NCL pulling visits to St Petersburg

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, susiesan said:

If that's the case you will see me on a different cruise which won't be on NCL.😉

But not if your plan is to stop in SPB!  We have a lovely Rome to Miami cruise in early Dec this year, 7 total sea days, can I say glorious!

[susiesan]

Considering NCL has 2 ships dedicated to the Baltic this summer, Epic and Dawn, if there are lots of cancellations from pax on both ships they just might cancel one and move all the passengers to the other. I wouldn't't think NCL would run 2 ships doing the same itineraries with less than 50% on each. It would make more financial sense to combine them into one.

[milolii]

The  two ships are the Getaway and the Dawn.  The itineraries do have some variation with some sailing the British  Isles.  There is some overlap.  But not every week.  Del Rio has said the ships will stay in the Baltic.  NCLH  is looking for other ports and possible overnights.  
 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/26880-norwegian-cruise-line-looking-for-baltic-alternatives-russia-calls-in-limbo.html

 

But yes things change all the time as we have discovered these past 2 years.  

Edited February 27, 2022 by milolii

[vpearlkc]

I doubt that any cruise line will be going anywhere in Russia until Putin pulls all his troops out. Even China has gone along with the west on at least one sanction.

[Kol]

apologies if this is a stupid question but I’m an NCL first timer (or was!) but  is this change regarded as a “significant change” sufficient to cancel without loss of deposit under the T & C ,s please ? 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Kol
Auto text !!

[KeithJenner]

15 minutes ago, Kol said:

apologies if this is a stupid question but I’m an NCL first timer (or was!) but  is this change regarded as a “significant change” sufficient to cancel without loss of deposit under the T & C ,s please ? 

No

[KeithJenner]

20 hours ago, susiesan said:

Considering NCL has 2 ships dedicated to the Baltic this summer, Epic and Dawn, if there are lots of cancellations from pax on both ships they just might cancel one and move all the passengers to the other. I wouldn't't think NCL would run 2 ships doing the same itineraries with less than 50% on each. It would make more financial sense to combine them into one.

They are certainly not doing the same itinerary. There are significant differences between them.

[susiesan]

58 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

They are certainly not doing the same itinerary. There are significant differences between them.

Yes, I know that. And the 2 ships are significantly different in size. There may be some Baltic ports that cannot handle the larger Epic but can handle the smaller Dawn. Whatever changes are made will be a compromise for anyone who does not cancel and goes ahead with their Baltic cruise.

[podgeandrodge]

As some have said, SPB is "a" highlight, not "the" highlight in my view.  Certainly wouldn't cancel with all those other great stops on the cruises.

[uksaint]

Sadly, Putin is showing signs of being a bit unhinged, and who knows what rogue navy commanders might be out there. I would caution anyone to think twice about being on a ship anywhere in the Baltic in the near future whilst we wait to see how things pan out over the coming weeks. Plenty of Russian Ships and Subs you will be sharing those waters with.

 

Overdramatic maybe, but it is becoming clear that Putin is not being driven by rational factors in his desire to exercise his power.

[ace2542]

What about sacking the Russian crew members as well?

[RocketMan275]

2 hours ago, ace2542 said:

What about sacking the Russian crew members as well?

Just don't tip them.

[ColeThornton]

2 hours ago, ace2542 said:

What about sacking the Russian crew members as well?

 

 

Seriously?   Why would you fire them?

[ace2542]

4 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

Seriously?   Why would you fire them?

Because it is consequences of their countries actions? How would NCL sacking them be any different than stopping all the soccer games and cancel the bookings of the ballet and moving your energy contracts away from Gazprom?

[ColeThornton]

3 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

Because it is consequences of their countries actions? How would NCL sacking them be any different than stopping all the soccer games and cancel the bookings of the ballet and moving your energy contracts away from Gazprom?

 

The crew workers have done nothing to warrant dismissal, that's an overreaction.  It's not like they are invading the Haven.

