Norwegian Pearl opens robust Massport cruise season (updated)

Some 125 calls from 19 lines are expected during this first full cruise season in two years.

Five homeporting ships

And Flynn Cruiseport Boston for the first time will have four cruise lines fielding five homeporting ships. 

Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Pearl will sail weekly round-trips to Bermuda through November. Holland America Line's Zaandam starts service May 15 and Nieuw Statendam Aug. 3. Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Summit begins its series Aug. 31, and Royal Caribbean International's Voyager of the Seas on Sept. 18.

'Holland America Line is thrilled to once again sail from Boston on our Canada and New England cruises,' HAL President Gus Antorcha said. 'Our summer sailings are popular with couples, families and friends that love the rich history of this region, while the fall foliage departures attract those looking for a bucket-list experience with the beautiful colors of the season.'

Dozen maiden calls

Besides Norwegian Pearl, a dozen maiden calls include Carnival Legend, Norwegian Joy and Sky Princess.

Pre-pandemic Boston served a record 402,346 passengers on 138 calls in 2019.

New passenger boarding bridge

In preparation for recovery, Massport installed a new passenger boarding bridge last November to facilitate larger ships including Norwegian Breakaway and Enchanted Princess. And, since 2017, Massport has been working with the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge Boston Harbor to deepen the Reserved Channel and expand the turning basin to 1,725 feet.

New itineraries

Several new itineraries start or end in Boston throughout the 2022 season. In October, Celebrity Summit is offering a 12-day one-way cruise from Boston to the Caribbean and ending at PortMiami. Vantage Cruise Line’s Ocean Explorer will depart Boston on Oct. 29 for a 10-day cruise along the East Coast to Nassau, Bahamas. Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas is offering a 14-day 'Arctic Crossing' cruise that starts at Copenhagen and ends at Boston Sept. 18.

'We are proud to work with our cruise lines to ensure Flynn Cruiseport Boston remains the region’s cruise gateway with diverse destination offerings that cater to passengers of all kinds,' said Lauren Gleason, deputy port director, business development. 'With Boston Logan International Airport located just across the harbor, Flynn Cruiseport Boston provides convenient access to cruise passengers flying in to explore the city and the many destinations accessible from our cruise gateway, including the popular Canada/New England itinerary.'

The return of cruising supports the tourism recovery for the city of Boston and the commonwealth. In a normal year Flynn Cruiseport Boston generates $135.5m in annual economic impact and supports 2,200 jobs.

The update added more detail about the season.