Damn the torpedoes...Full steam ahead

[Fun4Us2013]

I was scheduled to leave today, May 1 for my 15 day Mediterranean cruise. Sad day for me. I have been reading all the comments from people on refunds, disputing charges, NEVER sail NCL again etc. but I made a different decision. I booked 2 cruises, one for November this year and another in 2022. I want to show support for NCL. If a lot of people book future cruises maybe the investors will be more confident to keep these ships afloat. I am convinced that this pandemic will pass and sailing will again be a fun and exciting vacation. I am willing to accept the chance of rough seas, missed ports,  the cheese cause on the broccoli wasn’t at the required 78 degrees, etc.  I’m thinking positively towards the future. 

[mcmomny]

Me too!

[Freckles_51]

Good to see a positive post!

 

We had our March cruise cancelled, we rebooked for December this year in an attempt to use air fare credit, part of which expires in December. Fingers and toes crossed that all goes well. If not then we will just rebook again 😉

 

We had another cruise booked for August, we decided to cancel prior to final payment as we did not want more money tied up in credits. Everything we had paid - cruise deposit, air fare, private excursions, hotel, insurance premium - was refundable except air fare cancellation fee. This was a Europe cruise, would have rebooked for next year but the cruise fare was $800 pp more! Ugh!

[Georgia_Peaches]

Yes, this too shall pass and when it does, we will find our way back to the ships.  Sorry about your missed cruise...For our cancelled cruise lat month I made a different drink of the day and toasted each evening to the fun we would have had.

[JimR24]

Amen.  I really hope we can go on our cruise in December.  We would actually take one sooner if they open up.  

[boatseller]

What!?!?  A calm, rational, personal assessment of the situation?  Don't you understand the NCL is going bankrupt and will scuttle all their ships tomorrow and you'll probably infect 10,000 people after your cruise?

 

At least I don't feel so bad about planning ~5 cruises Aug>Dec.  Happy Sailing!

[JimR24]

13 minutes ago, boatseller said:

What!?!?  A calm, rational, personal assessment of the situation?  Don't you understand the NCL is going bankrupt and will scuttle all their ships tomorrow and you'll probably infect 10,000 people after your cruise?

 

At least I don't feel so bad about planning ~5 cruises Aug>Dec.  Happy Sailing!

Can I go with you?  You can stuff me in a checked bag.  Don't worry if you have the drink package, we'll share (I can hear heads exploding on the board as people read that).  

[Diver2014]

Can't wait for POA in Hawaii in November!  Yeah, damn the torpedoes. Everyone has to make their own decisions but we're ready to sail!

[reveur15]

3 hours ago, Freckles_51 said:

Good to see a positive post!

 

I agree with you and booked 2 cruises this week for 2021and 2022.

I enjoy cruises and i enjoy NCL even if they are not perfect.

I know there is a risk that they can go bankrupt but I support them and I take the risk to lose my 2 deposit.

I miss the happy 'welcome aboard' !!!

 

 

[JimR24]

3 minutes ago, reveur15 said:

I agree with you and booked 2 cruises this week for 2021and 2022.

I enjoy cruises and i enjoy NCL even if they are not perfect.

I know there is a risk that they can go bankrupt but I support them and I take the risk to lose my 2 deposit.

I miss the happy 'welcome aboard' !!!

 

 

No company is going to do everything perfect.  I travel for work and carry status with American, Marriott and National.  All have disappointed me in the past but for me, they are still the best option.  I will stick with NCL and continue to book (as long as they are in business).  This whole situation with this Virus is unlike any other and companies are doing there best to navigate these waters (see what I did there).  

[bluesea777]

We have had one cruise shortened and 3 cruises cancelled by NCL so far this year and we are happy with the FCCs and further discounts rather than refunds.

 

We're not cruising for the remainder of this year but have been looking at some for 2021 and 2022.

 

Still have 5 CNs to deal with, lol.

 

We love cruising, especially with NCL as we like their product.

 

 

[vicnsue]

Thank you for the positive post! 
We should be on a TA cruise right now, but instead of crying about it, I followed NCL’s  FCC instructions. We received 125% credit without any drama and booked another cruise with an additional 25% off and we still have FCC’s remaining. The newly booked cruise created a 14 day B2B. 
As Jimmy Buffett says. 
If life gives you Limes make Margaritas!

