Today's (9/11) NCL Update - Eastern Caribbean and What About Other Ships?

[yummysbakery]

I agree that Ncl is doing the best they can with communications however I also see the other side of people wanting to know about cruises in Dec and Jan as final payment dates for those cruises is coming quickly and some may want to cancel or make changes based on the itinerary...just saying....

 

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[BirdTravels]

Consider that these islands get a large portion of their income from tourism. Consider that the majority of cruise excursions are beach days, booze cruises, wave riders, catamaran rides, snorkel trips and dive trips. They could get sufficient infrastructure in place to accept cruise ships (also bringing relief supplies) with a lot less effort than to rebuild a hotel.

[kingsleyave]

I agree that Ncl is doing the best they can with communications however I also see the other side of people wanting to know about cruises in Dec and Jan as final payment dates for those cruises is coming quickly and some may want to cancel or make changes based on the itinerary...just saying....

 

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Usually if they change the itenarary they would give you the option to change cruises.

[bluesea777]

The Getaway is scheduled to come back to Miami in October. They have 2 more Baltic 9 day cruises left after the one they are on now, then the transatlantic. Not sure of the exact dates in October.

It is a nightmare in most of Florida right now. People are trying to get back to their homes and see what is left. They are having a tough time with traffic gridlock,roads under water, and a shortage of gasoline. Just getting to Miami will be a challenge for awhile. I did hear on the news this am that the MIA was going to open with limited flights.That is a good start.

 

Getaway leaves Copenhagen on Oct 15th for the pond crossing and is due back in Miami on Oct 29th. Her itinerary is Azores, St. Maarten and St. Thomas.

 

We are on her for the pond crossing. We will wait for NCL to contact us about the itinerary change - I'm NOT going to bug them.

 

We will enjoy the cruise regardless of the itinerary.

 

My heart goes to the East Caribbean islands affected by unholy Irma.

[gandalfcat]

I'm sure the ports want to be up and running as soon as possible for tourism income. I can't imagine the massive coordination between islands and multiple cruise lines. I'm planning to enjoy our mid November cruise knowing we may miss St. Maarten and St. Thomas, but will still have our vacation

 

 

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[chloemonkey]

Usually if they change the itenarary they would give you the option to change cruises.

 

Well that would change things for us....but I was NOT aware that if itinerary changes that you could cancel....anyone with more knowledge care to chime in? As we are booked on both Western AND Eastern...and not sure we want to do TWO Westerns B2B.....so this may be helpful in our case...

[detroitlions]

I have not even thought much about my cruise coming up on escape on October 28th .

We we're right in the eyes path in the Bradenton Fl area.

I did not care about my house or anything but my friends and family. We're all happy to be alive. But most have no power no gas for cars.

Stores are closed . No one could even get water.

 

All that being said we really need this cruise as a break from all this and we don't care where the ship goes.

[Eaches]

If the vegetation changed this much, just think of what happened to the structures etc...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank You ! Finely , a Clear Head !

 

 

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[skipperanne]

At this time Escape is the only NCL ship scheduled to visit the Eastern Caribbean.

 

 

This isn't true. I'm scheduled for Eastern Caribbean on 10/31 on the Gem.

 

And that is the first trip the Gem is making to the Eastern Caribbean, so it will be November by the time you get there. So you will be the first to know how things are going in November. (My Gem cruise is 12/2/ still a toss up as to where I will be going on that one.

[queenL]

First, my sympathies to all the states and islands devastated by the hurricanes. I have a cruise to Cuba in Nov and one on the Escape in Dec. I am also curious as to what will become of our scheduled itinerary for both. Our final payment was Monday. We can dispute "until", "through" November all we like. Realistically, I don't see the damage to these islands being repaired enough to visit the rest of 2017. It wouldn't surprise me if the lines didn't sail to some of these ports again until middle of next year. I don't have any inside information, just my best guess. If your cruise has any of these ports scheduled I'd expect an itinerary change. In all honesty, I think I would rather be rerouted (except my Cuba trip). I don't want to vacation to any island that has been decimated.

[txagfan]

Consider that these islands get a large portion of their income from tourism. Consider that the majority of cruise excursions are beach days, booze cruises, wave riders, catamaran rides, snorkel trips and dive trips. They could get sufficient infrastructure in place to accept cruise ships (also bringing relief supplies) with a lot less effort than to rebuild a hotel.

