Cancellation of Baltic cruise - rumor or fact

[HMWCambridge]

On 5/13/2022 at 11:16 PM, casofilia said:

With Putin's latest threat, to "deploy nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles" to Kaliningrad, I wonder how long it will be before ALL cruising in the Baltic will be cancelled.

 

I don't know that I would be happy going anywhere near there this Northern summer!!

We have a Baltic cruise booked with P&O in July and I really wish that they would cancel all cruises in the Baltic this summer.  We have paid and would lose the full payment now, but if I were in the situation where payment was due I definitely would not be going.

 

[casofilia]

@HMWCambridge

 

Sorry  to sound naive but what do you mean by an 'upgrade offer?'

 

For some people NCL will send an email asking if the person wishes to bid on an upgrade in the cabin level.   I am not sure to whom the offer is sent but it isn't everyone and some TAs do not take part anyway.

[casofilia]

@HMWCambridge

 

They may have no chance of joining, but from Putin's point of view it will be them declaring an intent to join that may cause a Russian reaction.

 

The problem is the response; if they have joined NATO is required to help BUT if they haven't Finland (and Sweden) would be in the same "boat" as the Ukraine.

[insidecabin]

9 hours ago, cameronp12 said:

Do y’all think our cruise from Copenhagen to Southampton this fall is safe? Final payment is coming up… I know it doesn’t enter the Baltic but still instability in that region overall.

 

Depends how you categorise safe, 

 

We have cruised the Suez that sails through pirate region off Somalia  the ship bloke down gulf of Aden,  were we bothered(uk may get that reference) 

 

The ships that are still sailing(there are plenty) as far as Helsinki and Tallinn  can pull back from the further reaches fairly easily.

 

I have said this before If it kicks off so trips that include Sweden, Denmark and Germany are no longer considered safe we have more problems than worrying about a cruise getting cancelled.

 

Even if they do need to pull back further they can adjust the Star  but could mess up Copenhagen as a change over. 

 

if it gets so bad the channel and north sea are off  then it is too late for us to build a bunker.

 

We are there next week and considering Prima for Sept Amsterdam to Copenhagen if they fix the pricing.

 

I should be scaremongering to get all the Americans to cancel to bring the prices down 

 

Prima 10 days (3sept) is  double and £400 more that our Getaway 9 days and I got flights with that one

 

[insidecabin]

8 hours ago, HMWCambridge said:

Sorry  to sound naive but what do you mean by an 'upgrade offer?'

quite a while back(years) they change the upgrade system to a make an offer.

(they used to call/email offers or if you had the number you could call in)

 

if using a TA check if they are in the program.

 

its called "Upgrade Advantage program"

https://www.ncl.com/uk/en/content/upgrade-advantage-terms

 

depending on what you booked you get a chance to make an offer for a better cabin they have a min bid and suggest a range from poor through good to Excellent.

 

For out inside it was OV, balcony, club, and spa versions of the last 2

if in higher grades you get to bid into the haven cabins

 

The delta for us to book a balcony was around £180pp the min bid is £80pp

 

When ships are running fairly full mid bids don't work that often, now they are running low capacity reports are mid bid are getting accepted.

 

There are a few threads where people report success,  here is a recent one 

 

 

 

 

 

[sverigecruiser]

13 hours ago, casofilia said:

@sverigecruiser

 

Finland and Sweden have not applied to join NATO, yet. Hopefully they will soon.

 

According to the latest news I see here in New Zealand, there is no chance of joining as Turkey will issue the "black ball"

 

What they have reported here is that Erdogan don't want Sweden and Finland to join NATO. That doesn't necessary mean that he will say no. Gotland is strategically very important to NATO.

 

[sverigecruiser]

10 hours ago, casofilia said:

 

The problem is the response; if they have joined NATO is required to help BUT if they haven't Finland (and Sweden) would be in the same "boat" as the Ukraine.

 

What is reported here is that Germany and Great Britain have given Sweden guarantees that they will assist if we need that.

 

NATO defenitely don't want any Russian soldiers on Gotland and that will help us too.

 

Sweden is not in the same boat as Ukraine, for many reasons.

 

I live on the Swedish eastcoast and I'm not at all worried.

[sverigecruiser]

On 5/14/2022 at 12:16 AM, casofilia said:

With Putin's latest threat, to "deploy nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles" to Kaliningrad, I wonder how long it will be before ALL cruising in the Baltic will be cancelled.

 

I don't know that I would be happy going anywhere near there this Northern summer!!

