NCL Cancelled Epic Cruise Jan 6/18

[garycarla]

As to booking air so soon... I misread the title and thought it was a cruise in 6/18 - as in June 2018. With the mixed format for date I somehow overlooked the Jan part.

[newmexicoNita]

If you booked the Epic Jan 6/18 from Port Canaveral, it's been cancelled. Apparently NCL decided to charter the cruise to some large company. Can always book another cruise, but cancelling or changing flights will cost me fees which I am not happy about at all. That was the first and likely the last chance for NCL for me.

I haven't read all the comments but I can guess most will think as I do. This is a disappointment to anyone when it happens, but it happens on all lines. Actually NCL isn't the worst about this. There is another line that does it more often. If it happens with less than 6 months before sailing it sucks, but with 9 months to go, don't let it keep you from choosing NCL again. We have been sailing for over 30 years and never experienced a cancellation.

As for your air refund that does suck.Again it happens, sometimes it is best not to book everything too far ahead of time. When you book your travel plans directly with the cruise line they will refund any losses. When you do it on your own, like most of us do, you are out of luck.

 

Again, it is crappy when these things happen, but they do. :loudcry:

[newmexicoNita]

zqvol, I take issue with your statement that you can "easily" cruise out of Tampa. Epic was Sat-Sat so a Sunday sailing would most likely involve a flight change. We changed to Getaway 1/7/2018 which sails Sun-Sun out of Miami. Not very "easy" for us but it was the only option that would somewhat work especially with how much the cruise prices have increased. We booked May/2016. Most other cruise lines that charter their ships give a lot more notice than 8 months. As I said, $12.50 pp for our inconvenience. How generous. Also had to take a cabin downgrade from IB to IE since no mid-ship IE's were available. Take it or leave it per NCL.

not true about most other lines and the time frame for chartering their ships: anything from 6 months to 1 year is standard. I dealt with this many years as a travel agent. And most give nothing or very little OBC or anything else. I am glad, after reading the last post by the OP NCL did offer them alternatives. I hope all lines will do this. I also have to add, I understand cruise lines doing this: it is pretty tough to expect any large company booking a charter or special event more than a year in advance and I doubt many companies would turn down the business.

Edited May 21, 2017 by newmexicoNita

[Tybug]

Just wanted to add that I sent NCL an email early today and they actually called me this afternoon. I was slightly impressed by that. They did send me a letter outlining 3 options. I could get a refund for what I paid, I could switch to the Jan 27/18 sailing or we could switch to a sailing out of Miami. In addition we would receive a $50 OBC. I can also submit a claim to be refunded to any airfare change fees up to $300.

 

So, I will say I was glad they gave me some options. Unfortunately none of the alternate sailings will work for us and I've decided to book with another cruise line that leaves the same day from our original port. Not exactly the same itinerary but I think I'm more excited for the new Avatar Pandora in Disney World and the Kennedy Space Centre.

 

 

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Happy that NCL presented options to your dilemma. I hope that you will give NCL another try later. For now, enjoy your sailing on another line and your sister's birthday.

[CruisinMaterial]

I feel sorry for the OP and cruisers on these affected sailings. Holy Ship should've known by now that they were going to use the Epic. Frankly given the ship's layout, I'm surprised they chose to do the Epic again. No one spot on the ship can accommodate all the guests so if there's a featured artist performing, they'd have to have one with equal weight some place else on the ship. The pool deck looked like a sardine can. Also, NCL's bottled water pricing and bottle water policy alone is hideous for an event such as this. Really shocked Holy Ship would go back!

 

Holy Ship for the longest time when they started out used the MSC Divina. They only switched to NCL last year. I wonder if the delay was they were trying to find another ship to use and exploring their options before settling back with NCL again (price, logistics already worked out, no need for new stage design, etc).

 

I hope those on the impacted sailings can find a new cruise elsewhere. The Epic is a fine ship overall, just not for a large-scale music festival.

