Port cancelled today on Breakaway -- does NCL offer compensation?

[SClakeliving]

I did a TA on Celebrity Infinity and was following a hurricane the whole way! We missed Lisbon port because of wind and rough seas but they stopped in the Azores instead (Celebrity had to pick up entertainers/staff/provisions). Weather happens.

[davesgirl51]

Weather- who can predict. I was on the May 20th sailing and the weather was perfect. Sunny, warm, no wind, temperatures 20+C. 22, 23 in St Petersburg, Stockholm 24, same with Warnemunde and Helsinki 23. I stayed in Copenhagen for 5 more days and it was around 26-27. I guess we were lucky.

 

 

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Many decades ago, my husband and I went on a smaller ship to the Baltics. Two points - it was July and 104 degrees for an entire week and we couldn’t stop in Sweden either.

[goin-away]

The Aida Divi is just under 70,000 tons. The Breakaway is over 145,000 tons. That probably had something to do with it. I'd imagine margins for error are bigger on smaller ships.

 

Depending on the conditions the size makes a big difference - if the wind is coming from the side then all the side of the ship acts like a sail and the balconies help catch the wind. We were kept out of Nassau on the Epic because of wind - nice, sunny day just really windy.

[pe4all]

We have missed Caribbean ports a few times due to sea/wind conditions - Grand Cayman, Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay to name some. We were refunded port charges - around $10 each time. Hoping we are lucky on our upcoming Baltic cruise and get to all our ports.

[newmexicoNita]

They should refund port fees and that will probably be all.

 

 

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I feel the same: on a few cruises including once on NCL they added an hour happy hour for us, free of charge. The one time they did this (RCI) the only place to get the free booze though was in the casino and I believe they just offered Bloody Mary's and rum punch. NCL had no limit on what you could order or which bar you choose. Boy, you would be amazed how much people can drink in an hour when it is not their pocket book being affected.

[the2006Junket]

I'm seriously considering this cruise next summer and just at the start of my research. Is it common to miss/change ports like this on that cruise?

 

Hi Patrlr,

 

I did alot of research before booking and while I don't have my notes in front of me, I think the Getaway last summer missed Tallinn once and had to move from berthing in Stockholm to Nynasham Sweden several times, but that was it. So, I thought it was not terribly risky that we'd miss Finland.

 

Lynne

[the2006Junket]

Hi all,

 

Just to close the loop, NCL credited us $13 per person for the missed port of Helsinki and $13 pp for the port change from Stockholm to Nynasham, Sweden.

 

We had a wonderful adventure, but since I'm of Finnish descent, I was really looking forward to setting foot on my ancestor's homeland. I liked the Breakaway, especially the experience in the Haven, but for another trip to the Baltics or even elsewhere in Europe, I will go with smaller ships who more dependably get into all/most ports and can dock close to city centers. Also would prefer a ship with more educational and culture offerings linked to the ports. Literally, the only thing NCL did differently on this sailing vs. one anywhere else in the world was the merchandise they sold (pushing LOTS of Russian nesting dolls!), not one menu offering or musical entertainment specific to the region. We chose the NCL/Big ship experience because we were traveling with our 18 yr.old son, but in the future when we are traveling as a couple or with our adult children, we'll go with a different type of experience.

 

Thanks all,

 

Lynne

[njkate]

Hi all,

 

Just to close the loop, NCL credited us $13 per person for the missed port of Helsinki and $13 pp for the port change from Stockholm to Nynasham, Sweden.

 

We had a wonderful adventure, but since I'm of Finnish descent, I was really looking forward to setting foot on my ancestor's homeland. I liked the Breakaway, especially the experience in the Haven, but for another trip to the Baltics or even elsewhere in Europe, I will go with smaller ships who more dependably get into all/most ports and can dock close to city centers. Also would prefer a ship with more educational and culture offerings linked to the ports. Literally, the only thing NCL did differently on this sailing vs. one anywhere else in the world was the merchandise they sold (pushing LOTS of Russian nesting dolls!), not one menu offering or musical entertainment specific to the region. We chose the NCL/Big ship experience because we were traveling with our 18 yr.old son, but in the future when we are traveling as a couple or with our adult children, we'll go with a different type of experience.

 

Thanks all,

 

Lynne

Yes, in retrospect I'm sorry I didn't do exactly that for our Baltic cruise. Not sure how I'm going to feel on this big ship experience. In past sailed NCL's smaller ships, like the Spirit.

[sharonann24]

We are on the July 13 sailing, also in the Haven. I am hoping for good weather and hitting all ports as we have never traveled this itinerary.The only port that seems out of the way now is Stockholm, but I decided to go with an Alla Tour for that port, since we are also doing St. Petersburg with them. And keep in mind in the Caribbean many ships need to have the tenders to transport people to the port. I want to focus on the positives!

[the2006Junket]

Yes, in retrospect I'm sorry I didn't do exactly that for our Baltic cruise. Not sure how I'm going to feel on this big ship experience. In past sailed NCL's smaller ships, like the Spirit.

 

Hi, can you move to a cabin in the Haven? It made ALL the difference to me on such a large ship....

[njkate]

Hi, can you move to a cabin in the Haven? It made ALL the difference to me on such a large ship....

I have bids in, last I checked only two bedrooms and DOS available. The two bedroom to upgrade directly was about 10K:eek:

If I don't win bids will just have to grin and bare it

[steamboats]

The Aida Divi is just under 70,000 tons. The Breakaway is over 145,000 tons. That probably had something to do with it. I'd imagine margins for error are bigger on smaller ships.

 

BRT is not important at all when it comes to the size of a ship...

 

AIDAdiva is 252 m long and 32.2 m wide.

Norwegian Breakaway is 325 m long and 40 m wide.

 

I´ve done a Baltic cruise on the Celebrity Silhouette (315 m long, 37 m wide) with stops in Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn... Especially Tallinn can be pretty windy and we had to wait and sit at the pier until the wind calmed down. The captain later explained that up to a certain wind speed he can leave the pier under own power. Then there´s a range where he needs a tug boat. But over that he simply can´t leave as the wind would push him back against the pier. We missed one day in St. Petersburg due to a severe storm (which caused floodings in town). No ship was able to leave the port of St. Petersburg (and on the other side we weren´t able to get in - and there was no free berth anyway).

 

Of course the bigger the ship is the more problems does wind cause (more "sail"). Therefore a smaller ship might be able to get into port while a bigger isn´t.

 

steamboats

[Seminole1975]

I watched a video last night on YouTube from the Getaway back when it was doing the Baltic cruise. It was a tour/review of The Haven. I could not believe how bad the conditions were on the sundeck, courtyard, etc. Cold and windy. Not sure why anyone would book The Haven on cruises like that where many of the benefits cannot even be used.

 

Priority disembarkation is wonderful on a port intensive cruise, especially Russia. Some are not pool people even in warm weather, but the spa was also nice in the colder climates.