Bevi65

Hi Everyone, 

Jakarta is on our itinerary,  and was after any advice as to what would be the best way to navigate a trip into the city on our own.

Thanks in advance 😊

Singapore has reported two new cases of the Virus as of a few hours ago.  Very responsible of other cruise companies cancelling for now.  Once  an effective remedy is found and travel resumes, these cruise lines will be the winners in the end. Good for them.

2 hours ago, LAnn said:

Hi Maeskr11, I get it. It's a horrible situation, and NCL's non-existent customer service is outrageous. They should absolutely have given everyone the option of at least a future cruise credit from the moment this virus became an issue. 

They absolutely should have.  We were shut down instantly a couple of weeks ago - we stressed that we didn't want a refund . If upcoming cruise ( fingers crossed) is cancelled, and we are then given a choice, I Can tell you now we won't be choosing the credit .

27 minutes ago, Lou33 said:

Cancel for any reason insurance is typically much more expensive than standard insurance.  That type of insurance is appropriate for people who think they may change their mind "for reasons which are within their own life events".   For example they may own a business, and something comes up, and they can't be away from work.  Or maybe they're not sure if they booked the perfect holiday, and they want the option to cancel just in case something better comes up.  

 

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that somebody would need this type of insurance because a they feel that their cruise is "not safe".  That they are worried that they might be quarantined for several weeks and miss work.  That they might catch a rampant virus.  That a crazy cruise line will not give them the option to cancel for future cruise credit and is basically forcing them to do something that many people, feel is unsafe. 

Have been reading these boards for days.. your comment "crazy cruise line" is gold & perfect for what we are being put through.  We can all do with a chuckle amidst this debacle. 😂

More cases emerging out of Singapore over the last few hours as someone posted above.  I highly doubt they are going to allow ship loads of passengers coming and going during this time. They have a pretty well organised and structured system there.  

1 minute ago, blcruising said:

I still think there is something going on with the Jade Feb 17th sailing. That sailing had a ton of cabins available earlier this week. Then, midweek it disappeared from the offerings overnight. I suppose it could have sold out, but I can't imagine how. Now, booked passengers are reporting that they can no longer access their booking summaries. A sold out ship would usually not prohibit access to booking summaries.

It's all a bit odd. I predict a cancellation announcement within the next few days.

Anyone else getting a " default itinerary name" in their NCL account ( Jade 17th Sailing) ? Nothing is coming up under summary either.

3 minutes ago, IrieBajan54 said:

I've read that Crystal Symphony is a ship without a port. Both Taiwan and the Philippines have denied docking. I hope the ship has enough fuel. Flying Dutchman?

 

Passengers can get 50% FCC is they sail or a 100% FCC if they cancel.

 

"On Thursday February 6, Crystal Cruises was notified by authorities that the ports of Manila, Philippines and Keelung (Taipei), Taiwan are now closed to all international cruise ships."

 

https://www.crystalcruises.com/coronavirus-update

Won't be surprised if other ports follow suit.  It's mind boggling that NCL are still pursuing with upcoming Asian cruises. 

1 minute ago, blcruising said:

 

I find this policy interesting.

 

So, if I'm concerned about getting sick onboard and want to exercise caution and stay home, I lose my entire cruise fare?

 

But if I end up cruising and get sick onboard, NCL could attempt to have me disembarked and sent home mid-cruise?

 

Oy vey. 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

Ridiculous !!! Cancel the bloody thing & refund your customers - we will be back and honour you (NCL) .. at this point too many people are inconvenienced , frustrated and will move on to other companies ( ourselves included).

7 minutes ago, Lou33 said:

The Jade left Hong Kong on January 30 and is due to arrive in Singapore on February 6.  I wouldn't be surprised if the Singapore government quarantines the Jade and all passengers as a precaution.   

Good point, I think it's a strong possibility.

11 minutes ago, Masekr11 said:

We had the same experience when calling NCL. One supervisor recommended emailing Vivian Ewart, VP of Guest Relations. It’s a long shot, but maybe if enough people do it NCL may decide to do the responsible thing and cancel/offer credits.  The email address they gave us was: Askvivian@ncl.com

We too are flip flopping with this upcoming cruise. As an asthmatic I've been told I have a good case re: opening a claim with our insurer ( I already have doctor's letter).  A credit was refused by NCL, however with ongoing developments,  I can't help but feel that they will have to be proactive and either cancel, or provide credits.  Things are turning quickly and not for the the better.  

2 minutes ago, IrieBajan54 said:

Kudos to the management at Royal Caribbean for making passengers well being priority one by cancelling cruises through March 4 as a start.

