NCL Bait and Switch

[kcjonesy]

Jan 4 2025 Panama Canal on the Jade

NCL informed us today that they were changing 3 ports and dropping another.  Maybe not a big deal to some, but we chose this sailing entirely because it included 4 ports we had never been to before.  All 4 of those ports were the ones cancelled!  We have been on 13 previous Caribbean sailings and chose this sailing because of the novel ports of call (St. Croix, Grenada, Tobago, Santa Marta Columbia).  They changed these to St. Thomas, St. Martin, Tortola with an added sea day.  We have been to these islands multiple times already.  Interestingly they made the announcement a couple weeks after full payment is due.  Classic bait and switch.

 

When we tried to cancel we were told there would be an $1800 penalty.  Outrageous.

This is the third cruise with NCL that this has happened, recently.

Perusing message boards this has happened to others.

I know they have the right to change itineraries, but waiting until after full payment is made is very suspicious!  Major itinerary changes with no apparent reasons (war, hurricane damage etc.) is wrong.

 

NCL is dead to me.

[v3cruiser]

Bummer. Cruisers shouldnt have to worry about major changes like this! wow. We usually book cruises as well to go to places we havent been to yet. Cant imagine now having to worry about ncl changing itineraries last minute. hmmmmm

[TheBeardedCruiser]

This is absurd! I'm sorry that NCL is doing this to you OP!

 

They should be required to explain why they are changing the ports. I completely understand when it's weather related, but this cruise is in January, so that's not the case. It sounds like corporate greed to me!

[ChiefMateJRK]

That's pretty crazy.  Four uncommon ports replaced with three very frequent ports.  You're right to be upset.

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

We feel for you; we too choose cruises partially so there are places we have not been to before.   Only one thing worse; changing the embark/debark port as also happened recently.

 

It is "funny" just how often this happens after final payment!!!   I am NOT laughing!!

[chefchick]

Is it me, or is this “changing ports at the last minute (or after final payment) seem to be the norm with NCL lately?  I know it’s “within their rights” but it seems excessive, no?

[fstuff1]

14 minutes ago, chefchick said:

Is it me, or is this “changing ports at the last minute (or after final payment) seem to be the norm with NCL lately?  I know it’s “within their rights” but it seems excessive, no?

Lately?
Notifying that changing port before final payment (thus 100% refund if you cancel) is more the exception for years.

As for this itinerary, wow at changing 3 rarely visited ports for common ports.
Plus dropping a rarely visited port without replacement 

Edited Thursday at 05:00 AM by fstuff1

[kjquilts]

It looks to me like NCL is still selling this cruise with the old itinerary?

[AlexandNessa]

NCL has such a bad rep for this, but sadly they don't care. They have your full payment. Their only goal now is to see how much more they can squeeze out of you once you're onboard. Whether you're in Tobago or Tortola, you still have the same purse strings, so what do they care? My goodness, do i miss the NCL of Kevin Sheehan. I used to love NCL so much, but I'm sorta feeling our 12 year relationship has circled the drain. It's hard to feel like a valued guest when they repeatedly pull stunts like this. 

[luv2kroooz]

3 hours ago, chefchick said:

Is it me, or is this “changing ports at the last minute (or after final payment) seem to be the norm with NCL lately?  I know it’s “within their rights” but it seems excessive, no?

It is not you. It is becoming the norm on NCL.

 

3 hours ago, kjquilts said:

It looks to me like NCL is still selling this cruise with the old itinerary?

That would not surprise me. Their prior behavior supports this...better said, they've done that before. If true, that is very unfortunate.

Edited Thursday at 08:15 AM by luv2kroooz

[kitkat343]

4 hours ago, kjquilts said:

It looks to me like NCL is still selling this cruise with the old itinerary?

They did this on my sailing.  They dropped the Dominican Republic after final payment, but left the original itinerary on their website until we sailed.  Some people didn't get the cancellation notice, and when they contacted the NCL call centers, they were told the original itinerary hadn't been changed.  People who called NCL to book after the cancellation were not told of the cancellation, and they were not allowed to cancel their cruise when they learned of the cancellation on cruise critic's roll call since they booked after final payment. 

 

However, there has never been another report of NCL leaving the original itinerary on their website on cruise critic.  Subsequent reports of later cancellations have only reported the original itinerary being left up on the NCL website for a few days, and then eventually updated so this cruise's itinerary may eventually be updated.  

 

I'd be very curious to know if NCL had ever contracted a scheduled port stop with the governments of  St. Croix, Grenada, Tobago, Santa Marta Columbia, and if the ship was ever listed on their official port schedule. 

Edited Thursday at 09:35 AM by kitkat343

[david_sobe]

Did NCL ever give a reason for all the port changes?  Was it the generic "environmental" reason?  Its one thing to change one port but so many changes indicates something major is going on.  With so many port changes indicates something could be wrong with the ship.

I never buy the argument that NCL baits customers to purposely switch with the evil intent of knowing they will do so.  What I do have issues with is transparency.  I'm a big boy and can handle changes because something needs fixed.  However, sadly many cant which is why I believe NCL gives generic and nonspecific reasons for so many port changes. 

[luv2kroooz]

1 hour ago, kitkat343 said:

However, there has never been another report of NCL leaving the original itinerary on their website on cruise critic.  Subsequent reports of later cancellations have only reported the original itinerary being left up on the NCL website for a few days, and then eventually updated so this cruise's itinerary may eventually be updated.  

Well, they do it differently now. Now, they know they are making itinerary changes internally but delay making the public port cancellation announcement until final payment has passed.

