Dawn's Adrift!

[Norwegian Cruise Line]

Dear Cruise Critic Members,

 

While technical difficulties of this scale are rare, they do sometimes occur. Therefore, throughout this unforeseen situation, Norwegian Cruise Line has done everything possible to accommodate its guests.

 

On board the vessel, the Captain made continuous announcements (every 30 to 60 minutes) to update guests on the situation; a trained CARE team was quickly dispatched to the vessel to assist guests and the crew; and guests were given the opportunity to spend the day in San Juan.

 

We chartered three commercial airplanes to return guests to Miami in a timely manner; we provided hotel accommodations and meal vouchers for those guests needing lodging; we staffed each Miami hotel with a Norwegian Cruise Line Hospitality Desk (manned 24 hours) to answer guest questions and assist with travel arrangements; and the company is reimbursing guests for $150/per person in airline fees to change flights as necessary. This is in addition to the 75 percent refund, as well as the 50 percent future cruise credit for guests on the November 20 cruise -- which was on day seven of a nine-day cruise -- and the full refund and 50 percent future cruise credit for the guests on the cancelled November 29 sailing.

 

Moving 2,400 people with a moment’s notice out of a Caribbean island on a holiday weekend is quite a logistical challenge. Despite this, our first chartered flight took off within approximately 24 hours of the situation occurring.

 

We tried to think of everything possible and use every resource available to us to minimize inconvenience and mitigate the disappointment of our guests. We are truly sorry if some guests felt otherwise.

 

It is also important to note that we have received feedback from many guests telling us how pleased they were with how the situation was handled.

 

Thank you again for your understanding,

All of us at Norwegian Cruise Line

(yes, it's really us)

[amc11569]

NCL,

 

NCL DID NOT have any reps at the Hilton. We arrived there around 5:00 p.m., or so and there was no one there. Someone said they heard that a rep would be there at 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m., came and went with no one rep to be found. Finally before turning in for some much needed sleep, someone said that a rep would be there at 9 a.m., the next day. Don't know if a rep ever showed up because we had to leave by 7:30 a.m. to catch a flight home.

 

Overall, the trip was wonderful until the power failure. The crew was great, but upper management was terrible. Will sail again on NCL.

[Planer's Edge]

Dear Cruise Critic Members,

 

While technical difficulties of this scale are rare,

 

...SNIP...

 

we have received feedback from many guests telling us how pleased they were with how the situation was handled.

 

Thank you again for your understanding,

All of us at Norwegian Cruise Line

(yes, it's really us)

 

Thank you for making a statement here.

 

PE

[MrPete]

Thank you again for your understanding,

All of us at Norwegian Cruise Line

(yes, it's really us)

 

To NCL: (REALLY YOU)

 

Just curious how you are processing those that took things into their own hands.

 

Thanks!

[WeBeGone]

Really????

 

I thought the standard welcome was for all of the blue ribbon cruisers to come in and point out that since this is the OP's 1st post that their opinion means absolutely nothing.:rolleyes:

 

DJD

 

This was so unnecessary.

[Planer's Edge]

To NCL: (REALLY YOU)

 

Just curious how you are processing those that took things into their own hands.

 

Thanks!

 

Pete, I would assume that they are not reimbursing peoples costs that took things into their own hands. Isn't that what travel insurance is for. I think the $150 reimbursement for changing flights is generous.

 

I remember being stranded in St. Louis a few years ago due to a snowstorm. The airline offered us a 10% discount coupon for hotel and nothing for food. Thankfully we had insurance to cover this extra cost because of something out of the travel providers hands.

 

PE

[Norwegian Cruise Line]

MrPete,

For those that made their own travel arrangements from San Juan, we are covering up to $150 per person in related travel expenses.

 

Please forward a cover note with your information (including your reservation number) and a copy of the receipts to our Guest Relations department.

 

You can fax it to their attention at 305-436-4108 or send via mail to Attn: Guest Relations, Norwegian Cruise Line, 7665 Corporate Center Drive, Miami, FL 33126.

