Norwegian cruise ship changes multiple itineraries because of propulsion problem affecting speed

A Norwegian cruise ship has changed plans due to a "technical issue" that has forced the vessel to reduce its speed in Alaska.

Passengers traveling aboard Norwegian Bliss's current seven-night cruise were informed that their scheduled itinerary was altered because of an issue with the ship's propulsion system. 

Although no ports of call have been axed, the time spent in port has been reduced by up to three hours in certain destinations. 

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Travelers were informed of the changes after embarking on May 30, with a letter from Captain Viktor Vranic updating them about the ongoing propulsion problem. 

"Our vessel is currently experiencing a technical issue affecting one of our propulsion systems. Please be assured that at no time does this situation impact the safety of our guests and crew," the notice reads. 

It continues, "However, in order to allow our technical teams to thoroughly address the matter, adjustments to our planned itinerary will be necessary."

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The new itinerary for Norwegian Bliss's May 30 cruise from Seattle, Washington, is as follows:

• May 30: Seattle, WA (NO CHANGES)
• May 31: At Sea (NO CHANGES) 
• June 1: Sitka, AK (12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Originally 10:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.)
• June 2: Juneau, AK (7:30 a.m. — 1:30 p.m. Originally 6:30 a.m. — 1:30 p.m.)
• June 3: Holkam Bay Glacier Fjords (NO CHANGES)
• June 4: Icy Strait Point, AK (NO CHANGES)
• June 5: Ketchikan, AK (6:30 a.m. — 1:15 p.m. Originally 6:00 a.m. — 1:15 p.m.)
• June 6: Victoria, British Columbia (11:00 p.m. — 11:59 p.m. Originally 8:00 p.m. — 11:59 p.m.)
• June 7: Seattle, WA (NO CHANGES)

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The already brief stop in Victoria, British Columbia, is the most affected by the propulsion problem. The departure time is set for 11:59 p.m., which is one hour after the ship's arrival. As such, passengers are not allowed to get off the ship in Canada. 

This stop is purely to satisfy the requirements of the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA), which requires foreign-flagged cruise ships sailing round-trip from United States ports (like Seattle) to call at a foreign port before returning to the U.S. 

Norwegian Cruise Line is offering passengers compensation

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While disappointing to have less time in port, Norwegian Cruise Line is offering affected passengers compensation for the sudden itinerary changes. 

According to the letter, guests will receive a non-refundable $100 onboard credit per stateroom, or $50 per person (for guests one and two) in each reservation. 

Additionally, all shore excursions booked through Norwegian will be automatically cancelled and refunded to passengers' onboard accounts. 

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"Now that our teams are actively involved, our focus turns fully to you and the journey ahead," the letter adds.

"There is so much more of your vacation waiting to unfold, and we look forward to creating moments that feel effortless, memorable, and truly special." 

Not the only cruise affected by the technical issue

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Passengers booked on upcoming sailings aboard Norwegian Bliss have taken to social media and forums to share their updated itineraries to Alaska. 

One guest posted on Reddit that they received a notice saying that their June 13 voyage would also be impacted by the ongoing propulsion problem. 

"Just got a note from Norwegian that due to propulsion system maintenance, ALL of the port schedules have shortened for Jun 13 sailing, ending with a 59 min stop in Victoria (ha!)," they wrote. 

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Another passenger shared on Facebook that their July 4 sailing has also seen itinerary adjustments, indicating that Norwegian expects the propulsion issue to continue affecting the ship for several more weeks:

"I just received an email from Norwegian Cruise Line regarding the July 4th sailing of Norwegian Bliss... According to NCL, the ship is currently completing maintenance on a propulsion component. They have stated that the work does not impact the safety of the vessel, but the ship will be operating at a slightly reduced speed while the repair is finalized." 

Royal Caribbean ship skipped port because of a propulsion problem

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Norwegian Bliss isn't the only cruise ship recently impacted by propulsion problems. Passengers sailing aboard Allure of the Seas on its May 24 cruise were informed that their planned itinerary would be altered because of an issue with the ship's propulsion, as reported by Royal Caribbean Blog. 

"We are currently experiencing a technical issue with one of our propulsion systems. While our team works to resolve this, we’ll be sailing at a reduced speed and will need to make a slight adjustment to our itinerary," read the notice in the cruise line's app. 

Allure of the Seas was forced to skip its scheduled stop in Falmouth, Jamaica, and go directly to Nassau, Bahamas. Afterwards, the ship sailed its regularly scheduled sea day before returning to Nassau again as originally planned. 

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The cruise line gave everyone an onboard credit based on the category of cruise room booked. For example, those in Inside and Oceanview rooms got $100 per cabin, while suites were given $200. Each third and fourth passenger got an extra $50, too.