Norwegian Joy Passengers Wait Hours for Customs in Seattle on Repositioning Cruise

October 4, 2026 — Passengers on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Joy spent about two and a half hours or more clearing U.S. customs in Seattle on Friday, and lines to get back on board stretched for blocks along the waterfront.

The delay happened on October 2 at Pier 66. Norwegian Joy (Norwegian Cruise Line is part of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings) was on a five-night Pacific Coastal repositioning cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles. Seattle was the ship’s first U.S. port after leaving Canada, so every one of the roughly 3,000 passengers had to be seen in person by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), including those staying on board.

What went wrong

According to Cruise Fever, which drew on passenger accounts and a KIRO 7 report, several things combined:

Computer problems inside the terminal
Too few CBP officers for the crowd, according to some passengers
Six passengers who did not show up for inspection, which stopped processing while crew looked for them
All passengers being processed at once instead of in stages

U.S. citizens waited about two and a half hours, and non-citizens waited longer. One passenger said they got off at about 5:15 p.m. Boarding did not start until after 6:00 p.m., and lines were still several blocks long at the 7:00 p.m. all-aboard time. Passengers described a “very hot enclosed hallway” inside the terminal.

The ship later cleared Seattle and is back on schedule, with Astoria, Oregon the next call. How late it sailed was not reported (TBA). After Los Angeles, Norwegian Joy goes through the Panama Canal to Miami for the winter. Neither Norwegian, CBP nor the Port of Seattle commented in the reports.

What it means for airline travelers

Watch for a “first U.S. port” on your itinerary. On cruises that start in Canada or another foreign country, the first U.S. stop can involve a full immigration check for everyone. Plan on a slow morning and don’t book tight shore plans there.
Ending your cruise at that port? Pick a late flight. If the first U.S. port is also where you leave the ship, a midday departure is risky. Standby travelers should list for afternoon or evening flights and keep a backup the next morning.
Go when your group is called. Six no-shows held up 3,000 people. Have your passport ready and report for inspection on time.
Seattle has two cruise terminals. Pier 66 is downtown and Pier 91 is further north. Both use Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA). Check which one your ship uses before you arrange a ride.
Interline rates: The incident does not affect travel-industry rates or eligibility.