Passengers aboard Norwegian Sun’s current Baltic sailing are experiencing additional itinerary changes after Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed the ship is operating at a reduced speed because of a technical issue.
In a letter distributed to guests on June 25, the cruise line said the ship is experiencing “a technical issue requiring Norwegian Sun to operate at a reduced speed,” but emphasized that it “does not affect the safety of our guests or crew.”
As a result, the cruise line said its visits to Nynäshamn (Stockholm), Sweden, and Klaipėda, Lithuania, “have been replaced with sea days.”
The letter also announced revised visits to Copenhagen, Denmark, Kiel, Germany, and Warnemünde, Germany, while Gdynia, Poland, has been replaced with a stop in Rønne, Denmark.
Norwegian Cruise Line also adjusted the schedule for the remainder of the voyage. Warnemünde received an extended port stay, while visits to Kiel and Copenhagen were slightly shortened because of later arrivals and, in Kiel’s case, an earlier departure.
The confirmation comes just days after passengers on the ship’s previous sailing reported a suspected loss of propulsion that forced the cancellation of a stop in Stockholm. At the time, Norwegian Cruise Line had not publicly confirmed the cause, but the new onboard letter confirms the ship is continuing to operate under speed restrictions.
Two ports canceled and another replaced
According to the letter distributed onboard on June 25, Norwegian Sun’s scheduled visits to Nynäshamn (Stockholm), Sweden, and Klaipėda, Lithuania, have been replaced with sea days.
The cruise line has also canceled the planned visit to Gdynia, Poland, replacing it with a call to Rønne, Denmark, on the island of Bornholm. In addition, arrival and departure times have been adjusted for Warnemünde, Germany, Kiel, Germany, and Copenhagen, Denmark.
Revised Norwegian Sun itinerary
| Day | Original Itinerary | Revised Itinerary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helsinki, Finland (Depart 4:00 p.m.) | Helsinki, Finland (Depart 4:00 p.m.) |
| 2 | Tallinn, Estonia (8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) | Tallinn, Estonia (8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) |
| 3 | Nynäshamn (Stockholm), Sweden (8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) | At Sea |
| 4 | Riga, Latvia (9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) | Riga, Latvia (9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) |
| 5 | Klaipėda, Lithuania (10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) | At Sea |
| 6 | Gdynia, Poland (6:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.) | Rønne, Denmark (8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) |
| 7 | Warnemünde, Germany (7:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.) | Warnemünde, Germany (7:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.) |
| 8 | Kiel, Germany (7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.) | Kiel, Germany (8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) |
| 9 | Copenhagen, Denmark (9:00 a.m. – Overnight) | Copenhagen, Denmark (10:30 a.m. – Overnight) |
| 10 | Copenhagen, Denmark (Disembarkation 6:00 a.m.) | Copenhagen, Denmark (Disembarkation 6:00 a.m.) |
At this time, it’s unclear whether future Norwegian Sun itineraries will be affected. However, if the technical issue continues to require the ship to operate at a reduced speed, additional itinerary changes could become necessary.
Norwegian Cruise Line offers compensation
In its letter to guests, Norwegian Cruise Line acknowledged that itinerary changes can be disappointing and thanked passengers for their patience and flexibility.
Each stateroom will receive $100 in nonrefundable onboard credit, split as $50 for each of the first two guests. The credit will automatically be applied to guests’ onboard accounts during the voyage.
In addition, every guest will receive a 25% Future Cruise Credit that can be used to book a new cruise within the next 12 months for sailings departing through December 31, 2027. The credit will become available beginning July 3, 2026.
Guests who booked Norwegian Cruise Line shore excursions for Nynäshamn, Klaipėda, or Gdynia will automatically receive refunds to their onboard accounts. The cruise line also said it is working to adjust shore excursions in Warnemünde, Kiel, and Copenhagen to reflect the revised port times. If adjustments cannot be made, those excursions will also be refunded.
NCL Sun’s itinerary changes follow earlier passenger reports
The latest announcement follows passenger reports from Norwegian Sun’s previous Baltic voyage regarding alleged propulsion issues.
On June 22, guests reported that the ship missed its scheduled call to Nynäshamn (Stockholm), with one passenger posting on Reddit that Norwegian Sun had experienced a “loss of propulsion” and appeared to be operating at reduced speed.
Although Norwegian Cruise Line did not publicly comment at the time, AIS tracking data showed the ship remained underway, suggesting it was still operational despite the reported issue.
The onboard letter distributed during the current voyage is the first confirmation from the cruise line that Norwegian Sun is operating at reduced speed because of a technical issue.
Propulsion issues occasionally lead to itinerary changes
While uncommon, propulsion-related issues can affect cruise ships across the industry. Ships are often able to continue sailing safely at reduced speeds, although itineraries may need to be modified to accommodate the slower pace.
A similar situation occurred aboard Celebrity Beyond in 2025, when propulsion issues forced the cancellation of one sailing before the ship returned to service under speed restrictions. Those limitations resulted in months of itinerary changes, including shortened port calls, revised arrival times, and modified itineraries.
Norwegian Cruise Line also experienced similar operational challenges aboard Norwegian Escape in late 2025. During several Caribbean sailings, guests experienced late arrivals, shortened port calls, and canceled destinations after the cruise line said the ship required an adjustment that reduced its sailing speed.
About Norwegian Sun
Norwegian Sun entered service in 2001 as the second ship in Norwegian Cruise Line’s Sun class. The 78,309-gross-ton vessel accommodates approximately 1,900 guests and features 15 decks, a variety of complimentary and specialty dining venues, a theater, spa, casino, and multiple pools and lounges.
Unlike many of Norwegian Cruise Line’s newer ships, Norwegian Sun is a mid-sized vessel designed for destination-focused itineraries rather than onboard attractions.
The ship is particularly known for longer, port-intensive itineraries that appeal to travelers seeking immersive destinations over large-scale onboard entertainment.
The vessel is also nearing the end of its time with Norwegian Cruise Line. In 2025, the company announced that Norwegian Sun and sister ship Norwegian Sky will transfer to Cordelia Cruises under a long-term charter arrangement beginning in 2027. As a result, Norwegian Sun is expected to leave the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet after more than 25 years of service.
My daughter and I cruised June 24th 2026 sailing on the Norwegian Sun and were informed the next day that we would not be going to Lithuania followed by 3 other ports being dropped. All passengers we spoke with agree 50% of the cruise altered should have a 50% refund. So disappointed in this line because they already had compulsion issues on the previous cruise with cancelled ports. Passengers on our cruise should of had the option to cancel with a refund if we were not visiting the ports we only came on this cruise to see. But no, in order to not lose money they took us out knowing the issues with the ship. Many passengers were devastated and upset with the way NCL handled this. We will never cruise with NCL again. Reviews that are saying “Oh well things happen” are NCL employees!!!
* retract, first port cancelled was Sweden followed by other 3 ports.