Itinerary Change!!! - When do you plan on letting us all know, HAL ????

[kazu]

For anyone sailing on the Prinsendam on the April 24th sailing, the port of Le Palais on May 4th has been cancelled and replaced by St. Peter Port on May 5th (May 4th will be a sea day).

 

So far, HAL hasn’t told anyone nor make any announcements nor changed the itinerary.

 

How do I know?  I had a private tour arranged for Le Palais and it was the private tour operator who asked me on Friday - “are you SURE you’re coming here”.  Needless to say I was caught off guard and more so when he told me HAL had cancelled all their shore excursions there and stated the ship was going elsewhere.  So, here’s another benefit of private guides. 😉 

 

Ships’ services checked and said no, we were going to Le Palais.  Since we have an intrepid roll call member on board she wisely went to the shore excursion desk to inquire about a tour in Le Palais and it was THEY who said it was now St. Peter Port.

 

We are indeed now listed on the St. Peter Port schedule but no arrival or departure time.  

 

We’ve let everyone know on our roll call  (another benefit of roll calls 😉) but right now, everyone else on this sailing is in the dark and still thinking they are going to Le Palais, hence my post.   

 

Maybe HAL will tell us when we are on board? 🙄 

 

[Pickalily, Wilts]

Without wishing to be a 'Jeremiah', you may not be calling at St Peter Port either. It's not unusual for the port to be inaccessible if the sea is very rough.  I hope the weather is kind to you.

[kazu]

2 minutes ago, Pickalily, Wilts said:

Without wishing to be a 'Jeremiah', you may not be calling at St Peter Port either. It's not unusual for the port to be inaccessible if the sea is very rough.  I hope the weather is kind to you.

 

I know.  I’ve already warned the roll call.  We got there last year and it was about the same time of year so we’ll just cross our fingers. 😉 

[Fouremco]

I was a bit put off earlier in the week when I determined and subsequently confirmed with the port authority in Trondheim that we would be tendering instead of docking during a port call in June, a fact still not provided by HAL. At least we will be visiting the intended port, Jacqui, and it beggars belief that the Prinsendam passengers still haven't been advised.

 

Needless to say, my email to Guest Relations remains unanswered. 

[kazu]

1 minute ago, Fouremco said:

I was a bit put off earlier in the week when I determined and subsequently confirmed with the port authority in Trondheim that we would be tendering instead of docking during a port call in June, a fact still not provided by HAL. At least we will be visiting the intended port, Jacqui, and it beggars belief that the Prinsendam passengers still haven't been advised.

 

Needless to say, my email to Guest Relations remains unanswered. 

 

I don’t blame you at all for being put off by the surprise.  I don’t like surprises either.

 

If I hadn’t had the private tour planned, none of us would have known.  

[Pickalily, Wilts]

9 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

I know.  I’ve already warned the roll call.  We got there last year and it was about the same time of year so we’ll just cross our fingers. 😉 

 

It's so annoying when this happens.  We had a cruise from Vancouver cancelled by Celebrity and they didn't tell us either.  I found out quite by accident on a cruise site with just 2 weeks to go.  Thank heavens for the internet.  Have a good trip - wherever you go.

[Copper10-8]

Interesting tidbit shows Prinsendam, but under her new Phoenix Reisen name 'Amera,' still scheduled to call at Belle Isle (Le Palais) on 04 May between 0800 and 1700 hrs 

 

https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/belle-isle-port-1052?month=2019-05#schedule

[kazu]

7 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

Interesting tidbit shows Prinsendam, but under her new Phoenix Reisen name 'Amera,' still scheduled to call at Belle Isle (Le Palais) on 04 May between 0800 and 1700 hrs 

 

https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/belle-isle-port-1052?month=2019-05#schedule

 

Yes and cruisemapper doesn’t show us at Guernsey.  So, it’s not up to date, yet.

 

We are already added to St. Peter Port’s schedule as the Prinsendam.  

 

http://www.harbours.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=118449&p=0

 

 

[Copper10-8]

Just now, kazu said:

 

Yes and cruisemapper doesn’t show us at Guernsey.  So, it’s not up to date, yet.

 

We are already added to St. Peter Port’s schedule as the Prinsendam.  

 

 

Good! Enjoy St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands; it's a nice one

[Krazy Kruizers]

Jacqui -- sorry that this happened to you.  Glad you are getting it all straightened out.

