gigem_aggies

They booked yesterday. Because it was less than 24 hours NCL waived the cancellation fees. They absolutely did receive a full refund.

Well, our friends have decided to cancel as they just don't feel like they have enough time to get their passport. This was a last minute booking (yesterday), so they were able to get a full refund, thankfully. I will say this though--the wording from NCL's website and the vagueness of their agents when asked for specific requirements for this sailing are an issue. This is specifically listed as a Caribbean cruise on both the NCL site and on the booking confirmation. I realize that the Caribbean covers a wide range of areas, but then NCL should update their wording on the Travel Documents page they keep referring guests to so as not to lump all of the Caribbean in with birth certificates as an acceptable form of documentation. If there are ports on Caribbean sailings that require a passport for travel, then the below photo is NOT accurate information. And, we always travel with passports and I'm not debating the importance of having them. In this particular instance there wasn't enough time for our friends to renew as it was a last minute booking for them.

What's interesting is on the excursions page for our sailing, the Panama excursions say "All guests going on tour in Panama will need to bring a valid passport with minimum validity of 6 months." Which is really not an issue as they didn't plan to get off in Panama anyway. But, there is no such notice on the Columbia excursions. I guess I'm just frustrated by the lack of clarity. Our friends specifically looked at all of this information and because 1) the way it's worded on NCL's travel requirements site and 2) the way it's worded on the cruise description, they thought they were booking a closed loop Caribbean sailing. Now they have to scramble to get emergency passports. 😞

I guess I don't read it that way--this does not go THROUGH the canal, so it's not really clearly stated. It specifically says "for all Panama Canal sailings", yet this is not listed as a Panama Canal sailing and even in the decription for the cruise, nowhere is Panama Canal mentioned (see below) And, when I called NCL they were not helpful. They directed me to the required documents page that I posted originally.

11 day sailing on the Joy that is listed as a CARIBBEAN sailing. It makes a stop in Panama, but does NOT go through the canal. It is a US closed loop sailing. NCL's travel documentation page says a birth certificate and government ID is acceptable for US closed loop Caribbean cruises, which is what this is listed as. However, for Panama CANAL cruises, a passport is required. Of course, we always travel with a passport, but part of our party booked this cruise and specifically looked to see if a passport was required because they do not have them. So, seeking clarification here--is a passport required? You can see below how the cruise we booked is listed as a Caribbean cruise while the Panama Canal cruises are listed as that. And, then the passport requirements page from NCL. *Also, I KNOW the importance of traveling with a passport and have expressed that to the rest of our party.* That's not my question though. 🙂

I apologize if this has been asked before. I did do a search and couldn't find anything, no matter what I searched. Ok, so we have are traveling with 2 other couples. Neither of the other wives drink enough to justify the FAS drink package on our 10 day cruise, but their husbands do. Can we book the wives in a room together without the FAS drinks and the husbands together with the FAS drinks and then switch people once onboard?