NCL Itinerary Changes After Final Payment *just the facts*

[JamesIowa]

34 minutes ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

If you book a flight from NYC to LA, but only goes to Chicago to save fuel, that’s crap.

 

They should just add appropriate punctuation after each port on the itinerary and shake the magic 8 ball.

Sail NCL to the ABC Islands!

Day 2: Aruba? Maybe!

Day 3: Bonaire? Possibly!

Day 4: Curaçao? Who knows!

 

****Important update about your upcoming cruise****

Day 2: Halifax

Day 3: overnight in Baltimore

Day 4: Nassau

 

 

[FarBeyondMe]

Ship: Jade

Sailing date: November 3, 2024

Destination: Bahamas

Itinerary Changes: 

Reason Given: As we continue to optimize itineraries for fuel efficiency, as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, we have adjusted the itinerary as shown below.

NCL Notification: After final payment, 68 days before cruise

Disposition: Very disappointed. Been to everywhere else on the cruise multiple times, and Bimini was the only destination we’d never been to. We convinced a group of 9 other people to join us on this cruise, and if they hadn’t all paid for flights and wouldn’t lose their money I would have canceled entirely. Don’t even care if I lose the money. On a 5 port/day cruise, changing 1 day to a Sea Day is changing 20% of the cruise. I don’t couldn’t have cared if they’d canceled their stupid Great Stirrup Key, but they canceled the one unique, rarely visited Bahamas port or Bimini. For fuel efficiency. As if they just now calculated what the fuel was going to be. 

[Travelling2Some]

5 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Yes, at some time common sense has to prevail as to what contract terms mean. An example, though not from a cruise contract---We had through a local travel company a bus ride to NY City with Broadway tickets to the play about the Temptations. And then covid hit, and the Broadway theaters were all closed. I called the company and asked for a refund and was told the policy which I had agreed to said NOREFUNDS. My reply was this can't possibly mean no refund when you can no longer provide the trip, plus I am sure the theater will refund the tickets you purchased. He repeated no refund. I then said fine, I will contact American Express (the card on which I had made the purchase. He then said in a panicky voice, please do not do that. I will make the refund.

Amex really came through for us too.  When the pandemic hit we had to cancel a lot of plans and one airline refused to give us a cash refund even though they were the ones that canceled our flight.  They kept saying they were only giving future credit, which was not legal since we were not the ones who canceled.  Amex had our money back in our account by the end of the day. They are always a pleasure to deal with too if you have to call them for anything.

[Distinctive-Destinations]

1 hour ago, JamesIowa said:

 

They should just add appropriate punctuation after each port on the itinerary and shake the magic 8 ball.

Sail NCL to the ABC Islands!

Day 2: Aruba? Maybe!

Day 3: Bonaire? Possibly!

Day 4: Curaçao? Who knows!

 

****Important update about your upcoming cruise****

Day 2: Halifax

Day 3: overnight in Baltimore

Day 4: Nassau

 

 

Or just offer it as like a 7 day mystery cruise.

 

Day 1: Miami. Day 7: Miami.

 

Days 2-6 yet to be determined.

[cruiseny4life]

25 minutes ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

Or just offer it as like a 7 day mystery cruise.

 

Day 1: Miami. Day 7: Miami.

 

Days 2-6 yet to be determined.

Honestly...I'd go on this cruise.

[Distinctive-Destinations]

4 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Honestly...I'd go on this cruise.

I might actually be down too, as long as that was the arrangement in advance. Needs to have at least like two ports in the week though.

 

EDIT: come to think of it, an overnight some place would theoretically save fuel too.

Edited August 27 by Distinctive-Destinations

[cruiseny4life]

9 minutes ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

I might actually be down too, as long as that was the arrangement in advance. Needs to have at least like two ports in the week though.

 

EDIT: come to think of it, an overnight some place would theoretically save fuel too.

With our luck it would be three nights at Great Stirrup Cay (let it be known I do enjoy Great Stirrup Cay for a day). 

 

I agree with the advance arrangement piece though!

[Distinctive-Destinations]

Just now, cruiseny4life said:

With our luck it would be three nights at Great Stirrup Cay (let it be known I do enjoy Great Stirrup Cay for a day). 

 

I agree with the advance arrangement piece though!

Day 5-6 drift back to Miami for maximum fuel saving. 

 

[JamesIowa]

39 minutes ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

Or just offer it as like a 7 day mystery cruise.

