Lack of flexibility

[cusematt4]

Hi,

 

I really want to book a cruise with ncl, but aside from how insanely expensive a 5 night sailing is, I’m a little frustrated into the lack of flexibility they offer in the environment we are still in.  Curious if anyone has any insight.

 

-They claim their ships are being updated for hepa air filters but don’t list which ships have this.  This is important when traveling with older family members and would be nice to know which ships currently have upgraded air.

 

-Cancellation - Royal now has a pay upon 30 days from sailing and free cancellation while ncl seems to have their regular payment and cancellation with a hefty penalty policy.  This is frustrating.

 

-Testing - while I appreciate the precaution, at pier testing seems a little much after traveling with the ability to be denied the day of travel.  If they are going to require this, I’m concerned not just about paying for airfare to be denied boarding if one person gets a negative test while vaccinated but what happens if we have a few staterooms but only one person in one stateroom tests positive?  Does that mean that our family trip has to be ruined and if we don’t want to leave a positive vaccinated family member behind that we would lose all money for all staterooms?  If worst case happened I would not want us to split up with kids over 18 on their rooms taking the vacation with or without us depending who may test positive.  Would ncl allow all guests connected to a reservation the option to get a refund or cancel if one person tested positive?  
 

Accommodating the impacted stateroom only and not traveling party is a big turnoff if mandating both vaccination and on site testing.  What happens if one or more people test positive 3 days prior can we all opt for a refund or credit?  Same if someone in the party who is vaccinated tests positive at the pier after testing negative 3 days prior - can everyone in the party and not just the stateroom at least get a credit if not a refund or do we have to be on edge that we may have to waste time traveling to then hVe to decide whether to travel with half the family or risk losing all money paid for family members in staterooms that aren’t in the direct room of a positive family member from at pier testing? 

 

curious if anyone has any experience with the above or shares any of the same concerns that are preventing us from booking a trip we otherwise would want to take. 

Edited October 2, 2021 by cusematt4

[ChiefMateJRK]

I share your concerns.  It appears that NCL's written policy only covers assistance for those guests who are booked into the same stateroom as a person who tests positive.  Others would have the choice of sailing without the isolated persons or skipping the cruise with no refund on their room.  We have an adult child traveling with us on an upcoming NCL cruise.  If DW or I test positive, she'll have a choice to make.  I would probably offer to reimburse her for half of her lost funds if she chose to cancel.  I would hope that NCL would extend some sympathy, but until somebody experiences this exact scenario, we won't know.  I know that the person who posted a first hand report indicated that the "clean" parties still chose to cruise.  Some would likely call that selfish, but it really depends upon the people and their situations.

[tinkr2]

As far as I know , you may cancel up to 2 weeks before sail date , which is more than reasonable . Insurance should cover you for anything closer . Testing before you board is the standard for all the lines . It's no big deal . They also cover you if you have  had a PCR test within 72 hours of boarding . Everyone I know , took a covid test before their flight . No one wanted to be asymptomatic and fly far away. It was a great safe cruise . 

[ChiefMateJRK]

40 minutes ago, tinkr2 said:

As far as I know , you may cancel up to 2 weeks before sail date , which is more than reasonable . Insurance should cover you for anything closer . Testing before you board is the standard for all the lines . It's no big deal . They also cover you if you have  had a PCR test within 72 hours of boarding . Everyone I know , took a covid test before their flight . No one wanted to be asymptomatic and fly far away. It was a great safe cruise . 

Did you read the OP?  There is a concern when there are multiple rooms/parties involved.

[craig01020]

What type of flexibility are you asking for? The best you can do is to all get tested before you leave home and purchase NCL's (or third party) travel insurance.

 

If you want a sure thing, don't travel during a pandemic.

[tinkr2]

On 10/2/2021 at 6:03 PM, ChiefMateJRK said:

Did you read the OP?  There is a concern when there are multiple rooms/parties involved.

yes, I did read the post and gave my opinion. I have found all the cruise lines to be very reasonable during the pandemic. Ill have been on 4 different lines after next week, they have all clear reasonable policies for cruising in a pandemic.

[hallux]

On 10/2/2021 at 5:22 PM, tinkr2 said:

As far as I know , you may cancel up to 2 weeks before sail date

Only applicable on cruises sailing through the end of this month at the moment - https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/book-with-confidence

 

On 10/2/2021 at 2:04 PM, cusematt4 said:

Accommodating the impacted stateroom only and not traveling party is a big turnoff if mandating both vaccination and on site testing.  What happens if one or more people test positive 3 days prior can we all opt for a refund or credit?  Same if someone in the party who is vaccinated tests positive at the pier after testing negative 3 days prior - can everyone in the party and not just the stateroom at least get a credit if not a refund or do we have to be on edge that we may have to waste time traveling to then hVe to decide whether to travel with half the family or risk losing all money paid for family members in staterooms that aren’t in the direct room of a positive family member from at pier testing? 

I'm not seeing where the refund for denied boarding due to positive test is restricted to those in the same stateroom.  Here's the wording from the policy.  Note the very first sentence...

