Passengers currently sailing aboard Norwegian Escape say the vessel has arrived late to multiple destinations and skipped at least one port of call during its December 21–28, 2025 Caribbean cruise.
The altered itinerary is prompting renewed speculation about whether Norwegian Escape is experiencing ongoing technical issues, particularly with its engine or propulsion system.
Currently, Norwegian Escape is sailing a 7-night round-trip itinerary from New Orleans with scheduled ports of call in Cozumel, Roatán, Harvest Caye, and Costa Maya.
However, passengers onboard report the ship arrived behind schedule at each port and skipped Costa Maya entirely, resulting in back-to-back sea days.
According to Facebook posts from guests onboard, Norwegian Cruise Line cited weather and rough sea conditions for the missed port of call to Costa Maya. While some guests accepted that explanation, others questioned why delays appeared to affect nearly every port on the itinerary.
Passengers onboard say delays impacted NCL Escape’s entire itinerary
Discussion surrounding Norwegian Escape’s current sailing has surfaced on social media, with several passengers saying they are currently onboard and experiencing the delays firsthand.
“My hubby and I are on this cruise and we have had the worst experience,” wrote one passenger, who said the ship arrived roughly an hour late to Cozumel, causing them to miss an excursion. The same passenger said the ship also arrived late into Roatán and that the Costa Maya cancellation was announced the morning the ship was scheduled to dock.
Other commenters sailing on the same voyage echoed concerns about the ship’s timing and said guest services could not provide clear answers about port arrivals or whether the ship would return to New Orleans on schedule.
Norwegian Cruise Line said the ship needs to sail at reduced speed
Passengers from NCL Escape’s sailings in September and October said Norwegian Cruise Line notified them of itinerary changes due to a “required adjustment” that reduced sailing speed.
In several cases, Costa Maya was removed from itineraries weeks before departure and replaced with an extra sea day or extended time in another port.
The cruise line stated in the communication:
“Due to a required adjustment that slightly reduces our sailing speed, we have swapped our visit to Costa Maya with an extra day at sea.”
Passengers who received these emails from Norwegian Cruise Line questioned what the reduced speed meant operationally, particularly as similar explanations appeared repeatedly across multiple sailings. The cruise line emphasized, “Don’t worry, everything is still smooth and safe onboard!”
Guests have speculated about Norwegian Escape’s ongoing engine issues
Over the past several months, passengers have increasingly speculated that Norwegian Escape may be operating with mechanical issues, particularly related to propulsion or engine output.
In multiple Facebook threads, guests shared photos and videos of the ship’s wake, which showed uneven water flow on either side of the vessel. Some passengers said this appeared consistent with reduced propulsion on one side, reinforcing concerns about potential engine issues.
Passengers also referenced onboard speed readouts and ship-tracking apps, claiming the vessel was traveling at speeds lower than what they believed to be typical cruising speed. While those observations have not been independently verified, they circulated widely and contributed to growing concern among cruisers.
Cruise tracking data from CruiseMapper shows Norwegian Escape currently sailing at approximately 20.8 knots, which is considered normal for the vessel.
While AIS data shows Norwegian Escape cruising at a speed within its normal operating range, passengers note that earlier itinerary changes and references to reduced sailing speed have raised questions about whether the ship can consistently maintain the pace required for its published schedules.
Other cruisers have speculated about NCL Escape’s engine issues
A lengthy Cruise Critic discussion dating back to mid-October shows that questions about Norwegian Escape’s sailing speed and propulsion were already circulating well before the current voyage.
Multiple passengers reported tracking the ship’s speed and observing it travel in the 13–15 knot range at times, which they said appeared slower than expected for maintaining scheduled port arrivals.
One frequent poster calculated that at those speeds, the ship would struggle to arrive on time at ports like Amber Cove, writing that the slower pace made the published arrival times “nearly mission impossible.”
Others compared Norwegian Escape’s speed to nearby ships, noting sister vessels sailing above 20 knots under similar conditions. Several contributors shared copies of itinerary change emails sent by Norwegian Cruise Line that used nearly identical language across multiple sailings.
One widely shared letter stated, “Due to a required adjustment that slightly reduces our sailing speed… we have swapped our visit to Costa Maya with an extra day at sea,” while also adjusting arrival and departure times at Roatán, Harvest Caye, and Cozumel.
Passengers sailing weeks apart reported receiving the same wording, supporting passenger theories that Norwegian Escape’s speed adjustment may be ongoing. In the thread, one guest wrote that Costa Maya had been removed entirely from their itinerary, while others said their port time was shortened by one to two hours.
At the same time, the discussion reflects conflicting explanations shared with passengers onboard. Some guests reported being told by crew members or officers that there were no active propulsion problems, and that speed reductions were tied to weather, fuel efficiency, or schedule timing.
However, multiple passengers who said they attended dinners or briefings with ship officers claimed they were told an electrical winding in one azipod had failed on a previous sailing and was repaired in New York in mid-October.
Those guests said officers emphasized the issue had been fixed and that later speed reductions were precautionary.
Norwegian Escape underwent a dry dock in late 2022 and isn’t scheduled for another routine dry dock until October 2026. Until then, the ship may continue operating with schedule adjustments tied to sailing speed.
About Norwegian Escape
Norwegian Escape is a Breakaway Plus–class cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line, sailing primarily seven-night Caribbean itineraries from New Orleans during the winter season.
The ship entered service in 2015 and can carry more than 4,200 passengers at double occupancy, making it one of the largest vessels in Norwegian’s fleet and one of the biggest regularly homeported in the Gulf of Mexico.
In recent weeks, Norwegian Escape has drawn attention beyond itinerary changes. Earlier this month, the ship was also the subject of passenger complaints following a chaotic disembarkation in New Orleans, where guests reported extended delays, crowded terminal conditions, and confusion during the debarkation process.
That incident added to growing scrutiny from passengers who say recent sailings have been marked by disruptions, delays, and limited communication.
Service was absolutely terrible, the only place we got good service was in the specialty dining areas, that coupled with the missed port (Not for weater, they said swells of 7′ and wind of 40knots) but that did not match any of the marine weather reports for costa maya. They are not family friendly. Nothing for young Kids(under 5) to do. They messed up our room assignments. I would not recommend NCL to worst enemy. Absolutely terrible experience.