Hurricane Lala Forces Delays for Two Norwegian Cruise Line Ships in Honolulu

# What happened Hurricane Lala, a Category 1 storm, swept through Hawaii in mid-August 2026. The storm caused infrastructure damage across the islands, left more than 180,000 residents without power, and damaged or destroyed about 100 homes, according to news reports. As the storm approached, the U.S. Coast Guard set Port Condition Zulu for Honolulu Harbor, closing Oahu's main maritime hub until safety inspections could be completed.

# How the closures affected Norwegian Cruise Line Two Norwegian Cruise Line ships operating in the region — Pride of America and Norwegian Spirit — were directly impacted by the harbor closure and the resulting congestion once the port reopened.

• Pride of America spent the worst of the storm at sea. Passengers were given the choice to disembark early in Honolulu on Friday or remain on board with extra onboard credit.
• Once Honolulu Harbor reopened on Sunday afternoon, August 16, the ship docked and passengers disembarked about one day later than planned.
• NCL adjusted the vessel's upcoming itinerary to make up time, including a shortened call at Kahului, Maui.

• Because the harbor faced a backlog of vessels once it reopened, there was no immediate berth available. Disembarkation for Norwegian Spirit was pushed to Monday, August 17.
• That delay also pushed back the ship's next 16-night sailing back to Vancouver by one day. Passengers received an extra night aboard while waiting for the gangway to open.

# What NCL said and next steps NCL issued a statement to Seatrade Cruise News acknowledging the logistical challenges and thanking guests for patience and flexibility. The company also offered good wishes for a speedy recovery for impacted Hawaiian communities. NCL is reviewing port availability in Hawaiian ports for upcoming sailings while local cleanup and recovery efforts continue.

# Practical implications for passengers and future sailings

• Passengers experienced later-than-planned disembarkation and a revised itinerary in one case. Those on Norwegian Spirit boarded their next cruise a day late.
• Expect short-notice itinerary changes when ports are closed for safety inspections or face berthing backlogs after severe weather. Cruise lines commonly respond with onboard credits, itinerary adjustments, or extra time at sea.

# Bottom line Hurricane Lala produced physical damage and operational knock-on effects for maritime traffic in Honolulu. With the harbor reopened, NCL completed one delayed turnaround and pushed another disembarkation and subsequent embarkation by one day while monitoring port availability as Hawaii continues recovery.