Very Disappointed - NCL Asia

[pieshops]

We are sailing on the 14 day first NCL cruise next December from Hong Kong to Singapore.

 

I had planned on debarking in Ha Long Bay ( 3 hours from Hanoi) touring privately to Hanoi and then meeting back up with the ship the following afternoon in Da Nang.

 

The I booked this cruise I had asked on the Asia board if this was allowed as well as asking NCL when I booked my reservation.

 

Now I am being told that We can not do this and if we are not back on the ship as it sails from Ha Long Bay they will leave our bags and cabin contents with the port agent and we will not be allowed to rebound at all.

 

Not very happy.

[4774Papa]

We are sailing on the 14 day first NCL cruise next December from Hong Kong to Singapore.

 

I had planned on debarking in Ha Long Bay ( 3 hours from Hanoi) touring privately to Hanoi and then meeting back up with the ship the following afternoon in Da Nang.

 

The I booked this cruise I had asked on the Asia board if this was allowed as well as asking NCL when I booked my reservation.

 

Now I am being told that We can not do this and if we are not back on the ship as it sails from Ha Long Bay they will leave our bags and cabin contents with the port agent and we will not be allowed to rebound at all.

 

Not very happy.

 

Sorry about this. I suppose NCL never indicated this would be ok?

 

Perhaps it had something to do with the local authorities and the type of visa granted?

[aussie cruzer]

We are sailing on the 14 day first NCL cruise next December from Hong Kong to Singapore.

 

I had planned on debarking in Ha Long Bay ( 3 hours from Hanoi) touring privately to Hanoi and then meeting back up with the ship the following afternoon in Da Nang.

 

The I booked this cruise I had asked on the Asia board if this was allowed as well as asking NCL when I booked my reservation.

 

Now I am being told that We can not do this and if we are not back on the ship as it sails from Ha Long Bay they will leave our bags and cabin contents with the port agent and we will not be allowed to rebound at all.

 

Not very happy.

 

Doesn't sound correct to me....I left the ship in Cairo and did a private tour and reboarded next day.....I have seen others do it in Europe.

 

One regular Ncl cruiser gets off at Livorno and gets back on in Rome.

 

I would speak with someone else....also might have something to do Vietnam visa.....You might have to get your own before cruise.

[pieshops]

Sorry about this. I suppose NCL never indicated this would be ok?

 

Perhaps it had something to do with the local authorities and the type of visa granted?

 

Like I stated in my original post, when i booked NCL said they would have no issue with this and they even told me I may have to get my own visa for this as the one they provide may not work

[pieshops]

Doesn't sound correct to me....I left the ship in Cairo and did a private tour and reboarded next day.....I have seen others do it in Europe.

 

One regular Ncl cruiser gets off at Livorno and gets back on in Rome.

 

I would speak with someone else....also might have something to do Vietnam visa.....You might have to get your own before cruise.

 

they originally told me no problem and I may have to get my own visa but now say no.

 

I escalated this to the president of the company and the phone call I got back was no .

[pieshops]

I even called the Consular general of Vietnam at the Embassy and told them what I wanted to do and they said they would have no issue with it

[macandlucy]

We are sailing on the 14 day first NCL cruise next December from Hong Kong to Singapore.

 

I had planned on debarking in Ha Long Bay ( 3 hours from Hanoi) touring privately to Hanoi and then meeting back up with the ship the following afternoon in Da Nang.

 

The I booked this cruise I had asked on the Asia board if this was allowed as well as asking NCL when I booked my reservation.

 

Now I am being told that We can not do this and if we are not back on the ship as it sails from Ha Long Bay they will leave our bags and cabin contents with the port agent and we will not be allowed to rebound at all.

 

Not very happy.

 

What would happen if you missed the ship because your private excursion was late? Don't they allow you to meet up at the next port? (Is that Da Nang?)

[Golfin55]

1) many people have done this

2) if it's an NCL rule (which it's not BTW), what good is it to contact a foreign embassy?

[NLH Arizona]

We are sailing on the 14 day first NCL cruise next December from Hong Kong to Singapore.

 

I had planned on debarking in Ha Long Bay ( 3 hours from Hanoi) touring privately to Hanoi and then meeting back up with the ship the following afternoon in Da Nang.