 

Denial of Embarkation or Reboarding; Quarantine and/or Disembarkation

• If you, your family members, travelling companions or other close contacts are denied embarkation or reboarding, or are quarantined or disembarked during the voyage, due to a positive COVID-19 test or being suspected of having COVID-19, you and they are entitled to a prorated refund, or an optional Future Cruise Credit (“FCC”), for the amount paid to Norwegian in the event of denial at embarkation, or the unused portion of your fare in all other cases

[cpmken]

Same concerns here… booked next summer with a large group… the thoughts of one of us testing positive at the pier and being denied boarding is scary.

Hopefully in the next 6-8 months some of these rules lighten up.

[All-ready2cruise]

@cpmken can you explain what you mean by "lighten up" as far as the rules go.  Are you suggesting that NCL may start allowing pax with positive tests to board the ship or are you referring to something else?

Just wondering....

[MsTabbyKats]

2 hours ago, hallux said:

Only applicable on cruises sailing through the end of this month at the moment - https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/book-with-confidence

 

I'm not seeing where the refund for denied boarding due to positive test is restricted to those in the same stateroom.  Here's the wording from the policy.  Note the very first sentence...

 

Denial of Embarkation or Reboarding; Quarantine and/or Disembarkation

• If you, your family members, travelling companions or other close contacts are denied embarkation or reboarding, or are quarantined or disembarked during the voyage, due to a positive COVID-19 test or being suspected of having COVID-19, you and they are entitled to a prorated refund, or an optional Future Cruise Credit (“FCC”), for the amount paid to Norwegian in the event of denial at embarkation, or the unused portion of your fare in all other cases

Thank you for this.  I want to book 2 separate cabins for me & DH if/when they drop the singles supplement and I was concerned "he'd go without me" if I tested positive.  Joking...I was concerned that we'd lose one fare if one of us tested positive and the other didn't.

[hallux]

20 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

Thank you for this.  I want to book 2 separate cabins for me & DH if/when they drop the singles supplement and I was concerned "he'd go without me" if I tested positive.  Joking...I was concerned that we'd lose one fare if one of us tested positive and the other didn't.

To be clear - I'm not saying people traveling together in separate cabins can all be refunded if one is denied boarding, but I'm pointing out that the policy doesn't seem clear on the matter and seems to lean in that direction...

[MsTabbyKats]

33 minutes ago, hallux said:

To be clear - I'm not saying people traveling together in separate cabins can all be refunded if one is denied boarding, but I'm pointing out that the policy doesn't seem clear on the matter and seems to lean in that direction...

I get it.  If one person in a large group of friends or co-workers is not the same as 2 people of the same family in different cabins.  I guess I'll clarify or link bookings if we end up doing this.

[Joanne G.]

On 10/2/2021 at 4:22 PM, tinkr2 said:

As far as I know , you may cancel up to 2 weeks before sail date , which is more than reasonable . Insurance should cover you for anything closer . Testing before you board is the standard for all the lines . It's no big deal . They also cover you if you have  had a PCR test within 72 hours of boarding . Everyone I know , took a covid test before their flight . No one wanted to be asymptomatic and fly far away. It was a great safe cruise . 

 

To me, there is a huge difference between testing 2 days before embarkation day, which can be done at home and which is currently Princess' requirement for U.S. departures, and NCL's current requirement for testing at the pier.  A positive test result in either scenario would ruin my vacation, but if it happens, I would rather be at home that in the cruise terminal - in Amsterdam, which is the departure port for my next NCL cruise in May.

 

However many tests I take at home prior to my overseas flight, the one at the NCL pier will determine if I get on the ship.  After all, everyone is negative until the time they test positive.   It's a small risk, but, like the OP, one I don't want to take.   Pier testing is a deal-breaker for me.  

[hallux]

3 hours ago, cpmken said:

and potentially being separated from our adult children or others in our group due to a pier positive test (which are not 100% accurate) is awful

Even if you aren't all separated by some being on the cruise and some not (if the entire travel party is denied boarding), those that tested positive would be isolated from those that tested negative anyway.  You and your husband may get a room together, but others would be separate, or a room for each stateroom.

[ChiefMateJRK]

8 hours ago, hallux said:

Only applicable on cruises sailing through the end of this month at the moment - https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/book-with-confidence

 

I'm not seeing where the refund for denied boarding due to positive test is restricted to those in the same stateroom.  Here's the wording from the policy.  Note the very first sentence...

 

Denial of Embarkation or Reboarding; Quarantine and/or Disembarkation

• If you, your family members, travelling companions or other close contacts are denied embarkation or reboarding, or are quarantined or disembarked during the voyage, due to a positive COVID-19 test or being suspected of having COVID-19, you and they are entitled to a prorated refund, or an optional Future Cruise Credit (“FCC”), for the amount paid to Norwegian in the event of denial at embarkation, or the unused portion of your fare in all other cases

Apparently, NCL doesn't "deny embarkation" for other members of the group who test negative and are booked into different staterooms.