Norwegian Dumps Texas AGAIN

[VicJudiTexas]

For the 2nd time in 8 years, Norwegian Cruise Lines has decided Texans don't have the deep pockets of the Asians and Australians are are leaving the $108 million dollar terminal the Houston Texas taxpayers built for them.

The new terminal was vacant after being built and Houston bribed Princess and Norwegian with millions in incentives AND they still bailed out on Texas.

My wife and are a wayyyyyy Platinum on NCL and we even made a website to promote the return of NCL to Texas. http://www.texaribbean.com.

Big waste of time.........after April 2016, it is bye bye Texas again. He is what I say "Bye Bye NCL!" :mad:

[Sotermarler]

It's very disappointing.

[LrgPizza]

More discussion here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2245040

[Demonyte]

Yep, there are already several recent threads about this matter, absolutely no need for a new one.

[JohnIreland]

Not surprised at all. We did a Haven suite last November for less money than we paid for a mini-suite in Europe.

[SwissLe]

For the 2nd time in 8 years, Norwegian Cruise Lines has decided Texans don't have the deep pockets of the Asians and Australians are are leaving the $108 million dollar terminal the Houston Texas taxpayers built for them.

The new terminal was vacant after being built and Houston bribed Princess and Norwegian with millions in incentives AND they still bailed out on Texas.

My wife and are a wayyyyyy Platinum on NCL and we even made a website to promote the return of NCL to Texas. http://www.texaribbean.com.

Big waste of time.........after April 2016, it is bye bye Texas again. He is what I say "Bye Bye NCL!" :mad:

 

It's not NCL deserting you, it's NCL giving you more choice. Now you can see beautiful Asia and explore the cultural revolution happening in the Middle East.

 

It's a very exciting time.

[maywell]

Considering some of the bad things that was said about the Houston port and I guess the Galveston one is jammed packed at all times; there's always New Orleans....

[newmexicoNita]

It's not NCL deserting you, it's NCL giving you more choice. Now you can see beautiful Asia and explore the cultural revolution happening in the Middle East.

 

It's a very exciting time.

 

Thanks for a reasonable response. I would love to have seen this work, we are tired of not being able to drive to any port unless we allow 2 or 3 days, but we also are tired of the same itinerary. I think this was, probably a good business decision. Sad, for many of us, good decision.

[Laszlo]

Sailing out of Texas really made no sense at least from the standpoint of NCL. The same destination was already been sailed from New Orleans and Tampa

[maywell]

Thanks for a reasonable response. I would love to have seen this work, we are tired of not being able to drive to any port unless we allow 2 or 3 days, but we also are tired of the same itinerary. I think this was, probably a good business decision. Sad, for many of us, good decision.

 

I know it hard to tell without a person's voice to give you a tone to their attitude - but that poster you quoted was being prickly, to put it mildly....

[detroitlions]

It's not NCL deserting you, it's NCL giving you more choice. Now you can see beautiful Asia and explore the cultural revolution happening in the Middle East.

 

It's a very exciting time.

I think the OP is upset because now cruising is alot more expensive. I am sure they will not be flying to china to go on a cruise. Most people in the US cruise from the US Some do Europe. As for me been to the Middle East (Longer than I wanted too) and you can keep it. Worse year of my life. China seems ok but I would not fly there either.

[Demonyte]

I think the OP is upset because now cruising is alot more expensive.

 

I too would be upset if I had to pay market price as opposed to very discounted prices in one specific port. ;)

[rvsullivan]

For the 2nd time in 8 years, Norwegian Cruise Lines has decided Texans don't have the deep pockets of the Asians and Australians are are leaving the $108 million dollar terminal the Houston Texas taxpayers built for them.

The new terminal was vacant after being built and Houston bribed Princess and Norwegian with millions in incentives AND they still bailed out on Texas.

My wife and are a wayyyyyy Platinum on NCL and we even made a website to promote the return of NCL to Texas. http://www.texaribbean.com.

Big waste of time.........after April 2016, it is bye bye Texas again. He is what I say "Bye Bye NCL!" :mad:

 

Probably should tell the whole story. Houston built the new port several/many years ago to try to bring some cruise business to the area. It didn't work, the cruise lines didn't want it. When Katrina hit, it was used as a replacement port until New Orleans was ready again. Houston made a big push a couple of years ago to try to gain some return on the the taxpayers money. They made a sweet deal to bring the lines in for two years with an option to extend. The cruise lines chose not to extend. It was and has been a taxpayers boondoggle. And because you created a website to support the insanity you are now leaving NCL! Oh well.

[SwissLe]

I know it hard to tell without a person's voice to give you a tone to their attitude - but that poster you quoted was being prickly, to put it mildly....

 

Um, no I wasn't! I am really pleased about the changes afoot.