 

Best,

Norwegian Cruise Line

[dejongs]

Dear Cruise Critic Members,

 

we staffed each Miami hotel with a Norwegian Cruise Line Hospitality Desk (manned 24 hours) to answer guest questions and assist with travel arrangements;

 

We had our cruise cancelled. Did not find out till we got to port.

 

My opinion: You put a body at the hotel.(not 24 hours either, more like 6 hours) The person had no answers to any questions, could do nothing for travel arrangements. Had no authority to authorize anything. The hotel staff was informing people of what they would receive at the hotel. Another NCL person higher up was supposed to arrive, but cancelled, she was to tired after her day(according to the first NCL rep). Met NCL staff the next morning. Every question was answered with, "Call customer relations".

[lakeuser2002]

We haven't contacted NCL yet (waiting a week or two for the dust to settle). It's nice to see that NCL will pay up to $150pp for changing flights. We ended up spending close to $400pp due to the changing direction on what we were supposed to do. I'm very happy to get back some of the $400... and won't ask for more (even though we had 5 seats so will still be out over $1000).

 

The captain (and cruise director) did provide udpates on Friday. Many of those were a 'no update' or be carefull as the ship is rocking. Communication could of been much better.

 

For those that think (based on my posts) that I/we were unreasonable or unruley to the staff. That's false. We never raised our voice, we never belittled or tried to intimidate the staff. We just waited our (30-60min) in line, asked questions, realized that there wasn't much info. to be had, and moved on, and made our own plans in the end.

 

I would estimate that 75% of the folks on the cruise where never rude or unreasonable to the staff. The video's of the lounge/reception area did catch some of the 'bad' 25% and that's probably why the person recorded it...

 

I would love to find out what went wrong (or the cascade of events, etc.).

 

And NCL, I would suggest improvements in the communication and planning area. Any successful business should strive to learn from events like this.

[MrPete]

This was so unnecessary.

 

As are most of his posts. :rolleyes:

[pieshops]

we thought ncl did a great job as stated before, but this new announcement that they are only paying $150 per person on flights from San Juan to Miami made on our own concerns me.

 

The original announcment was that we would be heading to San Juan and NCL would reimburse us for any hotel, air etc costs that we incurred.

 

4 hours later they made an announcment about the charter flights and the hotels that they would arrange, but myself along with the 7 others i was travelling with and many others on the ship had already made our own arrangements, if the announcement about the charter flights had been made originally we never would have made our own arrangements.

 

If NCL is still reading this can you please address this particular issue.

[ddakrt]

 

Temperatures in our cabin were over 100 deg F Friday night. Our wet bed linens were not replaced before we left Sunday afternoon, despite requesting cabin service. We had to beg for clean towels as well ... we received towels, but no wash rags.

 

I believe with the ship running on reduced power the laundry was either shut down or running at less than 100% capacity, this could have resulted in housekeeping not replacing your linens when you requested.

 

The ship's maintenance and engineering crew did not have the expertise to troubleshoot the electrical failure. Numerous restarts (a dozen plus??) indicate they were taking a very trial-and-error approach rather than having found a problem via route cause failure analysis. They likewise turned down offers of assistance from the Coast Guard and at least one experienced electrical/mechanical professional on board who may have been able to help.

Without any knowledge of the ship's diesel electric power systems, I would imagine that they are very complicated and that problems might not be obvious upon troubleshooting. Whether you call it trail and error or the crew was working from process of elimination, I bet you the engineering crew onboard the Dawn was doing everything they can and was well trained in their duties.

Some things are simply too complicated to fix onsite immediately.

 

The flights back to Miami were absolute chaos. We departed the ship at 2:00 PM for a 4:00 PM flight that had been delayed to 5:00 PM. We were then bumped as the ship's staff encouraged others to leave the ship early as earlier flights to Miami had numerous empty seats (50+??). In the end, it was 3 AM before we reached our Miami hotel room.

 

NCL delays (2 1/2 hours) in getting us to the terminal parking garage Monday morning again held up our drive home until 11:30 AM. When we saw it was going to be after midnight arriving home, we called NCL and they refused to pay for our hotel tonight.

