Norwegian Cruise Line is sending one of its cruise ships to a rescue mission in the Caribbean. Norwegian Sky is currently sailing towards St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands to retrieve some 2,000 travelers who were unable to evacuate the island prior to the devastating Hurricane. 

Irma destructive force devastated the U.S. Virgin Islands killing at least four people, destroying buildings and leveling many homes on St. Thomas. The Island paradise will take years to recover. Thousands of locals and tourists are reeling with trauma from of the most catastrophic storms in history, to strike the Caribbean region.

Norwegian Cruise Line released the following announcement: 

“Acting as a responsible corporate citizen and supporting the destinations that our ships operate in is a core value of Norwegian Cruise Line. In the wake of this devastating storm, we will be deploying Norwegian Sky from her current position off the coast of Cancun to St. Thomas, USVI to retrieve approximately 2,000 travelers who were unable to evacuate the island prior to the storm. The ship is departing immediately and will arrive in St. Thomas in the late evening hours on Monday, September 11. Norwegian Cruise Line is working closely with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association and the Governor of St. Thomas to execute this rescue mission. When all designated vacation guests have boarded the ship, Norwegian Sky will sail back to her homeport of Miami and is expected to arrive on Thursday, September 14.”

Regarding future sailings of the cruise ship Norwegian Escape, NCL posted the following update “ Due to the devastation in the Caribbean caused by Hurricane Irma, all of Norwegian Escape’s upcoming Eastern Caribbean sailings will be altered to a Western Caribbean itinerary until November. All guests scheduled to sail on any affected cruises will be notified of the change.”