How many cancellations today, or will?

[NW Pacific]

Since the latest news from cruise critic that NCL is giving FCC for cancelling cruises  for sailings through May I think?  We are scheduled for January 9th, Bliss, on the fence right now?? No cash back, have to cancel airfare, we are fully vaxed, boosted, my major concern is getting quarantined in a less desirable room than we have, the Haven,  due to being within 6 feet of someone that some how tests positive once onboard.  Anyway, what  are you all  going to do in the next 2 months? 

[CarolinaMamma]

We are scheduled to sail 1/16 in the Haven on Encore and I am also on the fence. I’m also afraid of having to quarantine, or of so many ports and entertainment options not being available, that it’s not an enjoyable cruise. 
 

I’m hesitant to take the FCC because the Haven 2BR is costing about 50% more than we paid for it on just about every cruise I’ve priced. Our schedule is also sort of unpredictable for the next year. We do have CFAR insurance, so could cancel up to 48 hours before and get a 75% refund.  

 

When our April 2020 cruise was cancelled by NCL, we got a full refund, but the people who had cancelled on their own a few days earlier got screwed. I’m keeping that in mind and holding off as long as I can. 

[BennyBrun]

The prices for NCLs cruises later in the year is a bit high for my taste.  Some dates are like double especially on the bigger ships.  When you take FCC you are losing value but if you are not comfortable going then it’s worth it since they are waiving the penalty until 1/31/2022 for sailings until 5/31/22

[TNcruising02]

I have a cruise booked on the Escape for January 15th.  I feel a lot better now that it seems like Norwegian is letting people cancel and receive a full FCC.  We have relatives who live across the country from us and are booked on this cruise. They are staying in the Haven.  They may go regardless of what is going on. 

 

We have airline tickets with SW, so no big deal about cancelling or changing those flights.  We have proctored home covid tests through a company that Norwegian partnered with scheduled for the 13th.  We have a pre-cruise hotel booked for one night in Port Canaveral.  

We are holding off on making a decision.   Maybe we will go and make the best of it and enjoy spending time with them.   We have no fear of getting covid.  We are vaccinated and had covid in early September. We are undecided.  I feel much better knowing I will not lose 25% of what I paid should I choose to cancel.  If Norwegian cancels, we will get all of our money back.  

[Susandt]

We did not get email about fcc, is there a end date to use it

[NW Pacific]

Will be pulling my hair  out for the next few days, I also worry about what the worth of a FCC will be, if cruises once again get cancelled by CDC, dont know if the cruise lines can take another hit and stay solvent. We got a great deal in the Haven, but will wait it out for a few more days, getting the $ back would be an incentive to cancel.   Is life ever going to be easy again lol

[ElizaSTN]

We sail on 2/12.  If the boat sails, we’ll be on it (assuming we don’t test + at the pier.) Altogether, our family group has $35k+ tied up in this cruise and finding another sailing that works for everyone would be tough.  

 

However - I expect some of this hysteria about omicron (and the wave itself) to die down by then.  I don’t know what I’d do if we were set to sail in the next couple of weeks, I really don’t.  

[CptBoatface]

Full speed ahead! The Admiral wants her cruise on the Bliss 1/9!  

 

[karatemom2]

We were also scheduled for the Jan 9 Bliss like the OP. We canceled today and are quite relieved. I work in health care and we see what is hitting us. Doubling times are unbelievable. This variant is so contagious. I learned in a meeting today that with previous versions of COVID, the average person infected 3-5 people. With Omicron each person infects an average of 18 people. We are about to get hit by a wave and cruising in this environment is not optimal - it is a risky proposition. I will happily wait for a safer window where I can actually enjoy my vacation. 

[Trimone]

People worried about the prices in the Haven being more expensive later in the year should not worry, the trip you cancel now will not resemble any cruise you have previously been on before Covid attacked us, I would definitely cancel until things are better, going on a cruise in September has tarnished my enjoyment of cruising, things are different, my main complaint is staff are not more strict with offenders, who basically think they on holiday and can ignore the rules, this causes friction.

Don't take risks 

[craig01020]

8 hours ago, NW Pacific said:

Since the latest news from cruise critic that NCL is giving FCC for cancelling cruises  for sailings through May I think?  We are scheduled for January 9th, Bliss, on the fence right now?? No cash back, have to cancel airfare, we are fully vaxed, boosted, my major concern is getting quarantined in a less desirable room than we have, the Haven,  due to being within 6 feet of someone that some how tests positive once onboard.  Anyway, what  are you all  going to do in the next 2 months? 

I, too, have a Jan. 9th cruise. I am 90% sure I will cancel. With 1000s of flights being canceled every day, that adds a whole other level of drama to the trip. I may wait a few days in the hope that cruises will be paused (cancelled) for a short time.

 

Making the decision became easier when I asked myself one question: "What could go wrong?"

[dadroy]

We leave this Sunday on the bliss. No plans to cancel.

[CruizinKittie40]

8 hours ago, BennyBrun said:

The prices for NCLs cruises later in the year is a bit high for my taste.  Some dates are like double especially on the bigger ships.  When you take FCC you are losing value but if you are not comfortable going then it’s worth it since they are waiving the penalty until 1/31/2022 for sailings until 5/31/22

wow that sucks.  I was actually going to look for bookings for October because I thought the price would go down and they would at least want the reservation money to float for a while.  Guess I won't waste my time 

[BarnCat1]

If you take the FCC now and have paid out extra expenses like upgraded WIFI, shore excursions, DSF, etc., do you get any of that refunded if you cancel?  

