TAMPA: Port Tampa Bay officials welcomed the Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jade for the 2016-2017 fall/winter cruise season. The 2,402-passenger ship, which replaces the Norwegian Star from last cruise season, will sail a seven-day Western Caribbean itinerary departing on Sundays to Cozumel and Costa May, Mexico; Roatan (Bay Islands) Honduras; and Norwegian’s new Caribbean destination experience, Harvest Caye, Belize. In addition, Norwegian Jade will sail two eight-day Western Caribbean holiday sailings this month. Guests will enjoy the holidays under the sun with ports of call in Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; Harvest Caye, Belize; and Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala.
Guests sailing on Norwegian Jade will also be able to enjoy further Caribbean adventures with two 10-day and two 11-day Eastern Caribbean cruise from Tampa. Marking the first time Norwegian has offered sailings longer than one week to the Caribbean from Tampa, Norwegian Jade’s 10-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary departing January 15 and March 19 will visit Key West, Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Norwegian will call in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic for the first time aboard Norwegian Jade’s 11-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary departing January 25 and March 29. Additional ports of call include Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands or Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Highlighting the cruise experience is the new private island, Harvest Caye (southern Belize), a 75-acre oasis featuring an expansive pool with swim up bar, cascading waterfall, salt water lagoon for water sports, a restaurant, 7-acre beach and exciting shore excursions that range from snorkeling to zip lining. A large marina with food and bar, as well as a shopping village with well-known retailers also await guests. The Harvest Caye island destination is part of The Norwegian Edge, a program that is designed to bring higher standards to the high seas. In addition, “Festivals at Sea,” themed cruises from Sixthman, will appeal to music lovers in a variety of music genres from country to blues, from February through April 2017. For more information on the Sixthman cruises go here.
Built in 2006, with a gross tonnage of 93,558, LOA of 965 feet and ship crew numbering nearly 1,100, Norwegian Jade offers extraordinary dining options, an award-winning casino and a wide range of accommodations. “Port Tampa Bay is excited that Norwegian Cruise Line has brought the gorgeous Norwegian Jade to home port in Tampa, offering passengers some impressive new Caribbean destination options, as well as longer cruises from our port. Norwegian is an outstanding cruise partner, and we look forward to many more years of welcoming them as an important part of our robust cruise business,” Paul Anderson, port president and CEO, said.