[Georgia_Peaches]

4 hours ago, bluesea777 said:

We have had one cruise shortened and 3 cruises cancelled by NCL so far this year and we are happy with the FCCs and further discounts rather than refunds.

 

We're not cruising for the remainder of this year but have been looking at some for 2021 and 2022.

 

Still have 5 CNs to deal with, lol.

 

We love cruising, especially with NCL as we like their product.

 

 

Speaking of cruising soon, I see you're in Bermuda.  What's the word there on port closures over there?  Has the government made any decisions about what they will begin receiving ships again?  I'm hoping to book a late summer/early fall cruise to Bermuda.  Saw a 5 nighter for September.  Maybe it's too soon, IDK...

[bluesea777]

39 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Speaking of cruising soon, I see you're in Bermuda.  What's the word there on port closures over there?  Has the government made any decisions about what they will begin receiving ships again?  I'm hoping to book a late summer/early fall cruise to Bermuda.  Saw a 5 nighter for September.  Maybe it's too soon, IDK...

 

I would suggest that you book last minute cruise to Bermuda at this time (remainder of year 2020), rather than book it months in advance. Best to leave it until 2021.

 

We're still in lockdown (complete since March 20 when our airport closed) but it's being lifted tomorrow a little - in gradual stages. Airport remain closed for another month. Grocery shopping restricted by surnames: A-F on Mon & Thu, G-Q on Tue & Fri, R-Z on Wed & Sat. Wearing of masks in grocery stores mandatory. Only about 50 in store at a time. We still have 2 container ships coming in weekly with fresh produce, so our grocery stores are full of foods ... and TP. Starting tomorrow (Stage 1) our son will be able to visit us (it's been 6 weeks!! on a 21 sq mile island!!). Many people here have been working from home and this will continue until Stage 3 (about 3 weeks' time). Also starting tomorrow there'll be 10pm-6am curfew.

 

The ships will be clean enough and crew healthy enough, but it's the matter of travelling to the port to embark ... airports and airplanes will be filled with all sorts of people - so we will be safer to stay at home and wait for the vaccine to come in. New York is a major hot-spot so you'd better avoid that place for several months to come.

 

Covid-19 testing is well underway at the moment and we are seeing a lot more negative results now. And more and more people have recovered.

 

Three times in April there were repatriation flights into Bermuda - two from London, and one from FL (Coral Princess - there were 22 Bermudians on that ship). They all went into Government quarantine immediately on arrival for 2 weeks. Unfortunately several people got ill and tested positive and have had to stay in further 2 weeks or until they are recovered.

 

63,000 people on 21 square miles - a big community - and people are pretty serious here!! 

 

👌✌️😷

 

 

Edited May 1, 2020 by bluesea777

[Travelicious]

Thanks for this thread!    Almost every other thread currently on the first page of the NCL section of Cruise Critic is just moaning and groaning.  I miss reading about people excitedly planning their cruises, and the reviews once completed.  I know people aren't sailing now, but we can still be excited about future sailings.

[Newleno]

6 minutes ago, Travelicious said:

Thanks for this thread!    Almost every other thread currently on the first page of the NCL section of Cruise Critic is just moaning and groaning.  I miss reading about people excitedly planning their cruises, and the reviews once completed.  I know people aren't sailing now, but we can still be excited about future sailings.

suspicious 

[steveknj]

We are hopeful.  We were scheduled to go on the first cruise right after they cancelled everything...we were THIS close.  But we cancelled earlier in the week and missed out on getting a refund or 125% FCC.  So we booked with the 20% discount on a similar cruise on a different ship around the same time next year.  So keeping fingers and toes crossed.  If not, we'll push it out further.  But I refuse to be scared off from cruising.  At some point we'll be able to do it again.  I'm with the OP, we have to support these companies or they will disappear.

[graphicguy]

NCL has been on my bad list for most of this year....so much so, I briefly went on a Carnival Vista cruise at the beginning of this year (before this madness started).  Liked the cruise.  Different than what I'd hoped for.

 

Had a cruise with NCL scheduled to sail last month, which was obviously cancelled.  Asked for a refund, which wasn't due to hit me until June.  But, then they offered 20% off any fare and 125% FCC.  That made it pretty difficult to ignore.

 

Had another cruise booked on Royal's Oasis that was supposed to sail 5/31.  That's now off the table.

