Getaway 4/27/19 Transatlantic Shortened by Two Days

[vwlmember]

Just informed by NCL that the 4/27 Getaway transatlantic has been shortened from 12 days to 10 days and we will not go to Brussels and LeHarve.  This is so disappointing I cannot even begin to explain. Not getting to see Normandy, the only reason I booked this cruise, is devastating.  Although they are refunding 25% of the cruise price and any scheduled shore excursions, I am done with NCL.  Our last cruise on the Escape had issues for us and they were not willing to help us with a huge medical bill incurred by an issue they should have addressed.

 

[Georgia_Peaches]

Wow!  I know that's disappointing.  Don't blame you for being frustrated or for shopping around for your next cruise.  

[XMicheleX]

I’m taking to Twitter with #getawaynoway I’ve been on hold for an hour and 30 minutes... only to be told they won’t be doing anything more ... the 25% doesn’t even cover half of what two extra days of hotel is costing me as we had more planned after our cruise sooo devastated 

[Steff79]

oh, that´s disappointing. sorry to hear.

 

wonder why? the ta ends original at May 9th in Southampton and then going into dry dock in Brest at the next day

http://crew-center.com/brest-france-cruise-ship-schedule-2019

maybe they need more time, start earlier?

[XMicheleX]

Shouldn’t matter if they need 2 extra days don’t do it 7 days before the trip the relaunch it’s insane to think some board made this decision and it has changed the entire complexion of this cruise ... I would not have booked it had this been the itinerary... I’m out a lot of money ...

[Alaskawhovian]

We are also on this cruise.  Three cabins.  Platinum Plus latitudes members, but if they don’t make this right, we are done with them.  I have a 3 year old and 6 year old with Down Syndrome, and it required a huge amount of planning and money to make this work.   I don’t believe for a minute that they weren’t aware of this until 7 days before, that’s crap.   I have no idea why they are able to do this for non emergencies.  I totally get when it is weather related or something out of their control, but this clearly isn’t.   They just wanted to book the ship, and they knew no one would book it the way it is now.  Also, is it an accident that this gets announced late Friday on a holiday weekend?  

 

They are are giving you nothing.   Getting tips and shore excursions back is only refunding what you are not getting.  The air won’t cover all or most of people’s cost to fly.   The 25 percent is essentially the time they are taking away.   We are out expensive train tickets to Gatwick, Brussels, and Paris for 6 people, not to mention the inconvenience of dragging two special needs kiddos all over the place with luggage to salvage our trip.   We are going to try to figure out a way to do something else, on our dime of course.  I am furious.   

 

We we are seasoned cruisers, and have had everything from hurricanes (big ones) to rough seas and a military coup (Egypt) that have modified cruise itineraries- but we have never had a cruise line just yank two days off a cruise for a non emergency like that, and the 7 days notice is a crappy thing to do.  They are not even offering the option of cancelling and getting our money back.

 

Norwegian clearly has no respect for their cruisers.   They should be ashamed for offering such a lousy solution- let alone pulling it in the first place.   Is there a way to create a site to protest this and the fact that their reparations are completely unacceptable?  Or to go to the media?

 

 

[shof515]

this is why having travel insurance is important. they can make you whole a lot better then norwegian

[Turtles06]

I'm really sorry for everyone on this TA.  It's awful for NCL to do this with such short notice.   I was just looking at your itinerary; they've certainly taken away the best ports (imho).  I hope NCL comes through with more $$ than what they are giving so far, especially for re-arranging flights and extra nights in hotels. * 

 

Since you are now arriving in Southampton two days earlier: if folks need/want hotel rooms there, check out the Europe/Britain board for recommendations.  There are also some interesting things that can be done from Southampton (like visiting Portsmouth, Salisbury, and Stonehenge), if folks don't want to add extra days in London.   Just hoping you can make lemonade out of NCL's lemons.

 

*Edited to add:  I see on your Roll Call that NCL's email notification of the change says they are also giving up to $300 pp in air change fees.    I still think the whole non-emergency change with such little notice is terrible.

 

 

Edited April 19, 2019 by Turtles06

[peacefulOR]

This is so unacceptable! If there was really an unavoidable change due to dry dock change or something, we should be given way more than 25% off for missing two amazing ports and having the expense of 2 extra days SOMEWHERE if you can't move up your flights. Someone on CC must have a good idea on how to get a more fair settlement (either more refund or hotel/expenses credit instead of the $300 toward air change).