 

I'm sure that Russia have nuclear weapons very close to Alaska too but there are still cruises in that area.

[ontheweb]

36 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

What they have reported here is that Erdogan don't want Sweden and Finland to join NATO. That doesn't necessary mean that he will say no. Gotland is strategically very important to NATO.

 

However it turns out with your country's quest to join NATO, I wish you and your fellow countrymen the best. 

 

The only complaint I have about your country was that there was just too much to possibly get it all done for the time we were there on our Baltic cruise (2007).

[pghflyer]

At this point the only reason to cancel these is if the season is so undersold that they can fill more cabins in other ports. I there are some great deals on some unique ports (Visby, Kotka, Klaipeda, etc) and would be a shame to let Putin scare you away from some wonderful countries after all these miserable COVID days.  Now, if the US would just stop their weird airlines-only rules on re-entry COVID testing....well I can wish..... 🙂 

[HHI Cruiser1]

Either way, somehow NCL has 'predicted' some form of increased risk which would cause them to cancel an entire month next year in 2023 (per NCL website) based upon their "risk crystal ball".  NCL stated:

"Due to the situation between Russia and Ukraine...." and "The safety and security of our guests, crew and the communities we visit is always our top priority."

 

So somehow NCL is foreseeing increased risk for only a few NCL Dawn cruises in July of 2023.

 

Seems there's much more to this than NCL is sharing.

[casofilia]

@prunderw

 

Seems there's much more to this than NCL is sharing.

 

I have already emailed NCL asking for an explanation.   I will post my email if and when I get a response.   I suggest you do the same.

[insidecabin]

Just checked NCL UK and all the Getaway Europe cruise 2023 have gone including the TAs.

[susiesan]

7 hours ago, pghflyer said:

At this point the only reason to cancel these is if the season is so undersold that they can fill more cabins in other ports. I there are some great deals on some unique ports (Visby, Kotka, Klaipeda, etc) and would be a shame to let Putin scare you away from some wonderful countries after all these miserable COVID days.  Now, if the US would just stop their weird airlines-only rules on re-entry COVID testing....well I can wish..... 🙂 

Testing to fly to the US may be ending soon. Let's hope. The US is the only country in the world with this useless testing requirement to fly into from an overseas location.

 

https://viewfromthewing.com/covid-tests-for-travel-to-u-s-could-end-by-summer/

[njkate]

On 5/13/2022 at 10:45 AM, cassie55 said:

I'm fully expecting Odessa to be dropped. It was the main reason we booked this itinerary though.

I had been eyeing that cruise as well because of Odessa.

[casofilia]

@njkate

 

I think that lots of people have booked that cruise for all the Black Sea ports.   BUT, and it is a big BUT, why if NCL have had to cancel the Dawn cruises in July 2023 in the Baltic have they not cancelled; or radically altered the itinerary of, this one.   The reason given "Due to the situation between Russia and Ukraine...."  applies even more here as Odessa is right in the "middle of the action".

 

Not only that but why ONLY July 2023!!!

[jas283a]

2 hours ago, casofilia said:

@prunderw

 

Seems there's much more to this than NCL is sharing.

 

I have already emailed NCL asking for an explanation.   I will post my email if and when I get a response.   I suggest you do the same.

I chatted a NCL rep yesterday who said it’s still on. As long as they say it’s on, what can I do?(sailing July 20 on Dawn, long after final payment). Until they cancel it, I’m pretty much obligated to go or lose my money. And I think it would be safe if it doesn’t get canceled. Finland/Lithuanian/Estonia little more iffy so close to Russia, but Russia doesn’t want a Lusitania situation that pushes the US and NATO into this. Pretty sure the Dawn is clearly enough marked as a party ship 😂😂😂

[jas283a]

On 5/13/2022 at 10:11 AM, susiesan said:

I am booked and paid in full on Dawn Aug. 16 Stockholm-Amsterdam. In my NCL account my cruise still shows as a go. . I can't cancel at this point as I would lose all my money. If NCL cancels I will get a refund.

 

If the cruise happens, I will be on it. I just hope if NCL cancels, they don't wait until the last minute so we can cancel air, hotels, tours, etc.

I’m on Dawn July 20, with my family and I feel the same way. I’m glad my air is through NCL (booked in 2nd fly free promo), so they would likely take care of me (and I have insurance). Made sure my hotel isn’t prepaid and can be canceled up to the day before (between this and Covid…). And strangely for me no excursions booked, so will make sure any I get is pay once you get there, fully refundable, or through the ship. 
 