[VicJudiTexas]

No way - NCL is deserting Texans AGAIN. The reason Asia is booming is because USA corporations have sold out America for cheap labor. The USA is building China at the expense of the United States. I really don't care to torture myself, sitting on a plane for 12 hours to take a cruise.

NCL IS deserting us and you can't sugar coat that fact :(

 

It's not NCL deserting you, it's NCL giving you more choice. Now you can see beautiful Asia and explore the cultural revolution happening in the Middle East.

 

It's a very exciting time.

[maywell]

No way - NCL is deserting Texans AGAIN. The reason Asia is booming is because USA corporations have sold out America for cheap labor. The USA is building China at the expense of the United States. I really don't care to torture myself, sitting on a plane for 12 hours to take a cruise.

NCL IS deserting us and you can't sugar coat that fact :(

You do know that the USA is the cheap labor now since China is becoming too expensive to produce anything. I call it irony but you call it selling out.[emoji57]

 

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[maywell]

Um, no I wasn't! I am really pleased about the changes afoot.

If you say so.....

 

Sent from my SGH-T399 using Tapatalk

[SwissLe]

No way - NCL is deserting Texans AGAIN. The reason Asia is booming is because USA corporations have sold out America for cheap labor. The USA is building China at the expense of the United States. I really don't care to torture myself, sitting on a plane for 12 hours to take a cruise.

NCL IS deserting us and you can't sugar coat that fact :(

 

I don't think NCL is chasing the Asian market yet - RCL seem the only one intent on smashing that - it is chasing the Western desire for more exotic locations. I would still expect to see a great percentage of American cruisers on these voyages.

 

NCL haven't pulled out of America, you can still do a near identical cruise just a little further away for embarkation.

 

The cruise industry has to change to bring new people in, and I think NCL have nailed it location wise. If I am the only one who thinks like that, I am sure they'll be back to Texas quick-sharp!

Edited August 10, 2015 by SwissLe

[VicJudiTexas]

"Insanity?" Sorry to hear you think my efforts to make the return of NCL to Texas, "insanity." Prior to the insanity, folks living in Texas and wanting to sail with NCL would pretty much have to fly to the port. Houston is what, the 4th largest city in the USA and is close to Austin and San Antonio, which are pretty hefty cities as well. I was able to drive 160 miles on the day of the cruise rather than cramming my fat but into a kiddie seat and waste an entire day dealing with the pain of flying.

It would be more appropriate to call me "selfish," rather than "insane."

We are way past Platinum with NCL. Did two cruises from the Bayport terminal and it was really convenient for us and the thousands who used it. I really loose nothing compared to the employees at the terminal and the $$$ lost from travelers. NCL has kicked ME in the butt twice, so I can't help but feeling a bit angry and sad at the same time. Probably not going "insane" over this............but will be going to Carnival. The Magic is nice - the Galveston terminal is one of the worst. UGH

 

 

Probably should tell the whole story. Houston built the new port several/many years ago to try to bring some cruise business to the area. It didn't work, the cruise lines didn't want it. When Katrina hit, it was used as a replacement port until New Orleans was ready again. Houston made a big push a couple of years ago to try to gain some return on the the taxpayers money. They made a sweet deal to bring the lines in for two years with an option to extend. The cruise lines chose not to extend. It was and has been a taxpayers boondoggle. And because you created a website to support the insanity you are now leaving NCL! Oh well.

[Laszlo]

Don't be angry.....be happy you can still cruise to the same places from New Orleans and Tampa:D

 

 

Bottom line is money and if the port made them money they might have stayed, its not a charity case. You can always cruise Carnival

Edited August 10, 2015 by Laszlo

[emcelh]

If cruises out of Houston were profitable enough for the cruise lines involved, they probably wouldn't have made a decision to pull out. I understand people are disappointed, I would be too, but it is a business after all, not a public service.

[my_crib_too]

If cruises out of Houston were profitable enough for the cruise lines involved, they probably wouldn't have made a decision to pull out. I understand people are disappointed, I would be too, but it is a business after all, not a public service.

 

I agree with this comment.

 

 

As someone that always has to fly for a cruise vacation, a Texas port is great for locals but if given the choice of Houston, New Orleans, or any city in Florida, it's unlikely that I would fly to Texas.

[skyfire53]

I live in Tx as well and have never sailed out of Houston because you get one less port and it costs more than sailing out of NOL....I would have thought that with one less port the port fees would be less there for cost less....thats what I get for thinking...lol....We will continue to sail out of NOL..:)

[weltek]

I agree with this comment.

 

 

As someone that always has to fly for a cruise vacation, a Texas port is great for locals but if given the choice of Houston, New Orleans, or any city in Florida, it's unlikely that I would fly to Texas.

 

Yep. And if it's Galveston vs. Houston, I'll take Galveston. Sorry, Houston, I'm just not that in to you.

[emmak8]

It was great while it lasted.