Are NCL selling cruises to ports they have no intention of going to.

[julig22]

4 minutes ago, plc22 said:

Yesterday I made my final payment  to NCL for the Greenland/Iceland cruise in June 2024. This morning I received an email that all the ports to Greenland have been cancelled due to the weather!

It is dishonest to sell a port you have no intentions on going to and to wait till the final payment is made  to notify the guest. I am canceling the trip and should get a full refund since the final payment is not due till Feb 22, 2024. This is not the first time that this has happened to us. 

 

Due to seasonal weather implications that may impact our ability to call to Greenland during the month of June and out of an abundance of caution, our calls to Qaqortoq, Paamiut and Nuuk, Greenland have been cancelled. To provide you with the best experience possible, we will now call to Kristiansund, Maloy, and Alesund, Norway. In addition, our call to Djupivogur, Iceland has been replaced with a call to Grundarfjordur, Iceland. The modified itinerary is as follows:

Original Day Destination Arrive Depart   Fri REYKJAVIK, ICELAND   4:00 pm   Sat DJUPIVOGUR, ICELAND 11:00 am 7:00 pm   Sun AKUREYRI, ICELAND 10:00 am 8:00 pm   Mon ISAFJORDUR, ICELAND 7:00 am 3:00 pm   Tue AT SEA       Wed QAQORTOQ, GREENLAND 11:00 am 8:00 pm   Thu PAAMIUT (FREDERIKSHAB), GREENLAND 8:00 am 7:00 pm   Fri NUUK, GREENLAND 6:00 am 4:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun AT SEA       Mon REYKJAVIK, ICELAND 6:00 am

Revised Day Destination Arrive Depart   Fri REYKJAVIK, ICELAND   4:00 pm   Sat GRUNDARFJORDUR, ICELAND 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Sun AKUREYRI, ICELAND 10:00 am 8:00 pm   Mon AT SEA       Tue KRISTIANSUND, NORWAY 2:00 pm 9:00 pm   Wed MALOY, NORWAY 8:00 am 5:00 pm   Thu ALESUND, NORWAY 9:00 am 6:00 pm   Fri AT SEA       Sat HUSAVIK, ICELAND 8:00 am 6:00 pm   Sun ISAFJORDUR, ICELAND 6:00 am 3:00 pm   Mon REYKJAVIK, ICELAND 4:00 am

 

Sorry your stops in Greenland were cancelled, but they've had issues in the past, probably better to change the itinerary now - WHEN YOU CAN STILL CANCEL - instead of missing the ports while you are on the ship. Highly doubtful that they waited to notify you until you made your final payment, most likely a coincidence. If they were being dishonest, they would have waited until after the final due date. 

[plc22]

Canceling a port of call due to weather on that day or the night before for safety reasons is on thing. But  waiting for the final payment to be made, then notifying you that your not getting what you paid for and will not be going to the majority of  ports that caused you to book that particular cruise is dishonest. 

 

[yakcruiser]

Wow! NCL has got some good meteorologists on staff. My local ones can't even tell me if it's going to rain tomorrow.

[cruiseny4life]

14 minutes ago, plc22 said:

Yesterday I made my final payment  to NCL for the Greenland/Iceland cruise in June 2024. This morning I received an email that all the ports to Greenland have been cancelled due to the weather!

It is dishonest to sell a port you have no intentions on going to and to wait till the final payment is made  to notify the guest. I am canceling the trip and should get a full refund since the final payment is not due till Feb 22, 2024. This is not the first time that this has happened to us. 

 

Due to seasonal weather implications that may impact our ability to call to Greenland during the month of June and out of an abundance of caution, our calls to Qaqortoq, Paamiut and Nuuk, Greenland have been cancelled. To provide you with the best experience possible, we will now call to Kristiansund, Maloy, and Alesund, Norway. In addition, our call to Djupivogur, Iceland has been replaced with a call to Grundarfjordur, Iceland. The modified itinerary is as follows:

Original Day Destination Arrive Depart   Fri REYKJAVIK, ICELAND   4:00 pm   Sat DJUPIVOGUR, ICELAND 11:00 am 7:00 pm   Sun AKUREYRI, ICELAND 10:00 am 8:00 pm   Mon ISAFJORDUR, ICELAND 7:00 am 3:00 pm   Tue AT SEA       Wed QAQORTOQ, GREENLAND 11:00 am 8:00 pm   Thu PAAMIUT (FREDERIKSHAB), GREENLAND 8:00 am 7:00 pm   Fri NUUK, GREENLAND 6:00 am 4:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun AT SEA       Mon REYKJAVIK, ICELAND 6:00 am