 

IIRC, this happened recently on a Breakaway Canada New England sailing. Booked passengers curiously noted that there were no shorex available for certain ports. They also were looking at the port authority website cruise ship arrival/departure scheduled that didn't align with the itinerary NCL advertised to them and was currently advertising to the public. They called NCL and were told that all systems were go, no changes. And then after final payment had passed, the changes were announced and the revised itinerary magically now aligned with the itinerary that the port authorities had been showing for weeks.

[luv2kroooz]

41 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

Its one thing to change one port but so many changes indicates something major is going on.  With so many port changes indicates something could be wrong with the ship.

This is a repo cruise from Miami to Panama. NCL routinely changes itineraries. They changed 4 on a prior TA cruise for us. Nothing was wrong with the ship. They did it only for their economic convenience and direct economic benefit.

 

What makes you believe something is wrong with the ship? Wouldn't that impact every sailing leading up to and after the Jan 4 sailing?

Edited Thursday at 11:03 AM by luv2kroooz

[david_sobe]

10 minutes ago, luv2kroooz said:

This is a repo cruise from Miami to Panama. NCL routinely changes itineraries. They changed 4 on a prior TA cruise for us. Nothing was wrong with the ship. They did it only for their economic convenience and direct economic benefit.

 

What makes you believe something is wrong with the ship? Wouldn't that impact every sailing leading up to and after the Jan 4 sailing?

I have no idea.  When people come here about the port changes and "bait and switch" its rarely stated what the reason is.  If its economic reason then would they not originally lists those ports without having to change them?  Even if the reason is not credible I like to hear the explanation because that can shed light on the real reason.   I was only speculating like you and everyone else.  Your reason "economic benefit" is no different than my reason " mechanics."  But this thread never gives the NCL explanation. 

[luv2kroooz]

9 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

If its economic reason then would they not originally lists those ports without having to change them?

I wouldn't. I'd list the most attractive ports with the longest port times. In this post, the passenger booked the itinerary for more unique ports like St. Croix and Grenada and Tobago, to have them replaced by the commercialized St Thomas and St Maarten and a sea day. NCL markets unique itineraries which attract passengers to book.

 

9 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

Your reason "economic benefit" is no different than my reason " mechanics." 

By the way, NCL has attributed their itinerary changes to fuel optimization over and again. They are looking to reduce fuel burn by cruising at slower speeds between ports. They do this by reducing port times and increasing sea days. This savings is an economic benefit to NCL. So, no speculation there.

 

Edited Thursday at 11:26 AM by luv2kroooz

[pghflyer]

8 hours ago, kcjonesy said:

Jan 4 2025 Panama Canal on the Jade

NCL informed us today that they were changing 3 ports and dropping another....  

Can you share your letter that you received in the thread that tracks these types of changes?

 

 

[shof515]

39 minutes ago, luv2kroooz said:

IIRC, this happened recently on a Breakaway Canada New England sailing. Booked passengers curiously noted that there were no shorex available for certain ports. They also were looking at the port authority website cruise ship arrival/departure scheduled that didn't align with the itinerary NCL advertised to them and was currently advertising to the public. They called NCL and were told that all systems were go, no changes. And then after final payment had passed, the changes were announced and the revised itinerary magically now aligned with the itinerary that the port authorities had been showing for weeks.

 

i am one of the those breakaway Canada new England cruisers. I noticed back in March/April when the ports came out with their official ship schedule that it did not align with Norwegian itinerary. Final payment due for that cruise was due by June 15. On September 12, about a month before sail date is when Norwegian finally publicly announce the itinerary changes that aligned with the port schedules

 

They was no shore excursions for Bar Harbor and the port times for Saint John and Halifax were incorrect on Norwegian itinerary. Bar Harbor port was dropped and is being replaced with Boston. Saint John and Halifax port times now match the official port ship schedule

[JimDee363636]

@david_sobe

I'm on that January 4-19, 2025 Jade cruise. There was no clear-cut reason given for the changes, just some sanctimonious BS from NCL about how they are committed to the environment, etc. 

[sanger727]

What is really bait and switch is the fact that they are still selling this cruise with the old itinerary. 

 

[TYTY]

I was on the Breakaway in May and they removed Tortola using the same old excuse but from reading trip reports, the cruise before and after ours went to Tortola.  Lesson learned, I'll only use NCL for Caribbean trips from now on and for other exotic itineraries I'll use RCL or Princess so I can make sure I see what I've paid for.

[JillK]

That is a substantial change in ports and I would also be very upset by the change. 

 

To be honest, I'm surprised given the changes are so extensive that NCL isn't offering to move you another sailing without penalty. 

[nimbex1970]

I too know ports can be switched at their discretion.  After final payment, MONTHS before the cruise though?? This is shenanigans at the highest level.  Has anyone worked their way up the corporate chain of complaints yet? We are still fairly new to NCL, and are loving them for the unique to us itinerary. These changes WELL in advance would have my pants on fire.

[JimDee363636]

As @JillKhas suggested, an offer to move us to another cruise (i.e., give us a future cruise credit equal to every penny we've paid) would be an appropriate gesture on NCL's part---an ideal solution, actually. But that's probably not going to happen. How about $600 per cabin in extra OBC? On a 15-night cruise, that works out to an average of $40 per night, per cabin---not something that would break the bank at NCL, but probably enough to mollify most disgruntled guests.

 

It still leaves open the issue of whether you'd book another "unusual itinerary" NCL cruise (and we have one booked for November of 2025: Lisbon to Galveston), but it would at least address the immediate problem. In general, though, NCL's actions don't inspire confidence.

 

Jim

[kcjonesy]

 

This is the itinerary changes for our 1/4/25 sailing on Jade.