lanceholt

1 hour ago, OscarMcSloth said:

Agreed, it is completely different. We're also talking about the way it was handled by NCL retrospectively, not how we enjoyed, or felt, or celebrated on said cruise. 

 

It could not be more different:

- 1 day vs 2

- 50% of our ports

- a true trans-ocean cruise, not a domestic cruise from the NoCal to Hawaii

 

You need to understand who the demographic is on a TA leaving from NYC is. According to the Cruise Next team the average age on our cruise was 60 years old. Rebooking international flights and hotels 96 hours out is challenging enough, but when you're talking about an international cruise, with jacked up shore excursions (many folks were going just for Normandy or Paris) and needing to rearrange travel on top of everything... 

 

Just curious re what on earth did the average age on your Getaway cruise have to do with anything?  Sounds a little like you think over 60's would be too feeble to make such arrangements or deal with changes easily.

 

 

 

 

We've used Smiths for Airports for this kind of transport with a stop and have been very pleased.  

16 hours ago, Osnab said:

What???  We're not talking about a meal that was a little late coming to the table!  We're not talking about how the elevators are slow.  This is totally different.  Can't you see the difference?

Of course I can see the difference, was just saying that if it was us, we would take the 25% refund, plan another trip with the 25% off future cruise, apply the $300 to any expenses we had IF we were to change airline/hotel arrangements and be done with it.  OF COURSE your mileage may vary.  Contacting an attorney is one's own decision, but letting anger build this high is not good for anyone's mental or physical health.  We had a mix up in docking time on a cruise we have booked in early Sept, we could have used our cancel for any reason insurance (that we ALWAYS purchase as it gives you flexibility) but decided to turn lemons into lemonade and enjoy our coming trip.

2 hours ago, Granny DI said:

This has happened to us on numerous cruiselines.  We were very upset but got over it and didn’t let it spoil our vacation. Never ever considered hiring a lawyer. Lawyer fees get out of hand in a hurry. Life happens. We have lost prepaid golf in Dublin, Gleneagles in Scotland and expensive hotel rooms in Hamburg as just a few of our disappointments. I’ve forgotten more instances than I remember. 

Thank you.....we roll with the punches and the same attitude you have.  It is sad to see people who are determined to stay angry.  No trip is pefect and life happens...

8 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

Saw this on another thread, I think it is savvy advice.

 

   1 hour ago,  Homosassa said: 

Here is advice for any cruiser to remember:

 

NEVER book  a cruise because one absolutely must be in a port on a certain day at a certain time or if one will suffer lifelong trauma due to a itinerary change. Ship happens and itineraries are changed for a variety of valid reasons.

 

PERFECT.....things happen and a good part of having a happy life is rolling with whatever punches come along and not seeing conspiracies in every event.  

Thanks Keith for an excellent review.  We too prefer cruises to other places, mostly Europe but have been to the Caribbean twice.  Coming up in Sept is our 10th cruise on NCL.....and we have been happy with every one of them.  Sometimes the nitpickers around us are unbelievable but we tend to find that amusing....

18 minutes ago, nwcruiselover said:

They eliminated The Azores, as well as Portland, England.

Sounds like it will be a great cruise now!  Hope all the anger can just evaporate...and you all still will get your refunds etc, wow!

29 minutes ago, travelplus said:

 

As soon as the cruise is over  plan and go to Normandy, Paris and Brussels and see if Norwegian can help you change your flight and pay any add collect fees and change fees.

 

Book the nicest place you can afford and enjoy the missed ports.  Take the 25 percent refund and apply it to your own land vacation. Hire a Private Guide.

This is why I love being spontaneous. My travel vendor fails then I negotiate my own way to enjoy it after a cruise. See if their land vacation department can cover costs and assist with rail transportation to the places you want to see. You could also do it with a travel agent. A cruise cut from 12 to 10 days should give you $200 back plus port charges in hard cash.  

 

Look at Rick Steve's Travel Forum for some ideas and call it a day.

 

Great attitude and I hope the advice is taken....life is too short to be this upset for this long and there are alternatives which might be much better in the long run!

By the way, we were not offered compensation nor did we expect it for our change.

We are on the Sept 1 cruise on the Spirit to UK, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, 14 days....we were to be in Reykjavik for 2 nights, beginning at 8am the first day and leaving at 8am the 3rd day....was switched to 6pm the first day leaving us with only one full day.  We were disappointed but got over it and will make the best of it.  I think whoever is planning itineraries is not good at it and communication has suffered as well.  Could use some sharpening up imho.  

You can get a free paper at the Marriott front desk, true at Hilton and Hampton Inn as well.  

9 hours ago, YankeesFan4Life said:

Final payment date was last week, 4/13.  I originally paid $1279 pp for a B3 cat, and $1249 for a B2 (connecting).  Price just came down to $1199 pp for both categories.  

 

Emailed my TA over the weekend about the price, she calls me this morning and said she was on the phone with NCL and all they would do was give me $25 OBC for the B2 and $40 for the B3 cabin.  With the price drop, same perks (including free air), I could have saved $260, instead I end up with $65 OBC.... Does that seem fair?  Not sure how I feel about it.  Other people experience similar outcomes?

If you can speak with someone in charge on the ship they may do more for you regarding yoursituation...usually we can get 25% cruise credit towards the diff in price.

Just now, CILCIANRQTS said:

 

Than what??

We consider them a great value and a wonderful new concept in cruising.

Will have to do a comparison for ourselves and what we use/do on a usual cruise...we cruise more often than not in suites.  

We have had some really great butlers who have tailored our afternoon and evening snacks to what we like to eat....and to begin with we let them know that we don't ever want those little canapes.  If the butler is good, it is just a matter of communication and them noticing what you like best.