Revised Day Destination Arrive Depart   Fri REYKJAVIK, ICELAND   4:00 pm   Sat GRUNDARFJORDUR, ICELAND 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Sun AKUREYRI, ICELAND 10:00 am 8:00 pm   Mon AT SEA       Tue KRISTIANSUND, NORWAY 2:00 pm 9:00 pm   Wed MALOY, NORWAY 8:00 am 5:00 pm   Thu ALESUND, NORWAY 9:00 am 6:00 pm   Fri AT SEA       Sat HUSAVIK, ICELAND 8:00 am 6:00 pm   Sun ISAFJORDUR, ICELAND 6:00 am 3:00 pm   Mon REYKJAVIK, ICELAND 4:00 am

 

Well that stinks! I'm so sorry your dream trip was disrupted!!

 

I have to give props to NCL for canceling the port prior to final payment date, so that you could get your money back. In the past NCL has made these decisions after the final payment date, meaning you would not be able to claw back 100% of your fare. 

 

Now, go soothe yourself over this upsetting news with a tall glass of iced tea (or whatever your beverage of choice is) and find yourself an even better adventure where you get to enjoy time in Greenland!

[julig22]

6 minutes ago, plc22 said:

Canceling a port of call due to weather on that day or the night before for safety reasons is on thing. But  waiting for the final payment to be made, then notifying you that your not getting what you paid for and will not be going to the majority of  ports that caused you to book that particular cruise is dishonest. 

 

You chose to make your payment early.  You are not the only one who got notified about the itinerary change. Pure coincidence that the change notification came just after you made your payment.

FYI, there is a roll call for your cruise. Might want to join that.

[Masaka1]

I was booked on the same cruise. I booked it because of Greenland. Fortunately final payment wasn’t due until March. I have cancelled and  requested my deposit back. They are refusing because it’s in their “terms and conditions”.  I think they are on very dodgy grounds. The product has changed. Therefore I should under U.K. law get my money back. If all else fails I will do a charge back on my credit card. I have never sailed with NCL before. I won’t be now. I doubt there was ever any intention of going to Greenland. 

[cruiseny4life]

On 2/3/2024 at 3:27 PM, Masaka1 said:

I was booked on the same cruise. I booked it because of Greenland. Fortunately final payment wasn’t due until March. I have cancelled and  requested my deposit back. They are refusing because it’s in their “terms and conditions”.  I think they are on very dodgy grounds. The product has changed. Therefore I should under U.K. law get my money back. If all else fails I will do a charge back on my credit card. I have never sailed with NCL before. I won’t be now. I doubt there was ever any intention of going to Greenland. 

Good luck! Sorry to our European/UK brethren (are sisters sistrens?) who have a non-refundable deposit.

[insidecabin]

On 2/3/2024 at 8:27 PM, Masaka1 said:

I was booked on the same cruise. I booked it because of Greenland. Fortunately final payment wasn’t due until March. I have cancelled and  requested my deposit back. They are refusing because it’s in their “terms and conditions”.  I think they are on very dodgy grounds. The product has changed. Therefore I should under U.K. law get my money back. If all else fails I will do a charge back on my credit card. I have never sailed with NCL before. I won’t be now. I doubt there was ever any intention of going to Greenland. 

Major change package travel regulations apply.

Don't forget a complaint to ABTA breach of code of conduct.

 

Cruise line is supposed to give the option of cancellation when they make a major change.

 

NCL had issues last spring with over reliance on tender ports on the Star round Ireland and Dawn UK cruoses. As well as the Prima mess.

 

 

[Panhandle Couple]

On 1/31/2024 at 12:39 PM, yakcruiser said:

Wow! NCL has got some good meteorologists on staff. My local ones can't even tell me if it's going to rain tomorrow.

It might be because of ice.

https://ww-wanderers.blogspot.com/2023/09/greenland-icebergs-and-more-sea-days.html

 

See link to an extensive review of Star last July.  They got iced in at the first port, and could never make the next 2.  I'm sure there were lots of complaints back to NCL on the after cruise e-mail asking how you enjoyed your cruise.

 So, if the sea ice (and or glacier advance) is greater at this time of year than last year, one might assume that the ice flows will last longer into the short summer season.  

[Panhandle Couple]

2 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

Major change package travel regulations apply.

Don't forget a complaint to ABTA breach of code of conduct.

 

Cruise line is supposed to give the option of cancellation when they make a major change.

