After years of absence, a significant cruise ship is set to depart from Philadelphia.

It’s confirmed: Philadelphia is resuming its role as a home port for cruise liners.

On Wednesday, Norwegian Cruise Line announced plans to start sailing to Bermuda from Philadelphia in the spring of 2026, marking the return of a major cruise line to the city. Additionally, the Miami-based brand revealed intentions to launch trips to Canada and New England from Philadelphia later that same year.

The cruises will be operated on the Norwegian Jewel, a 2,376-passenger ship that is currently based on the West Coast for Alaskan voyages. Launched in 2005, it stands as one of the oldest among Norwegian's 19 ships.

"We are dedicated to providing more opportunities for our guests to create lasting memories, allowing them to enjoy better vacations with us," said Norwegian Cruise Line president David Herrera in a statement. "We take pride in collaborating with [the port of Philadelphia] to establish cruising in the region, making it more accessible for the U.S. Mid-Atlantic area."

In recent years, a few smaller cruise ships have made brief stops in Philadelphia, but the city hasn't seen large vessels like those from Norwegian since 2011. Even those earlier visits involved ships operating from other home ports.

Philadelphia has historically been one of the few major East Coast cities not to function as a cruise ship hub. Currently, cruises depart from Boston, New York City, Baltimore, Norfolk, Virginia, Charleston, South Carolina, and several ports along Florida's east coast.

Norwegian announced that the upcoming sailings from Philadelphia will feature:

• Seven- and nine-night trips to Bermuda from April 16, 2026, to August 27, 2026
• 10- and 11-night journeys to Canada and New England beginning September 5, 2026, through early October 2026

The Bermuda voyages will include an extended visit to the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda along with a stop in Charleston.

The Canada and New England voyages will include stops at various ports such as Boston, Bar Harbor in Maine, Saint John in New Brunswick, Halifax and Sydney in Nova Scotia, Charlottetown in Prince Edward Island, and Saguenay in Quebec.

Prices for the Bermuda sailings will begin at $1,197 per person, based on double occupancy, while the Canada and New England trips will start at $1,441 per person.

Norwegian announced that these voyages will set sail from Philadelphia's SouthPort Marine Terminal, a new port complex established in 2019, which is currently used for importing automobiles into the U.S. Local government plans are in place to create a facility at the SouthPort terminal to accommodate cruisers by 2026.

Norwegian confirmed it will be the only cruise line operating from Philadelphia until October 17, 2026.