 

Day 1: Miami. Day 7: Miami.

 

Days 2-6 yet to be determined.

I’m down for that itinerary as well! Or just a good old fashioned cruise-to-nowhere. 7 sea days, 7 days relaxing at vbc. 

[Distinctive-Destinations]

10 minutes ago, JamesIowa said:

I’m down for that itinerary as well! Or just a good old fashioned cruise-to-nowhere. 7 sea days, 7 days relaxing at vbc. 

Well it seems like several people are interested, so that likely means it will never be offered…lol

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

Amex really came through for us too.  When the pandemic hit we had to cancel a lot of plans and one airline refused to give us a cash refund even though they were the ones that canceled our flight.  They kept saying they were only giving future credit, which was not legal since we were not the ones who canceled.  Amex had our money back in our account by the end of the day. They are always a pleasure to deal with too if you have to call them for anything.

Yes, the merchant I spoke to went from NO REFUND to me hearing fear in his voice when I said I would let American Express take care of it.

 

One time DW who is now retired as an elementary art teacher had approval from the school's PTA to order something. She ordered it online and paid with her card. The PTA instead of reimbursing her paid the merchant with a check. She contacted the merchant who acknowledged that they were paid twice but said only accounting could do something about it. And when she asked to be connected to accounting, she was told they could not do that.

 

When accounting did not get back to her as promised, AMEX was contacted, and it was taken care of. They are very efficient, and you get the impression that the employees in that department are really your advocates and also enjoy their work.

[The Traveling Man]

We just received this email from NCL regarding some schedule changes for our upcoming cruise to Canada and New England.  I thought their explanation of the reason for arriving late and leaving early at several ports was quite novel.

 

We are committed to delivering remarkable experiences for our guests, both onboard our ships and through our curated journeys to bucket-list destinations worldwide. While we try to maintain original itineraries as much as possible, unfortunately, at times there are circumstances outside our control that require us to make adjustments. As such, in order to remain compliant with voluntary whale zone speed restrictions in the area, the itinerary has been revised.

[Distinctive-Destinations]

6 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

We just received this email from NCL regarding some schedule changes for our upcoming cruise to Canada and New England.  I thought their explanation of the reason for arriving late and leaving early at several ports was quite novel.

 

We are committed to delivering remarkable experiences for our guests, both onboard our ships and through our curated journeys to bucket-list destinations worldwide. While we try to maintain original itineraries as much as possible, unfortunately, at times there are circumstances outside our control that require us to make adjustments. As such, in order to remain compliant with voluntary whale zone speed restrictions in the area, the itinerary has been revised.

Is this for the Joy on 9/2 to Quebec? If so, I’ll be on that one. Have not received that email.

[The Traveling Man]

30 minutes ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

Is this for the Joy on 9/2 to Quebec? If so, I’ll be on that one. Have not received that email.

No, this for the Jade, departing Boston on 26 September 2024.

[luv2kroooz]

3 hours ago, JamesIowa said:

I’m down for that itinerary as well! Or just a good old fashioned cruise-to-nowhere. 7 sea days, 7 days relaxing at vbc. 

Absolutely, just be transparent about what you are offering. This nonsense about advertising A but delivering something less than A is getting old. If they want to save fuel or help the environment, just advertise that the ship will remain moored at the Port of Miami for 7 nights to save fuel and mitigate pollution from their environmentally unfriendly ships and let prospective passengers decide for themselves. This nonsense about maximizing and optimizing itineraries after they have guests money is getting old. Maximize your itineraries on your own time and on your own dollar. This would never work anywhere else except for in the cruise industry. And the irony....they say they are working tirelessly to deliver exceptional vacation experiences, while failing to do so on every metric. It's almost like they think that as long as they say it, it must be true.

[eileeshb]

