Hate to have to leave NCL, but since they have no West coast cruises anymore...

[cacj]

except for the Alaskan cruises and repositioning to them, we are being forced into searching for another cruise line. It is a shame. We like the NCL experience for the most part....but what are we to do? We don't want to fly long distances to east coast....(we live in AZ).....and we don't have the $$ that the airlines are charging now.....so it looks like either find another cruise line or forget cruising altogether.

 

Anyone else west of the Rockies feeling the same "squeeze."

[Chipster2]

NCL is our cruise line of choice and we feel the same way. But then again they were going to have to come up with some new itinerary's out of these southern California ports. Maybe a r/t Hawaii someday.......

[ghulett]

They aren't the only cruise line to pull out of the west coast market! Security issues in Mexico are really a concern for the lines that sail on the west coast. I kind of don't blame them for going elsewhere.

[sdmike]

yep. Basically Holland America (San Diego departures), Carnival (LA/LB) and DCL (LA to Mexican Riviera). DCL can afford it because of their ties to Disneyland and their high price.

[Planer's Edge]

except for the Alaskan cruises and repositioning to them, we are being forced into searching for another cruise line. It is a shame. We like the NCL experience for the most part....but what are we to do? We don't want to fly long distances to east coast....(we live in AZ).....and we don't have the $$ that the airlines are charging now.....so it looks like either find another cruise line or forget cruising altogether.

Anyone else west of the Rockies feeling the same "squeeze."

 

Nope, I never did like the cruise port options out LA.

 

PE

[StratPlan01]

Phoenix to New Orleans...less than 3 hours flight...$240 on Southwest. Cruise Norwegian Spirit this year, Dawn in 2012 and Star in 2013:)

[OceanDreaming2]

Phoenix to New Orleans...less than 3 hours flight...$240 on Southwest. Cruise Norwegian Spirit this year, Dawn in 2012 and Star in 2013:)

 

NOLA works for us, too, and we use our SWA cc as much as possible for "free" flights. Our flights to/from Miami we're bad at all. One stop in Austin and the price couldn't be beat. :)

[mtwingcpa]

NCL is our cruise line of choice and we feel the same way. But then again they were going to have to come up with some new itinerary's out of these southern California ports. Maybe a r/t Hawaii someday.......

 

I agree on all counts.

[yucaipagal]

I agree! We are gold and will be half the way to platinum after this year for latitudes, but it will be coming to a definate slow down. We love to cruise from our home port (SoCal) and have done it frequently because of the ease. We travel with our two children and avoiding two long flights, time changes, extra overnights in a hotel, etc. has been perfect. We do travel outside of the LA ports, but it requires much more planning- so no last minute travel and have to plan for more time. We actually really enjoy the itinerary too. We are looking at the DCL out of LA for next March and while it will be fun and I know the kids will love it, I will be missing NCL.

 

I wish they would return!! I have loved being loyal to NCL, I have only done a short cruise on another line and it was a gift from my MIL, all the rest have been NCL all the way! I will miss them so much!!!

[retired rascal]

Wishing for NCL: start cruising west from LA....round trip to Hawaii like Princess does. Maybe something to south pacific via Hawaii. SF to Alaska. I'd like to see more 10-20 day cruises off the west coast. It really IS a hassle to fly from CA where we live to the NCL ports although we are "ncl types." We may be forced to move to Princess or HAL....which we'd probably love except we hate dressing up...at all...and only NCL works.

[ghulett]

I can't see them sailing r/t to Hawaii. Puts them in direct competition with their own US flagged ship that they have enough problems filling.

[Why Knot Me]

except for the Alaskan cruises and repositioning to them, we are being forced into searching for another cruise line. It is a shame. We like the NCL experience for the most part....but what are we to do? We don't want to fly long distances to east coast....(we live in AZ).....and we don't have the $$ that the airlines are charging now.....so it looks like either find another cruise line or forget cruising altogether.

 

Anyone else west of the Rockies feeling the same "squeeze."

 

Yes, every time we cruise we feel the squeeze. We live in MN and we have to fly every time we cruise.

[mtwingcpa]

I can't see them sailing r/t to Hawaii. Puts them in direct competition with their own US flagged ship that they have enough problems filling.

 

My suggestion would be to use the Pride of America for said round trips. It would add variety to their current Hawaii service, and they wouldn't have to make a "compliance" stop in Ensenada or Victoria.

 

But I don't know whether the POA is "prohibited" from cruising outside of Hawaii due to its special circumstances???

[EileenN]

We have lived in NJ all our lives and are about to move to Sacramento area of California in July. We are having the same problem and we are platinum. I would love to see some new ports other than Alaska. Perhaps some Canadian ports and California coast tours....Hope NCL ( our favorite) could look into this.

[4774Papa]

except for the Alaskan cruises and repositioning to them, we are being forced into searching for another cruise line. It is a shame. We like the NCL experience for the most part....but what are we to do? We don't want to fly long distances to east coast....(we live in AZ).....and we don't have the $$ that the airlines are charging now.....so it looks like either find another cruise line or forget cruising altogether.

 

Anyone else west of the Rockies feeling the same "squeeze."

 

We have been on two NCL cruises and like the freestyle, but we wanted to go to South America, and they cancelled that route, so we are booked on Celebrity.

