Cruise Itinerary changes

[hobgoblin]

Just wondered how you stand when your cruise choice was based on certain locations and if you are likely to be able to change cruises if these ports are then removed?

I have a cruise with HAL  stopping in Alexandria and Istanbul in September and its a 14 day cruise so these stops were the main reason for going .

Given troubles in eastern Mediterranean Im wondering if we will still be going !

Has anyone any experience with this type of scenario?

 

[1025cruise]

Unfortunately, it sucks, but per the cruise contract they are allowed to change the ports. I've always said, if there is a destination you have your heart set on, book a land tour there.

[leaveitallbehind]

Unfortunately port cancelations are a fact of the cruising world and are often caused by circumstances out of control of the cruise lines when those decisions are made.  Even with developing situations as they unfold in different parts of the world it is very difficult to predict far in advance what would result that may cause a cancelation.  They would be using the same crystal ball in their determination as you would. 

 

If you feel uncertain and it is still prior to final payment and you can cancel with limited or no penalty, that would be your option to exercise.  But the cruise line will likely hold out on any decision to cancel ports of call (or itineraries) until the last possible moment as that decision is far more reaching in complexity and consequences than an individual decision to cancel.  Unfortunately it sometimes comes down to a roll of the dice.

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, 1025cruise said:

Unfortunately, it sucks, but per the cruise contract they are allowed to change the ports. I've always said, if there is a destination you have your heart set on, book a land tour there.

 

Not entirely true - I understand that under US contracts the cruise line has a free hand to change itineraries at will, but the OP is in Scotland, and presuming that he booked from the UK or in the EU the contract is subject to much stronger consumer protection laws. 

 

If a cruise line chooses - of its own free will or for reasons within its control - to make significant changes to the itinerary or any other major changes it is in breach of UK and EU (and I think Aus.) contracts, and would have to refund, recompense, cover costs etc.

I had reason to challenge a missed port of call due to a mechanical issue which meant that shortly after leaving a port the ship had to turn back because of a faulty generator and we spent the next day in that port waiting for a spare part to be flown out. The cruise line gave meagre comp. Maintenance is within a cruise line's control, and I felt it worth significantly more. It never reached a Court of Law because the cruise line buckled under the threat of court action. 

Check your contract with the cruise line - if you can find the equiv. US contract you'll see the differences. 

 

Things like the weather, industrial action, or civil unrest aren't within the cruise line's control, but there are no troubles in Mediterranean Egypt, or in Istanbul or areas like Antalya where cruise ships visit, and no governments (US or UK or EU or most others) currently advise against travel to those places - but of course if that changes for the worse it becomes something beyond the control of the cruise line.

I do agree with @1025cruise that it's risky to rely on making a particular port because there are so many reasons why a ship can fail to make that port.

 

BTW Istanbul is worth waaaaay more than a one day port of call.

And not that difficult or expensive to fly there for a few days

 

JB 🙂 

[MBP&O2/O]

John Bull. I agree with you. Is it under the Package Holiday Regs or similar? They must have a valid excuse ... sorry a valid reason ..  to make " a significant change. If they don't then you can claim a refund.

Minefield area🙂

I sympathise with the OP ... we have one booked for November and it was booked purely on the itinerary. If they mess about with it I will be seriously dischuffed!

[hobgoblin]

Yes ,might be seriously dischuffed  but will wait and see and hope it all turns out good!

Thanks folks for your input .

[NotADopey1]

We live in Florida and take a fair amount of Caribbean cruises.  We have had some itinerary changes but we trust the judgement of the cruise line and its captains.  You always go home with a story of your adventure.  Not everything is under our control.

[Toofarfromthesea]

I think it is foolish to book a cruise purely on itinerary.  Things happen at sea.

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

I think it is foolish to book a cruise purely on itinerary.  Things happen at sea.

 

I guess everyone who travels is foolish because things can happen with any kind of travel.   

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

I think it is foolish to book a cruise purely on itinerary.  Things happen at sea.

I understand that the ship and cruise line play an important part in this decision, but what other than where the ship is going would one normally consider?  Choosing a cruise based on one or maybe two ports of call in an itinerary can lead to disappointment, but IMO the overall itinerary is certainly a primary reason to choose a given cruise.

[wcook]

Trouble in the Eastern Med?

[Toofarfromthesea]

20 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

I understand that the ship and cruise line play an important part in this decision, but what other than where the ship is going would one normally consider?  Choosing a cruise based on one or maybe two ports of call in an itinerary can lead to disappointment, but IMO the overall itinerary is certainly a primary reason to choose a given cruise.

 

I'm talking about people who book a cruise based on a particular 'can't miss' port or two.  Of course the overall itinerary matters.  You're going to be on a ship, in a particular part of the world.  But the details of particular ports may change.

[Toofarfromthesea]

20 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I guess everyone who travels is foolish because things can happen with any kind of travel.   

 

They chances of missing a port on a sea voyage are much different than the chances of missing a city on a land tour.  

[leaveitallbehind]

7 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

I'm talking about people who book a cruise based on a particular 'can't miss' port or two.  Of course the overall itinerary matters.  You're going to be on a ship, in a particular part of the world.  But the details of particular ports may change.

Perhaps you missed that I indicated just that in my response:

"Choosing a cruise based on one or maybe two ports of call in an itinerary can lead to disappointment"

 

Your statement of "I think it is foolish to book a cruise purely on itinerary" didn't indicate that, which I why I responded as I did.

 

I agree completely with your most recent comments.

