Philadelphia Cruisers Must Check In at Hotel Rather Than Cruise Port Due to Construction Delays

Cruise passengers departing on the upcoming Norwegian Cruise Line inaugural sailing from PhilaPort are receiving emails telling them that their vacation starts in a hotel ballroom rather than at the cruise port itself.

NCL is telling guests booked on Norwegian Jewel that check-in will actually take place at the Clarion Hotel Philadelphia International Airport.  The change was due to ongoing construction delays at the permanent terminal.

One passenger on Reddit who received the cruise line’s email said, “you can only check in at the hotel-do not attempt to go to the port, you will be turned away,” adding that parking starts at $16/day.

While the hotel is about 6 miles from the cruise port, passengers will be shuttled to their ship after the check-in process is complete.

The Temporary Check-In Process

“For our first sailings, the check-in process will be facilitated at a nearby facility supported by thoughtful operational plans designed to keep your day flowing from arrival to boarding,” an email from the cruise line stated.

For these initial sailings, the Clarion Hotel in Essington (76 Industrial Hwy) is acting as the official cruise hub. If you have airport transfers booked through NCL, they’ll take you straight there.

If you’re driving yourself, staff will be on-site to guide you.

Once you arrive, you’ll drop your bags outside the entrance before heading into the designated ballroom to handle the paperwork. It’s important to keep your essentials like passports, meds, and boarding docs, in a carry-on bag, as you won’t see your checked luggage again until it shows up at your stateroom later that night.

Since Norwegian is the only cruise line currently sailing out of Philly, this shuttle is the only way into the port area. NCL has made it clear that you should not try to go to the port independently, as security will only allow official NCL buses through the gates.

At the Pier

Norwegian Jewel is scheduled to arrive at 8:00 AM this Thursday after its 10-day trip up from PortMiami.

You’ll probably see construction crews and equipment still working on the permanent terminal building nearby. Because of this “work-in-progress” setup, NCL is advising everyone to dress for the weather, as some of the walk to the ship is outdoors.

Upcoming Sailing Itinerary

For the passengers checking in this Thursday, the unique hotel check-in process is just the first step toward a week-long getaway. Norwegian Jewel is scheduled to embark from Philadelphia at 4:00 PM on April 16.

The 8-day itinerary includes:

Day 1: Philadelphia, PA (Embark at 4:00 PM)

Day 2: At Sea

Day 3: Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda (Arrive 10:00 AM, Overnight)

Day 4: Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda (Depart 3:00 PM)

Day 5: At Sea

Day 6: Charleston, South Carolina (11:00 AM – 7:00 PM)

Day 7: At Sea

Day 8: Philadelphia, PA (Debark at 8:00 AM on April 23)

Disembarkation Plans

Guests who purchased airport transfers will be taken directly from the ship to the airport. All other passengers will be shuttled back to the Clarion Hotel, where they can retrieve their vehicles or arrange transportation.

Ride-share services and taxis will not be available at the port itself, meaning cruisers must plan pickups from the hotel location instead.

Norwegian is asking everyone to stick to their selected check-in timeslots to keep the hotel ballroom from getting too crowded. While it’s not the grand terminal opening everyone expected, the goal is to keep things moving until the permanent facility is finally ready.