Also, booked on a Celebrity from Amsterdam to Istanbul. NCL has no cruise like it.

[Jeebs]

It definitely stinks to live in a cruise port city (San Diego - or even region, LA is only an hr out) and be so limited on options. Out of SD its either CCL or HAL. I'm pretty sure RCI pulled out due to the mess down in Mexico too.

 

We have one more NCL trip scheduled out of Miami in December and I would rather put the $1,000 in airfare towards an owners suite on a left coast trip!

[traveler916]

We have lived in NJ all our lives and are about to move to Sacramento area of California in July. We are having the same problem and we are platinum. I would love to see some new ports other than Alaska. Perhaps some Canadian ports and California coast tours....Hope NCL ( our favorite) could look into this.

 

Off topic, but welcome to Sacramento. It will be a big change from NJ...

[traveler916]

Wishing for NCL: start cruising west from LA....round trip to Hawaii like Princess does. Maybe something to south pacific via Hawaii. SF to Alaska. I'd like to see more 10-20 day cruises off the west coast. It really IS a hassle to fly from CA where we live to the NCL ports although we are "ncl types." We may be forced to move to Princess or HAL....which we'd probably love except we hate dressing up...at all...and only NCL works.

 

Agreed. Out first NCL cruise was out of San Francisco about 18 months ago. It was perfect for us, as Jody was recovering from back surgery, and could only sit for 45 minutes at a time. We hired a car to take us from Sacramento to San Francisco with a Starbucks stop along the way. But they dropped their San Francisco cruises. If they brought them back, we would cruise more with them

[SuperTrooper00]

We are a short drive to the Long beach and San Diego ports but have only cruised from there once. It may sound crazy, but we would rather cruise every other year to where we want to go, than cruise every year to where we don't (Mexican Riviera). We have seen it, enjoyed it, and have tons of other places we want to go now.

[cacj]

I agree! We are gold and will be half the way to platinum after this year for latitudes, but it will be coming to a definate slow down. We love to cruise from our home port (SoCal) and have done it frequently because of the ease. We travel with our two children and avoiding two long flights, time changes, extra overnights in a hotel, etc. has been perfect. We do travel outside of the LA ports, but it requires much more planning- so no last minute travel and have to plan for more time. We actually really enjoy the itinerary too. We are looking at the DCL out of LA for next March and while it will be fun and I know the kids will love it, I will be missing NCL.

 

I wish they would return!! I have loved being loyal to NCL, I have only done a short cruise on another line and it was a gift from my MIL, all the rest have been NCL all the way! I will miss them so much!!!

 

Yes, the flights and additional costs are draining to our income and to our enjoyment of travel. The security hassles, being exposed to patdowns, or unsafe xray screening are not worth it....even if the flight to NOLA is only 3 hours. We could drive to LA or SD.....or if we chose to endure the hassle of screening at airport and the extra fees for baggage and what have you, it still is only about an hour's flight....less hardship.

 

 

I agree with someone on this thread, it would be much more fun to spend extra savings on the ship rather than on the traveling to get to the ship.

 

If we have to fly to MIA or NYC, we have to get 2 hotel nights before and after the trip in our home city PHX because of the distances and timing of flights. Then add two more hotel nights before and after the cruise in the port, to insure our not missing the cruise or the flight home.

 

It just seems to me that there are quite a few cruisers who are in these western states and in BC that are pretty sad to see such a poor presence of NCL on the Pacific.

 

I did not know that POA is having trouble sailing full....their pricing sure seems to indicate a gravy train of income....how does someone make the statement and back it up with proof that the POA isn't sailing full?

 

Yes, I have been eyeing Princess and DCL....but we really hate to be forced to "jump ship."

[kcfoxy]

My suggestion would be to use the Pride of America for said round trips. It would add variety to their current Hawaii service, and they wouldn't have to make a "compliance" stop in Ensenada or Victoria.

 

But I don't know whether the POA is "prohibited" from cruising outside of Hawaii due to its special circumstances???

 

And wouldn't mind going down to Cabo/La Paz and then back up along the coast, maybe all the way up to Seattle/Victoria/Vancover and back.

[sdmike]

It definitely stinks to live in a cruise port city (San Diego - or even region, LA is only an hr out) and be so limited on options. Out of SD its either CCL or HAL. I'm pretty sure RCI pulled out due to the mess down in Mexico too.

 

We have one more NCL trip scheduled out of Miami in December and I would rather put the $1,000 in airfare towards an owners suite on a left coast trip!

 

I don't think I've ever seen an RCI ship in San Diego, have you? Just wednesday morning there was a HAL ship docked there. Not sure which one (in a hurry to the airport). We had a broken Carnival ship for a while though. :D

[NMLady]

except for the Alaskan cruises and repositioning to them, we are being forced into searching for another cruise line. It is a shame. We like the NCL experience for the most part....but what are we to do? We don't want to fly long distances to east coast....(we live in AZ).....and we don't have the $$ that the airlines are charging now.....so it looks like either find another cruise line or forget cruising altogether.

 

Anyone else west of the Rockies feeling the same "squeeze."

 

Since TSA security is getting more invasive, and since coach airline seats are getting narrower and also less pitch (legroom), and since airfares are going up, we will only drive to ports now. We are in southern NM so could drive to CA but not to FL or NOLA. That, along with budget constraints, makes me think we won't be cruising anymore either.