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Jewel Dry Dock May 5 - May 17, 2014

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By Admin,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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Admin

Admin

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We received an e mail tonight saying our Pacific Coastal cruise and the first Alaskan cruise for 2014 on the Jewel have been cancelled because of dry dock. Very disappointing as we had booked our dream room for the Pacific Coastal. I guess we wait til 2015. :(

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kcfoxy

kcfoxy

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We received an e mail tonight saying our Pacific Coastal cruise and the first Alaskan cruise for 2014 on the Jewel have been cancelled because of dry dock. Very disappointing as we had booked our dream room for the Pacific Coastal. I guess we wait til 2015. :(

 

We are actually scheduled for the April 20, 2014-May 5, 2014 Panama Canal transit and Repositioning...haven't heard that we've been bumped off, so assuming the Dry Dock will take place in Los Angeles then the Alaskan cruises will continue?

 

Wouldn't that mean there would be a Coastal, as the Jewel needs to get from L.A. to Vancouver? ;)

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CruisinMaterial

CruisinMaterial

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Hmmm. I wonder what they will be doing other than regular maintenance and refurbishing during that period....hope nothing drastic like what they did to the Star and the Dawn (replacing Spinnaker with more cabins).....

 

These days I wouldn't put anything past the CEO when it comes to ruining ships to generate more revenue for investors, however, the timing of the dry dock is not long enough to warrant that much of an overhaul to the Spinnakers. It would not be anywhere near complete for the Alaska season and it's not enough time to gut and get a basic infrastructure in place - even with around the clock teams. The Dawn and Star were out of commission for 3 weeks for their transformation and it wasn't completed either when it left dry dock. Time will tell. I'm not holding my breath that they would turn the gift shops into a Bliss Lounge and take out Fyzz and stick an abbreviated gift shop in that area.

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SandyIsRetired

SandyIsRetired

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Hi all!

 

I just spent 40 minutes with NCL's "Special Group". After explaining the situation no less than four times, I asked him to book individual cruises for the 7-day cruise and the 15-day cruise. When he could, he finally understood what I was saying. However, after an extended hold, here's the bottom line.

 

The letter went out too soon, I should not book the two individual cruises because there is definitely a change in my itinerary that is not reflected on the NCL site yet, he has no idea what that change is, , that he does not know where the dry dock will be taking place, that another letter will be going out this afternoon or tomorrow explaining, and that I should call back after that.

 

My hope is that the NOLA Panama Canal cruise will not be impacted!

 

Are we having fun yet???

 

By the way, I asked about what happens with paid airfare. He said that a $150 per person payment will be made to cover any airfare change charges. So for those folks impacted by the dry dock that have made air reservations, that's sort of good news, I guess.

 

I guess you can tell how frustrated I’m feeling about this!!!!

 

Regards,

Sandy and Bill

Costa Rica

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CruisinMaterial

CruisinMaterial

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Please dont do anything to the Spinnaker lounge.

Especially since the Jewel does Alaska cruises. The lounge is a wonderful observation point from inside the ship.

I would hate to see the Jewel chopped up like the Star or Dawn.

 

I wholeheartedly agree. The moving of the Spinnakers just below passenger cabins aft made no sense on many levels. Those cabins are constantly registering noise complaints.

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auntierobin

auntierobin

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For my 2 cents worth, I don't see them doing anything to the Spinnaker, from what I have been told the reason that they did that to the Star and Dawn is because neither ship had a Haven and they needed to add some suites to meet demand. And while they could not replicate the haven with pool and everything, they could add more suites. They also added suites to the POA. Suites are a very popular item and business is all about supply and demand.

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Admin

Admin

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Wouldn't that mean there would be a Coastal, as the Jewel needs to get from L.A. to Vancouver? ;)
I thought that too but then I wondered if they'd do work while it sailed with a crew onboard. When I call my PCC today I'll ask her if there's a chance that it will be just pushed back? Or forgotten all together? We can definitely cruise later in May if it's moved.

 

NCL is offering $50 OBC if you rebook for a sailing before 12/31/14 but you don't get the rate you already booked under. I wonder if you'd lose any promos too? We had some pretty good perks because we booked more than 9 months out. $100 OBC if you booked a suite.

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jvsnana

jvsnana

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I thought that too but then I wondered if they'd do work while it sailed with a crew onboard. When I call my PCC today I'll ask her if there's a chance that it will be just pushed back? Or forgotten all together? We can definitely cruise later in May if it's moved.

 

NCL is offering $50 OBC if you rebook for a sailing before 12/31/14 but you don't get the rate you already booked under. I wonder if you'd lose any promos too? We had some pretty good perks because we booked more than 9 months out. $100 OBC if you booked a suite.

Cecilia,

I called the phone number listed in the email and had all of our OBC and EVENTS perks "protected" if we transfer to another cruise. She also said we have to book another cruise through that phone number and not through our PCC.

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bob brown

bob brown

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For my 2 cents worth, I don't see them doing anything to the Spinnaker, from what I have been told the reason that they did that to the Star and Dawn is because neither ship had a Haven and they needed to add some suites to meet demand. And while they could not replicate the haven with pool and everything, they could add more suites. They also added suites to the POA. Suites are a very popular item and business is all about supply and demand.