23 hours ago, afiaccone said:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION Itinerary Change   CRUISE PLANNERS INC   Date: 07/30/2024           Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners, The itinerary for your upcoming vacation on board Norwegian Getaway on December 22, 2024, has changed. Travel Partners are asked to share this information with impacted guests . We are committed to providing the best vacations at sea and have been working tirelessly to continue elevating the quality of the overall guest experience while positively impacting society and the environment. As we continue to optimize itineraries for enhanced port and shore excursion availability, as well as fuel efficiency, as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, we have adjusted the itinerary as shown below. We recognize the importance of destinations in our guests' vacation decision-making process and are pleased to share that our visit to Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras, has been extended. In addition, we have preserved the amount of time originally scheduled for our visit to Cozumel, Mexico. The modified itinerary is as follows:   Original Day Destination Arrive Depart   Sun NEW ORLEANS, LA   4:00 pm   Mon AT SEA       Tue COSTA MAYA, MEXICO 11:00 am 7:00 pm   Wed HARVEST CAYE, BELIZE 8:00 am 6:00 pm   Thu ROATAN, BAY ISLANDS, HONDURAS 8:00 am 4:00 pm   Fri COZUMEL, MEXICO 9:00 am 7:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun NEW ORLEANS, LA 7:00 am     Revised Day Destination Arrive Depart   Sun NEW ORLEANS, LA   4:00 pm   Mon AT SEA       Tue COZUMEL, MEXICO 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Wed HARVEST CAYE, BELIZE 9:00 am 6:00 pm   Thu ROATAN, BAY ISLANDS, HONDURAS 8:00 am 6:00 pm   Fri COSTA MAYA, MEXICO 7:00 am 1:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun NEW ORLEANS, LA 7:00 am         Really annoyed about the earlier arrival times, especially Costa Maya

I got notified of that change a couple of weeks ago for a cruise in January so it was well before the final payment deadline. 

[Pablo Diablo]

Ship: Prima

Sailing date: December 11, 2024

Destination: Caribbean & Bermuda

Itinerary Changes: 

 

Reason Given: As we continue to optimize itineraries for fuel efficiency, as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, we have adjusted the itinerary...

 

NCL Notification: After final payment, 93 days before cruise

 

Disposition: Very annoyed. As evidenced by this thread, it’s become a frequent practice of NCL to make these itinerary changes after final payment under the guise of “optimizing for fuel efficiency”. NCL can calculate the fuel usage and cost when these itineraries are first published approx. two years ahead of sail date. Bermuda didn’t all of a sudden float further out into the middle of the Atlantic since then.

With this port cancellation, this cruise now has more sea days than port days. To cancel my Haven cabin at this date will incur a 50% penalty. Of course, I’m not going to cancel and throw away my money but will just grin and bear it. However, this is one of three reservations I have for upcoming sailings in Haven, the other two of which (2025 sailings) I’m strongly considering canceling since NCL’s advertised itineraries are no longer dependable.

If I book another NCL cruise in the future, it will be based more on the ship than the specific itinerary.

[CruisnHallelujahs]

26 minutes ago, Pablo Diablo said:

Ship: Prima

Sailing date: December 11, 2024

Destination: Caribbean & Bermuda

Itinerary Changes: 

 

Reason Given: As we continue to optimize itineraries for fuel efficiency, as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, we have adjusted the itinerary...

 

NCL Notification: After final payment, 93 days before cruise

 

Disposition: Very annoyed. As evidenced by this thread, it’s become a frequent practice of NCL to make these itinerary changes after final payment under the guise of “optimizing for fuel efficiency”. NCL can calculate the fuel usage and cost when these itineraries are first published approx. two years ahead of sail date. Bermuda didn’t all of a sudden float further out into the middle of the Atlantic since then.

With this port cancellation, this cruise now has more sea days than port days. To cancel my Haven cabin at this date will incur a 50% penalty. Of course, I’m not going to cancel and throw away my money but will just grin and bear it. However, this is one of three reservations I have for upcoming sailings in Haven, the other two of which (2025 sailings) I’m strongly considering canceling since NCL’s advertised itineraries are no longer dependable.

If I book another NCL cruise in the future, it will be based more on the ship than the specific itinerary.

We are on this same cruise the sailing before this and received the same message.  I failed to notice Bermuda being dropped and was thrilled with the extra time in the other ports changed.  Our now adult children will be joining us cruising. Haven’t cruised since they were very young.  Hoping the three sea days in a row on way back doesn’t put them off cruising. Yikes.  

[vetteman06]

Ship: Prima
Sailing date: 06 OCT 2024
Destination: Spain, Portugal
Itinerary Changes: Dropped Oporto and Cartagena
Reason Given: optimize itineraries for fuel efficiency, as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts,
NCL Notification: 26 days before cruise
Disposition: Significant, would cancel if I could

[BunnyHutt]

Ship: Prima
Sailing date: 28 OCT 2024
Destination: Italy, Greece
Itinerary Changes: Dropped Corfu, added Olympia, slight time revisions elsewhere. 
Reason Given: optimize itineraries for fuel efficiency, as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts,

NCL Notification: 49 days before cruise

Disposition: Bummed, but will manage as overall number of port/sea days did not change. Was looking forward to Corfu as it was a break from being so history-driven. Would have rather dropped Malta and now we’ve got even more time there. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[deliver42]

Maltazan and Acapulco were just given a class 4 do not travel alert by the state department. It won't even allow government employees to go there.

