NCL Star and Gem Fiascos

Hello, all. Several months ago I read about the azipod issues on the Star in Asia and Australia and how poorly that situation was handled by NCL. Today I am reading about the situation with the Gem which is stuck in Barbados instead of sailing back to NYC as we speak. Sounds like there are lots of unhappy people, not so much because of the mechanical issues but because of the way the situation is being handled by the cruise line.

I have sailed on NCL several times and enjoyed the experience but I am very disappointed to read about their handling of these problems. I have also been disappointed at how Royal Caribbean handled things during the hurricanes in Texas and the Caribbean this year.

I have been on the verge of booking a 12-day NCL cruise for next summer and wondering if I should go ahead and book OR look around for something else. I totally get that problems can occur during any trip. I just hate to reward companies financially when they treat their customers poorly.

I'm curious if others would write off a particular cruise line based on these types of incidents when they, themselves, were not involved personally. I suspect that it would cause many people to have a negative view of the company for a while but only until a great itinerary or deal came along. :) What do you all think?

kathy

My first cruise on NCL was in the Haven and needless to say was a great experience. Shortly thereafter I booked my current cruise with NCL. BUT, the way NCL has treated their clients on the 12/3 BA cruise has led me to shelve plans for two more NCL cruises in 2018 pending the experience we have in a couple of weeks. The NCL customer service team needs to learn how to communicate with passengers after a wholesale change of itinerary. I and numerous other people have pleaded with NCL for more information about the decisions they made and why; we have largely heard crickets. Since we were past the final payment, we were stuck and their lack of communication with us says to me they don’t care about the impact of their decisions on our cruise satisfaction. If they don’t care then they certainly are not going to get my future business. I’ll try RCCL next or return to Carnival.

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Where will you go when you have researched all the cruise lines and found that all will have had problems that they have dealt with in a less than totally efficient way? Take the best itinerary at the best price you can find on whatever line you like and then spend hours praying that nothing untoward happens.

Look forward not back and expect to enjoy what you have booked for what you paid.

Cancel, just research the cruise lines, because a number have had similar issues.

Where will you go when you have researched all the cruise lines and found that all will have had problems that they have dealt with in a less than totally efficient way? Take the best itinerary at the best price you can find on whatever line you like and then spend hours praying that nothing untoward happens.

Look forward not back and expect to enjoy what you have booked for what you paid.

(y) (y)

Hello, all. Several months ago I read about the azipod issues on the Star in Asia and Australia and how poorly that situation was handled by NCL.

 

 

 

I have been on the verge of booking a 12-day NCL cruise for next summer and wondering if I should go ahead and book OR look around for something else. What do you all think? kathy

We were on the Star in February and I admit, we were very surprised our sailing was not cancelled after 2 months of mechanical problems and near riots on the cruise before ours. We ended up adrift at sea and chose to leave the ship when we could to salvage the vacation we had planned.

We did not feel the situation was poorly handled in our case. We received our refund and on board credits as promised as well as the future cruise credit and partial flight reimbursement.

Do what is best for you, but unexpected travel issues happen to all cruise lines and land based operators.

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Within the last three months Royal has cancelled a TA and a TP. I have a chance to book an alternative TO, a more expensive cruise. The details will be available 12/12/17 and I have 10 days to respond or lose any credit or cabin. I will be in the Philippines in northern Luzon at that time. Not real happy about this. Hope my TP on the Jewel next September/October goes better.

NCLH is a business.

If I was NCLH I'd force my pax to buy a tiny bit of insurance, and not even tell them.

I'd raise fares by $3/pax, and put the money in a rainy-day fund so that when the next azipod on some ship somewhere gives out, i have the money to treat the affected pax like royalty instead of like cattle.

My reward, as NCLH, would be widespread kudos instead of complaints--and that'd turn into more business.

Sadly, the way NCLH nickels-and-dimes, such foresight seems unlikely.

We sail Saturday on Epic and I somehow lost all of my dinner reservations while viewing on line. I called and spoke with 2 reps and was told basically "tough luck." As I have printed copies before the reservations vanished, I hope to get them back once on board. If not, it will be back to Royal as I never have had an issue go unresolved with Royal or with Celebrity.

We sailed TA on NCL Jewel in 2006 and DH wanted to sail them again. I do have cruises selected to book and if dining reservation issue goes unresolved, I will not book another cruise. Customer service is of prime importance to me.

I just saw this article about the azipod issue.

http://

http://abc7chicago.com/travel/mom-son-stuck-in-barbados-over-a-week-after-cruise-ship-breaks-down/2651784/

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I think they have made great strides in customer service when things go wrong. They had a bad reputation in the past but I do think they are trying to change it.

I just saw this article about the azipod issue.

http://abc7chicago.com/travel/mom-son-stuck-in-barbados-over-a-week-after-cruise-ship-breaks-down/2651784/

 

I read NCL's version of the story -- all about how wonderfully the passengers were taken care of in Barbados and when they returned to NYC. Seems like many of the pax are telling a different tale! :)

k.

I'm sure I will book NCL again at some point in the future but we decided to try Celebrity next May (Ireland/Scotland/Iceland on the Eclipse out of Dublin). Thanks for your insights.

kathy

Where will you go when you have researched all the cruise lines and found that all will have had problems that they have dealt with in a less than totally efficient way? Take the best itinerary at the best price you can find on whatever line you like and then spend hours praying that nothing untoward happens.

Look forward not back and expect to enjoy what you have booked for what you paid.

I have to agree with you. Stuff happens and sometimes we cannot control any of it. Back in the day on the Wind there was an engine or something issue and she slowed down alot. We didn't care as we met great people and had an enjoyable time. See, I can't remember what happened only the good time we had on the ship.