NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Beginning in 2027, there will be at least two large cruise ships docked at the Half Moone Cruise & Celebration Center on Waterside Dr. in Norfolk each week, for much of the Spring and Summer.

Tuesday, Nauticus announced that Norwegian Cruise Line has committed to call on Norfolk as part of the Norwegian Pearl’s itinerary. The 2,400 passenger ship is expected to dock for 20 weeks beginning in April, potentially introducing 49,000 more passengers to the region.

This will happen alongside the weekly cruises leaving on the Carnival Sunshine.

Nauticus executive director Stephen E. Kirkland said it’s a point of pride to see the cruise pier being utilized to this extent.

“We’ll have the opportunity to welcome nearly 2,500 additional passengers and 1,000 crew members every single Tuesday for five months,” Kirkland said. “That activity, coupled with our Carnival sailings each weekend, represents a broadening economic impact for this entire region.”

Norwegian’s commitment represent one of the largest port-of-call commitments in Norfolk’s history according to Kirkland. The first modern-day cruises arrived in 1996, which the pier being constructed in 2001. In the last decade, Norfolk taxpayers have invested millions in order to make improvements, including $12 million to prepare for year-round cruising from Carnival.

Norwegian is the fourth-largest cruise company in the world and Kirkland believes they will not only benefit Norfolk

“This Norwegian Cruise Line activity will benefit Yorktown and Jamestown, and Williamsburg and Virginia Beach and local museums,” he said. “And that’s what it’s all about.”

Norwegian Pearl (Courtesy: Nauticus)

“And so, this really is the start of something big for this city, in this region as a cruise port, as a cruise hub,” Kirkland said.

Some additional cruise lines scheduled to visit Norfolk’s port between 2025-26 include Holland America, TUI Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Azamara, Seabourn, Viking and Carnival Sunshine. Kirkland hopes the message is getting out that it’s smart to cruise through Norfolk.

Kirkland said there are plans for a study to determine the true economic impact of year-round cruising, but he’s not sure when that will be released.

“That’s why this announcement is so important,” Kirkland said, “is we’re filling up the pier during the week. We obviously are filling it up during the weekend, or at least one day, during the weekend, and so we’re just trying to grow smartly.”