Italian ports now require shp tours ONLY again!

[BigGuru]

NCL updated their FAQ and website to state the mask requirement on European cruises as well as the restriction on cruise only tours in Italy only after many people had booked and made their final payment.  Similarly, NCL is still selling "On Your Own" and "Hop On, Hop Off" excursions in Italy, when it is very likely, if not guaranteed, that these will not go forward. 

 

If you, like most of the people on CC, constantly check these things, at least you know and can make a decision based on the Peace of Mind policy if you are more than 15 days out or go on your trip knowing of the restrictions.   However, in my mind this does not excuse NCL from providing incorrect information, whether this was intentional or negligence, when their marketing approach is to sell a "free and flexible" experience.   

[SpainAlien]

4 minutes ago, BigGuru said:

NCL updated their FAQ and website to state the mask requirement on European cruises as well as the restriction on cruise only tours in Italy only after many people had booked and made their final payment.  Similarly, NCL is still selling "On Your Own" and "Hop On, Hop Off" excursions in Italy, when it is very likely, if not guaranteed, that these will not go forward. 

 

If you, like most of the people on CC, constantly check these things, at least you know and can make a decision based on the Peace of Mind policy if you are more than 15 days out or go on your trip knowing of the restrictions.   However, in my mind this does not excuse NCL from providing incorrect information, whether this was intentional or negligence, when their marketing approach is to sell a "free and flexible" experience.   

I imagine that they have/had a get out clause that would have said that everything is subject to change due to local, regional, national, international restrictions

[DCGuy64]

10 minutes ago, SpainAlien said:

I imagine that they have/had a get out clause that would have said that everything is subject to change due to local, regional, national, international restrictions

Yes, and it's been on their website for months. To those who are upset about the change, I ask:

What would you have NCL do? Ignore the law? Flout the local regulations? Because if you're telling NCL in effect, "I was promised a mask-free, on-my-own experience, and that's what I get or else it's their fault," then what you're really saying is that NCL should ignore the local authorities and potentially subject the entire ship to an outbreak of Covid. And that's not going to happen. EVERYTHING about cruising is subject to change, and anyone who believed that NCL was somehow going to be immune from that, was deluding himself.

We've had multiple cruises changed, cancelled, postponed, itineraries changed, insurance requirements introduced, Covid tests required, etc. and that's just how things are. NCL isn't just changing the rules for fun. Either they obey the laws of the ports they visit, or they don't sail at all. That's it in a nutshell.

[Trimone]

Look at it another way, all the rules could be changed on the 30th back to normal and everyone can go mask free and walk ashore? 
 

[nikki maestas]

5 minutes ago, Trimone said:

Look at it another way, all the rules could be changed on the 30th back to normal and everyone can go mask free and walk ashore? 
 

 We can all hope.

I was a bit angry and disappointed as it's our first time traveling to Europe and we had booked excursions on 4 of the ports outside on NCL because of the budget we planned. I just wish NCL would give us at least a better price on the excursions offered. We really had to dig into our spending money to pay for a few NCL excursions. But I'm determined to have a great time anyways!

[BigGuru]

My concern is not with NCL following applicable law or that they have a disclaimer somewhere on their website, its that they provide information which people rely on, which was not correct at the time that NCL provided it.  For example, as of today, NCL is still selling "On Your Own" tours for Rome, Florence, and Capri for cruises this fall.  Yet, these are not consistent with the current regulations.  So, either: (1) NCL is hoping the regulations will change before the excursion is set, in which case  the consumer is none the wiser; (2) NCL knows that the excursions will likely not go forward, but is willing to take in payment, hold the cash, and then try to make amends with the customer later; or (3) NCL has no idea what it is doing.  Any of those circumstances are not reassuring and do not speak well of NCL's customer service. 