Edited April 17 by leaveitallbehind

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

They chances of missing a port on a sea voyage are much different than the chances of missing a city on a land tour.  

 

Many of us, if not most, book based on itinerary.  I am glad to see you clarified the intent of your comment in a later post. Still, one might argue the risk will vary greatly depending on the port, time of year, and part of the world.  

[Toofarfromthesea]

9 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Perhaps you missed that I indicated just that in my response:

"Choosing a cruise based on one or maybe two ports of call in an itinerary can lead to disappointment"

 

Your statement of "I think it is foolish to book a cruise purely on itinerary" didn't indicate that, which I why I responded as I did.

 

I agree completely with your most recent comments.

 

I still think it is foolish to book a cruise purely on itinerary in the broader sense.  Nobody books purely on itinerary - cruiseline, ship, amenities, cost, length of cruise, time of year, etc. also play a huge part.

[John Bull]

12 hours ago, ldubs said:

Many of us, if not most, book based on itinerary.  I am glad to see you clarified the intent of your comment in a later post. Still, one might argue the risk will vary greatly depending on the port, time of year, and part of the world.  

 

Yep - itinerary is top of the list for us too.

But a lot - especially those on short cruises such as the Caribbean from the US - book a  "resort ship" & won't even get off the ship at many ports, and they're the target market of the over-sized leviathans with all the whistles & bells of a resort hotel.

Each to their own.

 

5 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

I still think it is foolish to book a cruise purely on itinerary in the broader sense.  Nobody books purely on itinerary - cruiseline, ship, amenities, cost, length of cruise, time of year, etc. also play a huge part.

 

We cruise for the destinations, and whilst other factors play a part only the depth of our pockets has a significant influence on our choices.

Our best cruise ever was 28 days in SE Asia on a very very old & tired ship with little entertainment, a pool about 15ft x 12 ft, no casino, no speciality dining, no TV other than a rolling movie DVD each day, no balcony cabins.

No en-suite - just a bucket in the corner. No beds - just hammocks. *

 

Yes, the risk of a ship not making every port. But the few that we've missed have been mainly in the Caribbean and weather-related.

 

JB 🙂

* Please be aware that I have a tendency to exaggerate. 

[leaveitallbehind]

9 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

I still think it is foolish to book a cruise purely on itinerary in the broader sense.  Nobody books purely on itinerary - cruiseline, ship, amenities, cost, length of cruise, time of year, etc. also play a huge part.

Not arguing your point and I don't disagree that all of the above factors are important and come into play when choosing a cruise. It's a holistic decision that would consider everything mentioned. But where the ship goes and with what you hope to experience in those ports of call on that given itinerary is IMO a primary driving factor in that decision.

 

I would guess that most cruisers think first of where they want to go and then consider all of the other factors you mention in deciding how to best get there to fit their cruising preferences and expectations. And as previously said, if only one or two key ports of call drive that itinerary choice, then they certainly could have a disappointing outcome.  JMO.

[navybankerteacher]

9 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

… Nobody books purely on itinerary -…

A lot of people book “purely on itinerary”.   Folks who book transAtlantic repositionings, or QM2 straight shots between New York and Southampton, do it.  Their purpose is to get across the Atlantic by means other than flying - and the itinerary is what does it for them.

[DarrenM]

Surely they dont choose JUST on itinerary?

 

I wouldnt book a trip in my dream location then stay in a budget hovel.

 

So I wouldnt book a cruise on my dream itinerary if the ship doing it was an MSC or P&O and I could only get a room with no balcony or window.

 

I am on holiday, I want as much luxury as possible. Surely everyone is like that?

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, DarrenM said:

Surely they dont choose JUST on itinerary?

 

I wouldnt book a trip in my dream location then stay in a budget hovel.

 

So I wouldnt book a cruise on my dream itinerary if the ship doing it was an MSC or P&O and I could only get a room with no balcony or window.

 

I am on holiday, I want as much luxury as possible. Surely everyone is like that?

 

Yup, that is why all those cabins with no windows or balconies are always vacant.   🙂

 

The ship comes into play for me because I enjoy the shipboard experience.  No matter which cabin it is a pretty luxurious experience.  

 

I don't stay in hovels and I don't stay in luxury hotels.  Somewhere in between and then there will be much happiness.  

 

[clo]

17 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

Nobody books purely on itinerary - cruiseline,

I do..IIRC 100% of the time.

[clo]

8 hours ago, DarrenM said:

I am on holiday, I want as much luxury as possible. Surely everyone is like that?

Nope. But I've done land trips in Turkey, Israel, SE Asia and lots of S. America.

 

Oh, wait, here's a pic of my husband in his bunk on our Norwegian coastal cruise. And we were booked on it again, except for covid.

 

[Honolulu Blue]

19 hours ago, DarrenM said:

I am on holiday, I want as much luxury as possible. Surely everyone is like that?

Not me.  Comfort is more important to me than luxury.  Most luxurious touches are wasted on me, and this is true on a cruise as on any other vacation - or indeed real life.

 

To each his own.

[DarrenM]

11 minutes ago, Honolulu Blue said:

Not me.  Comfort is more important to me than luxury.  Most luxurious touches are wasted on me, and this is true on a cruise as on any other vacation - or indeed real life.

 

To each his own.

I suppose we have different definitions of luxury.

 

I have a balcony cabin on Celebrity. Thats luxury to me.

 

Being in a suite with a strange man (Butler) entering the room frequently isnt. Thst just creepy to me. Our room is our own private kingdom, and our balcony is our luxury. I dont need someone to dress me. or make my coffee. I am not bone idle.