NCL America (managed by NCL-Norwegian Cruise Lines) has taken the lead in announcing that it will temporarily suspend Maui as a port of call on its Hawaii cruises. Prior to the Maui fire, Kahului was their initial port of call after departing from homeport Honolulu, with scheduled stays on Sunday and Monday.
Following the devastation caused by the Maui fires, more cruise lines are expected to adjust their itineraries.
NCL has begun notifying guests, beginning with the next three Pride of America ship's weekly Hawaii cruises, that changes to the itinerary are necessary. NCL proactively decided to modify the itinerary in order to alleviate any additional strain on Maui's infrastructure, allowing for a concentrated focus on recovery operations.
To minimize pressure on local resources, NCL has chosen to replace the planned Maui stop with an extended stay in Hilo. The adjusted itinerary will also incorporate more time on Kauai, providing passengers with a heightened opportunity to immerse themselves in the beauty and natural allure of the Hawaiian Islands.
Initially, this change will apply to Pride of America's upcoming three voyages in August, departing every Saturday from Honolulu. NCL is closely monitoring the evolving situation on Maui and remains open to further adjustments, which appear to be likely. Additional updates will be provided as more details emerge.
As the Hawaii cruise industry undergoes further modifications, the primary focus remains on the critical aspects of the rapidly evolving situation on Maui.
Princess Cruises has also announced adjustments to the Hawaiian itinerary of the ship Emerald Princess, eliminating a scheduled Maui call (on Monday) and substituting it with Kona.
Maui's initial phase of recovery from the wildfires involves active assistance from first responders. The absence of cruise ships will alleviate some of the strain on the already struggling infrastructure.
Considering Maui's resources are already stretched thin, the rerouting of cruise ships will enable the channeling of resources toward immediate recovery efforts. The state continues to discourage visitors from traveling to Maui at this time.
The resumption of cruise stops on Maui is anticipated to vary from weeks to months, contingent on the extent of the damage, which is gradually coming to light, and the availability of resources on the island.