NCL Hell - Beware

[Ms belp]

Thank you Gemini, Hampshire for the warning. I was totally naive the first time I went to the Med. We were taken around Barcelona because the Jewel was not ready and not a word was spoken to be careful of our possessions. Not until we were on our way to Rome was a word spoken about people who might try to pick our pockets. It seems to be on the increase everywhere. It's a shame.

[mjane1999]

excuse me, I was saying that I believe her story...don't jump my case please! I was saying pretty much what you are, that just because she hasn't posted before doesn't mean her post is BS.

I apologize for misreading it. I am glad you feel the same way!

[Don Haynes]

Rick Steves, PBS' travel guru, recommends wearing a money belt. Keep your passports, credit cards, and money as separated as possible. Have photo copies of your passport. Steves has been saying this for over a decade. All travel guide books do to...

 

Another tip is to not look like a tourist... Blend in... Tourists are targeted by those who pick pockets...

[Desert Cruizers]

Since we will be taking our 1st TA our of Barcelona in a year, I have been doing a lot of reading on these Boards and the web to gain knowledge of what we need to do to hopefully avoid being pickpocketed. I have made copies of our Pass ports, Credit cards, talked with our Credit Card Companies, so hope we will have an enjoyable trip next year and are prepared for any possibilities. I woulds hate to think one has to walk around town in Barcelona for 3 days with our hands in our pockets. I don't plan on carrying a purse and will only bring 1 credit card while touring, until we board the ship & very little cash on us during our time in Barcelona. We will keep everything else in the Hotel Safe.

[MsArchangel]

Plus is the NCL Jade considered as being USA territory being an american cruise line while we are onboard at sea? or is that completely wrong.

Ships are not even considered "American territory" when they're docked in an American port!! They are considered commercial assets of whatever country they're registered in (which will usually be one of several with excellent tax laws for cruise ships!) -- and each ship is bound by the laws of the country within whose borders they are sailing or docked.

 

And when they're in international waters, they are bound by maritime law, which is a whole 'nother set of laws! This is why crimes committed on cruise ships are always problematic -- the investigation is conducted by the police force of whatever country has jurisdiction. If you're in Turkish waters? Then TURKISH POLICE do the investigation -- not the American police, not the Bahamian police (in the case of ships registered there)...

 

The NCL Jade is registered in the Bahamas. So, she is in no way "American."

 

This is important information for cruisers to know -- cruising is NOT like vacationing in California! (Although usually safer than some cities in California...)

 

Great sympathy for the original poster, but research is necessary before traveling!

 

Elenor

[lazydaz]

I thought I would share information of how we were pickpocketed in Barcelona so others might not be caught in the same scam. We were walking through a pleasant neighborhood with small shops and passed under some scaffolding which looked like construction work was being done on one of the shops. Suddenly we were splattered with guck which sort of looked like plaster. A young man ran out to us, I thought he came from the store but I am not sure, carrying kleenex and apologizing for the splatter that had hit my husband. Before we could say anything, he took the kleenex and tried to wipe the guck off my husband, apologizing all the time. Finally my husband took some kleenex and finished cleaning himself off and thanked the young man. Just after he left, my husband realized his wallet which he kept in his front pants pocket was gone. I fortunately had money with me and we were able to get a taxi back to the ship. Because of the theft we cancelled the only credit card we were carrying, and as a result, it was no longer available for our on board expense. We did have an ATM card in the safe and were able to withdraw cash over several days to cover our expenses. Hope this information is of help.

 

HAL New Amsterdam 1994 Alaska

HAL New Amsterdam 1995 New Orleans/Vancouver

RCL 1995 Caribbean

Nile Riverboat cruise 1995

HAL Noordam 1997 Alaska

Royal Olympic 1998 Rio/Athens

Commodore Cruise Line 1999 Caribbean

NCL Sun 2004 New Orleans/Vancouver

NCL Jade 2008 Europe/Great Britain

NCL Jewel 2008 Baltic

Yangtze Riverboat cruise 2009

HAL Statendam 2009 Ft. Lauderdale/San Diego

Diamond Princess 2010 Beijing/Vancouver

NCL Sun 2010 Caribbean (upcoming)

[sjbdtz]

Although i do find the whole thing baffling with regard to international waters/part of the EU/domestic borders and Schengers something or other.