I really think NCL did an admirable job in getting everyone back to Miami within 48 hours. As many have said airplanes don't just sit around waiting for situations like this to happen.

Like cruise ships, airliners never sit around doing nothing. Once they touch down and passengers leave the aircraft it is immediately getting prepped for the next flight.

 

We echo the need for a crisis management plan/team. I do however take exception to the captain making updates every 15 to 30 minutes ... especially when the updates essentially said "I know nothing and have nothing to report." We all would have been better served had he taken a more active oversight role rather than worrying about the updates.

I am positive the captain did have other duties that he performed while everything was going on. I cannot imagine the only thing he accomplished over those few days were the announcements.

 

Given the hardship and frustration caused by NCL, I feel very much cheated out of a vacation. A 75% refund in no way compensates for what we've been through. The ports of call were great, but no one in their right mind would have agreed to pay even the 25% for the experience given the knowledge of what was to come. This is especially true now that my wife and I will now miss an additional 2 days of work because of the NCL delays in getting us back to Miami.

I respectfully disagree with you on this one. You and other passengers went through a couple days of discomfort on a ship, but still had 7 fantastic days of vacation.

Nobody was seriously injured (which was NCL's #1 priority I am sure), everybody got home in a reasonable time frame, and you only paid 25% of the cruise fare and received 78% of the vacation, not to mention the 50% future credit.

 

What would be a suitable reimbursement in your opinion?

 

Finally, as to those who say NCL did the best they could. I agree and support that thought as to the crew. However, the lack of a good mechanical reliability program, inept troubleshooting, and a lack of strategic thinking/planning made what should have been a hiccup in to a disaster. That responsibility lies with the Captain, Chief Engineer, and NCL management.

These vessels go through extensive overhauls on a very frequent basis, but nothing mechanical is ever 100%. I don't think it's fair to call out on NCL's "mechanical reliability program" on this one incident, especially when their other ships are fine day in and day out.

 

We will never know what took place in NCL's corporate office in regards to this incident, but I highly doubt people were not doing everything they can to get everyone home. There was a plan, and since everyone is home within 48 hours, I say they succeeded in executing it.

 

 

See red text above.

[AuntieBarb]

we thought ncl did a great job as stated before, but this new announcement that they are only paying $150 per person on flights from San Juan to Miami made on our own concerns me.

 

The original announcment was that we would be heading to San Juan and NCL would reimburse us for any hotel, air etc costs that we incurred.

 

4 hours later they made an announcment about the charter flights and the hotels that they would arrange, but myself along with the 7 others i was travelling with and many others on the ship had already made our own arrangements, if the announcement about the charter flights had been made originally we never would have made our own arrangements.

 

If NCL is still reading this can you please address this particular issue.

 

Reservations have date & time stamps. If announcements rolled out as you have stated, why not take the time to write in (as "NCL" suggested), explaining what transpired?? You may find out they will honor your situation.

 

Otherwise, for NCL to make a blanket statement in your favor wouldn't be fair, considering there are passengers who handled arrangements on their own AFTER charters were being arranged.

[newmexicoNita]

It's the OP's first post so let's give them the same politeness that we usually give first timers by welcoming them to the Cruise Critic family and saying thanks for their opinion on how the event was handled.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

huh?? First post, negative even though it appears NCL did what they could and gave them a huge refund and we should are supposed to welcome them with open arms?

 

Yes, I will say, thanks to the Op for his comments even though I think he is off base here. I do think being in the dark can be very scary and maybe NCL could have done a better job of communicating, but it also sounds like they certainly made up for the problems..

 

What did I miss here?

 

Nita

[Red_Dawn]

Okay. A few of you have decided to make personal attacks towards me that need to be addressed. Those specifically are halos, webegone, planer's edge, smeyer418, don haynes, sjbdtz, and a1cruises. Let me explain something to you in English. You were not on the cruise, I was. Furthermore, even though I don't have 5,000, 10,000, or even 15,000+ posts here doesn't mean that I'm not capable of being an educated traveler. It seems to me that sitting at a computer posting here gives you more credibility. Think again.