 

Yes, those on Cruise Critic are generally the type of person that can work around that by reading every post, getting state department updates, jumping on Westlaw to research binding maritime law precedents and spending their time going through Italian regulations.   However, that does not excuse bad communications from NCL

[Trimone]

I believe everyone thought covid would be over by now, after this cruise in September I shall not be booking anymore until covid is completely eliminated, so possibly never, it’s just too stressful 

[dowsk]

3 minutes ago, BigGuru said:

My concern is not with NCL following applicable law or that they have a disclaimer somewhere on their website, its that they provide information which people rely on, which was not correct at the time that NCL provided it.  For example, as of today, NCL is still selling "On Your Own" tours for Rome, Florence, and Capri for cruises this fall.  Yet, these are not consistent with the current regulations.  So, either: (1) NCL is hoping the regulations will change before the excursion is set, in which case  the consumer is none the wiser; (2) NCL knows that the excursions will likely not go forward, but is willing to take in payment, hold the cash, and then try to make amends with the customer later; or (3) NCL has no idea what it is doing.  Any of those circumstances are not reassuring and do not speak well of NCL's customer service. 

 

Yes, those on Cruise Critic are generally the type of person that can work around that by reading every post, getting state department updates, jumping on Westlaw to research binding maritime law precedents and spending their time going through Italian regulations.   However, that does not excuse bad communications from NCL

Big Guru you are so right and the majority of posters on this thread agree with you. NCL is being DECEPTIVE with all their communications and the way they delay their updates and use asterick's and small print at the last minute to advise paying customers they will not get what they paid for. Certain people have different opinions and want to defend NCL to the end. 

[DCGuy64]

3 hours ago, BigGuru said:

(1) NCL is hoping the regulations will change before the excursion is set, in which case  the consumer is none the wiser; (

I would agree with that, since you mentioned the cruises are in the fall, there's no way to know whether the regulations will have changed by then. Since NCL had promised (to the extent they have control over it) carefree cruising with passengers allowed to explore on their own, NCL wants to keep its promise. But you'd have to agree that local regulations are, and always have been, beyond their control.

 

3 hours ago, BigGuru said:

NCL knows that the excursions will likely not go forward

What makes you think NCL has any more clairvoyance than any of us? This has to be one of the oddest things I read on Cruise Critic, i.e. that a cruise line "knows" cruises won't sail or excursions won't happen. Serious question to you: how is NCL supposed to know what the rules will be months from now? I would submit they can't, any more than I could tell you the weather, the stock market, or even the effect of Covid. There's simply NO WAY NCL (or any cruise line, for that matter) can know now what the landscape will look like months later.

I don't work for NCL nor am I a "cheerleader," I just know that the rules for cruising, traveling and excursions are changing all the time, and expecting the cruise line to know everything and then blaming them for not getting everything right is setting them up for failure. If you have a 100% foolproof solution, then write to Frank del Rio or Harry Sommer.

Edited August 24, 2021 by DCGuy64

[toddw2u]

As an optimist, I had hoped that this Pandemic would be more under control at this point.  However,  I booked with the understanding that bedsides death and taxes, nothing is certain.

 

I spoke with NCL this morning, and they advised I book excursions with them now, before they are filled up.  I was also advised that the current Italian regulations are set to be reviewed and possibly amended at the end of August. Further, I was advised that the excursions being offered with "free time" are under review, and quite possibly will be altered to keep everyone in "a bubble".  I was assured that should we wish to cancel any shore excursion, if we do so at least 48 hours before the excursion, we would get a refund (not a credit) of the amount paid for each excursion.

 

As we are in Rome 2 days prior to embarkation, rest assured we will take full advantage of what that great city has to offer.   We also have 2 days in Spain on this itinerary, with currently no restrictions, so we should have some freedom there as well.  We also have the beverage package, so if we are spending more time than expected on-board, well.....

 

So while I certainly agree NCL should have handled this better, after the last year and a half, a bite of the apple is better than none at all

[SpainAlien]

6 hours ago, toddw2u said:

 We also have the beverage package, so if we are spending more time than expected on-board, well.....

 

We have the thermal suite pass for the same reason

[steamboats]

@SpainAlien I was more referring to the Jade... it wasn´t until a couple of days prior to the first cruise when NCL had to change from "no masks" to "masks are mandatory" due to the Greek regulations based on the EU health authorities´ recommendations. As for the Epic they sold it with "no masks" until they had to change the policy with the restart of the Jade in Greece.

