JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) will set sail from Jacksonville starting November 2025, after the JAXPORT Board of Directors unanimously approved an agreement Tuesday afternoon to bring the Norwegian Gem to the River City.
NCL said the Gem will be homeport in Jacksonville from November to April every year through 2028, offering seasonal cruises to the Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean.
"Today marks a new milestone in the relationship between Norwegian Cruise Line and JAXPORT,” Norwegian Cruise Line President David Herrera said. "We look forward to Norwegian Gem’s arrival to Jacksonville in November 2025, and welcoming guests from the area, as well as neighboring cities and states, on board to deliver them an exceptional vacation."
The Gem is roughly the same size and capacity of the Carnival Elation, which currently sails from JAXPORT. This would be the second cruise ship based in the River City.
"When Norwegian begins its first sailing in 2025, it will be the first time in Jacksonville history a Norwegian ship will be homeported here," JAXPORT CEO Eric Green said.
The Gem is in the 'Jewel-class' of Norwegian's fleet. It is 956 feet long and can accommodate 2,394 guests during a trip. It was built in 2007, making it nearly 10 years younger than the Carnival Elation.
"It was also refurbished in 2022," said cruise insider and journalist Doug Parker. "It's a really nice ship with a lot of dining options as well."
Throughout Parker's career, he's sailed on 154 cruises. He's traveled on many different carriers and ships, including the Gem, which he sailed on out of New York.
Parker's full-time job is writing, podcasting and vlogging on his website, Cruise Radio. He says there's plenty of room for both Carnival and Norwegian to operate out of JAXPORT.
"I don’t necessarily think this will disrupt price or anything," Parker told First Coast News. "There's a cruise that's right for everyone, right?"
Parker says that since the Elation leaves Jacksonville full each week, this just brings more opportunities for vacationers, but it also brings more jobs and money to Jacksonville.
"There will be more hotel stay, more people driving here from all over the southeast [United States] and spending money in town before going on their cruise," Parker said. "It’s just more options for us here in Jacksonville."
Nearly 800 jobs and more than $187 million in annual economic impact stem from Jacksonville's cruise industry, a 2019 study found.
"Expanding our cruise program also provides passengers throughout the Southeast U.S. and beyond with even more reasons to choose Jacksonville for their next vacation," Green added. "We thank Norwegian Cruise Line for their partnership and look forward to working with them to attract more tourism, and the jobs and economic impact it supports, to our community.”
The Gem will offer three 12-day and two 11-day trips to the Eastern Caribbean sailing from Jacksonville.
Destinations include the Norwegian's private island, Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, St. Thomas and St. John’s in the U.S. Virgin Islands, San Juan and Puerto Rico to name a few.
The ship will also offer four-day and five-day cruises to the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Clay, Freeport and Nassau.
People can start booking their next vacation on Norwegian Cruise Line starting Feb. 15.