NCL constant itinerary changes?

[mking8288]

46 minutes ago, shof515 said:

All of my past Florida/Bahamas cruises from NY always arrived in Port Canaveral at around 1pm and this is standard upon all of other NY based cruise lines like Royal and MSC that have similar arrival time

Our NCL sailings out of NY began around 2000 with the Norwegian Sea on a seasonal schedule, prior to the Dawn that was homeport here in 2023 (and between then and at least 2005-2006) she was doing 7 days round-trip ... Day 2 at Sea and Day 3 with an earlier arrival for Port Canaveral, almost certain that it was before noon (which, is sometimes possible under favorable sailing conditions at sea.)  All abroad was 9 PM, possible as late as 9:30 to 10 PM sailaway.  Day 4 was Miami, another "full day" and Day 5 was GSC, which did NOT have the nice tender pier ... had to jump into shallow water on the beach and take that last few steps off the forward ramp, to get ashore.  Day 5 was a short 1/2 day at Nassau in the morning, all abroad was 1 or 2 PM to sail back to NY ... arriving back on the morning of Day 8.  

 

The port of call sequence were changed and arranged differently at times, GSC was sometimes a "miss"  and I recalled one of our sailing, we went straight to Nassau, skipping GSC and then Miami, or something along that, with PC being the last full day before heading north for NY.  There're holiday runs with an extra day added and those were popular for families with children & teens as they all can take advantage of having nearly a full day at the theme park.  I know b/c we booked our NCL bus transfer only into Orlando in the morning, and had to be back on the bus by 6 to 7 PM for the 60+ minutes ride back to the ship.  

 

We had 2 wild rides on the smaller Norwegian Crown in 2006 and 2007, both times to Hamilton & St. George, Bermuda ... the Jewel came & replaced the Dawn and continued the FL, GSC & Nassau runs ... Odds are that I still have the schedules, FSD and some of the hand-outs from those days, a matter of finding them.  @dexddd ... that was before O'Sheehan's era and pre-WiFi with hard-wired (slow) ethernet RJ-45 plugged into the cabin.  

[Catchum]

Just had a bunch of changes for our 12 day round trip from Cape Town in February. No biggies but the overnight in Richards Bay is cancelled to be replaced with a 5am arrival, I suspect because no-one bought their overpriced safari excursions. All the other changes are 30 minutes or so different. 

 

If you want itinerary changes, book flights with virgin Atlantic. But the food is good and they are very generous with the wine so we cope😉

[AHubs95]

4 minutes ago, Catchum said:

Just had a bunch of changes for our 12 day round trip from Cape Town in February. No biggies but the overnight in Richards Bay is cancelled to be replaced with a 5am arrival, I suspect because no-one bought their overpriced safari excursions. All the other changes are 30 minutes or so different. 

 

If you want itinerary changes, book flights with virgin Atlantic. But the food is good and they are very generous with the wine so we cope😉

I’m also sailing on Dawn from Mauritius to Cape Town. They removed Mozambique citing port congestion but removed it from all itineraries this season. Then adjustments like you mentioned, removing the overnight in Richard’s Bay and a few hours here and there - I presume just cost cutting. 

[itsnotjustme]

I have been on 12 NCL cruises, 10 in the last 6 years.  I have experienced a total of three itinerary changes:

 

1) On the Dawn in August of 2022 our departure time from Amsterdam was delayed due to lock opening limitations.  This resulted in the next day's excursion being cut short about 2 hours.

 

2) On the Jade in August 2023, we had the odd scenario of two ports scheduled in one day; Kusadasi Turkey (6AM to noon) followed by Patmos Greece (6PM to midnight).  Two hours out from Kusadasi, we turned around and returned to Turkey due to 9 passengers (possibly hired entertainers) who lacked visas to enter the Schengen area.  We missed the evening visit to Patmos,

 

3) For an upcoming Australia/New Zealand cruise, our hours at 3 ports were shorted by a total of 3 hours across the 3 stops.

 

I do not find this level of changes excessive, and in some cases, they were potentially out of NCL's control.

[luv2kroooz]

6 hours ago, Karaboudjan said:

 

Do you have a source for that?  I would be interested in seeing the numbers.