 

NCL had issues last spring with over reliance on tender ports on the Star round Ireland and Dawn UK cruoses. As well as the Prima mess.

 

 

Ha!

Last year RCL changed partial Panama Canal cruises leaving from Colon Panama, to a cruise that still left from Colon, but avoided the canal completely.  Lots of angry customers, but I don't think RCL ever gave 100% refund.  And there is really no reason to travel to Colon for a cruise, if you don't do the canal. 

 

The Prima "mess" is that Iceland can't keep to their own construction schedule for building a decent pier, at ONLY 1 PORT.  Another topic and there are threads that address this. 

Same with Ireland late season sailings. 

[zqvol]

2 hours ago, Panhandle Couple said:

Ha!

Last year RCL changed partial Panama Canal cruises leaving from Colon Panama, to a cruise that still left from Colon, but avoided the canal completely.  Lots of angry customers, but I don't think RCL ever gave 100% refund.  And there is really no reason to travel to Colon for a cruise, if you don't do the canal. 

 

The Prima "mess" is that Iceland can't keep to their own construction schedule for building a decent pier, at ONLY 1 PORT.  Another topic and there are threads that address this. 

Same with Ireland late season sailings. 

Before answering about UK rules versus US rules you should know the difference. 

[NCL ruined vacation]

In Australia you cant waive your consumer rights (law) by taking a cruise under their contract. 2 days before sail NLC dropped the bucket list destination (paradise bay on mainland Antarctica) and waited untill after departure to advise passengers. Then they did the same thing to the passengers on the cruise straight after ours. On a cruise around Africa the did similar.

This behaviour is actually NCL’s current mode of operation. We have learned through many sources, including Cruise Industry News, that this is part of NCL’s cost cutting transformation initiative. Harry Sommer, president and CEO of NCL Holdings is quoted as saying that NLC has adopted a “company-wide focus” to reduce costs, and a “relentless focus on cost optimisation”. We will not sail with a company that displays such low regard for its customers. NLC has lost its way because its moral compass is broken. 

[G-DawgMN]

40 minutes ago, NCL ruined vacation said:

In Australia you cant waive your consumer rights (law) by taking a cruise under their contract. 2 days before sail NLC dropped the bucket list destination (paradise bay on mainland Antarctica) and waited untill after departure to advise passengers. Then they did the same thing to the passengers on the cruise straight after ours. On a cruise around Africa the did similar.

This behaviour is actually NCL’s current mode of operation. We have learned through many sources, including Cruise Industry News, that this is part of NCL’s cost cutting transformation initiative. Harry Sommer, president and CEO of NCL Holdings is quoted as saying that NLC has adopted a “company-wide focus” to reduce costs, and a “relentless focus on cost optimisation”. We will not sail with a company that displays such low regard for its customers. NLC has lost its way because its moral compass is broken. 

 

 Enjoy your next cruise line.

 

[yakcruiser]

I don't think to many people are upset that they eliminate ports. This happens all the time. What they are upset about is NCL notifies them the day after final payment is due. NCL didn't know two days earlier? It is within their legal right but that doesn't make it right.

[NCL ruined vacation]

@KSSS2013 thanks we will.  We have one booked for September but not NCL

 

@yakcruiser missing ports for weather security or bio/health reasons are understandable but to drop the bucket list port on the bucket list cruise with no explanation is not acceptable especially when they withhold that fact until getting on board. We had 100s of angry passengers fronting reception on board demanding an explanation and none was provided and no sign of the captain 

[BirdTravels]

11 minutes ago, NCL ruined vacation said:

@KSSS2013 thanks we will.  We have one booked for September but not NCL

 

@yakcruiser missing ports for weather security or bio/health reasons are understandable but to drop the bucket list port on the bucket list cruise with no explanation is not acceptable especially when they withhold that fact until getting on board. We had 100s of angry passengers fronting reception on board demanding an explanation and none was provided and no sign of the captain 

How much were you compensated?