 

The I booked this cruise I had asked on the Asia board if this was allowed as well as asking NCL when I booked my reservation.

 

Now I am being told that We can not do this and if we are not back on the ship as it sails from Ha Long Bay they will leave our bags and cabin contents with the port agent and we will not be allowed to rebound at all.

 

Not very happy.

Sorry. Did you check with any of the other cruise lines that go to Asia, to see if you can do it if you cruise with them. There is still time to switch lines.

[khaide612]

Now I am being told that We can not do this and if we are not back on the ship as it sails from Ha Long Bay they will leave our bags and cabin contents with the port agent and we will not be allowed to rebound at all.

 

I highly doubt that if you don't turn up before they set sail, they are going to hold the ship in port until someone packs up all your crap so they can deliver it to the port agent. When people miss the ship, they usually have to catch up with their belongings at the final disembarkation point...or maybe they would have them packed to meet you in Da Nang.

[pieshops]

What would happen if you missed the ship because your private excursion was late? Don't they allow you to meet up at the next port? (Is that Da Nang?)

 

I asked them that and they told me they would empty my cabin and leave the contents with the port agent and not allow me to rebound

[pieshops]

1) many people have done this

2) if it's an NCL rule (which it's not BTW), what good is it to contact a foreign embassy?

 

I know many have done this that is what is so upsetting.

 

I contacted the embassy to confirm what kind of visa I would need after NCl told me it was ok. At this time i conformed it was ok with them.

[StolidCruiser]

If the answer from the office of the President is no, cancel. If it was inaccurate, they'll be begging you to reinstate.

 

Either way, you win.

[pieshops]

Sorry. Did you check with any of the other cruise lines that go to Asia, to see if you can do it if you cruise with them. There is still time to switch lines.

 

unfortunately the thing of this cruise coincides with the majority of our kids winter break and allows us to do the 14 day cruise and 7 days combined pre and post cruise, no other time of the year that would not happen.

 

Also the other lines dates and itinerary don't work out and additionally we are booked in a suite on NCL and even an inside cabin on another line would cost more then we are paying for a suite

[pieshops]

I highly doubt that if you don't turn up before they set sail, they are going to hold the ship in port until someone packs up all your crap so they can deliver it to the port agent. When people miss the ship, they usually have to catch up with their belongings at the final disembarkation point...or maybe they would have them packed to meet you in Da Nang.

 

I really don't think I want to take the chance lol, I doubt it also but even if they kept the stuff on board and dropped it off in Da Nang they may still not let me rebound there.

[macandlucy]

I asked them that and they told me they would empty my cabin and leave the contents with the port agent and not allow me to rebound

 

Maybe I am missing a vital piece of info here, but I thought that was sort of the deal with missing the ship whilst in port . Doesn't it say in the cruise contract (or somewhere on the website) that if you miss the ship while on an excursion, that it's your responsibility to get yourself to the next port to rejoin the cruise?

 

And, if it does say that then one can reasonably infer that reboarding is possible (or they'd say something like "If you miss the ship on a port stop, you cannot rejoin the cruise", right?)

 

I wonder if you just asked them, "I may be late coming back from my private excursion --what happens if I miss the ship?" if you'd get a different reply?

 

Is this itinerary specific, perhaps? Although it doesn't sound like a Vietnam immigration thing since they said no problem. Hmm...now I might call to ask what happens if I miss the ship on a port stop in the Caribbean.

[hamrag]

unfortunately the thing of this cruise coincides with the majority of our kids winter break and allows us to do the 14 day cruise and 7 days combined pre and post cruise, no other time of the year that would not happen.

 

Also the other lines dates and itinerary don't work out and additionally we are booked in a suite on NCL and even an inside cabin on another line would cost more then we are paying for a suite

 

OK, you have a decision to make....either you do the looooooooooong day tour to Hanoi, and return in time for Halong Bay sailaway or spend the day on Halong Bay, which is a unesco site and absolutely amazing!;)

[pieshops]

Maybe I am missing a vital piece of info here, but I thought that was sort of the deal with missing the ship whilst in port . Doesn't it say in the cruise contract (or somewhere on the website) that if you miss the ship while on an excursion, that it's your responsibility to get yourself to the next port to rejoin the cruise?

 

And, if it does say that then one can reasonably infer that reboarding is possible (or they'd say something like "If you miss the ship on a port stop, you cannot rejoin the cruise", right?)

 

I wonder if you just asked them, "I may be late coming back from my private excursion --what happens if I miss the ship?" if you'd get a different reply?

 

Is this itinerary specific, perhaps? Although it doesn't sound like a Vietnam immigration thing since they said no problem. Hmm...now I might call to ask what happens if I miss the ship on a port stop in the Caribbean.

 

as far as missing the ship we were initially told no problem, then months after booking we were told we would need special permission from the ship so we wrote a letter and they said no, i then asked what would happen if we just missed the ship and that is when we were told they would leave our cabin contents wth the port agent and we would not be allowed to rejoin at the next port

[pieshops]

OK, you have a decision to make....either you do the looooooooooong day tour to Hanoi, and return in time for Halong Bay sailaway or spend the day on Halong Bay, which is a unesco site and absolutely amazing!;)

 

pretty much correct.

 

as much as Ha Long Bay is beautiful after a few hours it all looks the same lol, we really wanted to see Hanoi.

[pieshops]

The thing that is really upsetting us is that we were told ok on booking, I know we can cancel but we really don't want to do a land vacation.

 

My wife is originally from Vietnam, her parents were killed during the war and she was adopted by a Marine who brought her back to the USA when she was 2.

 

we had planned on visiting the village she was born in on our way from Hanoi to Da Nang.

 

The orphanage is in Da Nang and we will still be able to visit there but really wanted to see her village and see if she had any relatives still alive.

 

I guess we will have to make another trip for that part

[cmdchiefthom]

as far as missing the ship we were initially told no problem, then months after booking we were told we would need special permission from the ship so we wrote a letter and they said no, i then asked what would happen if we just missed the ship and that is when we were told they would leave our cabin contents wth the port agent and we would not be allowed to rejoin at the next port

 

I've got to ask, do you have this in writing from NCL with someone's title and signature?

[pieshops]

I've got to ask, do you have this in writing from NCL with someone's title and signature?

 

yup, thats on me, i just figured I was getting an accurate answer since other lines had no issues with this. Even if I did, the way they explained it to me it would not have made a difference.

[cruzsnooze]

Sorry. Did you check with any of the other cruise lines that go to Asia, to see if you can do it if you cruise with them. There is still time to switch lines.

 

Absolutely. I did this exact same thing when I sailed this Asian Itinerary on Azamara. The OP states it's a 7 day cruise, Azamara was a 2 week cruise so that could be the difference. I was given back my passport at guest services and did not need any extra visa, I'd already had the visa which was done on board for Viet Nam and the other countries we visited.

Edited January 21, 2016 by cruzsnooze

[pieshops]

Absolutely. I did this exact same thing when I sailed this Asian Itinerary on Azamara. The OP states it's a 7 day cruise, Azamara was a 2 week cruise so that could be the difference.

 

I'm sorry if i mistyped but it is a 14 day cruise not 7

[macandlucy]

The thing that is really upsetting us is that we were told ok on booking, I know we can cancel but we really don't want to do a land vacation.

 

My wife is originally from Vietnam, her parents were killed during the war and she was adopted by a Marine who brought her back to the USA when she was 2.

 

we had planned on visiting the village she was born in on our way from Hanoi to Da Nang.

 

The orphanage is in Da Nang and we will still be able to visit there but really wanted to see her village and see if she had any relatives still alive.

 

I guess we will have to make another trip for that part

 

I'm sorry that it won't work out for you, pieshops; it sounds like it would have been a very special visit.

 

I'm now wondering if there has been a recent change to the "missing the ship in port" policy, and if so, does that apply to all ships/itins or what? I will definitely call NCL and ask about our upcoming Carib cruise.

 

(BTW, I looked at the NCL cruise contract online and it does mention that it is the guest's responsibility to find his own way (and pay for the trip) to the next port. I cannot see any reason that would be in black and white if it were an impossibility)