jewel 20 April 2014 To Vancouver Canceled

[dwgreenlee]

I just got a letter today that NCL has canceled the 20 April 2014 sailing of the Jewel from New Orleans to Vancouver - which I booked back in March 2013. Some sad story about needing to put the ship in dry dock for "maintenance and enhancements." So I called their "dedicated support line", waited on hold for 10 minutes, and then was switched to a crummy (compared to the one I had) cabin onboard the Pearl for the 18 April 2014 sailing Miami to Vancouver. Now my sad story, I have $380 (2@$190) worth of airline tickets to New Orleans that with the Delta change fee (2@$200) now seem to be worth a negative $20. Plus, I pick up the cost of two extra nights in Vancouver - 400 Canadian dollars or so - and I need to buy airline tickets to Miami (2@$238). Now for the good news - wait for it - NCL is giving me a $50 - that is right - FIFTY US DOLLARS - onboard credit (one credit for both of us) that we can use for any shipboard expenditure except the service charge. I trust everyone - like me - will be stunned with NCL's generous compensation.

[Sauer-kraut]

I just got a letter today that NCL has canceled the 20 April 2014 sailing of the Jewel from New Orleans to Vancouver - which I booked back in March 2013. Some sad story about needing to put the ship in dry dock for "maintenance and enhancements." So I called their "dedicated support line", waited on hold for 10 minutes, and then was switched to a crummy (compared to the one I had) cabin onboard the Pearl for the 18 April 2014 sailing Miami to Vancouver. Now my sad story, I have $380 (2@$190) worth of airline tickets to New Orleans that with the Delta change fee (2@$200) now seem to be worth a negative $20. Plus, I pick up the cost of two extra nights in Vancouver - 400 Canadian dollars or so - and I need to buy airline tickets to Miami (2@$238). Now for the good news - wait for it - NCL is giving me a $50 - that is right - FIFTY US DOLLARS - onboard credit (one credit for both of us) that we can use for any shipboard expenditure except the service charge. I trust everyone - like me - will be stunned with NCL's generous compensation.

 

$50 is the standard compensation from Norwegian for a cancelled cruise. Why not just cancel everything and spend the week in New Orleans?

[Demonyte]

I trust everyone - like me - will be stunned with NCL's generous compensation.

 

Hi and welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

If you were a longtime user (even for a week) you could have seen multiple other threads concerning NCL recently notifying passengers about cancelled cruises next year and as Sauer-kraut already stated, the compensation you are offered is the standard. By the contract that you have agreed to, NCL wouldn't need to give you even that.

 

As this is your first post with this username, I can't tell if you're an experienced cruiser but as a general rule of thumb one should never book nonrefundable flights or hotels until 6 months before the cruise earliest and even then there is still a small change* of cancellation.

 

* Jade was just two weeks ago chartered to be placed as a floating hotel for winter olympics in February so the first cruises in that period were cancelled only about 5 months before departure.

[nyc12345]

Contact NCL, they might pick up some airline change fees, doesn't hurt to ask...

[dwgreenlee]

New Orleans is great but my real plan is to spend much of the summer in Canada and Alaska. NCL was just a nice way to get there - so I thought anyway.

[dwgreenlee]

I have spent 145 days on NCL - over 500 days total in the industry. Before retirement I traveled 60 - 70% of the time - for 30 years - so I understood the risk with the airline tickets - they were a good deal - so I took the risk. This is only the second time I have had a Cruise cancel - there seems to be a rash of it lately. $50 is a insult. If that is all they are offering they should just stick to their contract and provide nothing.

[dwgreenlee]

I will - in writing. I do not expect anything but I will send them a letter which at least will cost them some time and effort to respond to.

[Velvet Teddy Bear]

QUESTION..... Do you have travel insurance....

[dwgreenlee]

QUESTION..... Do you have travel insurance....

Yes on the Cruise, no on the airfare.

[OceanDreaming2]

I just got a letter today that NCL has canceled the 20 April 2014 sailing of the Jewel from New Orleans to Vancouver - which I booked back in March 2013. Some sad story about needing to put the ship in dry dock for "maintenance and enhancements." So I called their "dedicated support line", waited on hold for 10 minutes, and then was switched to a crummy (compared to the one I had) cabin onboard the Pearl for the 18 April 2014 sailing Miami to Vancouver. Now my sad story, I have $380 (2@$190) worth of airline tickets to New Orleans that with the Delta change fee (2@$200) now seem to be worth a negative $20. Plus, I pick up the cost of two extra nights in Vancouver - 400 Canadian dollars or so - and I need to buy airline tickets to Miami (2@$238). Now for the good news - wait for it - NCL is giving me a $50 - that is right - FIFTY US DOLLARS - onboard credit (one credit for both of us) that we can use for any shipboard expenditure except the service charge. I trust everyone - like me - will be stunned with NCL's generous compensation.

 

I do have a question - were you booked on the Jewel (we had our cruise cancelled too) or on the Spirit? The title of the thread indicates the Spirit.

[marelind]

The Panama Canal portion of the cruise is still available. You could still fly to NOLA and get off in Los Angeles and fly, drive or take the train the rest of the way to Vancouver. Just a thought....

 

We are on that portion of the cruise and not affected by the dry dock.

[dwgreenlee]

I do have a question - were you booked on the Jewel (we had our cruise cancelled too) or on the Spirit? The title of the thread indicates the Spirit.

My mistake is was the jewel

[dwgreenlee]

The Panama Canal portion of the cruise is still available. You could still fly to NOLA and get off in Los Angeles and fly, drive or take the train the rest of the way to Vancouver. Just a thought....

 

We are on that portion of the cruise and not affected by the dry dock.

We did consider that option - several $149 (x2) non-stops LAX to Vancouver. Add five extra days in hotels and meal costs (maybe a rental car), subtract some savings due to a shorter cruise and that option cost about the same as switching to the Pearl. Still it was a good option and I appreciate your suggestion.

[dwgreenlee]

First, thanks to whoever corrected the title of my post - not sure how I came to type Spirit instead of Jewel.

 

Second, please note there is another thread titled "Jewel Dry Dock May 5 - May 17, 2014" that is worth following if you are traveling pre or post the dry dock period.

 

Third, many thanks to all that responded with suggestions, concerns and even sympathy. I can afford the changes and I actually like the Pearl's itinerary better.

 

My real point of irritation with NCL is that I feel the choose their profit interest before that of their customers. My evidence is circumstantial but compelling including:

 

(1) Their huge debt and profit pressure somewhat resulting from their IPO and listing on the NASDAQ in Feb 2013. Kinda interesting that if you own stock in NASDAQ:NCLH they will give you $100 OBC for any sailing of 7 days or more - twice what they gave me for canceling my 20 day sailing.

 

(2) Actions by NCL to cancel sailing on the Jade in favor of the expected higher profits as a floating hotel for the Olympics.

 

(3) The long lead-time scheduling the dry dock indicates it is more for enhancements - i.e. more revenue opportunities - rather than required maintenance. Also, NCL providing very little information regarding this dry dock - no one seems to know where or what for.

 

NCL's ownership has been rather dynamic over the past few years and the revenue efforts - especially with onboard revenue (sometimes called nickel and dime) have really intensified. Over my 25 years of cruising, I have basically split my business among Princess, Royal Caribbean, and NCL. I think I will give NCL a rest and let their ownership and debt management (i.e. revenue pressure) sort itself out without potential impact on vacations. NCL is not the same cruise line I used to sail with.

 

On a practical legal note, there is a flaw in their contract/compensation strategy. While their contract protects them very well from damages - that is they owe me nothing - there is no requirement that their loyal customers remain so.

[tallyho8]

My suggestion to you, as I posted on our roll call:

 

For those of you who wanted to continue on the cruise to Alaska after May 5, may I make the following suggestion:

 

After cruising from New Orleans to Los Angeles on the Jewel, on May 5 start a fabulous 7 day land vacation in Los Angeles as there is much to see there. Then book the Norwegian Sun on May 13 going from Los Angeles to Vancouver via Alaska the same way the Jewel was going to go.

 

It may extend your vacation a week but anyone who plans a 27 or 34 day cruise can probably enjoy the extra time in Los Angeles.

[dwgreenlee]

My suggestion to you, as I posted on our roll call:

 

For those of you who wanted to continue on the cruise to Alaska after May 5, may I make the following suggestion:

 

After cruising from New Orleans to Los Angeles on the Jewel, on May 5 start a fabulous 7 day land vacation in Los Angeles as there is much to see there. Then book the Norwegian Sun on May 13 going from Los Angeles to Vancouver via Alaska the same way the Jewel was going to go.

 

It may extend your vacation a week but anyone who plans a 27 or 34 day cruise can probably enjoy the extra time in Los Angeles.

That is a good option. I am actually booked on the Sun departing Vancouver 26 May to Whittier. The airfare from LA to Vancouver was very affordable - $149 on several airlines. In the end I chose to rent a car, drive to Miami, and take the Pearl around - the lost airfare not withstanding. This option was available for the Sun, Coral Princess, Island Princess and Amsterdam as well. I retired two years ago but when working I spent a week a month in LA so I kinda been there done that. Still I agree LA is interesting place and folks kicked of the Jewel should consider your option.

 

I will be interested in your report after the pre-dry dock voyage of the Jewel. I sailed on the first revenue voyage of the Pride of America (Miami to LA) and a voyage starting 28 days before and ending 14 days before a major dry dock of the Grand Princess. Both cruises were successful but not something I would intentionally repeat.

[tallyho8]

The Sun cruise option is out because today NCL cancelled Los Angeles and the Jewel cruise from New Orleans will end at San Diego or San Francisco at your option.

 

For those who wanted to go on to an Alaska cruise, now an option is to get off in San Diego on May 3 and spend 3 nights there sightseeing and then board the Holland American Zuiderdam for 11 nights cruising Alaska and departing in Vancouver.

[dwgreenlee]

The Sun cruise option is out because today NCL cancelled Los Angeles and the Jewel cruise from New Orleans will end at San Diego or San Francisco at your option.

 

For those who wanted to go on to an Alaska cruise, now an option is to get off in San Diego on May 3 and spend 3 nights there sightseeing and then board the Holland American Zuiderdam for 11 nights cruising Alaska and departing in Vancouver.

When I called to rebook I asked about staying on just for the NO to LA part and flying to Vancouver. They told me that was a very bad ideal but would not offer details. The letter on the NO to LA cruise was not released till a day after I got my letter but clearly the agent whom I spoke had insight. I did not want to say anything yesterday since I did not have complete information and did not want to cause anyone to panic unnecessarily.

 

Also, the NCL web site will not let you book the new NO to SD/SF cruise. My speculation - and it is just speculation - is that they would like a few as passengers as possible to allow for accommodation of shipyard and other technical personnel as well as reassignment of ship's crew personnel to dry dock prep work. The dry dock is clearly on a critically compressed schedule or they would not have modified the NO to LA cruise.

 

I have been on a first revenue cruise and a pre dry dock cruise - neither is an experience I would like to repeat. Likely risks are a distracted crew and closure of some public areas for dry dock planning, preparation and staging work.