-day crusing that left the port on April 16, 2026.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jewel pulled into PhilaPort round 5:30 AM Thursday.

Usually, the worst day for a cruiser is disembarkation day, so it’s no trigger for celebration.  However for the “Metropolis of Brotherly Love”, it means the primary passengers have returned from a profitable Bermuda crusing and cruising is again!  It additionally implies that the following group of cruisers are prepared to start their crusing right this moment.

The 93,502 gross ton ship spent two days at Kings Wharf, Bermuda earlier than spending a day in Charleston, SC and heading again dwelling.

From now till the tip of August, Norwegian Jewel will likely be providing weekly 7-day Bermuda cruises that every one make a cease in historic Charleston. 

Opposite to frequent perception, sure, the cruise port in Charleston remains to be getting used, simply not as a place to begin for cruises after the Carnival contract expired.

Philadelphia’s first cruise ship in 20 years returns to port https://t.co/kaRt5fCYsK

— Motion Information on 6abc (@6abc) April 23, 2026

Whereas the return of cruising is a giant win for town’s financial system, the primary 2,300 passengers skilled the “rising pains” of a port nonetheless in transition.

As Cruise Fever previously reported, development delays on the important terminal meant that passengers really needed to test in at a close-by Clarion Lodge fairly than on the port itself.

On social media, passengers mentioned that the logistics remained a bit “makeshift” as town works to get the everlasting services on-line. One Fb consumer described the ultimate steps of their journey, noting they’d the choice of “going again to the Clarion or get on a bus from the pier to the airport.”

Regardless of a port that’s nonetheless in progress, the sentiment amongst vacationers remained optimistic.

After 15 years of ready, the comfort of crusing from the Delaware River outweighed the shortage of a completed terminal.

As one traveler shared on Fb upon their return: “It’s been every week on this lovely outdated ship Norwegian Jewel.“