Problems with Pearl Seas

[tiffinkid]

I'm trying to get info about Pearl Mist's "Cuba Cultural Cruises." I'm booked on Mar 26th cruise, but can't get details. The company claims the info is in the mail. Found website advertising Mar/Apr cruises as "10 Caribbean Cruises" with no mention of cultural cruise to Cuba. Pearl Seas customer service said the cruises are be offered that way now. Has anyone received any documentation saying that the ship is actually going to Cuba?? I didn't pay $10,000. for a Caribbean cruise! The office said I should write a letter to the company president.:mad: It's too late to cancel and get total refund. Any ideas?

[SuiteTraveler]

What information are you looking for? The cruise IS listed here with the itinerary:

http://www.pearlseascruises.com/cruises/cuba-cultural-voyage/

 

If you go to this page, you can click on each day of the cruise to learn more about the itinerary:

http://www.pearlseascruises.com/cruises/cuba-cultural-voyage/

Then when you look at the day, you can click on activities and see stuff like this:

http://www.pearlseascruises.com/destinations/havana/

 

My expectation based on what I'm reading at the website is that this is a pre-programmed cruise (like a river cruise) where you don't pick your excursions, they are all pre-planned out for you. My experience with this type of cruise has been that they are absolutely great and stress free. So, I'm not sure what else you are after in terms of information? If you can be more specific maybe we can help you more...

[tiffinkid]

The cruise is now being advertised as a Caribbean cruise. The fine print says they can change any stop w/o notice which means they can skip Cuba entirely. They can't give me the name of the People-to-People program licensed to arrange shore exc., etc. They can't tell me when the ship is due in ANY port or how long it's staying. I consider this info as important and relevant.

[Keith1010]

Yes I received a brochure a couple of months at home from them advertising all of the Cuba cruises.

 

Keith

[SuiteTraveler]

It looks to me that they announced all of this and began booking BEFORE they had permission to port in Cuba and I have not seen anything since that says they have reached an agreement with Cuba.

 

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/tourism/fl-pearl-seas-palm-port-update-20151116-story.html

 

But...at this point, the OP is past the refund period and cannot cancel as apparently the OP did not get Cancel for Any Reason insurance, so really, there is nothing to be done except go on the cruise and hope for the best. Maybe the OP can contact the president of Peal Seas, and let him know they are unhappy about the situation, but if Cuba won't let them make port or has not made their decision yet but the decision is imminent, what can he do? Either it will be allowed or it won't. It may be down to the wire before Pearl Seas knows for sure.

[LHT28]

Website that I see says "Cuba Cultural cruises" & shows the ports in Cuba

 

Are you looking at Pearl seas website or a third party?

[SuiteTraveler]

tiffinkid, if it is of any help, all cruises on all cruise lines have fine print that says that they can skip or cancel ports at will. This language is not specific to Pearl Cruises or this specific cruise. So don't read anything into that. But it does appear these may be Pearl's first cruises to Cuba and if things are ready and if Cuba has given Pearl permission on time to port there - we don't really have anyway of knowing and I guess that the customer reps for Pearl don't know either, especially if things have been delayed. This is the risk you run when you schedule one of the first cruises going to someplace like Cuba that is just starting to allow cruise ships. This is probably as new to them as it is to Pearl.

 

Pear Seas President's name is Charles Robertson. VP of Marketing is Judy Roman. She is on Linkedin if you want to contact her that way.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/judyroman?authType=name&authToken=rz1V

 

It's a small company so you will probably get a personal reply.

[LHT28]

Pearl Seas is part of American cruise lines

 

They are hardly the 1st ships to Cuba others have been going there for a few years now but they may be one of the first US flagged ships

[LHT28]

They have a page on a popular social media site maybe posting there will get you some answers

[trophytime]

We are also booked on the Mar 26 cruise to Cuba. i just received the some information giving a very basic itinerary. However, I found the information lacking a lot of details. No shore excursions were mentioned, no weather information, etc. I have asked if there would be beach or snockel time but I have not received an answer. I would also like more information on the cabin-hair dryer? mini frig? Since there is not a bar on the ship I would like to know how that works.

[LHT28]

We are also booked on the Mar 26 cruise to Cuba. i just received the some information giving a very basic itinerary. However, I found the information lacking a lot of details. No shore excursions were mentioned, no weather information, etc. I have asked if there would be beach or snockel time but I have not received an answer.

Have you checked the" People to People" website they have tour itinerary listed ...no times but it will give you an idea of what is on offer

 

It will be warm there ;)

http://www.accuweather.com/en/cu/havana/122438/month/122438?monyr=3/01/2016

[trophytime]

I checked people to people website and all I could find on Pearl Seas were old press releases from Jul 2015. It does state in the brochure that if the approval does not come through Pearl Seas would make a total refund. I guess we will have to wait until the Mar 6th sailing to see what happens.

[cb at sea]

Sounds like this is some sort of "luxury" line, hence, the high price!

[trophytime]

According to the reviews I have read "luxury" is questionable. i.e.I have never heard of a ship not having a bar. I do know that the home office customer service is awful.

[LHT28]

I believe it is American so they have to pay US wage rates unlike foreign flagged ships

 

I did see some reviews & they did mention about drinks so maybe there is some sort of bar onboard

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=770

 

Hope all goes well & you make it to Cuba

Edited February 21, 2016 by LHT28

[trophytime]

They have have free wine and beer with lunch and dinner. There is a cocktail hour from 5:30 t0 6:30. But as I understand it this is only time alcohol is served. I would never have booked this cruise knowing this-we are not big drinkers but if I come back on board at 3 from a hot climate I want a cold beer. Since we are traveling with 2 other couple I know we will be spending a lot of time catching up.

[moniquet]

Sounds like a bundle of laughs. Rigid drinking hours:eek:

[trophytime]

I called the company on Monday to ask about the brief itinerary we received. They said that the President of the company was in Cuba finalizing the shore excursions and the timing. However, I still can not find where they have approval to go to Cuba. I got the impression that they have received many calls about the brief itinerary. They said they would send out a more complete itinerary later. I feel sorry for the first group out on Mar 6th.

[trophytime]

How do I find the approval for Pearl Mist to go to Cuba? I have tried many sites but I can not find anything.

[jcl410]

I believe it is American so they have to pay US wage rates unlike foreign flagged ships

 

...

 

 

For correctness, The Pearl Mist is not US flagged,but rather she is flagged in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

 

Aloha,

 

John

[LHT28]

For correctness, The Pearl Mist is not US flagged,but rather she is flagged in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

 

Aloha,

 

John

Thanks for the information

[trophytime]

It looks like the Mar 6th cruise has been canceled since the ship is still moored in Ft Lauderdale. Also it looks like they are going to sail from Ft Lauderdale if they go at all.