 

I had no problem believing anything you'd said...until now. You're in the UK and don't know what the Schengen economic zone is? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Agreement This must have been all over the British press, it seems suspicious that you wouldn't be aware of it.

 

My point raised was - not everyone would be able to readily access 800 euros to fund the extra costs. Not a problem perhaps if you still have your bank/credit cards with you, but my husband did not have any of his.

 

Two things here....your point raised was NCL is "hell", and to "beware". Had your post been.... make sure you have an emergency fund in case your passport is stolen, people would have reacted completely differently to your post.

You know how your immediate reaction is that I'm picking at nits? Well that's the way I interpret your reaction to the Security Officer. It's all in what, AND HOW you say things.

American Express in the 70's & 80's made itself famous for claiming to be able to replace a lost or stolen credit card within hours, anywhere in the world. Now, most credit card companies can do the same thing.

 

 

 

 

 

The overall concern was if my husband had to wait for money to be transferred from his bank or money sent from friends or family back home in the UK how would he manage in the interim.

 

Western Union would take care of the wire transfer..his total wait might be 20 - 30 minutes until his family could get themselves to a Western Union wicket.

 

 

 

This was a stark reminder of how vulnerable he was without immediate access to money and without advice it was a very frightening situation, we had no knowledge of how to deal with it. I am sure many others would be just as bewildered as we were with so many emotions running through your head in such a short space of time. Thankfully we remembered in time he was able to take my bank card.

 

I'm curious also about a detail....you said you got to barcelona and were waiting for the HoHo bus when this happened, and that you returned to the ship without seeing Barcelona. For argument's sake, let's say that was around 9a.m. You cancelled your credit cards using the ship's telephone (though why you didn't do this shoreside, before returning to the ship????) and then in the same conversation mentioned to the Reception that you needed to deal with your missing passport.....and were told he'd have to leave..... but now it was 20 minutes before sailing.....that means you spent at least 8 hours standing at the reception desk? Is my math right?

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were advised to take photographic i.d. ashore. In future we will take a scanned copy of our passports as many others have suggested or our photographic driving licence. But as i have also learnt from other cruisers should you sail into Dubrovnik it has to be the original passport taken ashore.

 

It varies by country, and so should your approach. I'm guessing if you live in the UK and have a family young enough that Harry Potter at Disney is interesting, you'll wind up in Europe again some time.... this is probably something you should understand.

 

 

 

 

Oh and yes to the cynical one or two i might be posting an unfavourable review

 

Why? For them letting you use their phone? For them advising you that they're unable to transport you without papers? Or did you not like the cruise, either?

 

 

but it is nonetheless true to my written word and to our experience.

 

Should you require any proof

I don't

i will gladly furnish a photocopy of the police report, i hope you can read spanish

I can.

 

 

I bid you good people good night and as said previous we did not have a problem with the NCL Jade,

 

Then it isn't deserving of a poor review, is it?

 

 

 

just with how our situation was handled at that time and how information on the ports of call regarding pickpockets would be more beneficial,

 

I get the distinct impression you may not have been listening, or reading. I seem to recall notes in the insert of my Freestyle Daily informing me about pickpocket risk in Barcelona.

 

 

 

we personally know other cruise lines do give guests the heads up.

 

As does NCL.

 

 

comments inline

[NJGeorge]

Here is an interesting website that might help those going to Barcelona - The website has many pages on pickpocket prevention - specific to Barcelona and those locations where you should be extra careful. Check out the pickpocket videos too - especially the videos which show purse thieves who target purses in restaurants - those are really eye opener videos.

 

Chalk up pickpockets as part of the travel experience - learn how they operate and you should be fine...just do your homework.

 

Scroll down to the pickpocket section to find the links..