[PatJim]

On 9/9/2024 at 2:20 PM, Pablo Diablo said:

Ship: Prima

Sailing date: December 11, 2024

Destination: Caribbean & Bermuda

Itinerary Changes: 

 

Reason Given: As we continue to optimize itineraries for fuel efficiency, as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, we have adjusted the itinerary...

 

NCL Notification: After final payment, 93 days before cruise

 

Disposition: Very annoyed. As evidenced by this thread, it’s become a frequent practice of NCL to make these itinerary changes after final payment under the guise of “optimizing for fuel efficiency”. NCL can calculate the fuel usage and cost when these itineraries are first published approx. two years ahead of sail date. Bermuda didn’t all of a sudden float further out into the middle of the Atlantic since then.

With this port cancellation, this cruise now has more sea days than port days. To cancel my Haven cabin at this date will incur a 50% penalty. Of course, I’m not going to cancel and throw away my money but will just grin and bear it. However, this is one of three reservations I have for upcoming sailings in Haven, the other two of which (2025 sailings) I’m strongly considering canceling since NCL’s advertised itineraries are no longer dependable.

If I book another NCL cruise in the future, it will be based more on the ship than the specific itinerary.

Our November 30 Prima cruise now has this same itinerary change.  Very disappointed that Bermuda is eliminated.  We’re still going on this cruise, as it’s after final payment, but have cancelled 2 future NCL cruises booked in the Haven, in favor of Yacht Club MSC cruises instead.  We’re saving quite a bit of $, and getting more perks (free WiFi, free minibar, free water…).

 

 

[mexico8]

On 8/26/2024 at 3:29 PM, luv2camp04 said:

This is for my client's booking in November.  There is really no tangible reason on the letter for the itinerary change.  I know this happens but it seems there should be some compensation given for this kind of change (5 ports deleted and only 3 ports added).  Note that this cruise leaves from LA and the first port is now San Diego.  They are sailing 118 miles between 4:00 pm and 7:00 am.  All I can think is that they will be sitting at sea for several hours.

 

Has anyone been offered any sort of compensation on these itinerary changes?  Just curious.  

Date: 08/21/2024           Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners, The itinerary for your upcoming vacation on board Norwegian Jewel on November 7, 2024, has changed. In addition, the departure time in Los Angeles, California, has been updated, and will now commence at 4:00 p.m. local time. Travel Partners are asked to share this information with impacted guests. We are committed to providing the best vacations at sea and have been working tirelessly to continue elevating the quality of the overall guest experience while positively impacting society and the environment. As we continue to optimize itineraries for enhanced port and shore excursion availability, as well as fuel efficiency, as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, we have adjusted the itinerary as shown below. We recognize the importance that destinations play in our guests' vacation decision-making process and assure you that these modifications were made with an optimal guest experience top-of-mind. As such, while we will no longer visit Manzanillo, Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, and Puerto Chiapas, Mexico; Acajutla, El Salvador; and San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, we are pleased to share that we have added a visit to San Diego, California; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; and Panama City (Pacific Cruise Terminal), Panama. San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, a historic district in downtown, is known for its vibrant nightlife, excellent dining, and charming Victorian-era buildings. You can also explore Balboa Park, a massive cultural park that houses museums, theaters, gardens, and the famous San Diego Zoo. Guatemala is home to numerous volcanoes, such as Pacaya Volcano for stunning views, and is also famous for its coffee. You can enjoy local coffee plantations and gain insight into the production process, from bean to cup, as well as the chance to taste some of the world's best coffee. The historic district of Panama City, Casco Viejo, is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its charming colonial architecture, narrow streets, and vibrant cultural scene. It's filled with cafés, restaurants, and shops, making it perfect for exploring on foot. Additionally, we have extended our visits to Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, as well as Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Please note, we will now depart Los Angeles, California, at 4:00 p.m. local time. The modified itinerary is as follows:   Original Day Destination Arrive Depart   Thu LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA   5:00 pm   Fri AT SEA       Sat CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO 12:00 pm 8:00 pm   Sun PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO 1:00 pm 8:00 pm   Mon MANZANILLO, MEXICO 9:00 am 5:00 pm   Tue ZIHUATANEJO/IXTAPA, MEXICO 7:00 am 6:00 pm   Wed AT SEA       Thu PUERTO CHIAPAS, MEXICO 7:00 am 6:00 pm   Fri ACAJUTLA, EL SALVADOR 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Sat SAN JUAN DEL SUR, NICARAGUA 9:00 am 5:00 pm   Sun PUNTARENAS, COSTA RICA 8:00 am 5:00 pm   Mon AT SEA       Tue DAYLIGHT TRANSIT PANAMA CANAL       Wed CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA 10:30 am 6:00 pm   Thu AT SEA       Fri GEORGE TOWN, GRAND CAYMAN 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun TAMPA, FLORIDA 7:00 am     Revised Day Destination Arrive Depart   Thu LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA   4:00 pm   Fri SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 7:00 am 3:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO 8:00 am 5:00 pm   Mon PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO 10:30 am 10:00 pm   Tue AT SEA       Wed AT SEA       Thu PUERTO QUETZAL, GUATEMALA 7:00 am 6:00 pm   Fri AT SEA       Sat PUNTARENAS, COSTA RICA 7:00 am 6:00 pm   Sun AT SEA       Mon PANAMA CITY (PACIFIC CRUISE TERMINAL), PANAMA 7:00 am 10:00 pm   Tue DAYLIGHT TRANSIT PANAMA CANAL       Wed CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA 10:30 am 6:00 pm   Thu AT SEA       Fri GEORGE TOWN, GRAND CAYMAN 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun TAMPA, FLORIDA 7:00 am