Personal experience and posts on cruise critic message boards. No numbers.

[debenson0723]

In the 5 cruises I have taken in the past 2 years, I have had 2 small itinerary changes. 1 last year due to weather, which resulted in getting to our next port 8 hours early (and what I considered a bonus) and one this month on Viva, which changed ports a few months prior to sailing...that one was more of a disappointment but we still had a great time. Prior to that, I don't recall any changes. Guess I have just been lucky.

[Meggysmum]

I have sailed with RC and Princess a total of 16 times and only ever had a couple of minor tweaks to itinerary ( a reduction if 1 hour in port). I am sailing for the first time with NCL in 2 weeks, I have lost count of the number of changes. We have lost 2 ports and significant time differences at others. This is in Asia where a lot of ports are tender and a long way from where we would like to visit. I am not even getting refunds on an 8.5hr excursion I booked which is now at a port where we are tendering and now only have 7 hours in total so obviously I will be missing quite a chunk of my excursion. They have also switched some ports to alternative days so we actually seem to be sailing further. The latest changes which are quite major affecting 4 of the stops were only communicated last night. My daughter booked a similar cruise ( several if the same ports) with Celebrity at the same time as we booked our NCL one ( over a year ago), she has just returned from her cruise which was exactly the same as she originally booked so I don’t understand why we are being to subjected to so many changes. It feels like Bait and switch as this cruise no longer resembles what we booked.

[AHubs95]

4 hours ago, Meggysmum said:

I have sailed with RC and Princess a total of 16 times and only ever had a couple of minor tweaks to itinerary ( a reduction if 1 hour in port). I am sailing for the first time with NCL in 2 weeks, I have lost count of the number of changes. We have lost 2 ports and significant time differences at others. This is in Asia where a lot of ports are tender and a long way from where we would like to visit. I am not even getting refunds on an 8.5hr excursion I booked which is now at a port where we are tendering and now only have 7 hours in total so obviously I will be missing quite a chunk of my excursion. They have also switched some ports to alternative days so we actually seem to be sailing further. The latest changes which are quite major affecting 4 of the stops were only communicated last night. My daughter booked a similar cruise ( several if the same ports) with Celebrity at the same time as we booked our NCL one ( over a year ago), she has just returned from her cruise which was exactly the same as she originally booked so I don’t understand why we are being to subjected to so many changes. It feels like Bait and switch as this cruise no longer resembles what we booked.

Oh no, I’m so sorry!!! I have an Asia cruised booked with NCL next January that I’m worried about with all the changes that has already happened with my upcoming one this January. I booked mostly because of the itinerary…

[Oceansaway17]

On 12/27/2023 at 12:21 PM, luv2kroooz said:

Norwegian leads the industry in non emergency and non weather itinerary changes.

 

Reasons given for NCL are operational considerations, fleet redeployment, green/sustainable initiatives, none of which are emergency or weather related. 

yup like what they did in Hawaii and removing the nice coastal part of the cruise. That is when I cancelled the Pride of America.

 

However, for next year I am doing the western med on the Escape because they have the best pricing. Same thing with Viva in 2025 to Greece.  Time will tell what changes come up.

But for Key West, a lot of other ships were cancelled too. 

[susyq 1967]

7 hours ago, Meggysmum said:

I have sailed with RC and Princess a total of 16 times and only ever had a couple of minor tweaks to itinerary ( a reduction if 1 hour in port). I am sailing for the first time with NCL in 2 weeks, I have lost count of the number of changes. We have lost 2 ports and significant time differences at others. This is in Asia where a lot of ports are tender and a long way from where we would like to visit. I am not even getting refunds on an 8.5hr excursion I booked which is now at a port where we are tendering and now only have 7 hours in total so obviously I will be missing quite a chunk of my excursion. They have also switched some ports to alternative days so we actually seem to be sailing further. The latest changes which are quite major affecting 4 of the stops were only communicated last night. My daughter booked a similar cruise ( several if the same ports) with Celebrity at the same time as we booked our NCL one ( over a year ago), she has just returned from her cruise which was exactly the same as she originally booked so I don’t understand why we are being to subjected to so many changes. It feels like Bait and switch as this cruise no longer resembles what we booked.

