Guests booked on Norwegian Star’s 27th September 2026 sailing from Southampton have been told they are getting an unexpected bonus: three extra days at sea, free of charge.
The extension follows a revision to the ship’s dry-dock schedule, with the vessel now spending longer at sea before heading to the yard for planned technical upgrades.
“Following a change in Norwegian Star’s scheduled dry dock for technical enhancements, your sailing has been extended from seven days to ten days,
“As part of this change, the itinerary has been adjusted.”
NCL communication to guests
Updated Ten-Day Itinerary
The original week-long voyage was due to visit Amsterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, La Coruña and Oporto before finishing in Lisbon on 4th October.
Instead, the new ten-day route will add extra French and Spanish ports and finish three days later, on 7th October 2026:
- 27 Sep (Sun): Depart Southampton
- 28 Sep (Mon): Amsterdam (1 pm–9 pm)
- 29 Sep (Tue): Zeebrugge (8 am–6 pm)
- 30 Sep (Wed): Le Havre (8 am–9 pm)
- 1 Oct (Thu): Day at sea
- 2 Oct (Fri): La Rochelle (8 am–5 pm)
- 3 Oct (Sat): Le Verdon (7 am–6 pm)
- 4 Oct (Sun): Bilbao (8 am–5 pm)
- 5 Oct (Mon): La Coruña (9 am–6 pm)
- 6 Oct (Tue): Vigo (7 am–3 pm)
- 7 Oct (Wed): Arrive Lisbon
No Extra Cost for Passengers
Norwegian Cruise Line said that all existing fares, promotions and packages will remain fully protected, meaning guests will not pay more for the longer holiday.
Pre-paid service charges, beverage or dining packages will also stay at their original prices, while the number of specialty-dining meals and WiFi minutes will increase to match the extra sailing days.
Adjusting Travel Plans
Those who have already booked return flights or onward arrangements after the original 4th October arrival will need to adjust their plans.
With nearly a year’s notice, however, there is ample time for passengers to rearrange travel if needed.
Why the Schedule Changed
Norwegian Cruise Line has not disclosed the precise reason for the shipyard adjustment, though such changes are common.
Yard timetables can shift because of other vessels’ refits, labour or supply-chain constraints, or changes in dry-dock capacity.
The Norwegian Star, a 91,740-gross-ton ship carrying around 2,300 guests, will enter dry dock after completing this voyage before resuming service with a 14-night transatlantic crossing from Southampton to Miami on 20th November 2026.
Passengers on that subsequent sailing are advised to stay alert for any further schedule tweaks.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
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