Prosecco220

As you say, factors arise during a cruise that may force the ship to avoid port. That is understandable. However, if Viking knew a full month ahead that a particular cruise could not stop in ANY of the scheduled ports, I feel sure they would cancel the cruise and give refunds. Oceania is trying to salvage this pretty expensive trip by abandoning the original itinerary and substituting an entirely different cruise. Plus they’re subjecting their customers to 9 days sailing through a war zone.

Yes, we will share. A class action is less onerous to NCLH, tho, than 500 individual arbitrations. Ideally, travel agents, agency owners and consolidators must hit NCLH hard and demand refunds on behalf of their customers. Do these folks REALLY work for the cruise companies and airline? Their actions will speak volumes. Since some people have been given refunds, there’s blood in the water.

I commiserate! But don’t despair. 1) The Federal Maritime Commission requires that cruise line put passenger paid money into escrow. Our money is sitting there. 2) Your travel agency is probably part of Signature Travel Network and these folks have real clout with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. I recommend that you be proactive. Insist that your travel agency’s OWNER ask Signature intercede and demand a full refund. Also convey your intention to go to arbitration, which we believe is easily winnable. 3) The negative PR pressure is building and because NCLH’s decisions/choices have been so

I commiserate! This was to be our 50th anniversary voyage. But don’t despair. 1) The Federal Maritime Commission requires that cruise line put passenger paid money into escrow. Our money is sitting there. 2) Others have started getting refunds. Your travel agency is probably part of Signature Travel Network and these folks have real clout with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. I recommend that you be proactive. Insist that your travel agency’s OWNER either ask Signature to intercede and/or personally demand a full refund. Also convey your intention to go to arbitration, which we believe is winnable, and not expensive. If 100 of us declare this intention, it will overwhelm them. 3) The negative PR pressure is building and because NCLH’s decisions/choices have been so anti-customer, so egregious, so erratic, can anyone ever trust their decision-making again? We place our lives in their hands, and for Jewish passengers, this is especially scary if we’re dealing with apparently unprincipled people. Their choice to deliberately place a ship full of “rich Westerners” into a war zone simply boggles the mind.

As you say, factors arise during a cruise that may force the ship to avoid a port. That is understandable. However, if Viking knew a full month ahead that a particular cruise could not stop in ANY of the scheduled ports, I feel sure they would cancel the cruise and give refunds. Oceania is trying to salvage this pretty expensive trip by abandoning the original itinerary and substituting an entirely different cruise. Plus they’re subjecting their customers to 9 days sailing through a war zone.

As you say, factors arise during a cruise that may force the ship to avoid a port. That is understandable. However, if Viking knew a FULL MONTH AHEAD that a cruise could not stop in ANY of the scheduled ports, I feel sure they would cancel the cruise and give refunds. Oceania is trying to salvage this pretty expensive Holy Lands and Middle East trip by abandoning the original itinerary and substituting an entirely different cruise, Greek Islands, and refusing to let us reschedule. Plus, in order to reposition their ship and not lose money, they’re subjecting their customers to 9 days sailing through a war zone. Unconscionable!

Didn’t read the Oceania contract? SUCKER! Well, that’s us. For successful, educated world travelers, NOT understanding Oceania/NCLH’s legal obligations before committing $40,000 to this cruise vacation was stupid. In a nutshell, Oceania/Regent/Norwegian can change the embarkation from, say, Istanbul, to anywhere else in the world. The same with debarkation. They can, at will, change the ports of call, and/or choose NOT to stop anywhere, at all. In essence, they can change our Holy Land and Middle East cruise to floating around the Bahamas for 22 days on any ship of their choosing. (See section 4 of the Ticket Contract.) Want to sue? Oh no, you’ve limited yourself to binding arbitration and mediation in Miami. Regardless, you automatically signed away ALL YOUR RIGHTS when you PAID for this cruise. And if you bought trip insurance, they consider this situation “Acts of War or Political Unrest” so your claim will be denied. (Yet Oceania will sail a ship full of rich westerners down the Red Sea, past rocket launching crazies, to position their boat for its next cruise to Asia.) I’d like to blame our underpaid travel agent, but she, in reality, works for the cruise companies and airlines who provide trips and spiffs to incentivize them. We were not warned that “Upon booking, (paying), you agree to be bound by all the terms and conditions…” That was a surprise, but we’re smart, successful people, right? SUCKER! Read the contract first.

Hi Tim, thank you for your reply. I’m glad your trip was successful. Cruise companies, like any thriving service business, have an obligation to act with integrity. Oceania/NCLH truly has not. As customers, we pay our money UP FRONT with the hope and expectation that Oceania will deliver the promised services. Both cruise companies and their customer assume risks. Yet other cruise companies cancelled Middle East trips and refunded the fees early on. Oceania early choice was to reduce a 22 day Holy Lands and Middle East trip with stops including Istanbul, Ephesus, Rhodes, Limassol, Haifa, Cairo, Suez, Petra, Luxor, Jeddah, Muscat and Dubai to a cruise around the Greek Islands and 10 days down the Red Sea. This, coupled with their shenanigans insisting that customers reschedule within a week, then withdrawing the offer and now providing absolutely no communication with customers. I’m happy your trip went well and if this was a $2000 party cruise we’d chalk it up to bad luck. You probably know that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, owner of Oceania, is listed on the NY Stock Exchange and is in excellent financial shape. And yes, this war will cost them money, as it has thousands of other businesses. Given the lofty image they convey, it seems quite stupid and short sighted to try to screw 1200 people out of $10 grand each plus another $4 grand in airfare. Finally, shareholders and customers should watch the decisions new CEO Harry Sommers is making as the company is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in 2 new ships for 2026 an 2027. Sacrificing today’s good will for future profits? How many of us will trust them in the future?

Four of us are on this same trip!!! What a wonderful itinerary and really the last area in the world we’ve yet to visit. They pulled the same stunt during COVID, waiting till the last minute to cancel, which jeopardizes airlines, hotels and tours we’ve already paid for. This choice, to hold customers at ransom, reveals desperation. Frankly, I do not trust the financial stability of the company. They’re holding a lot of our money that we may never spend.