I am on that too. Once NCL pulled a full cruise (no explanation), entirely! Wish I had thought about that before I booked this one. NEVER had this happen on any other cruise line 😞 

[mjkacmom]

12 minutes ago, susyq 1967 said:

I am on that too. Once NCL pulled a full cruise (no explanation), entirely! Wish I had thought about that before I booked this one. NEVER had this happen on any other cruise line 😞 

When was that? Was it a charter?

[susyq 1967]

22 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

When was that? Was it a charter?

No It was Asia about 2 years ago with NCL. We booked it for Cambodia and Vietnam. 3 month later got an email off agent. Cancelled. No explanation. So went to Alaska 🙂 

[kitkat343]

9 hours ago, Meggysmum said:

I have sailed with RC and Princess a total of 16 times and only ever had a couple of minor tweaks to itinerary ( a reduction if 1 hour in port). I am sailing for the first time with NCL in 2 weeks, I have lost count of the number of changes. We have lost 2 ports and significant time differences at others. This is in Asia where a lot of ports are tender and a long way from where we would like to visit. I am not even getting refunds on an 8.5hr excursion I booked which is now at a port where we are tendering and now only have 7 hours in total so obviously I will be missing quite a chunk of my excursion. They have also switched some ports to alternative days so we actually seem to be sailing further. The latest changes which are quite major affecting 4 of the stops were only communicated last night. My daughter booked a similar cruise ( several if the same ports) with Celebrity at the same time as we booked our NCL one ( over a year ago), she has just returned from her cruise which was exactly the same as she originally booked so I don’t understand why we are being to subjected to so many changes. It feels like Bait and switch as this cruise no longer resembles what we booked.

There was another thread months ago that described NCL's talk to shareholders in which they described how NCL is planning on increasing their voyages to interesting itineraries.  But I think NCL should either start keeping its itineraries (unless there is an emergency/ship problems/weather problems) or focus on creating voyages that are more likely to appeal to passengers who don't sail primarily for itinerary.  My trip was a cruise from NYC to the Caribbean.  Half the passengers were just happy to get out of the cold, and couldn't care less about losing a port after final payment to help the environment.  If NCL doesn't want to make reaching the ports a priority, then they should focus on itineraries people aren't going to care as much about cancellations to and not sail to once in a lifetime destinations, where passengers would be disappointed if weather canceled a port but will be angry if NCL cancels it after final payment to help the environment or claims they cancelled Costa Rica for safety reasons and replace it with Acupluco.  

Edited December 29, 2023 by kitkat343

[CruiseMH]

On 12/27/2023 at 11:07 PM, Laszlo said:

Smarty pants, that added 6 hours was going about 20knots because they went about 80 south to another island (backtracked) This change in itinerary was not done to save fuel.

And why did they tell you that then ?

First of all i find it refreshingly honest if a cruise line tells you that a itinerary change is for fuel consumption optimizing. Cause usually they don`t tell you that.They oficially have other reasons.

 

And especially if the real reason would be better than the official reason.

"reduction of fuel consumption" is the worst thing you can tell the passengers. Cause everyone is then shouting "tits all about money,i knew it from the beginning."

 

If i lie then only to give a better/more pleasant explanation and not a worse one.

 

this is simply logical thinking.And thats why i assume(assume, not know ) that there was indeed a optimization in fuel consumption which we both simply don`t know.

 

 

 

On 12/27/2023 at 11:07 PM, Laszlo said:

 

And those dozens of NCL planning experts went to the wrong dock in St Lucia

 

what does that have to do with the planning department ?

They request a berthing spot on a specific day and then the port authority tells them where to go.

And thats what they do.

And it also happens that the dock/terminal are changed at the morning of arrival by the port authorities.

[ChiefMateJRK]

5 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

yup like what they did in Hawaii and removing the nice coastal part of the cruise. That is when I cancelled the Pride of America.

Do you mean when they removed the outstanding Na Pali Coast sail by to allow me more time to shop on Kaui?  (I think they were also saving the environment - again - somehow with that one)

[Oceansaway17]

11 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Do you mean when they removed the outstanding Na Pali Coast sail by to allow me more time to shop on Kaui?  (I think they were also saving the environment - again - somehow with that one)

yup that would be the one.  I remembered the name after I hit the submit button.

