Itineraries do change quite often

There have been quite a few posts on here lately regarding changes to itineraries. I get the impression from many peoples comments that they see these changes as being rare, but in my experience, that is far from the case.

Perhaps it is something that happens more in Europe, but we have been affected by itinerary changes quite often.

There have been some recent changes to cruises, which are slightly less common in that they fall after the period where people have started booking flights etc. However, whilst that is less common, it does happen.

I will say that changes are not always a bad thing. Actually, most of ours have resulted in a better result for us than we originally booked. However, it would be good if NCL just got the itineraries right in the first place.

Anyway, I've just had a brief look through my past cruises to try to demonstrate how often itinerary changes can happen. Obviously, my experience isn't the same as others, but I think it does show what can happen and may show people that some caution is always required when booking cruises a long way in advance.

I'm looking at a total of 17 cruises, including the ones that we have booked for this year.

Of these, 7 went ahead exactly as they were booked. This is less than half of them.

A further 2 had changes during the cruise itself due to weather. On both of these occasions, a port was missed.

3 had changes to ports made before we cruised, but the dates and embarkation ports have stayed the same.

We have had 2 complete cancellations. We received notification of both over a year before the cruise itself, and on both occasions we were extremely satisfied with the changes we negotiated with NCL, getting a better deal than we could have got had we booked the replacement directly.

The remaining three cruises were ones where the embarkation or disembarkation ports have changed. It is probably a concern that all three of these were planned for this year, which does suggest that this may be an increasing problem.

Of these three, we accepted the new itinerary on one, transferred to another date on the second and cancelled the third. The first two changes happened over a year before the cruise date, so again there was no problem with flights. We were lucky with the third one (the Epic this October) in that we were probably going to cancel anyway and would have lost our deposit if it wasn't for the changes, but some people who were booked on it had flights arranged.

Another of these changes was due to the disembarkation port being Istanbul. I can see the reasoning behind that decision.

Perhaps the biggest concern is the number of cruises like the Jade Summer 2017 itineraries, where NCL appeared to announce and sell them, and then had second thoughts and changed everything around. The Epic winter itineraries for 2016/17 were similar. It really would be better if they got it right first time.

As I am based in Europe, these changes are not a great problem for us, and we have done quite well out of them, but I think it's important for people flying from other places in the world to appreciate the risks involved in booking early, and especially with arranging flights etc too far in advance.

A very interesting and enlightening analysis Keith. Thanks for taking the trouble. I am surprised at the change highlighted by Susank on another thread where her Italy/France/Spain/Sicily/Sardinia/Italy cruise has been changed to go in the opposite direction to Greece/Malta/Italy. Do you have any idea what would bring about such a change?

What I find most interesting about this is the flights being booked. For the most part, I have always found the best time to book a flight (based on cost) is 45-90 days out from flying. Do a lot of people book flights so far out (over a year)? I did not even realize that airlines let you book that far out.

What I find most interesting about this is the flights being booked. For the most part, I have always found the best time to book a flight (based on cost) is 45-90 days out from flying. Do a lot of people book flights so far out (over a year)? I did not even realize that airlines let you book that far out.

I cannot speak for your side of the pond, but usually here in Europe at least, the earlier you book, the better, particularly the low cost airlines. I have worked in and around the travel trade for many years and I cannot think of any full service carrier where you can book more than 364 days in advance. With the low cost carriers it is even less.

I cannot speak for your side of the pond, but usually here in Europe at least, the earlier you book, the better, particularly the low cost airlines. I have worked in and around the travel trade for many years and I cannot think of any full service carrier where you can book more than 364 days in advance. With the low cost carriers it is even less.

Very interesting. I agree on the 364 days, I have never seen flights out further. I use google to track the prices of the flights I want/need, and I seem to always find the best pricing in the last 3 months before the flight. I guess different areas of the world do things very differently. :)

We`ve had 4 cruise cancelled on us 2 in Europe ( Jade and Epic ) and 2 across the pond ( pearl and Jewel ) . We tend to book really early so we half expect some changes . We`ve always done ok when we have rearranged our bookings .

As for flights we tend to book around 10 months out to get best prices , if a cruise gets cancelled we work around it .

I am surprised at the change highlighted by Susank on another thread where her Italy/France/Spain/Sicily/Sardinia/Italy cruise has been changed to go in the opposite direction to Greece/Malta/Italy. Do you have any idea what would bring about such a change?

I'd love to know.