 

Wow that site is pretty informative. Law officials should check it out too:rolleyes:

 

As a tip to all who want to be in Times Square on New Year's Eve....don't;)

[terrymtex01]

 

How we funded our holiday is no ones business. But for your information a small inheritance (God Bless you Dad, we miss you dearly) aided our three day pre-cruise hotel stay in Majorca and NCL Jade cruise around the med. (See Jetline cruise.com for further details)

 

 

 

I am SO glad I missed the post where someone asked that question. I can't imagine why anyone would think it was their business how you funded anything.

[mypleasure]

I don't think it has anything to do with the economy. Barcelona has been notorious for pickpockets for years. Because of the relative proximity of Spain to England and Europeans travelling from one country to the other like we in the US do from state to state, I would have thought that the pickpocket problem in Barcelona would be common knowledge among Europeans and they wouldn't need specific warnings about it from the ship.

...........................................

 

 

Oh my....lol. I have some suggestions but not going there.:D

 

Barcelona is extremely well known amongst British people for being a place where there is a high chance of being pickpocketed. The travel writers in the press and a number of consumer type TV programs mention Barcelona and a number of other major European cities to be fair, as places to be careful of this on a very regular basis. I don't understand why the OP was not aware of this but having said that I think everyone should be responsible for taking their own personal steps to ensure the safety of themselves, their family and their belongings wherever they are in the world. It is not someone elses reponsibility to tell anyone to be careful.

 

I am sorry it happened but it may or may not have been avoidable and was not the cruiselines fault.

[UKBayern]

comments inline

 

I studied European and International Law and even I had to check what the deal was with Monaco regarding Schengen. This is such an odd one out, and the situation of the OP is so unusual that even people with a degree in the field could not give you a snap answer if somebody was pointing a gun at their head.

So... take a break will you and stop accusing the OP. This is not suspicious. The UK is not part of the Schengen agreement, so most UK citizens have less knowledge of the exact provisions than citizens of Schengen countries.

-------

 

I think the most important thing I have learned from this story, is that if you are a EU-citizen, travelling from one EU-port to another and lose your passport, that you have to hide that fact from the cruiseline. Just for Americans, so they understand: you are on a cruise from New York. In Charleston you get robbed. In Miami you could easily replace your passport. You are not leaving the federation of states that allow you free unlimited travel. Now they make you spend € 800 on a taxi from Charleston to Miami. Would you kick up a fuss? Sure you would!

[KaththeTaff]

The OP isn't saying the passport being stolen is NCL's fault! Geesh!

 

What she's clearly saying is that NCL should have a procedure in place for when this happens. Kicking him off the ship seems unacceptable to me. I think NCL should have the resources available to them to be able to HELP this passanger.

 

I worked for a big comepnay that sent employees in international travel. They had a procedure to help the employee. NCL should have a procedure too.

 

OP, I think you should contact the local news and tell your story. Only with public humiliation will NCL probably choose to focus on their customer and help them in these emergency situations.

 

Only one problem with that argument, the custome ris not an employee of NCL, so your comparison is not really a good one.

[erdoran]

When you pay for a cruise, one of the expectations is to have them looking out for your welfare. I don't mean in a stupid way "be sure to brush your teeth, here's your jacket" but if you get in a difficult situation like this certainly was, one would EXPECT NCL to provide ASSISTANCE, not just kick you off the ship!!!! I'm sure they have some presence at each port, whether it is a frequently-used tour operator or an actual office, so they should AT A MINIMUM have had a local come to OP's assistance! It is an absolute, utter disgrace that they kicked OP off the ship! THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THAT!

 

As for the people who shut down their credit cards because of pickpockets and the ship made a big deal about how they were going to pay their bill--again, first of all, that's terrible treatment of passengers. The first response should be to HELP them sort things out! And--isn't there the option to contact someone at home--or even your credit card company--and provide the NCL main office with different credit card information, which can be put into the ship's system? Seems like that's a very reasonable solution! What would NCL do if there wasn't a valid credit card on file at the end of the cruise because of theft--not let you disembark? Or make you walk the plank? Couldn't they let you get home and settle the bill with the main office? If you can afford to pay for your cruise chances are you can also afford your onboard account--at most they could shut it down so you can't spend any more on it.