 

steamboats

[MrsD27]

On 8/23/2021 at 2:56 PM, Trimone said:

When are you booked to sail? 

[SpainAlien]

I think the big problem is that the rules issued by the government always give an end date so therefore it is perhaps logical to assume that after that date the restrictions would be lifted and therefore not apply.  It is only once the restrictions are extended that NCL could say whether they actually apply to your cruise or not, it is not really reasonable to expect them to advertise cruises with restrictions that do not actually exist for that cruise date, all they can say is that the rules are based on local restrictions which is exactly what they do say.

 

For example the current rules are due to be reviewed on 30th August but NCL are advising us that these rules may exist for our cruise on 26th September, we hope not but accept that they might.

 

[Trimone]

4 hours ago, MrsD27 said:

When are you booked to sail? 

September 5th

[steamboats]

MSC does not accept any Non-Schengen customers (except for US and 3 more countries) for Med cruises til the end of September. So no Brits on any Med cruises of MSC til the end of September.

 

steamboats

[ScratchTheRat]

I am going on my damn cruise no matter what, I’ll make it work!

[ScratchTheRat]

I’ve made plans to get an Italian friend to pick me up in France and drive me to the port as a last resort if quarantine sticks!

[Huntingdon1701]

2 hours ago, steamboats said:

MSC does not accept any Non-Schengen customers (except for US and 3 more countries) for Med cruises til the end of September. So no Brits on any Med cruises of MSC til the end of September.

 

steamboats

 

End of August based on their website, and they've been assuring UK passengers that they're not anticipating it to be extended - although I think that must be dependent on the Italian Gov't modifying the quarantine rule. 

[DanielNL]

I just got a email my Excursion Pompeii on your own has been cancelled by NCL. I will sail on the Epic september 12th.

[DanielNL]

8 minutes ago, DanielNL said:

I just got a email my Excursion Pompeii on your own has been cancelled by NCL. I will sail on the Epic september 12th.

Got another email my Itinerary has been changed. That’s why my excursion has been cancelled. 

[Nataly1982]

15 minutes ago, DanielNL said:

Got another email my Itinerary has been changed. That’s why my excursion has been cancelled. 

Don’t think change of itinerary is the reason for excursion cancellation. Got the same email. In fine print it says “Shore excursion reservations booked through NCL for Naples are not impacted by this change”, therefore it must have been cancelled for some other reason. Not meeting bubble requirements maybe?

[Nataly1982]

2 minutes ago, Nataly1982 said:

Don’t think change of itinerary is the reason for excursion cancellation. Got the same email. In fine print it says “Shore excursion reservations booked through NCL for Naples are not impacted by this change”, therefore it must have been cancelled for some other reason. Not meeting bubble requirements maybe?

Hop on hop off bus tour in Naples has been removed, but not Capri on your own. Hmmm 🧐 

Edited August 25, 2021 by Nataly1982
Typo

[HunahpuXbalanque]

48 minutes ago, DanielNL said:

I just got a email my Excursion Pompeii on your own has been cancelled by NCL. I will sail on the Epic september 12th.

I just got the same email for the Getaway on the 25th.  Tried to get clarification from NCL on the shorex requirement, but came up empty.  I'd really love to read the regulations for myself.  Looks like no one else here has been able to find them?

I have a Florence "on your own" excursion booked that I presume will be cancelled shortly also.  Couldn't get any info from the rep I spoke with though.  Of course I already have tickets purchased independently that I was intending to use while on my own in Florence.

[JennJ99738]

I got the same email but NCL hasn't canceled the excursion (Pompeii On Your Own) in my account so I can't see what else is available.  I called the ShoreEx desk and the rep said that NCL "jumped the gun" on the email and the excursions won't be canceled until tomorrow.  I asked about Florence and he said nothing has been canceled in Florence yet.

 

I'm on the Getaway 9/23 sailing.