NORFOLK, Va. — Year-round cruises have been offered out of Norfolk for almost six months.
Saraya Waddler and her husband, Walter, from Virginia Beach, are already Norfolk cruise terminal experts.
They just returned from four weeks on the Carnival Sunshine; they rode it once, then rode it again, then again, and then again.
“On our last cruise, we got off on May 31. We were so sad; we didn’t want to get off,” Saraya told WTKR.
Since year-round cruises have been operating in Norfolk for about half a year, the Waddlers seemed like the perfect vacationers to talk with to find out how those cruises are going.
They’re retired, but they also run an at-home travel agency called YAYA Travel, specializing in big groups, especially with seniors. They used to mainly cruise out of Florida, but they tell WTKR that they absolutely loved the cruise, the staff, and the sunshine.
They even gave a shout-out to a woman named Sandy, who they say was very helpful with the elderly members of the Waddlers' group.
“They went above and beyond; it was wonderful,” Walter said.
Plus, they said they loved the ease of cruising out of Norfolk.
“We were able to get off right there and go straight onto the boat. So it was the fastest we had ever gotten on and the fastest we had ever gotten off at any pier,” Saraya said.
That ease is something that Rehn West-Saunders, the director of development and marketing with Nauticus, hopes a lot of vacationers feel. Especially since they are now seeing many more first-time cruisers.
“Because it’s right here in their backyard, they feel like it’s something that they have access to—easier access. You don’t have to fly down to Miami or book a hotel there. You can leave your home, be there in 20 minutes, and hop right onto your cruise,” West-Saunders said.
Due to the popularity, West-Saunders says more cruise lines are increasing their port calls in Norfolk, which means more vacationers to benefit the local economy.
“Just this year alone, we have Viking, and we have several cruise lines from Germany coming down. Then over the next few years, you’ll start to see some other cruise lines like Norwegian,” she said.
Renovations are also underway to expand the waiting area for cruisers, so cruising out of Norfolk can be even easier.