 

The true message here is the picture that is emerging about (according to several posters on this thread) NCL's lack of effort to even minimally assist passengers who have a problem during the cruise and lack of common sense in just kicking a passenger off the ship, or not suggesting to passengers with compromised credit cards some very simple solutions to the problem. Heck, if they have Paypal they should even be able to paypal a deposit to the main NCL office to cover any on board charges!

[wg6530]

Just for Americans, so they understand: you are on a cruise from New York. In Charleston you get robbed. In Miami you could easily replace your passport. You are not leaving the federation of states that allow you free unlimited travel. Now they make you spend € 800 on a taxi from Charleston to Miami. Would you kick up a fuss? Sure you would!

Nice try, but your analogy won't sail. Pesky laws here, too. Just so you understand, under US law foreign flagged ships (only know of one US flagged cruiseship-its not in NY) cannot sail from one US port to another without stopping at a distant foreign port without facing major fines. Therefore, while I could legally drive from NY to Miami, I would have to have a passport to sail from NY to Miami, as would any international guests. Were my passport stolen, I would want the cruiseline to transport me if I could do so legally. If the law precluded the cruiseline from transporting me, I'd be ashore replacing my documents. I would not be happy about the law, but I would not kick up a fuss at the cruiseline. Nor would I call the cruiseline "hell." Oh, and just so you understand, US taxis don't take euros;). Nor would I expect to find a taxi willing to drive me from Charleston to Miami:o. There would be better travel options.

[halos]

I bid you good people good night and as said previous we did not have a problem with the NCL Jade, just with how our situation was handled at that time and how information on the ports of call regarding pickpockets would be more beneficial, we personally know other cruise lines do give guests the heads up.

 

Thank you again fellow cruisers for taking the time to read and advise.

 

 

Please write to NCL (their Corporate address can be found on their web site) and tell them what happened and how poorly it was handled. You may save another person from getting this less-than-stellar treatment.

[halos]

comments inline

 

I looked at all your comments (after I posted above)...and although I really dislike being cynical, you missed something that caught my eye and sent up a red flag for me.

 

But the thought of going back to Europe in the future is going to take some doing right now. .

 

Who says THAT when they live in the UK?????

 

Again, I hate being suspicious, but that seemed a bit off to me.....

[sjbdtz]

When you pay for a cruise, one of the expectations is to have them looking out for your welfare. I don't mean in a stupid way "be sure to brush your teeth, here's your jacket" but if you get in a difficult situation like this certainly was, one would EXPECT NCL to provide ASSISTANCE, not just kick you off the ship!!!!

 

I've been really trying to avoid getting into contentious discussions with people who will be on the TA with me.... I'm really quite friendly....but I have a dilemma with this post:

 

 

Why do you think that NCL owes assistance? The contract of carriage is for transportation, entertainment, food, and lodging. Nothing about education on international culture, or travel advice, or consular coordination. Those are things that an international traveller is presumed to have informed themselves about. Like the adage "ignorance of the law is no defence", nor is ignorance of particular risks. Barcelona's riskiness is WELL known...it's not recent, or hidden....every travel site about Barcelona says "watch out for pickpockets". And I'm CERTAIN that each of the times we've sailed out of BCN, NCL has said so, too.

I think that NCL DID help the OP, giving them access to the phone for 8 hours.... there are some significant gaps in the OPs story, and when I asked the OP for some filler, was told I was being pedantic. It's not pedantic to wonder what else happened during the 8 hours at the reception desk, to suddenly be surprised 20 minutes before departure.

I'm also surprised that the OP managed to find a police station, but weren't immediately counselled to use a pay phone to cancel their cards there, rather than going back to the ship.....and a phone call to the Embassy from the police might have helped expedite the 7 day passport....heck, they should have had a replacement card AND passport before the ship sailed, according to the timeline the OP outlined.