 

 

 

Fwiw, a lot of excursions involve boats. Many of those boats are a mess. For example, we have a great catamaran we like to take in Tortola. The owners posted a photo of their marina and it looked like a stack of sticks...made of boats.

 

 

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[hawkman402]

Thank You ! Finely , a Clear Head !

 

 

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Thanks. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be getting through to anyone how bad it is. Asking whether they will be ready by Nov or Dec is crazy. Most of them won't be ready by Nov 2018.

 

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[fredflint]

I am on the epic in November with a stop in St Thomas, the stop was part of our Transatlantic and the reason for it was to allow everyone to clear immigration before hitting Florida and avoid the long lines with all of the crew members having to go thru immigration as well as turn around the ship. I assume they will be working with customs to see what other US ports might be available.

 

I hope they can get the ships back to the ports as soon as possible the islands rely on tourism and it just becomes a cause and effect nothing gets fixed, no one has any money, so no tourists come to the island, ....

 

As bad as it may sound I would take a tour of the areas that were destroyed and visit a beach to help put some $$ into the local economy.

[hawkman402]

I am on the epic in November with a stop in St Thomas, the stop was part of our Transatlantic and the reason for it was to allow everyone to clear immigration before hitting Florida and avoid the long lines with all of the crew members having to go thru immigration as well as turn around the ship. I assume they will be working with customs to see what other US ports might be available.

 

I hope they can get the ships back to the ports as soon as possible the islands rely on tourism and it just becomes a cause and effect nothing gets fixed, no one has any money, so no tourists come to the island, ....

 

As bad as it may sound I would take a tour of the areas that were destroyed and visit a beach to help put some $$ into the local economy.

St. Croix or Puerto Rico could probably serve that purpose.

[Windsorontario]

I am scheduled to take the epic in January. If they change the schedule I am good with that. To be honest I haven't been thinking about how it is going to effect my vacation I have been thinking about the people who live on those islands. It is terrible and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I just hope that they get the help that is needed so that they get their hydro and water working and get a roof under their heads. To me that is what people should be thinking instead of how it is going to potentially wreck a vacation.

[garycarla]

For those that MUST make a decision due to final payment and the possible choice of ports is an issue with you - I get that.

 

A suggestion maybe - if you are thinking of cancelling because of the final payment date. Cancel and then wait and see what happens in a month or two. It is a gamble, but I would guess that rooms will be available and prices and or promotions will be very good.

 

Again, just a guess - but seems to be a safe gamble at this point.

Edited September 13, 2017 by garycarla

[1jazzylady]

Epic is currently in Europe doing Mediterranean itineraries. It won't be back till mid November when by then they will have a better idea of what can be done as far as Eastern Caribbean itineraries. The Getaway is also in Europe not sure when she is scheduled to come back.

 

 

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I will be on the Getaway 10/15/17 from Copenhagen to Miami 14 nights. We are scheduled to arrive 10/29. Two of our island Saint Marten and St. Thomas are affected.

I am not worried.

 

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[MemawP]

Exactly! We have goods friend who live in St Thomas USVI was just (finally!) evacuated and the pictures/stories they've shared show a devastated island. St John is even more so and other islands are also badly damaged :-( The locals are estimating it will be 6 months or more before the infrastructure can handle visitors - they aren't currently able to care for residents. And sadly, the Caribbean is getting another lashing from Maria. The cruel dilemma is the economy depends upon tourism. My guess is they will get back to some level of function and we should support them if possible, even if the islands aren't yet back to their beautiful state.

 

At this time Escape is the only NCL ship scheduled to visit the Eastern Caribbean. Epic has one cruise scheduled on November 18th that goes that direction.

 

 

I suspect, thought I have no knowledge that sometime prior to mid November NCL will announce that all Eastern cruises scheduled before June 1, 2018 will operate as Western itineraries. Tortola and St. Thomas are simply devastated and it is going to take at least 6 - 7 months before they can even think about hosting visitors.

 

 

They have to get the infrastructure of the isladn back up and running, including power, phones, water, sewage, housing and food supplies. Those things are going to take precedence over getting ready for cruise visitors.

 

I hope that I am wrong on the time line but things don't move fast in the Caribbean and everything has to be shipped in.