New Ship - First Couple of Sailings

[rtkenmore]

I got to thinking today with the news that AIDAnova has delayed her first sailing by a few weeks what are the odds that something similar happens with NCL Encore.

 

We're booked on the Thanksgiving sailing which is only the third public cruise.  If it were any of you guys (looking for opinions here), would you go ahead and book a second one on Escape (sails the day before Encore) just to have something lined up in case Encore does get delayed at all?  The Escape could be canceled up until the day before final payment for Encore (one final payment is July 26th, the other July 27th).

 

And even then, there is always the possibility of the delay not being announced or known until after final payment anyway as well.  😕

[Sauer-kraut]

4 hours ago, rtkenmore said:

 

 

Book it and purchase trip insurance!

[BirdTravels]

If the cruise itinerary changes before final payment, you can book then. If the cruise itinerary changes after final payment, you would not be holding 2 cruises. Don't book the Escape, doesn't really help any. 

 

The -away class ships have all come out on time. We have sailed on the first US public of the Breakaway, Getaway, and Escape. We were on the first Alaska cruise of the Bliss earlier this year. The only one that was delayed was the Getaway when Budweiser chartered the ship (before her first sailing) to be the Bud Lite Hotel at the Super Bowl. 

 

We were on the first Epic sailing out of her 5-year dry dock. Now, that was a different story. The dry dock first slipped a week. Then slipped another day. Then slipped a few hours. That cruise was from Southampton to Barcelona. And we ended up having to rebook air fare to London/From Barcelona,,, then book an extra night in a hotel in London for the 1 day slip. NCL paid for the airline changes and the hotel. 

 

 

[www3traveler]

I sailed on The Getaway on the 16th of January 2014 from Southampton, United Kingdom to New York City.  Wonderful cruise  Once we arrived in NYC on the 26th of January, She Bud Lite Hotel for the Super Bowl. Aside from being in mid January, it was a great cruise.