 

Now, for those of you who think I wasn't prepared for my first cruise, think again. I had trip interruption insurance and enough cash to get me home from where ever I was. We all know cash talks and BS walks. To also assume that I was not aware of the potential mechanical complications is farther from the truth. I've owned may boats and I'd be lying if I said I've never gotten stranded in the ocean. I have. However, I always had an emergency plan to get home. NCL it seems did not have one to get me home. If I had been like the other sheep following the herd, I would not have been on my sofa, with the a/c running, at 4:30pm Saturday afternoon.

 

I'm not sure who here decided that being without electricity, a/c, and water is acceptable. I walked into a bathroom where the floor was covered with human urine. Yes, we all know that urine is a sterile body fluid, but do I want to be walking around in it. My answer is no. Just think about the contamination through out the ship from me and several other people walking around with urine on our shoes. The cross contamination was grotesque. Since I'm trained to keep a sterile environment, I knew what to do. Throw away my shoes and not go back into a public restroom on the boat. How many of you would throw out your shoes?

I also mentioned that I saw things that I never expected to see, such as a mother taking her approximately six month old infant into the ocean to go stingray feeding. I don't know about the rest of you, but this is stupidity at it's best. She should be a candidate for the Darwin Award. I do have pictures to back up this story. If I need to go on, I certainly will. I was very concerned about the health of some of the passengers on the ship who were obviously in poor health. I wouldn't let anyone in my family in poor health go on a trip to any island where there wasn't a trauma center. Yes, I do believe that the USofA has the best healthcare, and I was fortunate to have gone through the system.

 

A1cruises publicly called me a "pompous jerk". Well you have never meet me. However, I can say that "education will never be as expensive as ignorance."

 

Good day.

[Don Haynes]

Splitting families has always been the norm. As I recall on the Titantic, it was women and children first, not men. And this was for life saving lifeboats. So there went your false theory....

 

In today's world where cruise lines reward frequent customers, booking them flights first makes very good sense. Familes with children first has never been a norm. The only reason why you thought it up was because you fell into that category....

 

Another selfish critic....

[ddakrt]

 

I was careful in my original wording ... I chose the words "did not have the expertise to troubleshoot" intentionally. One does not need to know the specifics of a particular piece of equipment to troubleshoot or facilitate a route cause failure analysis using a methodology like Kepnor-Tregoe. In this case, the person in question was a certified troubleshooter that has done work of this type for Fortune 500 companies around the globe. This was explained to one of the ship's officers after NCL had restarted the system unsuccessfully a number of times during a 3 hour period. Perhaps the officer chose not to carry it forward or maybe someone up the line decided against using such a resource. The point is they had a free resource that could have possibly helped.

 

Whether or not the person was qualified is hard to prove either way. Lets assume that this person was and fixed the problem, great!

On the other hand, what would happen if they were not qualified and did something and the ship goes up in flames, loss ALL power, or cause other damages otherwise?

NCL is responsible for the safety of the 2000+ passengers on the Dawn. If you were the captain or NCL, would you want some random person who think they are qualified tinker with your $500 million+ ship and potentially put the 2000 other passengers at risk? I honestly think NCL would be incredibly irresponsible if they allowed this person to try and fix the ship.

 

As for the coast guard, there were elderly people with interior cabins that could have been transported off the ship. I personally saw 2 people go down from heat exhaustion. Keep in mind it was very humid and the temperatures inside the ship were well over 100 deg F. One such incident can be seen

.

If one person gets airlifted, 200 other people will want the same whether they NEEDED to be or not. Nobody onboard was suffering from life threatening injuries, and since it's an emergency service (and not for comfort) it wasn't utilized.

 

As for some other issues I read. Someone mentioned the crew didn't give out water bottles; these ships knows exactly how much provisions they need (and nothing more) before they set sail, I doubt they really had many bottles of water left after 7 days.

