PHILADELPHIA – Do you enjoy taking cruises? Travelers at the Jersey Shore and in the tri-state area will soon have a new place to set sail when a cruise terminal opens in Philadelphia in spring 2026.
Officials announced this week that the PhilaPort Cruise Terminal will begin operating on April 15, 2026, offering 41 sailings a year to Bermuda, the Caribbean and Canada. Norwegian Cruise Line will homeport its ships there under a seven-year agreement that runs through March 2033.
The 16-acre site, located next to Philadelphia International Airport in Tinicum Township, was formerly known as the Hog Island Dock Terminal Facility. PhilaPort will oversee marine improvements, while Norwegian Cruise Line is building out the terminal itself.
It will take Toms River residents about an hour and 25 minutes to get there.
Port officials say the project will generate more than 2,100 direct and indirect jobs and create $300 million in annual economic activity across Pennsylvania.
The terminal’s inaugural season will coincide with the nation’s 250th anniversary, when Philadelphia is expected to host major events and attract large crowds.
“This is a unique opportunity, and we are fortunate to have two outstanding partners in Energy Transfer and Norwegian Cruise Line,” Jeff Theobald, PhilaPort’s executive director and CEO, said in a statement. “We are ready and excited to welcome cruise passengers this spring.”
The terminal marks Philadelphia’s return to cruise operations for the first time since 2011. Currently, the nearest cruise ports for area residents are in Bayonne, N.J., New York City and Baltimore.
Norwegian Cruise Line officials called Philadelphia’s debut a strategic milestone that will expand access to cruise vacations from a city “rich in American history.”
Construction updates and terminal details will be released as work continues. Port officials say the new facility aligns with their long-term plan to transform PhilaPort into a multi-use hub, not just a cargo operation.
As 2026 approaches, officials say travelers can expect “a new chapter of tourism and leisure” — and a brand-new way to Cruise Philly First.