We are booked on this cruise and got that e-mail.   No compensation has been offered - not even a reduction or refund of port fees for the ports that were cancelled.   We are after the final payment date and have all our flights booked so we are stuck with taking it.   Not at all happy with the changes.

[Travelling2Some]

13 hours ago, deliver42 said:

Maltazan and Acapulco were just given a class 4 do not travel alert by the state department. It won't even allow government employees to go there.

Acapulco has been a Level 4 (Do Not Travel) for quite some time.  On our Panama Canal cruise last winter we had Acapulco substituted for Costa Rica at the last minute.  Reason given?  "For our safety!!!"  Simply unbelievable.  On the same cruise we were to have an overnight and full day in Panama City.  We never even docked there due to construction that had been going on for over a year and they certainly knew all about. 

[bluesea777]

On 9/9/2024 at 3:20 PM, Pablo Diablo said:

Ship: Prima

Sailing date: December 11, 2024

Destination: Caribbean & Bermuda

Itinerary Changes: 

 

Reason Given: As we continue to optimize itineraries for fuel efficiency, as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, we have adjusted the itinerary...

 

NCL Notification: After final payment, 93 days before cruise

 

Disposition: Very annoyed. As evidenced by this thread, it’s become a frequent practice of NCL to make these itinerary changes after final payment under the guise of “optimizing for fuel efficiency”. NCL can calculate the fuel usage and cost when these itineraries are first published approx. two years ahead of sail date. Bermuda didn’t all of a sudden float further out into the middle of the Atlantic since then.

With this port cancellation, this cruise now has more sea days than port days. To cancel my Haven cabin at this date will incur a 50% penalty. Of course, I’m not going to cancel and throw away my money but will just grin and bear it. However, this is one of three reservations I have for upcoming sailings in Haven, the other two of which (2025 sailings) I’m strongly considering canceling since NCL’s advertised itineraries are no longer dependable.

If I book another NCL cruise in the future, it will be based more on the ship than the specific itinerary.

 

On 9/9/2024 at 3:52 PM, CruisnHallelujahs said:

We are on this same cruise the sailing before this and received the same message.  I failed to notice Bermuda being dropped and was thrilled with the extra time in the other ports changed.  Our now adult children will be joining us cruising. Haven’t cruised since they were very young.  Hoping the three sea days in a row on way back doesn’t put them off cruising. Yikes.  

 

If it were us, we'd be happy with the new itinerary: FULL day in Tortola and not having to go to Bermuda - in mid-December.

 

If Bermuda is still on itinerary, chances are: seas might be rough, and if there are high surf and high winds surrounding Bermuda the ship will NOT come here. Also, it's mid-December - short days, cool, and the sea will be too cold to swim in.

 

We've had ships by-pass Bermuda due to high surf and/or high winds during the winter.

 

Enjoy the full day in Tortola!