 

https://www.thestreet.com/investing/royal-caribbean-cancels-8-cruises-out-of-china-through-march-4

Well done to them, that's taking charge.  Have just read American Airlines cancelling Hong Kong flights.

News just in, a person with the virus has died in Hong Kong. They are the first.

3 hours ago, blcruising said:

 

Yes, worse yet, NCL is also allowing passengers that have connecting flights through airports in mainland China to board their vessels. I don't know if that is even possible because most of the airlines have diverted flights away from China for safety reasons and in an abundance of caution. But not, NCL, as long as you don't have a fever on embarkation day, you are good to go. Maybe they think the virus can avoid the airport, who knows.

 

Someone with the cc name "Norwegian Cruise Lines" posted a general communication on these message boards last week and then disappeared. NCL also is reported to have emailed their guests that were sailing on the Jade, February 17 departure. I am posting a portion of the latter communication below. One key addition in the below email was conveniently omitted from public communication posted on these message boards....namely the portion bolded and underlined below. You can see the full communication on the Jade roll call of Feb 17, but I imagine you've already seen it or have even received it via your email. Safe travels, and stay safe!!

 

"Dear Valued Guest,
Due to the growing concern regarding coronavirus infections in China, we will be denying boarding to any guest who has visited mainland China in the last 30 days. These guests will receive a refund for their cruise provided they provide proof of travel in the form of airline tickets or similar. Please note that mainland China does not include Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan. If an embarking guest transited through an airport in mainland China, but did not leave the airport, they will be allowed to board. They will need to show proof of their airline ticket showing they had a connecting flight and the flight times.

Thank You.. yes, We received the email a few days ago. Going by newly placed restrictions by other lines, we're puzzled by NCL and how Hong Kong is still a viable option .  Of course,  this may change - hoping however  the change isn't when we're well on our way .. 

4 minutes ago, Von & John said:

Good Afternoon  --

 

This is the e-mail we received from Celebrity yesterday.

I believe it covers all RCI companies.

I would anticipate other Cruise Lines may soon follow...

 

 

Dear Guest,

We look forward to welcoming you aboard for your upcoming Celebrity Cruises vacation.  Before you embark on this exciting journey, we would like to provide some important information regarding your upcoming travel plans.

As you may be aware, China is currently experiencing an outbreak of coronavirus. Due to the potential spread of coronavirus, the World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern – this allows governments to proactively dedicate resources intended to ensure the safety of citizens and travelers around the world.

After further consultation with public health authorities and medical experts, we have decided that any guest, or crewmember, who has traveled to, from, or through China or Hong Kong within 15 days of departure will be unable to board our ships – this includes guests who had connecting flights in China or Hong Kong.

As a result, it is imperative that you check your air travel itinerary closely to ensure you do not transit through any gateway in China or Hong Kong. Guests who have air travel booked through Flights by Celebrity will be re-accommodated on alternate routes and receive new flight information automatically. Guests with independent air travel arrangements need to contact their air carriers directly to make all required adjustments and changes to their air travel.

We have elected to take this precautionary step due to the recent increase in coronavirus cases around the world, to help avoid the spread of the virus and to ensure the continued safety of our guests and crew. While vacations are our passion, our primary responsibility is to maintain a safe and healthy environment onboard our ships, as well as in the ports we visit.

We have also increased secondary health screening requirements. The following guests will need to undergo extra screenings at the cruise terminal:

 

• Guests or crewmembers who have been in contact with individuals who have traveled to, from, or through mainland China or Hong Kong in the last 15 days.
• Anyone that holds a Chinese or Hong Kong passport – regardless of when they were there last.
• Anyone that feels unwell or demonstrates flu-like symptoms.

 We’ve also taken numerous proactive steps to maintain high health standards onboard our ships:

 

• Thoroughly sanitizing the cruise ship terminal before and after every sailing.
• Special sanitizing of high traffic areas onboard multiple times a day.
• Adding extra medical staff on each sailing.
• Providing complimentary consultations with medical experts for all guests and crew. 
• Plus, the Captain will make two daily announcements during your cruise reminding everyone of how to stay healthy onboard.

 

Finally, you can contribute to a healthy onboard environment by taking a few simple steps that will help prevent colds, flus and stomach viruses – both onboard and on land. 

 

• Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after using the restroom and before any meal or snack.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue (or with your upper sleeve) if you happen to sneeze. Avoid sneezing or coughing into your hands or without covering your nose and mouth.
• Use hand sanitizer as often as possible. Rub the gel thoroughly, and in-between your fingers, until your hands are dry.