 

Happened to us many years -- in the Caribbean.  Can't remember which ship we were sailing on.  When we got to our cabin, on the bed was a letter indicating one port was cancelled and another was substituted for it.  

[TiogaCruiser]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

I was a bit put off earlier in the week when I determined and subsequently confirmed with the port authority in Trondheim that we would be tendering instead of docking during a port call in June, a fact still not provided by HAL. At least we will be visiting the intended port, Jacqui, and it beggars belief that the Prinsendam passengers still haven't been advised.

 

Needless to say, my email to Guest Relations remains unanswered. 

May I ask which cruise this is?

Were booked in June also, on PDam’s last harrah....,

[kazu]

34 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said:

May I ask which cruise this is?

Were booked in June also, on PDam’s last harrah....,

 

Fourmenco said he was on a “Voyage of the Midnight Sun” when he asked for the Norwegian translation to figure out if he was tendering or not.

 

So, I don’t think it’s a Prinsendam cruise, possibly a N Statendam since it has that itinerary.

[cruzin4us]

It's kind of like (somewhat) getting on board and then they tell you "oh, by the way, we are now charging $10 for an additional entree".   

[edgee]

1 hour ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

Jacqui -- sorry that this happened to you.  Glad you are getting it all straightened out.

 

Happened to us many years -- in the Caribbean.  Can't remember which ship we were sailing on.  When we got to our cabin, on the bed was a letter indicating one port was cancelled and another was substituted for it.  

Wow, we have just starting cruising on HAL again after a lengthly absence. Interesting to see the uproar over port changes/substitutions.On other cruise lines we have found it very common for ports to be cancelled/substituted sometimes at the last minute. Out of 7 cruises we have taken on Oceania we have made all ports scheduled at time of booking only once! Most changes have been due to weather, but others for logistcal reasons they do not always explain.

[kazu]

7 minutes ago, edgee said:

Wow, we have just starting cruising on HAL again after a lengthly absence. Interesting to see the uproar over port changes/substitutions.On other cruise lines we have found it very common for ports to be cancelled/substituted sometimes at the last minute. Out of 7 cruises we have taken on Oceania we have made all ports scheduled at time of booking only once! Most changes have been due to weather, but others for logistcal reasons they do not always explain.

 

The uproar (as you like to call it) is not because the port has been changed but because we have NOT been advised.  Passengers deserve to be told about an itinerary change when it is done before sailing.

 

Some of us like to research, plan, etc.  At this stage of the game, we don’t even know what our arrival and departure time is in St. Peter Port.  

 

The cruise line has the right to change the itinerary but, they also have the obligation to let the passengers know.  JMHO.

 

 

 

 

[Sir PMP]

34 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

The uproar (as you like to call it) is not because the port has been changed but because we have NOT been advised.  Passengers deserve to be told about an itinerary change when it is done before sailing.

 

Some of us like to research, plan, etc.  At this stage of the game, we don’t even know what our arrival and departure time is in St. Peter Port.  

 

The cruise line has the right to change the itinerary but, they also have the obligation to let the passengers know.  JMHO.

 

 

 

 

Plus a nice meal on this little french island off the coast of Bretagne sounds a lot more exciting than boring Guernsey..

[Copper10-8]

37 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

The uproar (as you like to call it) is not because the port has been changed but because we have NOT been advised.  Passengers deserve to be told about an itinerary change when it is done before sailing.

 

Some of us like to research, plan, etc.  At this stage of the game, we don’t even know what our arrival and departure time is in St. Peter Port.  

 

The cruise line has the right to change the itinerary but, they also have the obligation to let the passengers know.  JMHO.

 

 

 

 

 

You will have a nice letter waiting for you in your cabin advising you of the change in ports. Similar to departure day when folks fly independently to their ports of departure on that day with inherent risks involved, HAL can not be expected to deal with, and is not responsible for, the independent travel plans and privately booked shore excursions of her pax in designated ports of call

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, TiogaCruiser said:

May I ask which cruise this is?

Were booked in June also, on PDam’s last harrah....,

Jacqui has it right, our Trondheim visit will be during our Voyage of the Midnight Sun aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam. As we have a DIY walking tour planned, it will be a relatively minor inconvenience, but for others who have made plans based on our published docking time, things might be more problematic. I posted the information on our roll call, but there are very few others signed up for it, and the majority of the NS passengers won't know in advance unless HAL decides to let everyone know. 

