Nieuw Amsterdam April 2020 - was the 15th now leaves the 4th

[MaryZ]

Hi,

Is it normal for HAL to switch a cruise by weeks?  Our cruise switched from April 15th to April 4th.  It's a TA from Florida to Barcelona

[canadianbear]

That’s quite the switch, yikes.

[colbe]

HAL web sales still show it for the 15th. Who told you that it had changed?

[MaryZ]

Yes.  It's a major switch.   I am really not sure what we are going to do.  Our plans were to stay and meet up with friends but that's over a month away now. 
We haven't sailed on HAL in many years. 
I received an email today from HAL

[bennybear]

Do you have flights already?  

[caribill]

6 hours ago, MaryZ said:

Hi,

Is it normal for HAL to switch a cruise by weeks?  Our cruise switched from April 15th to April 4th.  It's a TA from Florida to Barcelona

 

It is not just HAL.

 

Repositioning cruises in the spring are often changed as the cruise line changes other schedules so that the ship will go earlier or later than originally scheduled. Usually it is less Caribbean cruising, so they can send the ship to Europe earlier.

 

Also, usually the change is made far enough in advance of the cruise so that it does not affect the passenger other than with disappointment.

[Krazy Kruizers]

It happened to us a few years ago.  We were scheduled to do a Collectors cruise in the Caribbean on the Nieuw Asmterdam the first couple weeks of November.  We were notified months in advance that HAL had decided to keep the Nieuw Amsterdam longer in Europe longer and the first week of Caribbean cruise was affected.

 

Yes -- HAL does make changes such as yours OP.

[MaryZ]

Well...since we often do Transatlantics we probably won't book another one with HAL.  Moving a cruise up by this amount of days is a huge deal.

We have cruises booked following the original itinerary and then were staying, meeting friends and not coming home until the end of May.

So it presents a problem for us. 

We might just do the TA and come home.  Then fly over in the middle of May to meet our friends to cruise with them.
It's definitely not a client pleasing type of change.  We always have further plans after a TA or before one, so moving a cruise by so much time throws a lot of kinks into it.

[bennybear]

HAL will usually offer some compensation for a large change,  OBC or helping with air change fees,  that's why I was wondering if you have flights already as they would be available for booking.     So may be worth checking with them or your TA

[Geri c]

I tried to book Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona with HAL today - they couldn’t find a listing for April/2020.  Still listed on cruise critic as well as other cruise sites.