Both Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Sky are skipping port visits to the popular southern Caribbean destination of Curacao. While Norwegian Epic has already skipped the tropical destination, at least one of Norwegian Sky‘s upcoming voyages is also impacted.

Norwegian Epic skipped her visit to Willemstad that had been planned for Wednesday, December 17, 2025. The ship is currently sailing a 7-night Caribbean voyage roundtrip from San Juan, Puerto Rico that departed on Sunday, December 14.

Guests aboard that weeklong cruise reported on Reddit that the ship’s captain announced the reason for the change was “naval exercises,” and it was important for the ship to depart the area near Curacao. Instead, the ship would head for Barbados as an alternative port visit.

The captain’s announcement also indicated that all Norwegian Cruise Line ships would be skipping Curacao, but that has not yet been confirmed. Cruise Hive has reached out to Norwegian Cruise Line for clarification but has not yet heard back.

Satellite tracking does show the 155,873-gross-ton Norwegian Epic docked in Bridgetown, Barbados on Thursday, December 18. According to the current itinerary, that day was originally planned as a day at sea.

Norwegian Sky to Skip Curacao in January

Another Norwegian Cruise Line ship, Norwegian Sky, has also updated future itinerary plans and removed Curacao from the ship’s January 5, 2026 departure.

“Due to updated port availability, we will no longer be visiting Willemstad, Curacao,” the notification letter sent to booked guests and travel agents stated.

There were no further details provided about why the ship would be skipping the popular port and no alternative destination has been added to the 9-night itinerary.

Norwegian Sky will still be visiting Cabo Rojo, Aruba, Bonaire, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, and Tortola during the cruise.

Two other minor itinerary changes have also been confirmed. Norwegian Sky will set sail from her La Romana homeport at 4 p.m. rather than 5:30 as originally scheduled. She will also depart Tortola slightly later than planned, at 2:30 p.m. instead of 2:15 p.m.

The 77,104-gross-ton Norwegian Sky is one of the oldest and smallest ships in the NCL fleet, and her days are numbered.

Norwegian Cruise Line announced in April 2025 that Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Sun would be leaving the fleet in 2026 and 2027, respectively. Both ships have been sold to Cordelia Cruises and will continue to sail with that cruise line after updates and rebranding.

Why Is Curacao Cancelled?

While Norwegian Cruise Line has not yet given any further explanation about the port cancellations other than “naval exercises” and “updated port availability,” the reasons may be more complex.

The NL Times notes that rising tensions between the US and Venezuela, in light of drug trafficking operations and the presence of military aircraft in commercial airspace, could be behind the cancellations.

Willemstad is on the southern coast of Curacao and just 45 miles from mainland Venezuela. The island is not under Venezuelan control, however, but is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands along with Aruba and Bonaire.

While there is no immediate threat to any of the ABC islands, cruise lines may feel obligated to take extra precautions to ensure the safety of their ships, guests, and crew members.

With the busy tourist season just beginning for the southern Caribbean, multiple cancellations and itinerary changes could have a significant economic impact on the region.

At the moment, no other cruise lines appear to be canceling sailings to the region or adjusting itineraries to avoid Curacao.

In the next few weeks, ships from Royal Caribbean, AIDA Cruises, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Marella Cruises, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Virgin Voyages, and more all have visits planned for Curacao.

Any guests booked on a southern Caribbean sailing with any line will want to keep in close contact with their cruise line in the coming months in case their voyages may be impacted by further changes.

Norwegian Cruise Ships Drop Curacao From Itineraries Amid Rising Tensions