Itinerary Changed with No Compensation Offered

[blulou]

I just received an email from my travel agent that NCL changed the itinerary for the Norwegian Getaway cruise of the Baltics that departs on July 31st, 2019.  Originally, we were supposed to dock in Stockholm (Nynashamn) at 8:00AM, stay there overnight and then depart at 5:00PM the next day.  This was a compelling feature for us since we would be able to experience the nightlife in Stockholm, have enough time to explore the city adequately, and get together with some friends that live in Goteburg. 

 

Now, in their words...To enhance the guest experience, Norwegian Getaway will now call on Stockholm, Sweden from 8:15 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. on August 6, 2019 and Visby, Sweden from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on August 7, 2019.  What does "enhance the guest experience" even mean?  It is just flowery language that means nothing.  I called my travel agency and they sat on hold with NCL for over 30 to ask for the real reason and to also request compensation of some sort.  NCL had no answer and would not offer any compensation.  I then called NCL directly and got the same response from them.

 

I understand that my ticket says that they can change the itinerary for any reason, so they are within their legal rights, but what about customer service?  If I cancel now, there would be a $4,600 penalty, plus the $700 I paid for trip insurance and fees to the travel site.  I refuse to take this sitting down.

 

NCL - I hope you have someone reading these boards.  I have choices how I spend my cruise dollars.  Do you want me to be unhappy and never cruise with you again?  Do you want me to post bad reviews here and elsewhere?  Do you not want me enjoy my cruise because I feel that I have been baited and switched?  This is some of the worst customer service that I have experienced.  I hope that somebody at NCL cares about me and all of the other passengers on this cruise.  You can keep a customer for life with superior customer service, but you can also lose a customer for life (and get bad mouthed by everyone they talk to) with inferior customer service.

 

 

[shof515]

Between the chaos of the transatlantic and now this, it makes me wonder what is going on with NCL

[schmoopie17]

They changed our itinerary from Puerto Vallarta to Acapulco (one of the top murder capitals in the world).

Needless to say, we weren't happy, either.

[MaryZ]

They did all this last year on the Breakaway.  Nynashamn is an hour away from Stockholm.  Altho we would not know because we never got there.  Weather.
We just were thankful we got to St Petersburg.

I would never book NCL again for a trip that I wanted to actually go to the ports.

[lanceholt]

We are on the Sept 1 cruise on the Spirit to UK, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, 14 days....we were to be in Reykjavik for 2 nights, beginning at 8am the first day and leaving at 8am the 3rd day....was switched to 6pm the first day leaving us with only one full day.  We were disappointed but got over it and will make the best of it.  I think whoever is planning itineraries is not good at it and communication has suffered as well.  Could use some sharpening up imho.  

[lanceholt]

By the way, we were not offered compensation nor did we expect it for our change.

[Son of a son of a ...]

That sucks ... another NCL “bait and switch.”  Seems to be happening more often lately.  

Edited April 24, 2019 by Son of a son of a ...

[tomservo]

18 minutes ago, blulou said:

Do you want me to be unhappy and never cruise with you again?

 

They don’t care about the unhappy cruisers. It’s a numbers game, they feel like they are getting enough new and returning cruisers that they can afford to lose a few unhappy ones. 

[tallnthensome]

Am I reading this right? You gained an extra port and Stockholm over night was reduced to a single full day? Don't you think you're overreacting a bit here? Your trip wasn't shortened and you didn't have ports completely cancelled. Our 15 day Panama Canal cruise on the Bliss two weeks ago had at least three itinerary changes due to berthing/mooring issues in ports. I just dealt with it and it was still wonderful. I mean, you have a right to be upset if you wish as it's your cruise but I think you're going off the deep end on this one. Stuff happens but I wouldn't think about cancelling over this scenario. 

Edited April 24, 2019 by tallnthensome

[jvsnana]

2 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

Am I reading this right? You gained an extra port and Stockholm over night was reduced to a single full day? Don't you think you're overreacting a bit here? Your trip wasn't shortened and you didn't have ports completely cancelled. Our 15 day Panama Canal cruise on the Bliss two weeks ago had at least three itinerary changes due to berthing/mooring issues in ports. I just dealt with it and it was still wonderful. I mean, you have a right to be upset if you wish as it's your cruise but I think you're going off the deep end on this one. Stuff happens but I wouldn't think about cancelling over this scenario. 

👍

[OCruisers]

36 minutes ago, MaryZ said:

I would never book NCL again for a trip that I wanted to actually go to the ports.

 

While NCL is not a favorite of ours, in their defense .... This can and does happen on ALL cruise lines from time to time.  

 

[esm54687]

another reason Nationwide Trip Insurance is invaluable travelling in Europe or long cruises with multiple ports....... that itinerary change coverage can be profitable. 

[MaryZ]

17 minutes ago, OCruisers said:

 

While NCL is not a favorite of ours, in their defense .... This can and does happen on ALL cruise lines from time to time.  

 

I'm well aware. 
But that's been our experience.   In over 50 cruises, so far only NCL is the winner of changing itineraries at the drop of a hat.  Our next is the Encore.  For which we did get compensation. 

[ray98]

95% of cruisers will be pleased with the extra port.

Edited April 24, 2019 by ray98

[BirdTravels]

It means that no one really wanted 2 days in Stockholm and they added a new port of call which would make the majority (not the OP) happy. 

[Hooked Already]

1 hour ago, esm54687 said:

another reason Nationwide Trip Insurance is invaluable travelling in Europe or long cruises with multiple ports....... that itinerary change coverage can be profitable. 

