NCL still booking cruises

[Charles4515]

Why cant they just cancel a May 17th cruise! They know it wont happen!!!!

I hate to think any company would do this but it could be that NCL is planning to take the money and run if the financing they are seeking fall through. Those counting on FCCs could easily get screwed.


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[Turtles06]

30 minutes ago, GlamorousGirl said:

They still haven’t cancelled my May 16 out of Amsterdam, even though the did cancel my Asia cruise a year from now! (Makes no sense!) I refuse to fly right now so no way I’m going on this, as much as I was looking forward to it.

And in fact all non-essential travel from outside the EU by non-EU citizens is banned through May 15. NCL knows that cruise is not happening. 
 

https://nl.usembassy.gov/health-alert-update-regarding-covid-19-u-s-consulate-general-amsterdam-netherlands-3/

[Slark]

58 minutes ago, Petoonya said:

I'm scheduled on Bliss Alaska May 17 from Seattle- one way or another we're not going.  Yesterday you couldn't book it, today you can. 26 more days.

Amazing, isn't it?  I plan to use the FCC for sometime in 2021, but may consider Oceania.  I don't suppose the FCC would be transferable to a sister cruse line? 

[mking8288]

Overseas in Asia - Singapore's PM just announced that their Covid-19 Circuit Breaker is being extended by another month, to June 1st as they are seeing another wave of infection, doing more contact tracing and testing, and ordering additional restrictions.  Their numbers are nowhere near what the USA is reporting now.  Hairdressing and barbershop services are considered non-essential and ordered to close by April 22, until further notice.

https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/prime-minister-lee-hsien-loong-to-address-nation-on-covid-19-situation-at-5pm

 

Singarpore as a small country has a world class healthcare system, no shortage of PPE and testing, and deploying the latest, newest IT and AI technologies to monitor, track and do contact tracing ... unlike, well.  

 

Cruiselines is going to have fun arranging flights, even charter ones, to recall and fly their crew members back to various US ports for staging to prepare for sailings to resume - as SIN airport is a major transit hub for the region, whether the flights are flying eastbound or westbound via European gateways.  

 

Look not at what "we" do here in the Americas but rather look elsewhere to see other country's success stories and onging challenges to bring C19 under control.  Behind one mountain peak and its plateau is more mountain ranges, it can be a gentle downward slope but there is always the odds of a cliff over the canyon.  

Edited April 21, 2020 by mking8288

[kwokpot]

7 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

And in fact all non-essential travel from outside the EU by non-EU citizens is banned through May 15. NCL knows that cruise is not happening. 
 

https://nl.usembassy.gov/health-alert-update-regarding-covid-19-u-s-consulate-general-amsterdam-netherlands-3/

Amsterdam extended the ban on major public events until September 1st. No way cruiseships will be allowed to dock probably until Jan. 2021.

https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-netherlands/dutch-extend-ban-on-major-public-events-until-sept-1-idUSS8N2AW01F

[birtdeltasig]

My guess is that NCL knows that they are going to have to cancel cruises into July, at least. If they announce that they are cancelling, they will be required to refund cash within 90 days. The longer they wait, the longer they can collect interest with our cash. Also, by not cancelling, they are able to leave the booking windows open which will increase their current cash on hand. It all revolves around money. 

[jbcallender]

They are in survival mode.  1)they get your cash to use now.  2) If the cruise is cancelled there's probably an 80% chance you use the future cruise credit, thus they still have your money to fund current obligations.  They'll worry about tomorrow..tomorrow.

 

[luv2kroooz]

They are effectively banned from US ports under the current no sail order, which remains in place beyond May unless CLIA can convince the CDC to allow NCL to operate.

 

Advertising May cruises at this time is false advertising since they are currently banned from offering the product being advertised. But, no worries, there are no new bookings happening for May, anyway. They could offer $1 cruises, but people realize they can't sail. This is also why prices for May are fixed at higher rates and are not adjusting. Airline schedules are reduced to 10-20% of typical schedules. The current stateroom vacancies on ships through June is very high.

 

The May cancellations will probably happen late this week. They are controlling cash spend by spreading out refunds.

 

This is a new situation for NCL. They are used to stiff-arming customers with fee changes, last minute itinerary changes, etc. Here they have no control. There is nothing they can do to change the unfortunate situation they find themselves in.