I cancelled my cruise because of that.

[ChiefMateJRK]

22 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

yup that would be the one.  I remembered the name after I hit the submit button.

I cancelled my cruise because of that.

I can appreciate that.  We'll be visiting HI on our next cruise and overnighting on Kaui.  Our plan is to Uber the 17 miles from cruise port to Eleele to catch a 5 hour sunset boat tour of the Na Pali coast line.  Includes food and drinks for around $200 a person.  

[Oceansaway17]

3 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I can appreciate that.  We'll be visiting HI on our next cruise and overnighting on Kaui.  Our plan is to Uber the 17 miles from cruise port to Eleele to catch a 5 hour sunset boat tour of the Na Pali coast line.  Includes food and drinks for around $200 a person.  

aw that is a thought.  But still a much loved part of the cruise was erased and it leaves a bad taste in folks mouth.   Hope you have nice weather when the time comes

[cheersforbeers]

1 minute ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I can appreciate that.  We'll be visiting HI on our next cruise and overnighting on Kaui.  Our plan is to Uber the 17 miles from cruise port to Eleele to catch a 5 hour sunset boat tour of the Na Pali coast line.  Includes food and drinks for around $200 a person.  

The NA Pali coastline is really scenic, you should enjoy your sunset cruise. It would have been great if you could have combined Waimea Canyon and the boat ride. Enjoy 

[ChiefMateJRK]

46 minutes ago, cheersforbeers said:

The NA Pali coastline is really scenic, you should enjoy your sunset cruise. It would have been great if you could have combined Waimea Canyon and the boat ride. Enjoy 

Since we're overnighting on Kauai, we'll likely take the NCL Shorex to Waimea canyon the next morning.  We don't leave until 2:00 PM on the second day, and NCL currently has the canyon tour available to book.  We did that one 16 years ago and it was great.

[barcelonauta]

Changes on itineraries prevent us to book again ncl in advance. We did it last year booking the Spirt from Australia and New Zealand and seeing changed our previous itinerary by an overnight at the outskirts of Sydney instead of Eden and Burnie (Tasmania) so we cancelled it and we went to South  America and Antartica with the Star, where we miss a port (Punta Arenas) and other port calls were shortened. And also the Spirt missed an extra port in NZ It doesn't seem to be enough booking last minuted cruises, because I am aware that they rescheduled the itinerary cancelling Paradise Bay and shorten the cruise by through Atartica into one day istead of the two days planned, just by giving the passengers  printed notice once at board.

[tashaaa]

I’m also looking at NCL Australia and New Zealand cruise in the end of December 2025, because it has fewer sea days, and it visits many interesting ports. Now that I read this posts, I’m not sure anymore. Would really be disappointed if they change the itinerary. I understand that weather is a big factor, but as I see, they do this before cruise and it has nothing to do with weather conditions. 
 

if someone who did the Australia and New Zealand cruise reads this, please comment if it was as it was when they sold it. 
 

I will be doing my first NCL cruise in May, so I don’t know yet what to expect. As I see the cruises, the NCL really have (for me) most interesting itineraries, which is the most important thing, when I look into cruises. 

[PartyPlannerLady]

On 12/26/2023 at 10:40 PM, AHubs95 said:

I’m newer to NCL and really love the unique itineraries offered. But I’ve sailed on 4 cruises with NCL recently and there have been constant itinerary updates before the ship sets sail!
 

For example, Viva was set to dock in Key West but replaced with Nassau a few weeks before. I am sailing on NCL Dawn to Africa in a few weeks, and the itinerary was changed to remove Madagascar and add more sea days. Just saw another post about Dawn removing more ports on a repositioning cruise a few months after… My recent cruise on NCL Star had an updated itinerary to cut short a few hours in Edinburgh…

 

Is this common for NCL? I have never had so many itinerary updates and I’ve cruised 40+ times, mostly with RCL. 

 

Happens on all cruise lines with the same degree of frequency in the long run.  You just happened to hit a few sailings in a row where it happened.  The possibiity of it happening is listed in the cruise contract for all lines.  Sucks when it happens for a port you really wanted to see but it is all part of cruising.