Norwegian Sky & Sun Leaving the Fleet

April 7, 2025 Randy Young

Get ready to say goodbye to the smallest ships in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet. In an announcement today, Cordelia Cruises, a cruise line serving India and Southeast Asia, confirmed an agreement to purchase Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Sun. Sky will depart the fleet in 2026, followed by Sun in 2027.

Sun Class Ships Exit Norwegian Fleet

Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Sun have been part of Norwegian’s fleet since 1999 and 2001, respectively, though Sky briefly sailed as Pride of Aloha between 2004 and 2008. These smaller vessels each accommodate around 2,000 guests, offering a more intimate cruising experience compared to today’s megaships.

In 2018 and 2019, both ships received significant renovations to align with the rest of the fleet. Norwegian updated staterooms, modernized the atrium, and introduced newer venues such as The Local Bar & Grill and Starbucks.

Currently, Sky and Sun are used for more unique itineraries and longer voyages, visiting destinations like Iceland, Greenland, Spain, Morocco, Africa, Alaska, and Portugal. Their smaller size allows them to access ports that larger ships cannot. However, in recent investor calls, Norwegian executives have signaled a move away from these niche routes in favor of more routine, and profitable, Caribbean itineraries.

When transferred, these ships will sail under the new names, Cordelia Sky and Cordelia Sun.

New Ships Incoming—and Much Bigger

While two vessels are set to leave, Norwegian Cruise Line has no plans to slow down. The brand has an aggressive newbuild schedule, with eight ships expected to join the fleet over the next 11 years. These upcoming vessels will be significantly larger than Sky and Sun, with some nearing the size of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships. Because of this, they aren’t expected to replace the types of itineraries offered by the Sky and Sun.