If I was being uncharitable, I'd say that NCL just chuck together these itineraries and then have another look at them closer to the time and change those which aren't selling well.

I actually think that it's a side effect of them trying to mix up the itineraries a bit. In my opinion the options available have got much better over the past few years. A couple of years ago we were having discussions about other options than NCL as we had been to most of the places which were available on their itineraries dunking school holidays. Now we have three cruises booked in Europe with very few repeated ports. The downside is that they seem to be learning as they go and making some mistakes that need to be corrected later.

Some of those mistakes were quite obvious, like announcing Southampton as a home port for the Jade and then having hardly any cruises that actually left from there during the British school holidays, or having a load of cruises travelling from Southampton which just visited places that can easily be reached by the cross channel ferry.

I don't think that explains the one you are referring to, as most of the ports involve on that are quite usual for NCL, from memory, but there is obviously lots going on behind the scenes.

I don't know whether European itineraries are done from here, or whether someone in Miami is randomly sticking pins in a map.

The next time I cruise with you, Keith, I'm going to award you with a plaque or something to symbolize you being Most Informative Poster of the Decade on CC.

Or maybe I'll just buy you a beer.... using my UBP, of course.

What I find most interesting about this is the flights being booked. For the most part, I have always found the best time to book a flight (based on cost) is 45-90 days out from flying. Do a lot of people book flights so far out (over a year)? I did not even realize that airlines let you book that far out.

Booking flights over a year out is rare. Some must do, as people on here have stated that their flights were booked that far out.

I certainly never do, which is why I have never had trouble with changes that far out, and I think that is sufficient no time for changes.

Personally, we tend to book at about the 1 year mark. Mainly because we use air miles a lot, and you need to book them early to get thee availability. Those flights are cancellable, for a small fee which is pretty well covered by OBC offered.

I'd agree with jet lagged, that I find flights are cheaper when booked early, unless you wait until very last minute, when they could go either way. We have to travel during school holidays, so prices do tend to go up in those timeframes.

It really does depend on individual circumstances, and timings, but I do check prices during the year, and certainly by booking early we have saved a lot compared to what we would have paid if we waited.

The next time I cruise with you, Keith, I'm going to award you with a plaque or something to symbolize you being Most Informative Poster of the Decade on CC.

 

Or maybe I'll just buy you a beer.... using my UBP, of course.

Thanks.

I could then buy you one back, using my UBP. :)

What I find most interesting about this is the flights being booked. For the most part, I have always found the best time to book a flight (based on cost) is 45-90 days out from flying. Do a lot of people book flights so far out (over a year)? I did not even realize that airlines let you book that far out.

do you typically book transatlantic flights 45-60 days out? I agree with this practice for domestic us flights except for major holidays which we usually book right when schedules open. I never wait that long for transatlantic flight purchase. People on my roll call for September, 2017 cruise out of Southampton picked up rt flights west coast to Europe for $430 pp rt w taxes back in November and December. That's on non budget airlines delta and virgin. British airways also had some great deals. A good deal nonstop Seattle or PDX to LHR typically runs around $1200 so the $430 pp nonstop was definitely worth it.

The other problem is that first class mileage flights on British Airways for transatlantic flights have to be nabbed the min they go on offer so planning ahead for the mileage fares are done about a year in advance.

That said I agree with Keith. Of the last four cruises I've booked for Europe sailings, one went as planned, one completely canceled, one port change but same embarkation/debarkation, one complete different itinerary and embarkation/debarkation ports (Jade this summer)

my upcoming September Jade two week sailing being sold out 9 months in advance makes me nervous but I'm going to trust that it's just a popular sailing and not think the worst about a charter or major switch of embarkation ports.

Keith

our future cruise plans are up in the air due to Ian having hip surgery next month and trying to negotiate with NCL re transferring deposit for our having to be cancelled April transatlantic

like you we are having to fit around UK school holidays and wondering what you have booked

we may meet again!

Lyn

Keith

 

our future cruise plans are up in the air due to Ian having hip surgery next month and trying to negotiate with NCL re transferring deposit for our having to be cancelled April transatlantic

 

 

 

like you we are having to fit around UK school holidays and wondering what you have booked

 

 

 

we may meet again!

 

 

 

Lyn

It's a real shame you have had to cancel your transatlantic. I know you'd been planning it for a while.

Our booked cruises are the Spirit from Venice this Easter, the Jade to Iceland in the Summer, the Spirit to the Canaries and we've just booked Hawaii for next Summer.