They could have left the Spinnaker intact, and converted a few blocks of balcony cabins to suites, but then they would have lost some revenue space, so they didn't. It is a shame what they did to the Star and Dawn--adding more passengers, and net effect losing public space.

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rvsullivan

rvsullivan

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I'm on the other side of this debate. I love the new suites on the ships that have been converted and think they are some of the best that NCL has! Our experience with the Spinnakers was they were basically empty except for the few readers/nappers for the majority of the day. Nice action at night. For an Alaska cruise I can see the need, but those are a very small part of NCL's cruises. I would hope NCL eventually converts all/any of them into additional suites.

Now that they have learned about the noise issues for deck 8 after the conversions, they should be able to fix that going forward.

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bhealy

bhealy

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We were booked on the May 10th cruise. They are offering price protection for the next two cruise dates and 50 obc for regular cabins, 100 obc for suites. The dates for the other two cruises don't work for us, but we found a Celebrity cruise that will work with the flights we booked.

 

I always thought dry docks were planned further out.

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kcfoxy

kcfoxy

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The letter we received today indicates Dry Dock from 5/5-5/17, will take place in the port of San Francisco.

 

Pax booking 4/20 NOLA to L.A. 15 day cruise will find the first week is unchanged, but Costa Rican port dropped as well as Puerto Chiapias, with a couple extra hours in Cabo San Lucas and a sea day added.

 

San Diego is an additional port and disembark...yes, it has been changed from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

 

Another option is disembark in San Diego, at the 13 day point, which will probably work better for a goodly contingent of pax from SoCal. The confirmed cruise rate will be pro-rated and for all options, including rebooking another NCL cruise, there is a $50 OBC, $100 per Suite.

 

With Option 2 we will actually be losing 2 ports, rather than just the 1, so hope our revised cruise total will reflect that as well (if my calculations are correct) :cool:

 

Of course this is upsetting not only for pax booked for PC and Vancouver-SE Alaskan cruises, but also those who had linked cruises, with a Western Caribbean prior to the 15 night, then PC and/or open jaw Alaska.

 

I did locate a NCL Sun PC cruise as well as the follow-up first week Alaskan, departing from port of Los Angeles 5 p.m. the same day, May 3, we are berthed in San Diego. 110 miles between the two cities, lots of rental cars and alternate transportation makes these linked cruises still do-able for those that must have it all :p

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CruisinMaterial

CruisinMaterial

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I always thought dry docks were planned further out.

 

Dry docks usually are planned further out in advance. It makes me wonder what's going on with the ship. I wonder if those lovely azipod bearings are wearing prematurely requiring an earlier dry dock. Those pod bearings have been a constant pain in the butt for most ships which have them. The Jewel and the Gem came here to Boston to have their bearings replaced due to premature wear one year. It's a distinct possibility what's going on here. :(

 

I hope that's not the case as I'm sailing on the Jewel in a few months time. :)

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emmajo

emmajo

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The letter we received today indicates Dry Dock from 5/5-5/17, will take place in the port of San Francisco.

 

Pax booking 4/20 NOLA to L.A. 15 day cruise will find the first week is unchanged, but Costa Rican port dropped as well as Puerto Chiapias, with a couple extra hours in Cabo San Lucas and a sea day added.

 

San Diego is an additional port and disembark...yes, it has been changed from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

 

Another option is disembark in San Diego, at the 13 day point, which will probably work better for a goodly contingent of pax from SoCal. The confirmed cruise rate will be pro-rated and for all options, including rebooking another NCL cruise, there is a $50 OBC, $100 per Suite.

 

With Option 2 we will actually be losing 2 ports, rather than just the 1, so hope our revised cruise total will reflect that as well (if my calculations are correct) :cool:

 

Of course this is upsetting not only for pax booked for PC and Vancouver-SE Alaskan cruises, but also those who had linked cruises, with a Western Caribbean prior to the 15 night, then PC and/or open jaw Alaska.

 

I did locate a NCL Sun PC cruise as well as the follow-up first week Alaskan, departing from port of Los Angeles 5 p.m. the same day, May 3, we are berthed in San Diego. 110 miles between the two cities, lots of rental cars and alternate transportation makes these linked cruises still do-able for those that must have it all :p

 

Has anyone actually booked this revised option yet? We were booked on the 27 day from New Orleans to Seattle but were not informed of this option. It is also off the NCL website so can't check prices. I am so disappointed as is everyone!

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SandyIsRetired

SandyIsRetired

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Hello everyone, and goodbye.

 

After fighting with the "special group" for the past two days, I am now changed to a 21-day transatlantic cruise from Miami to Barcelona and the Western Med on the Epic. I'm still not happy with them, and the supervisor never returned my phone call, but at least I still have a trip next April!

 

We'll have to save our NOLA plans for another year. Hope to meet up with some of you on another cruise.

 

Goodbye for now.

 

Sandy and Bill

Costa Rica

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