 

Others also want full compensation for airfares that they arranged themselves. Why would NCL do this when they already arranged (or was arranging at the time) transportation for these same passengers? It was these people's choice to not take NCL's solution, I think they are lucky that NCL is even giving them $150 each.

 

Lastly there were some rumbling about the lack of communications. No company should announce anything until they have their plan set in stone, imagine if you told 2000+ people one thing and then went back on your word a few hours later because plans had changed while they were being finalized. This is would create chaos...

[cruisin'tex]

It's the OP's first post so let's give them the same politeness that we usually give first timers by welcoming them to the Cruise Critic family and saying thanks for their opinion on how the event was handled.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

Agree 100%. Why get ugly or rude...isn't CC supposed to helpful and/or fun?

[lakeuser2002]

 

Lastly there were some rumbling about the lack of communications. No company should announce anything until they have their plan set in stone, imagine if you told 2000+ people one thing and then went back on your word a few hours later because plans had changed while they were being finalized. This is would create chaos...

 

You've made my point exactly.

 

Friday:

They made an announcement with direction on what to do. 5:30

The front desk said to change return plans from San Juan and said that we would be reimbursed. 5:40

There was an announcement that transportation and hotels would be provided by NCL (not specific on how, commericial or charter) ~7:30PM

The front desk suggested (to us) to change back to a Miami return because we would be able to use our origonal flights ~9:00PM

Sat:

No announcement on lists or charter plans. When I walked down to the reception area I saw a board with plans for Group 1 and 2 (which were the ones to get back on Sat.).

The front desk had no information on plans for future people, but said we were not likely to get back by Sun AM.

A couple or hours later, lists 3/4/5 showed up (no announcement... had to keep walkind down to reception). I don't recall specific times for those lists, but we were now screwed on our return flights from Miami and wouldn't likely get home by Monday.

A different service person suggested we go on our own as she didn't have more info. on the plans.

About noon, we made our own arrangements, walked off, got a taxi, and were on our way!

 

You made my point exactly. They told us one thing, and went bake on it a few hours later, and then back again, and then nothing. You even called it chaos!!! (I was chastised for using that word in my first post... but I'm glad you now agree).

[ddakrt]

It seems to me that sitting at a computer posting here gives you more credibility. Think again.

Not really, but being reasonable and not expecting the impossible does. Think again.

 

Now, for those of you who think I wasn't prepared for my first cruise, think again. I had trip interruption insurance and enough cash to get me home from where ever I was. We all know cash talks and BS walks. To also assume that I was not aware of the potential mechanical complications is farther from the truth. I've owned may boats and I'd be lying if I said I've never gotten stranded in the ocean. I have. However, I always had an emergency plan to get home.

Did you ehave 2000+ passengers that you were responsible for?

NCL it seems did not have one to get me home. If I had been like the other sheep following the herd, I would not have been on my sofa, with the a/c running, at 4:30pm Saturday afternoon.

Seems like everyone is home after about 48 hours, you can't do that with no plan. I would love to see you try and organize flights for 2000+ people with no notice and see how long that would take.

 

I'm not sure who here decided that being without electricity, a/c, and water is acceptable. I walked into a bathroom where the floor was covered with human urine. Yes, we all know that urine is a sterile body fluid, but do I want to be walking around in it. My answer is no. Just think about the contamination through out the ship from me and several other people walking around with urine on our shoes. The cross contamination was grotesque. Since I'm trained to keep a sterile environment, I knew what to do. Throw away my shoes and not go back into a public restroom on the boat. How many of you would throw out your shoes?

So the cruiseline is responsible for everyone's actions? What you saw is human nature, human are not considerate creatures. Things like this will happen during a "crisis". Would things had been better if NCL ordered nobody can use the washrooms instead?

I also mentioned that I saw things that I never expected to see, such as a mother taking her approximately six month old infant into the ocean to go stingray feeding. I don't know about the rest of you, but this is stupidity at it's best. She should be a candidate for the Darwin Award. I do have pictures to back up this story.

This has to do with the cruiseline because?

