Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Star should be on her way to Canada and Iceland right now.
But within just a couple of hours of embarking on her current 14-night Transatlantic crossing on July 12, 2025, she needed to be helped back to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in New York due to a power outage.
Cruise tracking data shows that the 91,740 gross-ton ship turned around within hours of setting sail, while the Port of New York webcam caught the vessel being guided to the dock by tug boats.
Current passengers onboard the 2,348-guest ship have also been quick to confirm the news, sharing that the power has been working intermittently and that there is no air conditioning or running water onboard.
“I’m a former crew member on ships, and my aunt, cousins, and parents are on the NCL Star leaving NYC today. They’ve had multiple engine failures, power and air conditioning go out intermittently, and are currently being towed back to the dock,” one person said.
“My parents just left on a 14 night from New York on the Star, and the power just went out on the ship,” another confirmed, before sharing updates about the lights briefly coming back on before going out again.
“Engine failure being worked on. No water or AC currently,” one of her updates read.
Cruise Hive has also reached out to Norwegian Cruise Line for a statement regarding the situation, and we’ll provide updates to readers once more is known.
What Went Wrong & What Happens Next?
As of the time of writing, this is still a developing situation with the NCL ship only just docking once again.
The cause of the power outage is currently unknown, but this can happen because of a variety of mechanical or electrical reasons.
At this time, there have been no reports of any serious onboard events, such as a fire, which could be to blame.
The 2001-launched ship also has a history of propulsion issues and power loss, with issues reported in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, most of which were related to the Azipod propulsion system.
In 2022, the cruise line actually won a $159 million lawsuit against the Azipod providers for making fraudulent and negligent misrepresentations and omissions about their propulsion systems.
However, it’s unclear if the Azipods are responsible for the current situation.
Read Also: From Mishaps to Maydays – Cruise Ship Accidents
Depending on how long the cruise ship will need to remain in port for repairs, the current 14-night itinerary may be impacted.
This is supposed to be a one-way sailing to Reykjavik, Iceland, with the first port call scheduled for Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on July 14, 2025.
Guests are also supposed to visit Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada; Prince Edward Island, Canada; Nuuk, Greenland; Paamiui, Greenland; Isafjordur, Iceland; Akureyri, Iceland; and Grundarfjordur, Iceland, before disembarking on July 26, 2025.
A delay could mean that some ports of call have to be skipped, while more significant repairs may lead to a cruise cancellation.
If the cruise is cancelled, the subsequent sailing, which is a 12-night return voyage from Reykjavik to New York that embarks on July 26, would also have to be skipped.
For now, we’ll just have to wait and watch to see what happens – and of course, Cruise Hive will keep you up to date with the latest.