[craig01020]

7 minutes ago, BarnCat1 said:

If you take the FCC now and have paid out extra expenses like upgraded WIFI, shore excursions, DSF, etc., do you get any of that refunded if you cancel?  

I cancelled a cruise with POM back in September. I asked the agent the same question and was told the FCC would be for the total amount, including excursions. So, I told her to first cancel all my excursions and then issue my FCC.

 

The monies I paid for excursions were refunded back to my credit card and I got a FCC for the remainder.

Edited December 31, 2021 by craig01020

[BarnCat1]

21 minutes ago, craig01020 said:

I cancelled a cruise with POM back in September. I asked the agent the same question and was told the FCC would be for the total amount, including excursions. So, I told her to first cancel all my excursions and then issue my FCC.

 

The monies I paid for excursions were refunded back to my credit card and I got a FCC for the remainder.

 Thanks for the quick reply. They'll let me cancel the DSF and other add-ons prior to actually cancelling?  

[susanf31]

We are sailing 1/15 and will NOT be cancelling. In fact, we are more excited now. The thought of a nearly empty ship with few kids sounds wonderful.

We’ve lowered our expectations of what ports we will actually visit and plan the make the best of this adventure.

 

We went to Universal Studios last week. It was packed. We were nose-to-nose with tens of thousands of people. We were fine.  Omicron is a cold. Everyone has had a cold and will get more colds for the rest of their lives and we have never cancelled vacations before because of it. If we constantly tested people for the common cold, there would be billions of cases all of the time, just like Omicron.  The media, in my opinion, is overblowing omicron.

[craig01020]

4 minutes ago, BarnCat1 said:

Thanks for the quick reply. They'll let me cancel the DSF and other add-ons prior to actually cancelling?

That should be no problem. At the worst it could take two phone calls, one to cancel the add-ons, then one to cancel the cruise itself.

[craig01020]

1 minute ago, susanf31 said:

Omicron is a cold.

I agree, especially for us triple-vaxxed folks.

 

The biggest issue is not Omicron, but the reaction (or overreaction) to Omicron. I don't want to get quarantined because i sat next to someone who has a stuffy nose.

[BarnCat1]

2 minutes ago, susanf31 said:

We are sailing 1/15 and will NOT be cancelling. In fact, we are more excited now. The thought of a nearly empty ship with few kids sounds wonderful.

We’ve lowered our expectations of what ports we will actually visit and plan the make the best of this adventure.

 

We went to Universal Studios last week. It was packed. We were nose-to-nose with tens of thousands of people. We were fine.  Omicron is a cold. Everyone has had a cold and will get more colds for the rest of their lives and we have never cancelled vacations before because of it. If we constantly tested people for the common cold, there would be billions of cases all of the time, just like Omicron.  The media, in my opinion, is overblowing omicron.

 This is all true and fear of getting it is not the problem, it's the uncertainty of being turned away at the pier, quarantined on the ship for either having caught it somewhere no matter what safety precautions you took or for just sitting near someone who was positive even if you're not,  or not being able to go home as planned because of it. 

[susanf31]

Yes, it would suck to be put in quarantine, but the odds are tiny.

 

And with everyone cancelling, the odds of it happening are going wayyy down. So please keep cancelling. I can’t wait to have this ship all to myself.  🙂. (J/k - I hope everyone goes and thoroughly enjoys their vacation).

[BarnCat1]

3 minutes ago, susanf31 said:

Yes, it would suck to be put in quarantine, but the odds are tiny.

 

And with everyone cancelling, the odds of it happening are going wayyy down. So please keep cancelling. I can’t wait to have this ship all to myself.  🙂. (J/k - I hope everyone goes and thoroughly enjoys their vacation).

That is so true, less than 1000 people on a ship that holds 4000+ is amazing.  We still have a week or so to decide.  Our cruise was booked when Omnicron was yet discovered and virus rates were plunging.  Final payment was made a week before the first case was found. 

[bassmaster150]

Just to let everyone know…currently on Escape and it is 12/31/2021.  We are docked in St Thomas and free to get off the ship and explore with NCL excursions or on our own…no restrictions.  Also, there are 6 separate NYE parties tonight and they are all on…nothing cancelled.  We have been on the ship since Dec 23 and have made every port stop without missing one.  Cruise has been incredible…I am jealous for those going in the next few weeks with others canceling.  We are at about 60% capacity (per other posts)….but you guys going will have ships to yourself and that is awesome!!  Enjoy!!!  Wish we could be cruising with you!!!  

[odie1024]

We are sailing on 1/23 and 1/30 on the Epic out of San Juan and still plan to go. This projected fear has to stop. Is the CDC going to stop us from going to Walmart where we do come in contact with unvaccinated people. What about flying, who are you sitting near? At least on NCL I know we are all at least vaccinated and flying into San Juan 2 days in advance also means testing before we board the plane.

[craig01020]

2 hours ago, craig01020 said:

I, too, have a Jan. 9th cruise. I am 90% sure I will cancel.

I think the 10% part of me is winning the debate. 😷