The OP states is was their "FIRST FULL DAY in Barcelona" so I wondered if it was pre-boarding, but no...they "RETURNED" to the ship.... that's a full day in Barcelona when everything could have been resolved in a few hours there.

 

 

 

.....the ship made a big deal about how they were going to pay their bill--again,

 

I doubt the ship made "a big deal", I'll bet that they asked if the customer wanted to apply an alternate method of payment. .the letter under the door would have said "your account is frozen, pending arrangements.

 

 

The first response should be to HELP them sort things out!

 

Front desk reception is a relatively entry-level job. Yes, they aspire to good customer service, but I'll be $10 that the reception desk personnel thought they WERE being helpful in providing access to the outside line, for the OP to contact all of their providers.

 

 

 

...--at most they could shut it down so you can't spend any more on it.

 

that's what they DID.

 

 

 

I looked at all your comments (after I posted above)...and although I really dislike being cynical, you missed something that caught my eye and sent up a red flag for me.

 

 

 

Who says THAT when they live in the UK?????

 

Again, I hate being suspicious, but that seemed a bit off to me.....

 

 

I did catch that....that's what I meant. You're in the UK, holiday frequently in Tenerife, have been to the Med 3 times, are a young-enough family that Disney (and Harry Potter) are appealing, and are afraid of the EU because of a pickpocket? (especially with the niggling detail of the UK being part of the EU... )

 

Just doesn't add up.

[erdoran]

You don't kick someone off the ship with nowhere to go and potentially no $$--common sense & decency!

[garycarla]

We have been to Barcelona three times, and walked many back streets. Never had a problem, but I know it is out there.

 

Hints for other travelers:

We had money in different pockets. Wife and I carried a DIFFERENT credit card, meaning we would still have one in case of theft. We had a third credit card in our safe back on the ship (or hotel room when not on the ship).

 

Did we carry our passports? Yes. But thinking twice on future visits.

 

I still think NCL did what they had to and not transport the passenger with the proper ID. Sucks, but they had to do this. Cust service was weak.

[sunshine 229]

Sorry for the comments about first postings. To explain - over the years people show up from time to time and their one and only post is a rough one. Hence, regulars here roll their eyes sometimes and wonder.

 

That aside, in this case, NCL was put into a rough position. Since they KNEW the person did not have the required papers, they could not legally transport you. When they arrive in various ports, they declare to local authorities that everyone is properly documented, and then the local folks take their word and never ask anyone for their passports, etc. etc.

 

If the passenger did not inform NCL of he missing passport, he could have traveled just fine. (illegal, but nobody would know). There are very few ports where somebody has to show their passport.

 

Should NCL been a bit more helpful? Probably, but what people do ashore is not their problem. Since this does happen often, having a sheet of paper with phone numbers, etc would be a reasonable expectation.

It's just too bad they couldn't roll their eyes and wonder to themselves, instead of posting yet another "first post :rolleyes: message'.

I'm sure the OP also would have preferred the pickpockets to wait till after they had several post on CC before victimizing them. :rolleyes:

[erdoran]

I stand by my statement. If nothing else, NCL has local presence in every port or at least local contacts. If they absolutely had no choice then they should have hooked OP up with a local contact, whether it is a reliable tour operator or their local office, who could have assisted OP in finding lodging and transport to the next port...or perhaps could even have facilitated OP's passport replacement so he could have sailed with his family.

[sjbdtz]

You don't kick someone off the ship with nowhere to go and potentially no $$--common sense & decency!

 

If it's the law, you do! Besides, there was the whole "I transferred my money into your account.....ok then, here's my bank card".... so they knew he had money.... AND......

 

 

I stand by my statement. If nothing else, NCL has local presence in every port or at least local contacts. If they absolutely had no choice then they should have hooked OP up with a local contact, whether it is a reliable tour operator or their local office, who could have assisted OP in finding lodging and transport to the next port...or perhaps could even have facilitated OP's passport replacement so he could have sailed with his family.