I'm also looking into transport to Paris for a day and just give up on Brugge. This is the second time NCL has cancelled Brugge on us (also April, 2017) and there are so many disappointed cruisers that came from the Oasis on a legitimate ship loss.

This looks like a great opportunity for other cruise lines to lure a lot of business from NCL to me if they pick up it. May all your cruises actually happen and make most of their ports, at the very least.

 

[peacefulOR]

24 minutes ago, Alaskawhovian said:

We are also on this cruise.  Three cabins.  Platinum Plus latitudes members, but if they don’t make this right, we are done with them.  I have a 3 year old and 6 year old with Down Syndrome, and it required a huge amount of planning and money to make this work.   I don’t believe for a minute that they weren’t aware of this until 7 days before, that’s crap.   I have no idea why they are able to do this for non emergencies.  I totally get when it is weather related or something out of their control, but this clearly isn’t.   They just wanted to book the ship, and they knew no one would book it the way it is now.  Also, is it an accident that this gets announced late Friday on a holiday weekend?  

 

They are are giving you nothing.   Getting tips and shore excursions back is only refunding what you are not getting.  The air won’t cover all or most of people’s cost to fly.   The 25 percent is essentially the time they are taking away.   We are out expensive train tickets to Gatwick, Brussels, and Paris for 6 people, not to mention the inconvenience of dragging two special needs kiddos all over the place with luggage to salvage our trip.   We are going to try to figure out a way to do something else, on our dime of course.  I am furious.   

 

We we are seasoned cruisers, and have had everything from hurricanes (big ones) to rough seas and a military coup (Egypt) that have modified cruise itineraries- but we have never had a cruise line just yank two days off a cruise for a non emergency like that, and the 7 days notice is a crappy thing to do.  They are not even offering the option of cancelling and getting our money back.

 

Norwegian clearly has no respect for their cruisers.   They should be ashamed for offering such a lousy solution- let alone pulling it in the first place.   Is there a way to create a site to protest this and the fact that their reparations are completely unacceptable?  Or to go to the media?

 

 

 

We are on this cruise as well and can't change flight times but I really feel for you more than any of the rest of us. Hopefully there is a media person or lawyer who can see a way to pressure NCL into better treatment of it's Getaway passengers. I intend to do my part of speaking out....didn't do so on the 2017 fiasco, almost-same itinerary, so let's make a huge fuss for more flexible compensation. Good luck to you and your family!

[Alaskawhovian]

It really makes you take a look at how little they truly value their customers.   It is totally disrespectful the way they did this, and their cutsie patronizing email, if anything, made me more upset.   I am not sure, but I doubt their cruise insurance would cover this, being that the cruise is still happening.   I doubt they cover modifications, even if they involve shortening the cruise.

[The It Girl]

I am on this sailing and have not received any email yet, and quite a few others haven't either. I found out about this through the roll call.

 

Still hoping this isn't true!

[rugerdog]

I haven't received my email either. 

 

I saw yesterday where someone posted that he'd heard from a crew member that this was happening, and everyone called their travel agents or NCL to check on it, and they were assured no changes!  So obviously this was known yesterday, at the very least.  And I agree, changes of this magnitude cannot simply happen this close to sail date.  Clearly this was known by NCL for quite some time.  

 

Now they wait until late on Good Friday of Easter weekend to notify their clients?

 

I reached out to my PCC and this is the response I received back from her:

 

I have no control over itinerary changes. Please contact the phone number that was on the letter or guest relations at 866-625-1164.

 

This is all the entire email said.  Ironically, I had just talked to her over the phone yesterday, and of course nothing was said about this change.  

 

 

 

[Mike D.]

I'm a confessed NCL fan boy (man), but as others have said, this seems outrageous.  Not being able to go to a port is one thing, lopping 2 days off a cruise is not.  I'm sure the contract we "sign" is pretty ironclad. 

 

But there used to be a concept of merchantability...meaning (according to Wikipedia): 

The warranty of merchantability is implied, unless expressly disclaimed by name, or the sale is identified with the phrase "as is" or "with all faults". To be "merchantable", the goods must reasonably conform to an ordinary buyer's expectations, i.e., they are what they say they are.

 

It seems to be a 12 day cruise means a 12 day cruise.  Not 10.  It is not like I bought a car that is supposed to get 12 MPG and only gets 10 MPG which would be subject to some interpretation.  10 days does not equal 12 days.  Period.    