[kazu]

10 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

You will have a nice letter waiting for you in your cabin advising you of the change in ports. Similar to departure day when folks fly independently to their ports of departure on that day with inherent risks involved, HAL can not be expected to deal with, and is not responsible for, the independent travel plans and privately booked shore excursions of her pax in designated ports of call

 

Respectfully Copper, 

 

I disagree.  I agreed to a change in itinerary.  I know what the contract says but I do think with it being done in advance, notice should be given.

 

This isn’t the first time our itinerary was changed before the cruise but in all other scenarios (and they were Prinsendam cruises) we were notified so everyone knew.  We’ve already been notified of a change of time for our Bordeaux stop (for the better by the way) so this makes no sense to me.

 

Whether someone does independent plans or HAL shore excursions, they still plan.  So, if they wait until we get on board  to let us know, all those people who had chosen shore excursions now have to research to see which one suits them best.

 

In any case, at least if there is someone reading the HAL boards on our cruise and not on the roll call, they are now aware of it.

 

 

[Copper10-8]

7 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Respectfully Copper, 

 

I disagree.  I agreed to a change in itinerary.  I know what the contract says but I do think with it being done in advance, notice should be given.

 

This isn’t the first time our itinerary was changed before the cruise but in all other scenarios (and they were Prinsendam cruises) we were notified so everyone knew.  We’ve already been notified of a change of time for our Bordeaux stop (for the better by the way) so this makes no sense to me.

 

Whether someone does independent plans or HAL shore excursions, they still plan.  So, if they wait until we get on board  to let us know, all those people who had chosen shore excursions now have to research to see which one suits them best.

 

In any case, at least if there is someone reading the HAL boards on our cruise and not on the roll call, they are now aware of it.

 

 

 

 

That's OK, Kazu - We'll agree to disagree on this one and, yes, respectfully so!

[Fouremco]

3 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

You will have a nice letter waiting for you in your cabin advising you of the change in ports. Similar to departure day when folks fly independently to their ports of departure on that day with inherent risks involved, HAL can not be expected to deal with, and is not responsible for, the independent travel plans and privately booked shore excursions of her pax in designated ports of call

We too can agree to disagree. 

 

As a risk averse individual, I'm someone who always flies in a minimum of a day in advance, but I do understand why some people fly in the day of embarkation. I agree with you that HAL has no responsibility for problems experienced by those people and flight delays leading to them missing embarkation. However, to describe a situation more closely paralleling the one described by Jacqui, if HAL decided weeks in advance to leave port a few hours early and not tell anyone, your darned right HAL would be responsible.

 

On the issue of private shore excursion, anyone arranging them understands the potential risks involved should the ship miss a port or be late arriving do to weather, mechanical issues, etc.. We all understand and accept last minute changes. While I agree that HAL might not bear legal responsibility for anyone's financial losses incurred because of this change, it certainly bears moral responsibility to inform all of its passengers when a port change is known well in advance.

 

One question that I haven't seen addressed here, or perhaps I just missed it: have any of the passengers who booked HAL excursions for Le Palais been advised of the change and reimbursed? 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

7 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

........................

One question that I haven't seen addressed here, or perhaps I just missed it: have any of the passengers who booked HAL excursions for Le Palais been advised of the change and reimbursed? 

 

 

 

 

That's an automatic given, not yet, because those folks do not have an active onboard account yet, but it will happen. I'm referring to the reimbursement

Edited March 30, 2019 by Copper10-8

[Fouremco]

13 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

 

That's an automatic given, not yet, because those folks do not have an active onboard account yet, but it will happen. I'm referring to the reimbursement

I thought that HAL might have reimbursed them as soon as the port was cancelled, rather than hang onto their money until they were aboard. That would seem to be the reasonable thing to do, IMHO.

[Copper10-8]

7 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

I thought that HAL might have reimbursed them as soon as the port was cancelled, rather than hang onto their money until they were aboard. That would seem to be the reasonable thing to do, IMHO.

 

Not sure about that; I guess only those folks would be able to shed light on that scenario

Edited March 30, 2019 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

1 minute ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Duplicado

 

Edited March 30, 2019 by Copper10-8