TBH, if the ship gets redeployed and we get offered an alternative itinerary, I’ll probably do it (assuming it’s a fair exchange). We just want the family vacay and we’re flying anyway, so send us somewhere else fun. It’ll be an adventure!

[casofilia]

@jas283a

 

I think the concern for a number of us is that NCL has cancelled ONLY the July 2023 Dawn cruises already but those in 2022 and in June and August 2023 are going ahead.

 

The reason for the July 2023 cancellation is "Due to the situation between Russia and Ukraine...."    Is it not happening now!!!   Won't it be happening in June 2023 and August 2023 but it WILL be in July 2023!!

 

Total inconsistency by NCL, as usual!!

Edited May 15, 2022 by casofilia

[jas283a]

1 minute ago, casofilia said:

@jas283a

 

I think the concern for a number of us is that NCL has cancelled ONLY the July 2023 Dawn cruises already but those in 2022 and in June and August 2023 are going ahead.

 

The reason for the July cancellation is "Due to the situation between Russia and Ukraine...."  

 

Total inconsistency by NCL, as usual!!

No I get it, in the same boat (Dad joke 😉). When I was reading about this yesterday, it made absolutely no sense. Especially if you’re canceling next year for a situation happening this year. But not doing anything about this years cruises for the same situation. I won’t be surprised if they cancel after last week’s events, and I agree that a heads up and/or more notice would be nice. 
 

My wife were on the first cruise back last summer for NCL (in Greece). There were lots of twists, turns, and conjecture, if you followed every little thing. But my wife kept saying let it go, it’s going to work out. It was much more enjoyable once I did. We went and had a blast. I realize it “working out” might mean a cancellation, but at this point I have no influence so 🤷‍♂️  
 

My next checkpoint, mentally, is when we get flight info from NCL. We went through them. I figure if they’re planning on making changes internally, they won’t book flights and then scramble to cancel/rebook a whole bunch of people once they’ve sent out info. They said I should get flight info 45-60 days before, no later than 30 days.  Last year it was about 3 weeks ahead, but things were different then, I think. So when we get that info, I’ll take that as a really good sign!

[Kierste]

I think what is actually happening is NCL cancelled this summer’s Getaway Baltic cruises, figured everyone would hop on the Dawn, did a bunch of sales and thought more people would hop on the Dawn… but they aren’t. A least our cruise mid July is still looking pretty empty. So they have decided that thinking ahead if they can’t do SPB, which is a huge draw, instead of having one half full ship running next summer, they will pull all their ships out of the Baltic in order to hopefully sell out the cruises by repositioning them. So the letter isn’t misleading, this is due to the issues over there. But it’s because for a lot of people they wouldn’t go to the Baltic area without going to SPB, so without that port the cruise is a harder sell.

[casofilia]

@Kierste

 

So the letter isn’t misleading, .......

 

Which letter are you referring to?   If it is the one to me that I have produced earlier then I agree that the specifics are not misleading.   NCL have cancelled the Dawn cruises in July 2023.

 

The "confusion" is caused by NCL cancelling something that was due in over 12 months time but have not cancelled the Jade cruises in June and August 2023.   Why?   Also if the cause is as they stated why have they not cancelled the 2022 Baltic cruises?   Also why have they not cancelled or changed the Jade cruise. that included Odessa. in May 2023?

Edited May 16, 2022 by casofilia

[Ulsteinvik]

13 hours ago, Kierste said:

instead of having one half full ship running next summer, they will pull all their ships out of the Baltic in order to hopefully sell out the cruises by repositioning them. 

She still sails on June and August 2023 4 Baltic cruises.

[TrumpyNor]

On 5/13/2022 at 11:18 AM, ontheweb said:

It is really a shame that the tourist industry in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Estonia, etc. will all be so negatively affected by Russia's aggression in the Ukraine.

I just have to comment on this one, as I live in North of Norway and this winter (including the months of February, March and April) the numbers of tourists visiting the  region is back to "pre-covid-numbers", so very high. And not seem to be affected at all by the Russian/Ukraine war.... 

Edited May 16, 2022 by TrumpyNor

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, TrumpyNor said:

I just have to comment on this one, as I live in North of Norway and this winter (including the months of February, March and April) the numbers of tourists visiting the  region is back to "pre-covid-numbers", so very high. And not seem to be affected at all by the Russian/Ukraine war.... 

Thank you, that is good to hear. I would have to believe though that there is less tourism in the ports normally visited by cruise ships.