It's official...all NCL cruises to Cuba are being changed

[Quencups]

It’s getting a little ridiculous now for those of us who are/were scheduled to cruise to Cuba in the next two weeks to keep being told there is nothing official yet.  My account still has me going to Cuba on the 17th. If the other cruise lines were quick to alter itineraries/compensation what is NCL’s holdup? It’s annoying. People have flights/auto train etc involved here. 

Edited June 5, 2019 by Quencups
Spelling error

[jonfreund]

So both RCI and Carnival are offering full refunds or incentives to stay on the updated itinerary.  RCI is 50% refund to stay on Carnival is offering 100/per pax.  NCL - crickets.

[RupanIII]

10 minutes ago, jonfreund said:

So both RCI and Carnival are offering full refunds or incentives to stay on the updated itinerary.  RCI is 50% refund to stay on Carnival is offering 100/per pax.  NCL - crickets.

 

I think that RCI and Carnival are going to force the issue and NCL is going to have to give the options for full refunds. If they don't it will not be good press at all and I think it will leave a very bad impression on a lot of cruisers.  

[pinkie60]

13 minutes ago, jonfreund said:

So both RCI and Carnival are offering full refunds or incentives to stay on the updated itinerary.  RCI is 50% refund to stay on Carnival is offering 100/per pax.  NCL - crickets.

That is exactly how I feel. Really getting pissed off😡

[Quencups]

Me too. I want to cancel if they go to Nassau. But there are so many logistics involved here. At first I was going with the flow but we should have heard something by now

[MrMike45]

Carnival jumped on this and posted an update right away with alternatives including refunds and OBC.  Kudos to them.

 

Royal just posted their update about an hour and half ago on their website.  I am pretty sure both NCL and MSC will do the same shortly.  

 

It's only been about 36 hours since the travel ban went into place.  A lot of moving parts for these companies.  Patience.  

[navy60wife]

The image is from   https://www.cruisemapper.com/   

[Cruising89143]

14 minutes ago, MrMike45 said:

Carnival jumped on this and posted an update right away with alternatives including refunds and OBC.  Kudos to them.

 

Royal just posted their update about an hour and half ago on their website.  I am pretty sure both NCL and MSC will do the same shortly.  

 

It's only been about 36 hours since the travel ban went into place.  A lot of moving parts for these companies.  Patience.  

 

Actually RCI posted last evening about the changes. They have updated their website today but it seems RCI and Carnival is reacting much quicker. 

[navy60wife]

10 hours ago, Seany527 said:

 

What is the name of this app?

 The image is from https://www.cruisemapper.com/

 

I am sorry I don't know how delete my double posts.  Anyone please help!

[MrMike45]

12 minutes ago, cruisingator2 said:

 

Actually RCI posted last evening about the changes. They have updated their website today but it seems RCI and Carnival is reacting much quicker. 

 

I thought I checked this morning, and their post said they were aware and making changes, but nothing with the actual refund policy/cancellation, etc.  That was posted at 2:30 pm EST today.  If I am wrong with that apologies.  

 

Either way, as others have mentioned.  Given RCI and Carnival's decision to allow full refunds for cancellations, I can't see NCL going with the "tough *****, you're going to Nassau" response.  I would assume they follow suit if what the offer.  

[seacruiser123]

3 hours ago, susiesan said:

I wondered that too when I saw how much someone paid for travel insurance. $1000? Sorry to say, seacruiser123, you got ripped off big time.

No, we didn't...its primary medical insurance and cancel for any reason policies which at the cabin pricepoint this was on was that amount of money. It doesn't even cover the extra $250 spent on a visa for one of the ones in our party either.

 

As for the other suggestion from PaulMco, its really good one which we will explore. However, we did not intend on cruising anywhere in this area other than Cuba so we would not have any replacement cruise to go to. Still, its something we didn't know and we are grateful for the suggestion.

[larrbehr]

TA just called, my cruise Oct 5 on the Sun is cancelled with full refund.  NCL will be coming out with new itinerary, and if rebook will get 20% off.  So, waiting to hear what new itinerary will be.

[C cruise]

I hope NCL doesn't cancel all the cruises... I have friends booked in 2 weeks and they said, they don't care if the ports change as long as they get to go on a cruise...

[Dodgers671]

That's so disappointing I love Cuba, and so thankful I had the opportunity last October on the wonderful NCL Sun.  It would be a great ideal if people scheduled to disembark would be given 3 options to replace Cuba and the port with the highest vote tally wins rather than Nassau.

[All-ready2cruise]

32 minutes ago, Dodgers671 said:

That's so disappointing I love Cuba, and so thankful I had the opportunity last October on the wonderful NCL Sun.  It would be a great ideal if people scheduled to disembark would be given 3 options to replace Cuba and the port with the highest vote tally wins rather than Nassau.

Right, so don't worry whether the port has room or can accommodate the ship you're going send there, just barge right into a port and be done with it? Is that the idea?  Any idea how many passengers some of the smaller islands can accommodate, considering what the pax may want to do or see? 

 

Sorry, I'm afraid it won't be that easy, it's a lot of man hours to figure out the logistics of finding ports with available berths.

 

I too, hope that NCL can find solutions that are acceptable to some/most displaced pax but it's not going to be easy. 