 

Frankly I wouldn't be at all surprised given the OPs follow-ups, that they WERE referred to the Port Agent who then helped the husband make all of the arrangements.

 

We don't know that this didn't happen, because when I asked the OP about it, I was called pedantic.

[mypleasure]

 

 

Who says THAT when they live in the UK?????

 

Actually most UK residents would say that. We consider Europe to be across the English channel from us even though our country is part of the EEC.

 

Again, I hate being suspicious, but that seemed a bit off to me.....

 

Sorry but you are the one who is being a bit off here. There was nothing at all to be read into that statement. It was exactly as I would have put it too.

[RambleRocket]

This is an unfortunate incident to happen to anyone.

 

When I did this cruise, NCL warned us of pickpockets. Actually, they mentioned this quite often. I still have the FreeStyle Daily for Barcelona that mentions taking only essential items and to beware of pickpickets. Before I go ashore, I always write down the name/number of the emergency shore contact (although I hope I never have to use it.)

 

As for NCL, I find it a little hard to believe they just threw him off the ship standing there with absolutely no assistance. Telling him he will need to stay behind to contact his Embassy to arrange for a new passport, that seems more likely.

[CruisinGerman]

Dear friends:

 

I am sorry this happened to you. I am basing my opinion on two assumptions:

 

1. The passenger was already checked into the cruise (which is why the passenger already had the Sea Pass);

 

2. The passenger was a British citizen (the address line of the post comes from the United Kingdom).

 

Because the entire itinerary was within the European Union, and within the Schengen area of the European Union, there is no immigration matter whatsoever. The passenger technically had his passport stolen during the cruise, and did not appear at the pier to check-in without his passport.

 

There was no police authority at the pier that was going to prevent this passenger from sailing, number one because the cruise was wholly within the Schengen area, so there is no immigration clearance at each port and, two, because the passenger was a British citizen. An EU citizen does not require a passport to take a cruise within a wholly-Schengen itinerary, but only needs to identify himself sufficiently. (Brits do not have ID cards, but if questioned by any authority during the cruise, a driver's license plus the police report reporting the stolen passport should have sufficed.)

 

NCL took the easy way out. It didn't want any potential confrontations with anyone, so it removed the passenger from the ship.

 

In my opinion, the ship's passenger clearance officer should have offered to clear the situation with the Spanish police at the pier before departing Barcelona. Once again, the fact that the passenger was British and could produce the Spanish police report showing his passport was stolen, should have been sufficient for the Spanish police to give him clearance to sail.

 

The only immigration authority on this cruise are the Spanish police upon depature and the Spanish police upon the Jade's return to Barcelona. The authorities at each port of call on a wholly-Schengen cruise do not review immigration matters, except occasionally they ask to see passports of those passengers who require visas in order to travel in Schengen countries (that is why the cruise lines let most passengers keep their own passports on cruises wholly within the Schengen area).

 

Therefore the decision to remove the passenger was totally by NCL and not by any police authority. I believe that NCL should have allowed the passenger to continue on the cruise, or at least it should have intervened before the Spanish border police right there at the pier in Barcelona to try to obtain clearance for the passenger to continue. It is my opinion, but obviously this is not a fact, that the Spanish police would have granted such clearance upon presentation of the police report. It is also my opinion that an EU citizen should have been allowed to take the cruise without a passport. An EU citizen travelling on a wholly-Schengen cruise merely has to identify himself -- and this identification does not necessarily have to be a passport. In my opinion, such identification requirement would be satisfied by supplementary documentation accompanied by the Spanish police report accrediting the theft of the passenger's passport. For the Jade (NCL) and the Voyager (RCCL), EU citizens can board those cruises without passports -- ID cards suffice. The UK does not follow a system of ID cards as we do on the Continent. However, I believe that since the passenger had already checked in and had his passport stolen DURING the cruise, coupled with the fact that I believe there was a police report, the identification requirement for an EU citizen would probably be satisfied.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta