Star april 12th sailing cancelled

[calex]

Not good. This cruise was close to sell out. Understand this was supposed to be Star's farewell Panama Canal cruise from LA prior to her redeployment to Miami. It will not happen now.

 

After the Star returns from the Baltics, she will be deployed out of Tampa, Florida not Miami and not returning to the West Coast based on the current deployment schedule. After the Alaska season, the Jewell takes the place of the Star out of Los Angeles on the Mexican Riviera.

 

The only Norwegian ship making the full transit of the Panama Canal after this spring will be the Pearl when she is moved between Seattle and Miami in September/October. In 2016, the Pearl makes one trip west in April, and one trip east in October.

 

It seems NCL is phasing out the full transit Panama Canal cruises in favor of the 10/11 day partial canal transit out of Miami.

[LPCruiser98]

I was booked on this cruise. They are now telling us that we have to sail by 9/6 to use the 50% off and we can't use the 50% off yet because it has to be processed. So in 7-10 days we can use the 50% off on a sailing before 9/6. Wow. The only way I found out about this is because someone posted on our roll call. I have received zero communication from NCL. I would still be in the dark if not for cruise critic. I spent 5 hours at my travel agent's office trying to figure out what else we could do -- 1-1/2 of it on hold with NCL after being transferred three times. This is beyond ridiculous.

 

And, no, they are not handling it well. I called NCL as soon as I read the post on my roll call. I was only on hold for about 10 minutes, reported what I had read on my roll call, and was told that I "shouldn't believe rumors, Ms. Lynda," and admonished a couple of other times that I should have called my travel agent first, because everything is fine with this sailing. Then he told me he would check one more thing. About 5 minutes later he comes back and apologizes to me. Yes, it is cancelled. So in my humble opinion, this is not being handled well at all.

[swedish weave]

For once I agree with you!!! Karma for NCL (good Karma). This could have happened in the middle of the Canal transit or mid ocean on the trans Atlantic. Instead it occurred at a time and place that NCL could safely and easily fix it. The result of accruing good Karma!!

 

Don't forget that the ship has two Azipods, so they can still go with one but at a slower pace.

[DreamingBig1]

I feel really bad for the people who were on the sailing April 12.

 

NCL really is doing the right thing in this situation. If people are stuck on a ship with no ability to propel it's a safety issue and a loss of freedom for people stuck on a non moving ship.

[swedish weave]

Remember the adage...

 

Two is one and one is none.

 

The Star is on a 7 day run to Mexico right now. Has anyone heard if this cruise is affected ?

[collette399]

OMG, just got an email to let us know that the cruise is cancelled. I am beyond sad. Was really needing this vacation, didn't have a day off work since Aug 12 2014. My work was giving me a nice 3 weeks bonus for my hard work and it was a excellent deal for our 28th anniversary. Booked our 3 night hotel through priceline, flight from the maritime to LA, my 2 night hotel in Miami through Priceline and flight back home from Miami. Did not buy any insurance as I booked this less than 3 weeks away from the cruise. I sure hope they repay all our lost and more. :-(((((((:(:(:(:(

[NMLady]

I'm sure the "shirt & tie" people had already totaled up all the extra money they would have brought in from the Room Service fees, 18% specialty tips, $.95 extra DSC, etc.

 

Instant karma...yeah, and more to come.

 

The 18% Specialty gratuity and the Room Service fees are not on the Star, just on Breakaway and Getaway.

[calex]

The 18% Specialty gratuity and the Room Service fees are not on the Star, just on Breakaway and Getaway.

 

We know for sure they won't be collecting these FEES on the CRUISE TO NOWHERE not DEPARTING on April 12th abroad the Norwegian Star.

[herdingdogmom]

The 18% Specialty gratuity and the Room Service fees are not on the Star, just on Breakaway and Getaway.

 

The 18% auto gratuity for specialty restaurants was implemented "unannounced" on all ships in March - Star included. It is also now added if you buy the UDP. The room service delivery charge plus the 18% room service tip has not been rolled out ships other than BA & GA - yet.

Edited April 7, 2015 by herdingdogmom

[calex]

The Star is on a 7 day run to Mexico right now. Has anyone heard if this cruise is affected ?

 

Bill, the Star's web cam shows her in Cabo at the moment on schedule for today's port of call.

 

If you check the tracking for the Star on the Marine Traffic website, the many waypoints have her speed around 20 knots. It appears the website has a display error that shows 2 knots when you hover or click directly on the ship.

[rmstexas71]

my girlfriend and I were set to go on this cruise (my second cruise, her first). So totally bummed...questions about the 50% off a future cruise...

 

1) Is it 50% off the brochure price (which is really nothing at all because everything is 50-80% less than brochure).

 

2) If it's not 50% off the brochure price can we really milk the 50% off for say a 90 day world cruise?

 

I think it's 50% credit towards a future cruise based on how much you paid for the cancelled cruise. If you paid $1000 as the base price not including port fees and tax, then you would get $500 credit towards a future cruise, BUT I'm hearing that the credit is only good for 6 months!

The ship pulled into Cabo today on schedule. You can see it on it's webcam. I guess the problem isn't too bad. Looks like they will finish up this current 7 day Mexico cruise and return on the 12th and then do whatever repairs. It would have to leave LA by the 18th to make it to Miami by the 27th.

[Cruise Critic Chris]

Our story: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6287

[swedish weave]

Bill, the Star's web cam shows her in Cabo at the moment on schedule for today's port of call.

 

If you check the tracking for the Star on the Marine Traffic website, the many waypoints have her speed around 20 knots. It appears the website has a display error that shows 2 knots when you hover or click directly on the ship.

 

Thanks Chris ! Has NCL said where they are going to drydock the Star for the repairs to the Azipod ?

[Near Philly]

Sorry for everyone else affected by this.

 

Myself, my wife and four of our good friends ( two couples) were supposed to be on this sailing.

We all are unable to change our vacation time. It's use it or lose it.

We tried to make a Panama Canal sailing on any other line, in either direction, for these dates work. It was just impossible due to itineraries and lack of cabins left.

So......after 2 1/2 hours with our AAA travel agent trying to make it work...........

She got us all in Balconies ( 3 ) on Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas. Departing 4/12/15 from New Jersey on a 12 night Southern Caribbean !!

It's not the Panama Canal but it's the best we could do for us.

[calex]

Thanks Chris ! Has NCL said where they are going to drydock the Star for the repairs to the Azipod ?

 

Nothing is showing in the traded magazines where the repair is going to take place. Seatrade Insider posted a story (http://www.seatrade-insider.com/news/news-headlines/azipod-glitch-cancels-upcoming-14-day-norwegian-star-cruise.html), but it does not have any additional information than what has been posted on CC.

[LSEA]

OMG, just got an email to let us know that the cruise is cancelled. I am beyond sad. Was really needing this vacation, didn't have a day off work since Aug 12 2014. My work was giving me a nice 3 weeks bonus for my hard work and it was a excellent deal for our 28th anniversary. Booked our 3 night hotel through priceline, flight from the maritime to LA, my 2 night hotel in Miami through Priceline and flight back home from Miami. Did not buy any insurance as I booked this less than 3 weeks away from the cruise. I sure hope they repay all our lost and more. :-(((((((:(:(:(:(

 

I've been in a similar situation of having a celebration and desperately needed vacation get scrambled at the last minute so I really feel for you. There are ships leaving from LA and Miami so maybe you can get something on another line/ship/itinerary and still use some of the flight tickets and some of those hotel nights. Whatever works out for you I hope you enjoy your anniversary and time off!

[Scott201]

I was booked on this cruise. Spoke w/ NCL and was told maximum reimbursement for changes to flight schedules and hotels would be $150 per passenger, so we will be well out of pocket. I'm not sure I'm even interested in their 50% off offer.

[swedish weave]

It has been suggested that the Azipod failure was the result of too many guests opting out of the "discretionary Azipod service fee" on previous cruises.

[shapatack0]

It has been suggested that the Azipod failure was the result of too many guests opting out of the "discretionary Azipod service fee" on previous cruises.

 

Don't give Del Rio any ideas...

[Navy Spook]

Nothing is showing in the traded magazines where the repair is going to take place. Seatrade Insider posted a story (http://www.seatrade-insider.com/news/news-headlines/azipod-glitch-cancels-upcoming-14-day-norwegian-star-cruise.html), but it does not have any additional information than what has been posted on CC.

 

She is in dry dock in Freeport Grand Bahama. Will only take her a couple of hours to get to Miami when she is done.

[calex]

She is in dry dock in Freeport Grand Bahama. Will only take her a couple of hours to get to Miami when she is done.

 

Thanks Navy Spook - in another thread we all discovered she was heading to Freeport. Now the question is what happened to the Azipod. While watching her movement on one of the tracking sites, I noticed the Star maintained a speed around 19 knots. But, when she changed course, the speed dropped <5 knots. I wonder if the issue is with hydraulics that move one of the Azipods? Or the control unit that synchronizes the movement of the two Azipods.