Good luck to all those affected by this unfortunate situation. 

[SuziCruises]

From Norwegian:  NO REFUNDS IF YOU CANCEL ON JUNE - SEPTEMBER CRUISES

 

NOTE:  Norwegian is the ONLY cruise line to stick it to passengers who want to cancel.

 

Sailings through and including September 2, 2019

Those guests currently sailing on Norwegian Sun who departed on June 3 as well as all guests booked on Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Sun cruises to Cuba through and including the September 2, 2019 departure will receive a 50% refund of the cruise fare paid as well as a 50% future cruise credit valid for sailings through December 31, 2021. Refunds for June 2019 and July 2019 sailings will be processed by June 30, 2019 while refunds for August 2019 sailings will be processed by July 31, 2019.

Refunds will be applied to the original form of payment. This process will be automatic and requires no action from you.

We apologize for the inconvenience caused by this unforeseen change. Standard cancellation policies apply for those guests who choose not to sail. Visa fees arranged through Norwegian Cruise Line will be refunded and government taxes and fees will be adjusted accordingly. Any shore excursions purchased through Norwegian Cruise Line for Cuba will be automatically refunded and posted to your onboard account for June 3 departure or refunded to original form of payment for other sailings. Future Cruise Credits will be attached to your Latitudes profile.

[mking8288]

Isn't this great timing with strong headwind for the 2019 hurricane season /s 🙊 🙈  - cruiseline stocks taking a beating, reversing the upbeat forecasts issued not long ago ... knowing already that this could be coming sooner than later.  

 

Has anyone looked at the various port schedules over the next 4 to 6 months for the assorted Caribbean ports, including (some called) dumps like Nassau & even Freeport - some of the ships will be doing extra donuts at sea.  

 

RCL completed their pier/dock at their private island, so they have a safe shelter to bring their ships in ... GSC by NCL, is another story - it's been more than a year beyond anticipated grand re-opening, if I am not mistaken, mother nature's storm wasn't factored in further delaying the work in progress. 

 

What a nightmare, seriously, from a crisis management standpoint to try to mitigate this man-made disaster.  Trying to avoid the politics of it all in looking at this.  

Edited June 5, 2019 by mking8288

[Cruising89143]

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/20964-norwegian-sets-cuba-refund-policies.html

[Kingkonig]

5 minutes ago, cruisingator2 said:

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/20964-norwegian-sets-cuba-refund-policies.html

If I’m reading that right, it’s pretty much a full refund?  50% cash refund and 50% to a future cruise?

[rabidstoat]

It seems strange that they can cancel a cruise and not give a refund.

 

Imagine if you booked a flight to France and the airline told you sorry, they were canceling your flight, but no you can't get your money back, here's half and to get the other half you have to fly with us again, but not to France.

[rabidstoat]

5 minutes ago, Kingkonig said:

If I’m reading that right, it’s pretty much a full refund?  50% cash refund and 50% to a future cruise?

 That's not a full refund. That's half a refund, and you want the other half you can't have it now you can only have it later if you go on another cruise somewhere else.

 

People who don't plan to go on another cruise before the 50% credit expires only get half refund for a canceled cruise.

 

Given what RCI and Carnival are offering I wouldn't be surprised if NCL ended up giving full refunds in the end. I have to imagine people won't be happy.

 

Edited to add: I may have misunderstood. Those cruising through September still get to go on a cruise, just somewhere else, with a 50% refund and 50% credit to future cruise? That's not a bad deal if so.

Edited June 6, 2019 by rabidstoat

[zqvol]

5 minutes ago, rabidstoat said:

It seems strange that they can cancel a cruise and not give a refund.

 

Imagine if you booked a flight to France and the airline told you sorry, they were canceling your flight, but no you can't get your money back, here's half and to get the other half you have to fly with us again, but not to France.

 

Those cruises are not canceled they are being rerouted.

[Coral]

I am not booked on this cruise (so no invested interest) - given these circumstance, I think NCL is wrong in not letting individuals get a full refund if they choose not to go. RCL and CCL stepped up and did the right thing.

[Kingkonig]

5 minutes ago, rabidstoat said:

 

Edited to add: I may have misunderstood. Those cruising through September still get to go on a cruise, just somewhere else, with a 50% refund and 50% credit to future cruise? That's not a bad deal if so.

 

 

Yeah, that’s my understanding of it.  Hell now I wish I had this cruise scheduled during August or something - it basically amounts to two cruises for the price of one - even though you don’t get to see Cuba.  100% worth it to me, though to be fair I never stay married to the idea of one specific port - as they can change at any time for no reason at all if they want (via the T&Cs)

[bluecartakesacruise]

6 hours ago, martinchem said:

Not if they handle this like they did for our Bermuda cruise last September on the Escape with the threat of a hurricane,  we got nothing. No cancellation refund, no obc, nothing. We just had a 7 day trip to nowhere,  but that's all the contract guaranteed. Royal offered 50% refundable obc or cancel no fees, Carnival offered $100pp obc or cancel no fees.  

We were on that same sailing which is why we don't book with NCL anymore.  

So I'm surprised and glad to see that NCL is going to do right by their Cuba customers this time.  Good on them!