Less than a week before embarkation, Norwegian Cruise Line has adjusted the itinerary for Norwegian Gem‘s January 20, 2026 departure from Jacksonville, a 12-night Eastern Caribbean and Bahamas sailing.

Not everyone is pleased with the change, which doesn’t seem to have much of an explanation at all.

Only one port of call is impacted: the ship’s visit to Great Stirrup Cay on Thursday, January 22. Initially, the call was to have been from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but that is no longer the case.

“While we’re always working to bring your dream vacation to life, there are times when a slight adjustment helps ensure a more efficient operation, resulting in the best overall guest experience,” the notification explained.

“In this case, we’ve adjusted the timing of our visit to Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. This change allows all guests visiting our recently enhanced private island on January 22, 2026, to enjoy a smoother, more relaxed and enjoyable day ashore.”

Now, Norwegian Gem will be visiting the island from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., which is one less hour than originally planned.

The note that “all guests visiting our recently enhanced private island” will benefit from the change seems odd, as Norwegian Gem is the only ship slated to visit Great Stirrup Cay on January 22.

Read Also: Great Stirrup Cay – A Full Overview of NCL’s Private Island

Furthermore, the ship has a day at sea both before and after the private island visit, so it isn’t necessary to adjust arrival or departure times to travel between ports of call.

What Other Factors Could Impact the Port Time?

It is possible that other factors may be impacting Norwegian Gem‘s planned visit to Great Stirrup Cay.

Weather forecasts, particularly for tides and winds, could have some impact on scheduling to ensure the ship is able to dock at the new pier safely.

For example, winds expected at Great Stirrup Cay on January 20 should be approximately 17 miles per hour throughout much of the day. Increasing winds up to 22 miles per hour or higher are expected later in the day.

Those rising winds in the afternoon could make it more challenging to keep Norwegian Gem steady against the dock just when many guests are returning to the ship. If gusts are even higher, there is a greater risk that the ship might snap her mooring lines and the gangways could collapse.

These types of incidents are not unheard of, and in fact less than a month ago Celebrity Equinox broke free while docked in Buenos Aires.

Not All Guests Are Happy

Some guests on Facebook are very upset at the change, particularly since this is the second time this particular itinerary has been changed. Previously, another stop in the Bahamas was removed in favor of a sea day.

Now, this change to an earlier-in-the-day visit to Great Stirrup Cay seems less than reasonable.

“There is no reason for this change! We are the only boat there that day,” one guest noted. “We have a sea day the next day, so we are in no hurry to get somewhere the next day. And they own the island, so an outside entity is not changing it.”

As different guests have pointed out, there are no breakfast options available on the private island, and the overall visit time is now an hour shorter than originally planned.

Furthermore, for guests who enjoy a sunny day on the beach, sunrise isn’t until 6:55 a.m. on January 22, just minutes before Norwegian Gem is scheduled to dock. This means a cooler overall day for beachgoers rather than the sun-drenched day they may have hoped to experience.

“Who wants to be up and out and on the beach at 7:30 a.m.?” one guest asked.

Nevertheless, all cruise lines are entitled to adjust itineraries at any time, for any reason. This is a common clause in cruise ticket contracts, and is clearly outlined in section 7(c) of Norwegian Cruise Line’s guest ticket contract.

Nevertheless, the last-minute nature of the change is also irksome to many guests, as there is no option to change or cancel their cruise if they prefer.

“It is frustrating when the last minute changes happen,” one guest noted.

While guests may be disappointed, the good news is they will still be visiting Great Stirrup Cay and will be among the first guests to enjoy the new enhancements, including the huge 1.4 acre Great Life Lagoon with swim up bars and lounge areas, as well as the Splash Harbor play area for younger cruisers.

Norwegian Gem Itinerary Shift Sparks Frustration Among Guests