[Steve_36]

Hey everyone,

 

Just as a heads-up, we booked the Epic for Jan 5th-12th in Jan. 2019 and, according to our PCC, it is "99% likely" that Holy Ship! will be chartering out that sailing as well. As such, we're going to pull the trigger tomorrow and switch our reservation to the Bliss for the same dates.

[NMLady]

If you booked the Epic Jan 6/18 from Port Canaveral, it's been cancelled. Apparently NCL decided to charter the cruise to some large company. Can always book another cruise, but cancelling or changing flights will cost me fees which I am not happy about at all. That was the first and likely the last chance for NCL for me.

 

Every cruise line, not just NCL, charters out their ships at times. There's usually at least six month's notice. That is why we don't book our flights until about four months out.

[newmexicoNita]

AS MNLady says, this is reason not to book air to early. Hope, if nothing else I hope some have gained some insight into how charters can work and learned from the experience. Remember this isn't a common thing, but it certainly can happen. And no, the cruise line isn't responsible to offer anything. They should for the sake of PR if nothing else, but what we should do and do are not always the same/

[retiredgram]

Hey everyone,

 

Just as a heads-up, we booked the Epic for Jan 5th-12th in Jan. 2019 and, according to our PCC, it is "99% likely" that Holy Ship! will be chartering out that sailing as well. As such, we're going to pull the trigger tomorrow and switch our reservation to the Bliss for the same dates.

A couple of us posted this info on their roll call after they cancelled our cruise. We just wanted those cruisers to have a heads up just in case it happened to them. We were saying it would happened, but I would appreciate knowing.

Enjoy you Bliss cruise.

[Steve_36]

A couple of us posted this info on their roll call after they cancelled our cruise. We just wanted those cruisers to have a heads up just in case it happened to them. We were saying it would happened, but I would appreciate knowing.

 

Enjoy you Bliss cruise.

 

 

Will do, thank you!

 

 

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[Cuizer2]

Just wanted to add that I sent NCL an email early today and they actually called me this afternoon. I was slightly impressed by that. They did send me a letter outlining 3 options. I could get a refund for what I paid, I could switch to the Jan 27/18 sailing or we could switch to a sailing out of Miami. In addition we would receive a $50 OBC. I can also submit a claim to be refunded to any airfare change fees up to $300.

 

So, I will say I was glad they gave me some options. Unfortunately none of the alternate sailings will work for us and I've decided to book with another cruise line that leaves the same day from our original port. Not exactly the same itinerary but I think I'm more excited for the new Avatar Pandora in Disney World and the Kennedy Space Centre.

 

 

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This is more inline for what I would expect for a cancelled cruise.

[Cuizer2]

Hey everyone,

 

Just as a heads-up, we booked the Epic for Jan 5th-12th in Jan. 2019 and, according to our PCC, it is "99% likely" that Holy Ship! will be chartering out that sailing as well. As such, we're going to pull the trigger tomorrow and switch our reservation to the Bliss for the same dates.

 

Thank you to those that did post. I have already changed my sailing from the January 5, 2019 date to one in May 2019. No air yet. While I agree that you want to hold off on purchasing air until you get closer to your cruise date, there are reasons to purchase air early. I've done it once. Currently I have one cruise that is five months out. I don't have my air yet, but it is time to start looking for air.

[Mrs Cruisin Qball]

You already booked your flights? I would never advise anyone to book flights that far in advance. What airline even offers that?

I think some people may be looking at the date wrong. If I read it correctly the cruise the OP is talking about is January 6, 2018

[L1211]

There is a Royal Caribbean 7 day cruise out of Port Caanaveral on Janury 7, 2018

 

 

 

I'm not sure it is that it was cancelled. That, sadly, can happen. The mettle is shown in how NCL responds and treats their customers. $12.50, are you kidding me? That makes me sad... I can't imagine trying to unwind all those plans. Good luck to you!!

 

 

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