8 November 2007 | The Royal Gazette

Mega cruise ships will be coming to Bermuda until at least 2018 under a new deal struck between Government and Norwegian Cruise Line.

The ten-year agreement — which will come into effect in 2009 — was announced at a press conference yesterday by Premier Ewart Brown.

It means two state-of-the-art Panamax vessels, usually travelling from New York and Boston, will each make at least 22 extended calls here per season. The Freestyle Cruising ships will dock at the new pier at Dockyard from 2009.

Norwegian Spirit — which has a passenger capacity of 2,000 — will sail from Boston to Bermuda on a Friday, calling into Dockyard from Sunday to Wednesday.

The 2,200-capacity Norwegian Dawn will sail from New York on Sundays, calling at Dockyard from Wednesday until Friday.

Norwegian Majesty — the ship which has served NCL's Boston to St. George's business for 15 years — will sail to St. George's from Charleston, Philadelphia and Baltimore.

Dr. Brown said the deal meant the Island would have cruise ships at Dockyard at least five nights a week during peak season and would mean the town of St. George still had a regular influx of passengers. MORE! »