 

I also note that at 3:50 p.m. PDT, the NCL website still lists this cruise as 12 days and they are still selling cabins.

 

Ugh.  Sorry for everyone's plight.

[rugerdog]

8 minutes ago, Mike D. said:

I also note that at 3:50 p.m. PDT, the NCL website still lists this cruise as 12 days and they are still selling cabins.

 

My Vacation Summary on the NCL site still shows it being the same 12 days as well.

[Alaskawhovian]

We also spoke with the cruise consultant on the phone, and she was very rude and said the exact same thing.   Must be the party line they have told staff to use.  

 

We are (were) huge NCL fans- we have been on at least 20 cruises with them, through hurricanes that tore the ship up, the military coup in Egypt that shut a bunch of ports, and various other things.  We excused it because we enjoyed the cruises despite this.  However, like you said, 12 is 12, not 10.  I am curious what would happen if I pretended to book this cruise and if they would own up to the change.

 

I truly feel betrayed in this instance because I bet they knew about this possibly from the beginning, but who wants to go on a 10 day transatlantic with only two very minor ports?   They waited until the ship is basically booked one week ahead, and they aren’t even offering to  refund the $$ if people wanted.   Given the option, we would have absolutely chosen a different cruise.  It seems completely shady to me.

[lanceholt]

We ALWAYS buy trip insurance via insuremytrip.com and it will make you whole in the future.....it leaves nothing to chance.  Not helpful right now but no matter what cruise line you take it is an important expense to not skip.

 

[Montanagirlalways]

I am also on this cruise. What a major financial impact trying to get last minute arrangements. Hello NCL- it’s gping to take way more then 300.00 to help with “flight changes.”  U have to earn customer loyalty.  Compensate appropriately as RCL did for their customers 

[Turtles06]

13 minutes ago, lanceholt said:

We ALWAYS buy trip insurance via insuremytrip.com and it will make you whole in the future.....

 

We do too, but what type of provision specifically do you think will cover this change made by the cruise line? It’s not a trip delay, weather, illness, etc.  (Thinking out loud at the moment, I haven’t pulled out the policy we usually get.).

 

I hope folks do have coverage for this. 

[kfnesq]

1 hour ago, Alaskawhovian said:

 Also, is it an accident that this gets announced late Friday on a holiday weekend?

No chance.

 

This is ridiculous.  My parents are on this cruise and literally booked it for those two ports (as probably others did also--they are, I think most people would agree, the two best ports). They have insurance but are just devastated at all the time now they will have to spend booking hotels, re-booking airfare, and generally dealing with their much-looked-forward-to vacation now being way more stressful.  I'm so disappointed for them, and even more so because I SUGGESTED Norwegian to them last year when we all sailed together on the Bliss (that cruise admittedly went very well and was amazing).  

 

I really don't understand how NCL couldn't have had notice of this before now.  I will be taking to Facebook and Twitter also...not that it will make a difference but it will make me feel slightly better.  

[Anet01]

2 hours ago, vwlmember said:

Just informed by NCL that the 4/27 Getaway transatlantic has been shortened from 12 days to 10 days and we will not go to Brussels and LeHarve.  This is so disappointing I cannot even begin to explain. Not getting to see Normandy, the only reason I booked this cruise, is devastating.  Although they are refunding 25% of the cruise price and any scheduled shore excursions, I am done with NCL.  Our last cruise on the Escape had issues for us and they were not willing to help us with a huge medical bill incurred by an issue they should have addressed.

 

Could you take the Chunnel or fly easyjet and still go see Normandy with the extra days? 

[Alaskawhovian]

I think they absolutely knew about it.  They just know people wouldn’t book a cruise with the two ports and 10 days.   Plus the last minute notification is terrible.

[cincicruisers]

Wow this is wrong in so many ways.  I hope NCL opens it eyes and takes care of the customers.

[Rileyz]

Platinum plus here and this makes me never want to book an overseas cruise with NCL.  I also plan on getting insurance that covers all of this for future cruises.  So sorry for everyone, this is being handled horribly by NCL IMO.  Minimum 50% off fare and 2 nights hotel would be a start.

[purpleally]

34 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

We do too, but what type of provision specifically do you think will cover this change made by the cruise line? It’s not a trip delay, weather, illness, etc.  (Thinking out loud at the moment, I haven’t pulled out the policy we usually get.).

 

I hope folks do have coverage for this. 

Trip interruption?   There will be extra costs for two hotel nights that were unexpected?