We were on the 12/18/22 sailing of the Encore which had only two port calls-- GSC and Puerto Plata. We ended up in Ochos Rios instead of DR and in Nassau instead of GSC. While we rolled our eyes at the announcement that the DR change was due to "unforeseen circumstances" (not unforeseen to us with all the info on CC), missing GSC was said to be due to seas too rough for the tenders. In both cases there was no advance notice; we were informed by an announcement onboard the day prior.
What we have learned over a host of cruises is that if you have your heart set on visiting a specific destination, a cruise is not the best choice. Cruise lines have broad discretion on itinerary changes, so we pick a ship we like in case we are on it more than we anticipated and an itinerary that is interesting but not "make or break". That said, there should be a reasonable expectation that the itinerary should be as close to what it advertised as possible-- not just taking you wherever the wind blows. Should NCL be advertising the DR when it knows full well that the odds of Amber Cove being available are slim and then claiming unforeseen circumstances? No. I agree that is bad faith and am very disappointed to see it.