We'd love to cruise with you guys again some time. We should try to make it happen once everyone is fit and well.

It's a real shame you have had to cancel your transatlantic. I know you'd been planning it for a while.

 

Our booked cruises are the Spirit from Venice this Easter, the Jade to Iceland in the Summer, the Spirit to the Canaries and we've just booked Hawaii for next Summer.

 

We'd love to cruise with you guys again some time. We should try to make it happen once everyone is fit and well.

we will be stalking you lol

There have been quite a few posts on here lately regarding changes to itineraries. I get the impression from many peoples comments that they see these changes as being rare, but in my experience, that is far from the case.

 

Perhaps it is something that happens more in Europe, but we have been affected by itinerary changes quite often.

 

There have been some recent changes to cruises, which are slightly less common in that they fall after the period where people have started booking flights etc. However, whilst that is less common, it does happen.

 

I will say that changes are not always a bad thing. Actually, most of ours have resulted in a better result for us than we originally booked. However, it would be good if NCL just got the itineraries right in the first place.

 

Anyway, I've just had a brief look through my past cruises to try to demonstrate how often itinerary changes can happen. Obviously, my experience isn't the same as others, but I think it does show what can happen and may show people that some caution is always required when booking cruises a long way in advance.

 

I'm looking at a total of 17 cruises, including the ones that we have booked for this year.

 

Of these, 7 went ahead exactly as they were booked. This is less than half of them.

 

A further 2 had changes during the cruise itself due to weather. On both of these occasions, a port was missed.

 

3 had changes to ports made before we cruised, but the dates and embarkation ports have stayed the same.

 

We have had 2 complete cancellations. We received notification of both over a year before the cruise itself, and on both occasions we were extremely satisfied with the changes we negotiated with NCL, getting a better deal than we could have got had we booked the replacement directly.

 

The remaining three cruises were ones where the embarkation or disembarkation ports have changed. It is probably a concern that all three of these were planned for this year, which does suggest that this may be an increasing problem.

 

Of these three, we accepted the new itinerary on one, transferred to another date on the second and cancelled the third. The first two changes happened over a year before the cruise date, so again there was no problem with flights. We were lucky with the third one (the Epic this October) in that we were probably going to cancel anyway and would have lost our deposit if it wasn't for the changes, but some people who were booked on it had flights arranged.

 

Another of these changes was due to the disembarkation port being Istanbul. I can see the reasoning behind that decision.

 

Perhaps the biggest concern is the number of cruises like the Jade Summer 2017 itineraries, where NCL appeared to announce and sell them, and then had second thoughts and changed everything around. The Epic winter itineraries for 2016/17 were similar. It really would be better if they got it right first time.

 

As I am based in Europe, these changes are not a great problem for us, and we have done quite well out of them, but I think it's important for people flying from other places in the world to appreciate the risks involved in booking early, and especially with arranging flights etc too far in advance.

KeithJenner,

Were all of those changes on NCL? I've been on 11 cruises in about 15 years and had only 1 slight time change in a port and 2 skipped private islands due to weather. Generalky book 6 minths to 12 months before cruise.

Have my first cruise booked on NCL in December partial transit PC. Should I be worried?

Thanks

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Yes, all on NCL.

I don't think you should be too worried. I probably didn't make it clear enough, but all of the changed itineraries I have encountered are in Europe, where it does seem to be much more of a problem.

I know that there are sometimes changes in all areas, but Europe seems to be the biggest problem at the moment.

I haven't looked at PC cruises in much detail, but I'm not aware of them generally being a problem.

Thanks for the analysis, Keith. I'm one of those who thinks of itinerary changes as rare. I know they happen, but in the 16 or so cruises I've taken or have booked (including four European cruises), I've had one change. One. And, it's on my Western Med cruise this Sept. Originally we were calling in Marseilles and we're now going to Palma.

As far as purchasing flights, I'm a planner. Once I make a plan, it's very rare I change it so as soon as I can book, I start looking at prices. When they're at a rate I'm comfortable with I buy them. For my Sept cruise, I purchased my airfare a few months ago during that sale littlelulu referenced. I paid only $422 RT to Rome from the West Coast of the U.S. I've never in my life seen them that low!

This is interesting.

I have had only 3 changes in 47 cruises.

One delayed and a port missed due to hurricane Sandy - got stuck in Boston for two nights.

A B2B to Mexico changed to a Pacific Coast cruise(s) due to the swine flu.

Hope for no changes in the future!