 

Most of the cruise lines are in the same boat (pun intended).

 

Anyway, back looking at NCL with the discount and FCC.  Never been to Alaska so just pulled the trigger on the Bliss' last sailing to Alaska of 2020 in October.  Got a great deal with all the discounts, the FCC and a Haven cabin to boot.

 

I should be looking forward to a cruise by then. Hell, I'm ready to cruise now.

[Joanne G.]

Love the positivity!  My May 17 British Isles cruise was canceled just last week.  I knew it would get canceled, but I am still so sad, as I had looked forward to it for over a year.    I booked as a solo, so it was a lot of money to me, and I planned to request a refund.  I long ago booked a 2021 cruise on another line.   But when I saw how big the FCC would be, combined with the fact that 2022 European itineraries are now posted, I am now leaning towards putting that big credit towards a similar itinerary, this time in an upgraded cabin.    Being solo, that big credit is all mine LOL!    Like others in this thread, I like making a show of faith in NCL and cruising in general.   Plus I avoid the stress of waiting for a refund that could be months away.   Instead, I can have a paid-for vacation to look forward to.   😄

 

 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, Travelicious said:

Thanks for this thread!    Almost every other thread currently on the first page of the NCL section of Cruise Critic is just moaning and groaning.  I miss reading about people excitedly planning their cruises, and the reviews once completed.  I know people aren't sailing now, but we can still be excited about future sailings.

Totally agreed. 

 

We were scheduled to sail last week.... the the virus cancelled us. That is our 4th cancelled NCL cruise in the past year. (Also had one RCL cruise cancelled). 

 

We are all rebooked again later this summer. Crossing our fingers that the cruise will go as planned... however realistically I am expecting to see some major changes to ships/itineraries once they start operating again and figure out an optimum number of ships and what configurations to operate based on demand.  

 

 

[Joanne G.]

4 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

 . . . . however realistically I am expecting to see some major changes to ships/itineraries once they start operating again and figure out an optimum number of ships and what configurations to operate based on demand.  

 

That is my expectation, too.  The remaining 2020 and even the 2021 itineraries were set long before this crisis, and a different level of demand may result in ships being shuffled around and itineraries being altered.   I believe we should be prepared for changes on anything currently booked. 

 

I am looking at 2022, but even that far out, no one can predict what the demand will be.  How the airlines recover is also a factor.  Cheap flights to encourage people to fly?  Expensive flights as they try to build up cash?   Fewer flights?  Mergers?   Lots of unknowns, but one way or other, sooner or later, the travel industry will recover.  And I am going to do my part to help it along.  😉

[kdmbluerzr]

With you all on the positive and looking to forward to my future cruises!!  The first one up likely won't happen. Alaska, Jewel 7 day southbound, July 27 to Aug 3. Wait and see. If it's a no go we'll rebook for next summer. Never done an Alaskan cruise, need to go. Then Panama Canal on the Bliss Feb 21 of 2021. Staying hopeful. If it ends up a no go..... we'll rebook it. 

[luv2kroooz]

12 hours ago, Fun4Us2013 said:

I’m thinking positively towards the future. 

Sure thing, all we need is a vaccine. You always have to balance positivity with reality.

[missinver]

Its so refreshing to see a good positive thread!  kdmbluerzr - we have booked for this cruise as well.  Its still almost 10 months away so we are very hopeful we'll be on it!   We have the added complication of a transatlantic flight to book, but lets hope there are some bargains to be had. 🙂

[julig22]

Yes, thank you for the positive post.  I was all set for a 3 cruises this year -  I missed Tahiti/Hawaii by weeks and I would have been leaving for London tomorrow.  Alaska cruise in October already cancelled because they are repositioning the ship.  But I've booked again with FCC for early 2021 - fingers crossed.

 

Sadly, many are acting like it's NCL's (and other cruiselines) fault that they didn't anticipate this happening and aren't prepared, both financially and technology-wise, to process a massive amount of refunds outside their normal refund policy and their inability to predict the future.  There is so much that nobody knows, people are working around the clock to find treatments and vaccines - that could happen tomorrow, it might be another year.  What we know today is vastly different than what we knew 2 or 3 months ago -so good, some not so good.

 

In the meantime, I'm gonna build me a new deck and landscape my backyard while I'm waiting.