If you don’t feel well while onboard, it’s imperative that you visit our onboard medical facility immediately for a complimentary checkup. Our onboard doctors and nurses are always available and ready to assist.

 

If you or someone in your stateroom has traveled to, from, or through, mainland China or Hong Kong, please contact your Travel Advisor immediately, or contact us at 1-844-418-6824 in North America or (316) 554-5961 worldwide. You can also visit www.celebritycruises.com/contact-us  for a complete list of global contact information.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard for a truly incredible vacation.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

Celebrity Cruises

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrity and others have barred passengers who have visited Hong Kong , yet  NCL are still leaving from there, for the time being anyway.

Hi everyone,

I started a topic on this very issue a few days ago.  Same cruise, with NCL.  Have been following very closely ( a bit too obsessively I may add). Has caused so much stress, however, hubby and I decided we will be going after a few days of "No way" , followed by many what if?  scenarios.

Like a lot of people who scrimp and save for these holidays, we would be losing a lot of money if we don't take it.  Can kick ourselves that we didn't pay for the extra "cancel for any reason"  ( that'll teach us, big lesson learned ). Our TA and Norwegian won't offer a credit ( we didn't ask for a refund), which given the current circumstances this is where they could've shown customer care & understanding  .  The virus is beyond our control also, not just theirs.

Reading the boards,  am feeling for people who are in  tranit  heading for their cruises and receive last minute correspondence  from other cruise lines as their itineraries have been changed. 

Good Luck to everyone, lots of hospital grade sanitizer and cocktails.

39 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Keep trying for a refund or credit.  You should be successful as you won't be the only one not wanting to cruise at this time.  This virus is worse than the SARS Epidemic, when they redeployed ships (per ABC News).  Good Luck.  

Thank you. 

3 hours ago, RedElmo said:

 

So I asked my airline to give me travel credit instead of refund. They were more willing to do that. 

Latest email from Norwegian shows no indication of port changes for now.  As mentioned , we would have been happy with a credit given my asthma and not wanting to take the cruise at this time. Their refusal has impacted the decision of not booking any future cruises with them.  We may very well make a claim as we've been advised by our insurer that due to virus been a respiratory one,  we may be successful in recouping our money.  Cruise is not far off and last few days have been quite stressful .

2 minutes ago, RedElmo said:

Oh. They know the risk. They are just greedy and don’t want to offer refunds. Money in their pocket is better than in yours. 
 

It will be interesting if something does happen. Sue sue sue!

Interesting developments a few hours ago with a couple of cruise lines.  Hong Kong has been scrapped from their itineraries.  I would imagine NCL will also have an update, let's wait & see.

3 hours ago, blcruising said:

Sounds like money - not the safety, security, and well-being of guests - is the number one priority! Yep, sounds like you'll need a government mandate. Good luck to you.

Thank You.  Have just read a statement  from another  cruise line ,  passengers that have been in Hong Kong for less than 15 days won't be permitted to board for a February sailing. So Hong Kong has been added alongside China. They have also changed their itinerary cancelling docking in Hong Kong.

2 hours ago, Bevi65 said:

 

9 minutes ago, RedElmo said:

We are due to leave on the 17th , as more cases  come to light and its been labelled a global emergency " last few hours" NCL may not have a choice.  Wishful thinking on my part perhaps - you lost all your fare ??
 

where will there be refunds? Can you point me to something i can reference? I was suppose to be on the Jade yesterday but clearly I did t take the risk and didn’t get on. I would still like to try and get something back. 

10 minutes ago, RedElmo said:

 

5 hours ago, blcruising said:

I would cancel mine irrespective of NCLs actions of refunding or not. There is no pricetag on a life and there is not enough known about this virus. It just isn't worth the risk. They'd have to refund port charges, airlines have implemented flexible options, I don't prepay DSC. Only NCL is being rigid, so I'd stand to lose my NCL cruise fare.

We had a lot of back & forth with NCL & our agent yesterday. All we asked was for a credit down the line, as we frankly don't want to take the cruise at this time ( leaving from Hong Kong).  Our request was rejected. Explained that as an asthmatic I'm even more concerned etc,  no go.  Given all the current developments however, things may quickly change and they may have no choice.

2 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I hope you get a future cruise credit from NCL.  NCL will loose a lot of Goodwill if it doesn't give passengers refunds or future cruise credits.

Thank you,  headlines are stating it's now a global emergency.  Thousands of Aussies exposed due to flights continuing to come in from China.