9 minutes ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

 

And no photographers, and no art auctions, and only 930 pax on all ships, and one free excursion each port, and free WiFi, and no art auctions, and no charge for beer and wine at lunch and dinner, and no charge for alternate restaurants, and free laundry rooms onboard, and no entrance fee for the spa, and no inside staterooms, and no formal nights, and no junk sales blocking the halls and atrium, and a $20/ day drink package - including tips.

Other than that, pretty much the same as all the other lines...😉😊👍

Aren't they more expensive?  

We stay mostly in Marriott hotels....at one time there was nightly turn down with chocolates....a number of years ago both were discontinued while the room rates continue to rise.  They give additional Marriott points if you are willing to have your room not serviced for a couple of days, make the reuse towels suggestion as well.  This from NCL and I am sure other cruise lines is just a reflection of what is happening in the rest of the hospitality world.  If all these services were left as they were years ago, then prices would even be higher.  We find that on every cruise we make connections with some very special crew members who make parts of the cruise very memorable....none are because of a chocolate or a towel animal....they are human interactions.  Just my two cents as I am sure many disagree.  

52 minutes ago, OscarMcSloth said:

That's a negative ghost rider...

 

In what world is 25% of CRUISE FARE only (mind you they cut 50% of our ports, but no refund on port fees or taxes) and 25% off of a future cruise the same as a 50% refund? As it is that 25% is really more like 18% and the $300 per person fee is not for whatever you want... as the NCL rep explained to me on the phone it's primarily for pre-booked and re-booked travel arrangements and is limited to their approval and to be paid out.... god knows when. Not the same as 50% refund especially considering a good chunk of these folks were from the Oasis and were giving NCL a try, that 25% future cruise credit is as good as toilette paper. 

TOILET...sp correction.

As long as we get off the ship happy and relaxed, we will keep choosing NCL.  We have two upcoming cruises and look forward to both of them.

26 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

Thats not really true, you can purchase from a few places cancel for any reason insurance. Its more expensive but you can get it. We just bought it for our up coming cruise on the Escape in June. My wife and I have elderly parents with health conditions. If something happens before the cruise we can cancel, if something happens during the cruise......well, they can be kept on ice Lol

 

We always buy insurance and always have cancel for any reason.  NCL has compensated $300 per person and 25% refund on whatever you paid for this cruise....if you had this insurance you then have a choice of what to do.  We had to use our insurance 2 weeks before a 14 day European cruise 8 years ago and learned the lesson well that it is not an option for us.  I am so sorry that the people posting here are so angry and can't seem to deal with it other than posting hate on a public message board...see a lawyer, see your doctor, call your credit card company, send a million emails to NCL management, but please stop doing what doesn't do any good and that is spewing hate on this board.  That really will not make a difference unless it is a negative one to your health.  

20 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

In London, as in many places, booking months in advance typically gets you a rate much lower than one gets with a last-minute booking.  The folks on the Getaway who are impacted by what NCL has done don't have the luxury of an early booking.

 

The lowest rate at that hotel right now for the nights of May 7 and 8, when the Getaway folks would be arriving, is a member's rate of £250 per night, which is approximately $325 US. 

Yes and Senior or AAA rate bring it down a little.  The 25% cruise refund would help as well but agree late booking gives you higher rates for sure.  

2 hours ago, smplybcause said:

 

The 25% refund for missing 16% of your cruise would also help cover the food costs. I was seriously debating this cruise and with the new offerings a part of me is bummed at missing what would have turned out to be a good deal on the cruise and extra days in London. 

Sounds like you are a "glass half full" person as well....we love London and the UK in general so could have turned this one into a win for sure.  FYI, anyone on this cruise looking to spend a couple of days in London, we are staying this fall before an NCL cruise at the London Marriott Hotel Kensington at a really good rate.

19 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

While this is better than what they initially offered, good luck getting a decent hotel room for two nights in London on such short notice that will leave you much if anything at all for food after that $600.  

 

I agree with you -- why did they need an outcry to agree to give folks something to (help) cover two nights in a hotel when they are cutting the cruise short by two nights?  This isn't rocket science, and this isn't the first time a cruise line has had to deal with something like this.   It's pretty hard to re-generate business goodwill after you've first pissed all over your customers. 

You can get a decent hotel in London  for $600 for 2 nights and assuming the OP planned on spending money on both port stops, then that would pay for entertainment and meals.  For example we have a reservation at the Kensington Marriott Hotel London for less than that. 

Time to let the anger go unless you really get something big out of being so outraged all the time.

6 hours ago, cruiser1955a said:

I look at the current “Getaway” situation, if I was treated that way, It would be my last NCL Cruise. Until it happens to me, I’ll stick with them.

A great majority of complaints I read about NCL, or any cruise line, are about things that are “subjective”. Food, entertainment, friendliness of staff, noise in cabin, chair hogs, etc. You are responsible for your own happiness. Don’t sweat the small stuff, especially on vacation.

THANK YOU....any day on a cruise is better than a day at work!!

Wonder if "cancel for any reason" insurance would cover this.  Life is so short, I hope you can deal with this emotionally and manage to enjoy your cruise anyway.  The level of anger I see here on this thread is not healthy for anyone....if you are upset about any trip purveyor, then it is best to change what company you deal with be it airline, hotel, car rental, tour company, and yes cruise lines.  

Trip interruption, reimbursement for expenses incurred regarding the change.  I know it is hard to have this trip shortened but I thought the Chunnel suggestion was a great one....that sounded glass half full.  We have had many cruises in Europe and one thing we discuss ahead of time is the fact that some ports can end up skipped cut short for whatever reason.  IF a city/region is a must do for that trip perhaps the risk of cruising is not for you.