Edited April 22, 2020 by blcruising

[graphicguy]

Lots of “changes” going to happen within the industry upon reopening (my bet is on Sept for U.S. ports outside of NY/NJ).  Those would have to be implemented.  More wash stations.  Hand washing going into/coming out of any venue would be required, not suggested.  Temp taking upon embarking/disembarking onto/off of the ship, at every port.  I’ve heard the days of having the buffet as we know it are now a thing of the past.

 

So, in addition to the normal startup procedures of crew, and ship maintenance, there would have to be extensive training.

 

All that’s going to take a while.

[Newleno]

On 4/21/2020 at 9:59 AM, roger001 said:

I just looked at the NCL site for cruises offered.  They are still booking cruises for May.  They've got out of Seattle on May 16th, Boston on May 15th, and Miami on May 31st.   My opinion is that to have these cruises listed, and to actually be taking money for them, payment in full due now, that is shameful!   They clearly know that these cruises will not happen.  It really should be in the realm of illegal.   NCL would maybe get a lot more sympathy if they got honest.   My opinion.   

What are the prices are there any just great incredible deals that one could not resist?

Edited April 22, 2020 by Newleno

[dexddd]

12 minutes ago, Newleno said:

What are the prices are there any just great incredible deals that one could not resist?

I've been monitoring various sailings over months.  Prices in general are artificially high.

 

As others have speculated, not in their interest to fire sale plus there is all that FCC at more than 100% to use.  Why give any extra for leftover other than maybe to get people to book a second cruise to bring in more cash.

[Bourbon7]

On 4/21/2020 at 9:59 AM, roger001 said:

I just looked at the NCL site for cruises offered.  They are still booking cruises for May.  They've got out of Seattle on May 16th, Boston on May 15th, and Miami on May 31st.   My opinion is that to have these cruises listed, and to actually be taking money for them, payment in full due now, that is shameful!   They clearly know that these cruises will not happen.  It really should be in the realm of illegal.   NCL would maybe get a lot more sympathy if they got honest.   My opinion.   

I saw this too! I can’t believe they are able to do that, especially the Alaska cruise out of Seattle, since there is NO WAY they can sail before 1 July since Canada is shut down.

[zqvol]

On 4/21/2020 at 9:59 AM, roger001 said:

I just looked at the NCL site for cruises offered.  They are still booking cruises for May.  They've got out of Seattle on May 16th, Boston on May 15th, and Miami on May 31st.   My opinion is that to have these cruises listed, and to actually be taking money for them, payment in full due now, that is shameful!   They clearly know that these cruises will not happen.  It really should be in the realm of illegal.   NCL would maybe get a lot more sympathy if they got honest.   My opinion.   

 

Who in their right mnd would book right now. I say good for all the cruise lines if they think they can be running in May. The people who choose to cruise then will be on very empty ships.

[ColeThornton]

12 minutes ago, zqvol said:

 

Who in their right mnd would book right now. I say good for all the cruise lines if they think they can be running in May. The people who choose to cruise then will be on very empty ships.

 

 

...and people will still be out at 0700 putting towels on deck chairs.  Their sun tans will look kind of weird though from wearing face masks.   🙂

 

 

[slidergirl]

I've been pestered  by a PCC all week - emails, phone calls.  I'm thinking they've still got quotas they have to meet on sales.  I finally had to tell "Michael" to please stop with any contact because I'm not even considering a cruise until at least Fall 2021.   

 

I'm thinking they are trying to get cash out of people, cancel, and offer back FCC.  That leaves them with the cash to try to keep going a little.   

[EscapeFromConnecticut]

1 hour ago, slidergirl said:

I've been pestered  by a PCC all week - emails, phone calls.  I'm thinking they've still got quotas they have to meet on sales.  I finally had to tell "Michael" to please stop with any contact because I'm not even considering a cruise until at least Fall 2021.   

 

I'm thinking they are trying to get cash out of people, cancel, and offer back FCC.  That leaves them with the cash to try to keep going a little.   

Exactly the game plan

[EscapeFromConnecticut]

On 4/22/2020 at 12:22 PM, ColeThornton said:

 

 

...and people will still be out at 0700 putting towels on deck chairs.  Their sun tans will look kind of weird though from wearing face masks.   🙂

 

 

 
  You're kinder than me.
 

    My vision is of a dozen of the most hard-core "optimists" here dismissing their cancellation notices as "just media hype, fake news."

     On departure morning they show up at the pier ... frown at the absence of lines, cabs, luggage handlers or check-in agents. They squint out across the harbor, trying to imagine how the ship could be getting in so far behind schedule.