At the current rate that NCL is going, how long will it be before Nationwide refuses to insure NCL trips?

[Zippeedee]

12 minutes ago, Hooked Already said:

At the current rate that NCL is going, how long will it be before Nationwide refuses to insure NCL trips?

I have been saying the same thing. They sent my claim forms for the Getaway TA today.

[blulou]

There are 2 things I learned from my original post.  NCL changing itineraries is not uncommon and I do have trip insurance, so I need to see if this is covered.  In my situation, it effectively made anything other than a very high level tour of Stockholm out of the question given our new itinerary.  It just comes out to personal preference.  My guess is that there was a financial reason for NCL changing the itinerary and not from additional money from passengers.

[newmexicoNita]

11 hours ago, blulou said:

I just received an email from my travel agent that NCL changed the itinerary for the Norwegian Getaway cruise of the Baltics that departs on July 31st, 2019.  Originally, we were supposed to dock in Stockholm (Nynashamn) at 8:00AM, stay there overnight and then depart at 5:00PM the next day.  This was a compelling feature for us since we would be able to experience the nightlife in Stockholm, have enough time to explore the city adequately, and get together with some friends that live in Goteburg. 

 

Now, in their words...To enhance the guest experience, Norwegian Getaway will now call on Stockholm, Sweden from 8:15 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. on August 6, 2019 and Visby, Sweden from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on August 7, 2019.  What does "enhance the guest experience" even mean?  It is just flowery language that means nothing.  I called my travel agency and they sat on hold with NCL for over 30 to ask for the real reason and to also request compensation of some sort.  NCL had no answer and would not offer any compensation.  I then called NCL directly and got the same response from them.

 

I understand that my ticket says that they can change the itinerary for any reason, so they are within their legal rights, but what about customer service?  If I cancel now, there would be a $4,600 penalty, plus the $700 I paid for trip insurance and fees to the travel site.  I refuse to take this sitting down.

 

NCL - I hope you have someone reading these boards.  I have choices how I spend my cruise dollars.  Do you want me to be unhappy and never cruise with you again?  Do you want me to post bad reviews here and elsewhere?  Do you not want me enjoy my cruise because I feel that I have been baited and switched?  This is some of the worst customer service that I have experienced.  I hope that somebody at NCL cares about me and all of the other passengers on this cruise.  You can keep a customer for life with superior customer service, but you can also lose a customer for life (and get bad mouthed by everyone they talk to) with inferior customer service.

 

 

Unless they actually shorten he cruise there would be no reason for any compensation.  This isn't just NCL but all cruise lines. When airlines change their routes they do not compensate. I know this is disappointing, I can remember once missing a port we had out hearts set on, but don't let it ruin your cruise. It is the overall cruise, not just one port that makes a difference. 

[BaWBarmy]

I don't know why you would be upset. You get an extra port and you don't have to overnight in Nynashamn which is about 38 miles away from Stockholm itself. A night out in Stockholm would be expensive enough without taxi/train costs. If the ship actually docked in Stockholm then you might have cause to complain. I'd just make sure I enjoyed Visby.

[PelicanBill]

The reason for these changes is often related to the Port Schedule, or a Ship speed concern.  The port may have wanted the second day for another ship (or maybe NCL did).  They may have re-evaluated the sailing leg after Stockholm and decided they need to shorten the distance and moving the ship to the second port helps.  They may be hedging the itinerary to give more flexibility for weather based delays which plagued the last season's itineraries.

 

And NCL does do this more often than others and offers no sweetener.  We've been on 2 cruises that went to completely different itineraries after final booking - ports that were far less desirable and many people would not have booked if they had been the plan - but we got nothing.

[Takoyaki]

I say the Getaway is cursed!

Our trip was plagued by arrival changes and poor communication of that fact (had a blast after the struggles of day 1)

They are screwing over that trans atlantic

now this....

[sverigecruiser]

13 hours ago, blulou said:

I just received an email from my travel agent that NCL changed the itinerary for the Norwegian Getaway cruise of the Baltics that departs on July 31st, 2019.  Originally, we were supposed to dock in Stockholm (Nynashamn) at 8:00AM, stay there overnight and then depart at 5:00PM the next day.  This was a compelling feature for us since we would be able to experience the nightlife in Stockholm, have enough time to explore the city adequately, and get together with some friends that live in Goteburg. 

 

Now, in their words...To enhance the guest experience, Norwegian Getaway will now call on Stockholm, Sweden from 8:15 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. on August 6, 2019 and Visby, Sweden from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on August 7, 2019.

 

 

Was your plan to stay very late in Stockholm and take the train or bus back to Nynäshamn in the middle of the night? Or was your plan to book a hotel in Stockholm for the overnight?

 

If your plan was to book a hotel you might still be able to do that and take the ferry from Nynäshamn to Visby or a plane from Arlanda to Visby the next day.

 

Do you know if the ship still will dock in Nynäshamn or is it changed to Stockholm?

[spanishguy1970]

14 minutes ago, Takoyaki said:

I say the Getaway is cursed!

Our trip was plagued by arrival changes and poor communication of that fact (had a blast after the struggles of day 1)

They are screwing over that trans atlantic

now this....

don't say that we are on the Getaway this coming October 😱

[Homosassa]

Here is advice for any cruiser to remember:

 

NEVER book  a cruise because one absolutely must be in a port on a certain day at a certain time or if one will suffer lifelong trauma due to a itinerary change. Ship happens and itineraries are changed for a variety of valid reasons.