[pghflyer]

Yeah gotta find a balance and understand how the political system works in the country, we all aren't blessed with free and open elections. Stopping the holding of a huge international event is meaningful and valuable, but firing a few hundred/ thousand low-income citizens is not only not impactful but likely harming people with no say in their government (which we know is a problem in Russia).  Anyhow, I am happy to see the ports cancelled but would love to still interact with staff/ crew from Russia on my next cruise.

[ace2542]

2 hours ago, pghflyer said:

Yeah gotta find a balance and understand how the political system works in the country, we all aren't blessed with free and open elections.

You mean turning people against the goverment? Which is what the sanctions are meant to do. Every little bit helps.

[CielG22]

4 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

You mean turning people against the goverment? Which is what the sanctions are meant to do. Every little bit helps.

I think it's more that the current financial sanctions hurt the people Putin is probably most likely to listen to (if he listens to anyone). Dmitri the cruise line worker and his family and friends who are protesting because he lost his job, are just going to be thrown in jail and branded as a trouble makers. The billionaire who has been stripped of his super yacht (if the Ukrainian workers haven't already sunk it), had his assets frozen and has been banned from owning a soccer club tearing the President a new one is a different matter.

[julig22]

On 2/28/2022 at 9:02 AM, KeithJenner said:

They are certainly not doing the same itinerary. There are significant differences between them.

In 2020, they did plan to combine ships when they wanted to pull the Star for repairs.  There were 2 similar NYC-Bermuda cruises (reverse itineraries), so they just moved everyone over and added a port, since the Star did have a fuller itinerary.  As to the TA, they moved it up a week and people had the choice of taking the cruise a week earlier, move to the other ship that was also scheduled for a TA but with a very different itinerary, or take a refund.

But all this was supposed to take place in May, 2020 - so it never happened.

[julig22]

7 hours ago, ace2542 said:

What about sacking the Russian crew members as well?

I wouldn't fire them but I might not allow them to send any of their pay back home. Unfortunately that could affect their families, who might not have any more responsibility for this mess than the employee onboard.

[KeithJenner]

10 minutes ago, julig22 said:

In 2020, they did plan to combine ships when they wanted to pull the Star for repairs.  There were 2 similar NYC-Bermuda cruises (reverse itineraries), so they just moved everyone over and added a port, since the Star did have a fuller itinerary.  As to the TA, they moved it up a week and people had the choice of taking the cruise a week earlier, move to the other ship that was also scheduled for a TA but with a very different itinerary, or take a refund.

But all this was supposed to take place in May, 2020 - so it never happened.

I'm sure that is all true.

 

Just to clarify, I was not making any comment either way as to whether NCL may or may not combine cruises. I am sure they would if it worked for them.

 

My point was just in response to a statement about two ships doing the same itinerary, when in fact they are quite different (round trips v one way, different ports etc).

[tuxala]

40 minutes ago, julig22 said:

I wouldn't fire them but I might not allow them to send any of their pay back home. Unfortunately that could affect their families, who might not have any more responsibility for this mess than the employee onboard.

If we assume there are Russian crew members, shouldn't we assume there are also Ukrainian crew members?

[CruiseMH]

On 3/1/2022 at 6:42 PM, julig22 said:

I wouldn't fire them but I might not allow them to send any of their pay back home. Unfortunately that could affect their families, who might not have any more responsibility for this mess than the employee onboard.

 

Congratulations,then they just save the money and bring it back home after their contract. Life might be difficult within these few months for the family but after contract is over they have the exact same amount they would have had anyway.

 

 

 

[njkate]

On 3/1/2022 at 5:25 AM, ace2542 said:

What about sacking the Russian crew members as well?

That's an awful idea! They are not responsible for what Putin does

[IrieBajan54]

36 minutes ago, njkate said:

That's an awful idea! They are not responsible for what Putin does

Agree! It's like banning athletes. There's no way a worker on a cruise ship or an athlete can tell a country's leader what to do.