NCLH Shifts Focus to Caribbean with Increased 2026 Capacity

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) has announced a strategic shift in its deployment for 2026, increasing its presence in the Caribbean by 10 percent while scaling back its European capacity by six percent.

Harry Sommer, president and CEO of NCLH, explained the move during the company’s second quarter earnings call: “We’ve been analyzing our itinerary mix and cruise duration at more granular levels to strike the right balance between guest demand and profitability.”

The company is focusing on shorter cruises and expanding its “sun and fun” offerings, with Norwegian’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay, playing a central role. The island is set to debut a new two-ship pier by the end of this year, followed by a major waterpark opening in the summer of 2026.

“We want to balance near-term profitability against long-term brand health. So we want to operate itineraries that have the highest possible guest satisfaction scores and repeat rates,” Sommer noted.

He added that the Caribbean and Bermuda itineraries score highly for operational ease and consistency: “So when you put those three things together, we get to what we believe is the optimum mix for both short-term profitability and long-term return, which is the focus that we always have as a team.”

Alongside the increased Caribbean deployment, all three of the company’s brands will be reducing their European itineraries in favor of shorter sailings.