If I need to go on, I certainly will. I was very concerned about the health of some of the passengers on the ship who were obviously in poor health. I wouldn't let anyone in my family in poor health go on a trip to any island where there wasn't a trauma center. Yes, I do believe that the USofA has the best healthcare, and I was fortunate to have gone through the system.

Again, what does this have to do with the topic at hand?

 

A1cruises publicly called me a "pompous jerk". Well you have never meet me. However, I can say that "education will never be as expensive as ignorance."

 

Good day.

Good day to you too sir.

[pieshops]

Others also want full compensation for airfares that they arranged themselves. Why would NCL do this when they already arranged (or was arranging at the time) transportation for these same passengers? It was these people's choice to not take NCL's solution, I think they are lucky that NCL is even giving them $150 each.

 

Lastly there were some rumbling about the lack of communications. No company should announce anything until they have their plan set in stone, imagine if you told 2000+ people one thing and then went back on your word a few hours later because plans had changed while they were being finalized. This is would create chaos...

 

i am one of those who want full compensation for my air, like i said previously, the original announcement around 5:00 was that we would go to Puerto Rico and NCL would pay for any air, hotel etc in order to get us to miami, then 4 hours later they made an announcement they had chater flights and would not reimburse travel made on our own.

 

When they made the original announcement if they had said not to book anything on our own i would not be asking for anything, but they did not, they said they would remiburse for travel.

 

You seem to have made my point exactly, they should not have made an announcement such as this and then changed it hours later.

 

 

.

I'm not sure who here decided that being without electricity, a/c, and water is acceptable.

 

I also mentioned that I saw things that I never expected to see, such as a mother taking her approximately six month old infant into the ocean to go stingray feeding. I don't know about the rest of you, but this is stupidity at it's best. She should be a candidate for the Darwin Award. I do have pictures to back up this story. If I need to go on, I certainly will.

 

I was very concerned about the health of some of the passengers on the ship who were obviously in poor health.

 

 

no a/c that is true - no water that is not true, there was never a point on friday or saturday that water was not available either bottle or tap, and there was electric to run essential things, friday evening the lights worked, showers worked, etc, we were however asked to conserve.

 

I asked this before of you, what does the stringray story have anything to do with this?

 

Who was in poor health?

 

Since you have decided to "gracefully" re- enter the conversation would you mind answeing the questions i asked you in previous posts?

[Mooloo]

huh?? First post, negative even though it appears NCL did what they could and gave them a huge refund and we should are supposed to welcome them with open arms?

 

Yes, I will say, thanks to the Op for his comments even though I think he is off base here. I do think being in the dark can be very scary and maybe NCL could have done a better job of communicating, but it also sounds like they certainly made up for the problems..

 

What did I miss here?

 

Nita

I am in the middle of summarising my account of events to send to NCL and to post on the boards. I can categorically say that until about 6am Saturday, NCL did all that they could reasonably be expected to do.

 

After the refunds were posted, they effectively washed their hands of the people on the boat and did not communicate. Most of the time there were only 3 people on the reception desk and no one answering the phones that continuously rang from those who heeded the advice not to go down to reception and to instead ring the desk.

 

Overheard the hotel director (Hugo?) telling a woman that NCL had provided a refund and could not be expected to do anything else.

 

 

• I expected them to communicate.
  
• I expected them to let me know of my Sunday am flight time and the family in the two cabins next to me to know their departure flight time by Saturday afternoon (they emailed to say they had about an hour's notice) on Sunday evening
  
• I expected the flight information to be widely available and effectively communicated
  
• I expected not to have 2 sets of conflicting flight information and for the front desk to be prepared to advise me or to look into it, not to shrug and say they know nothing
  
• I expected the first flight out to go out of SJ at 9 am not to leave at 10.35
  
• I expected that there would be an NCL rep at SJ airport to liaise with the many passengers milling around in the chaos and to be on hand to organise and feedback information
  
• I expected on landing in Miami on the third or fourth flight for the 6-8 NCL reps standing around to know what would happen next; to be proactive and liaise with the airport when the luggage was delayed arriving and we were sent to 4 different carousels - we landed at 12.58 and received our luggage at 2.42 (I timed it)
  
• I expected that NCL's staff would not tell people like me at 2.50, due to fly out at of Miami to London at 8pm that I would need to then take a bus to the port to find out more information - why on the third or fourth flight did they not have all this to hand? These were not unexpected or unreasonable concerns and would have been voiced by previous passengers. They didn't have any information and may as well not have been there. I deeply regretted not suggesting to the tv cameras that they go to SJ airport to see they chaos and lack of info or wait around the near two hours it took to get our luggage.
  