[NCL ruined vacation]

Compensation?  Many passenger have written to NLC. They all received a standard reply saying nothing, offering nothing and rejecting demands for compensation. That's why our current strategy is to go directly to the company in Australia that sold us the cruise. Technically we dont have a commercial relationship with NCL Holdings. Our demand letter is in and now we wait for a reply 

[Cruise Guy50]

There is another thread regarding this same topic: 

 

[Cruise Guy50]

Another customer wrote: Norwegian Cruise Line advertised the 4/10/24 NCL Sky itinerary with 9 ports of call and then changed the schedule the ONE day after the penalty phase began, deleting 2 ports we were very interested to see, Grenada and Bonaire, not just shortening the time in ports. They substituted a day at sea and minimally developed Catalina Island DR. We were notified that the stated reason for the change in schedule was to improve fuel efficiency. Norwegian cruise line knew the distance between the islands and ports when the cruise was advertised. NCL advertised an attractive cruise itinerary and then deleted two ports. NCL has defended this policy when we filed a claim with them and BBB and feels that it is perfectly acceptable to change ports for fuel efficiency, even telling us it would be unethical to give us our money back because they don't give others' back. The contract lists a number of possible reasons for changing schedules including war, weather, strike, etc. Changes due to such reasons are understandable. Even though NCL’s policy is to make changes to itineraries for fuel efficiency/cost savings, they do not include that reason in their list of causes in their contract. Writing a contract in such a manner is deceptive when a frequent reason for taking an action is omitted. They refused to refund our $266 when we cancelled though, like noted throughout this thread, NCL just happens to  change the itinerary the FIRST day the penalty phase began. So frustrating!

[cruiseny4life]

40 minutes ago, Cruise Guy50 said:

Another customer wrote: Norwegian Cruise Line advertised the 4/10/24 NCL Sky itinerary with 9 ports of call and then changed the schedule the ONE day after the penalty phase began, deleting 2 ports we were very interested to see, Grenada and Bonaire, not just shortening the time in ports. They substituted a day at sea and minimally developed Catalina Island DR. We were notified that the stated reason for the change in schedule was to improve fuel efficiency. Norwegian cruise line knew the distance between the islands and ports when the cruise was advertised. NCL advertised an attractive cruise itinerary and then deleted two ports. NCL has defended this policy when we filed a claim with them and BBB and feels that it is perfectly acceptable to change ports for fuel efficiency, even telling us it would be unethical to give us our money back because they don't give others' back. The contract lists a number of possible reasons for changing schedules including war, weather, strike, etc. Changes due to such reasons are understandable. Even though NCL’s policy is to make changes to itineraries for fuel efficiency/cost savings, they do not include that reason in their list of causes in their contract. Writing a contract in such a manner is deceptive when a frequent reason for taking an action is omitted. They refused to refund our $266 when we cancelled though, like noted throughout this thread, NCL just happens to  change the itinerary the FIRST day the penalty phase began. So frustrating!

Yes, and the creeps in suits, will continue to do this until folks stop booking cruises. That ain't happening any time soon. Bookings in 2024, 2025, and 2026 are at expected/better than expected levels. NCL ain't going to change a damn thing until people stop booking. If you really want to change things, it'll either have to be regulatory or through the media. 

 

Good luck with both. For me, the answer is unfortunately obvious. I'm not booking a cruise in 2024. I'll let NCL keep the interest on my Cruise Next until I'm comfortable the experience will be better. 

[mistertomatoe]

Other cruise lines have record bookings too so there’s little pressure on NCL from the competition. Eventually the problem will self correct when people realize they couldn’t afford it months ago. Take a look at your financial situation people! Is it worth the debt?

[cruiseny4life]

6 minutes ago, mistertomatoe said:

Other cruise lines have record bookings too so there’s little pressure on NCL from the competition. Eventually the problem will self correct when people realize they couldn’t afford it months ago. Take a look at your financial situation people! Is it worth the debt?

Exactly! All these people booking for 2025 and 2026. Will they really be able to afford it? Will NCL have record cancellations? I do appreciate NCL for having a refundable deposit, up until final payment date. But, I do wonder if that's going to catch them in the next couple of years. I just don't see Americans able to continue spending at the levels we've all been spending at these last two or so years.

[woodley]

Well we have taken 5 cruises with other lines since I started this thread and not one port has been missed.  So we will not be booking again with NCL even though we have the highest level of perks with NCL. I cannot believe that they are allowed to cancel ports for non emergency reasons and get away with it!

[UKstages]

you’re an ambassador within NCL’s ecosystem and you’ve chosen to abandon ship, is that correct? 

[floridafish]

On 3/6/2024 at 6:26 PM, NCL ruined vacation said:

Compensation?  Many passenger have written to NLC. They all received a standard reply saying nothing, offering nothing and rejecting demands for compensation. That's why our current strategy is to go directly to the company in Australia that sold us the cruise. Technically we dont have a commercial relationship with NCL Holdings. Our demand letter is in and now we wait for a reply 

And this why I never book any travel plans from rental cars, air fare or cruises thru a 3rd party. Penny wise. Pound foolish.