Norwegian Cruise Line will bring the recently refurbished ship to the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal as another option for travelers departing from the River City.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and JAXPORT will vote on an agreement Tuesday that will bring a ship to Jacksonville.
The Norwegian Gem is expected to set sail from Jacksonville beginning in November 2025. NCL says the Gem will homeport in Jacksonville from November to April every year through 2028, offering seasonal cruises to the Bahamas and eastern Caribbean, if approved.
It’s 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.
The Gem is in the ‘Jewel-class’ of Norwegian’s fleet. It is 956-feet long and can accommodate 2,394 guests during on 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 the Gem would likely take passengers on trips to Norwegian’s private island, ‘Great Stirrup Cay’ in the Bahamas. He says that since the Elation leaves Jacksonville full each week, this just brings more opportunity 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.”
JAXPORT Board of Directors will be voting on the agreement with Norwegian Cruise Line in an announcement from the Cruise Terminal at 3 p.m. First Coast News will livestream the announcement.