Most people who were positive probably left early on Saturday. After Saturday noonish, things deteriorated and I observed that the front of house / reception staff failed to do thier jobs in a polite manner or to provide an acceptable image of NCL.

 

I cannot highly enough praise the good humour, patience and duracell bunny like abilities of the housekeeping and waiter staff in the restaurants.

 

Shame on the Guest services manager - Joe Boyle?; Hugo the hotel director and the reception staff who were either not up to the job, inadequately supervised or supported.

 

There was tremendous goodwill from all passengers on Friday as we were all prepared to make the best of it and understood that sh1t happens and it was bolstered by the refunds etc. It was squandered by the reception and front of house staff of NCL.

 

Speaking of which - John (our cruise director) where were you? He dissappeared and could be heard arranging the bingo finals etc, but was not seen from the beginning to end of the crisis.

 

From Saturday morning, NCL failed its passengers in terms of communicating information, feedback or ensuring basic courtesy from its frontline staff who at the time the face of the company.

 

More when I've reviewed the situation and get over my jet lag.

[ddakrt]

You've made my point exactly.

 

Friday:

They made an announcement with direction on what to do. 5:30

The front desk said to change return plans from San Juan and said that we would be reimbursed. 5:40

There was an announcement that transportation and hotels would be provided by NCL (not specific on how, commericial or charter) ~7:30PM

The front desk suggested (to us) to change back to a Miami return because we would be able to use our origonal flights ~9:00PM

Sat:

No announcement on lists or charter plans. When I walked down to the reception area I saw a board with plans for Group 1 and 2 (which were the ones to get back on Sat.).

The front desk had no information on plans for future people, but said we were not likely to get back by Sun AM.

A couple or hours later, lists 3/4/5 showed up (no announcement... had to keep walkind down to reception). I don't recall specific times for those lists, but we were now screwed on our return flights from Miami and wouldn't likely get home by Monday.

A different service person suggested we go on our own as she didn't have more info. on the plans.

About noon, we made our own arrangements, walked off, got a taxi, and were on our way!

 

You made my point exactly. They told us one thing, and went bake on it a few hours later, and then back again, and then nothing. You even called it chaos!!! (I was chastised for using that word in my first post... but I'm glad you now agree).

 

I agree that communications could have been better and that the crew shouldn't tell passengers what they think the passengers should do until the official words are out.

 

Having read your timeline though, the only major issue was the 2 announcements on 5:40 and 7:30 Friday, the rest look "okay".

[ddakrt]

Pieshops, I wasn't really responding to you. I do think you have a fairly valid case here. However, from what you said maybe your guys did jump the gun a little bit though.

 

i am one of those who want full compensation for my air, like i said previously, the original announcement around 5:00 was that we would go to Puerto Rico and NCL would pay for any air, hotel etc in order to get us to miami

This is exactly what they did no? Perhaps they should have been more clear and said do no make your own arrangements at the same time. This would have prevented a lot of headaches...

 

Either way, good luck with working this out with NCL! :)

[lakeuser2002]

I agree that communications could have been better and that the crew shouldn't tell passengers what they think the passengers should do until the official words are out.

 

Having read your timeline though, the only major issue was the 2 announcements on 5:40 and 7:30 Friday, the rest look "okay".

 

What occured on Sat. was the lack of announcements and communciation in general. I can only recall one significant announcement (for us) and that was if we get off the ship, we can't get back on. The rest were telling the list 1 and 2 folks to disembark. Oh, and that the non-US folks on List 1 are first to get back.