COVID-19 Issues - I want to cancel

[HowardK]

My next cruise will be 2024 or 2025 at this point. I do not want to spend $'s and be stressed about tests, being isolated etc. I live vicariously through reading this board.

 

- I had a trip to NYC last week for 3 nights that I cancelled the night before as I thought both events I would be going to would be cancelled- one wasn't I lost $80 on it oh well. 

I ended up just staying home and reading cruise critic for 3 days and it was less stressful than dealing with sitting in a hotel and/or being in a dense place.

 

I am not defending NCL but I am sure their employees at the piers etc. are as overhelmed as we are and probably not getting much support from corporate themselves. I actually can't even imagine why people are booking cruises right at this moment. 

[davencl]

4 hours ago, kfnesq said:

Just curious - why were you tested twice during the cruise?  Was everyone tested?

I can't answer for MNcruisingcouple but on my upcoming Southern Caribbean cruise we'll be tested two or three times compliments of Oceania because two or three of the countries we visit require negative covid tests within a set time period to disembark. 

[MNcruisingcouple]

3 hours ago, Sand and Seas said:

We were on this cruise too and I totally agree!

For the poster who asked about 'why tested twice', this was part of an agreement with the CDC.  The cruise before us had 17 (or 20?) positive cases, one of which was a possible Omicron.  CDC held us up for a few hours and finally agreed to let us sail masked with everyone being tested twice.

 

 

Yes, this is why we were tested twice during the week of the cruise.  But some sailings also require additional testing because of the ports' entry requirements.

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, Lou33 said:

If you had booked Royal Caribbean, you would feel much better right now.  They will allow you to cancel up to 48 hours before your cruise:

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-with-confidence

 

In addition, if you test positive up to 14 days before your cruise, they will give a full refund, not just FCC.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/covid-19-cancellations-and-refunds-policy.pdf

 

Also with Royal Caribbean the final payment is not even due until 30 days prior to the cruise.

 

We have our final payment with NCL due this week.  Knowing the more restrictive policies with NCL, will they wonder why there are mass cancellations when payments are due?  One company says: "don't worry, we want you for the long term".  The other says: "Lets grab their money while we can".  

Yeah,,, but with RCCL, you also have unvaxxed passengers running around the ship with you. I would cruise today with a fully vaxxed ship. 

[Lou33]

2 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Yeah,,, but with RCCL, you also have unvaxxed passengers running around the ship with you. I would cruise today with a fully vaxxed ship. 

If you asked me two months ago, I would choose NCL with 100% vaxed and no masks.  But NCL seems to have just a many COVID cases as RCI.  The big difference is the cancellation and refund policies.

[TNcruising02]

8 minutes ago, Lou33 said:

If you asked me two months ago, I would choose NCL with 100% vaxed and no masks.  But NCL seems to have just a many COVID cases as RCI.  The big difference is the cancellation and refund policies.

Exactly.   The cancellation and refund policies for Norwegian are the worst of RCL, Carnival, and NCL.  

As far as cruising with unvaxed, that makes no difference to me.  Vaccinated people are getting covid and spreading it too.  The only meaningful thing is testing.  My husband and I got covid 6 months after our second vaccination dose.  My FIL has covid now and he is fully vaccinated and boosted.  Being vaccinated helps in the severity, but it means nothing as far as getting and spreading covid these days.  Testing is the only thing that matters.

The thing Norwegian has going for it is testing before boarding a ship.  That does help weed out positive cases.  But since they changed their policy and are requiring masks, those of us who booked the line specifically because of their mask policy are stuck.

 

 

[BermudaBound2014]

Deleted- responded to wrong thread 

Edited December 28, 2021 by BermudaBound2014

[sparkygirlfamily]

2 hours ago, davencl said:

I can't answer for MNcruisingcouple but on my upcoming Southern Caribbean cruise we'll be tested two or three times compliments of Oceania because two or three of the countries we visit require negative covid tests within a set time period to disembark. 

This is what we have been told by NCL regarding our South America and Antarctica cruise.  The testing partner will be onboard the ship and will test us as required for entry for the various ports of call.

[classy_cruiser]

I also wish NCL would follow Royal and Carnival with the more flexible cancellation policies. I can only assume they are doing much worse financially and feel they cannot. We are supposed to sail end of January on a peace of mind cancellation FCC. I’m not afraid of corona at this point, I just want to get everything we paid for in terms of ports and activities. At the moment we have no option to reschedule without losing everything

[cwsdks48]

2 hours ago, classy_cruiser said:

I also wish NCL would follow Royal and Carnival with the more flexible cancellation policies. I can only assume they are doing much worse financially and feel they cannot. We are supposed to sail end of January on a peace of mind cancellation FCC. I’m not afraid of corona at this point, I just want to get everything we paid for in terms of ports and activities. At the moment we have no option to reschedule without losing everything

We were scheduled to sail on a Baltic cruise in June 2020. Rather than canceling, we waited until NCL canceled the cruise, then followed their requirements to the letter to receive a cash refund.

We had a seven day window during which to request the cash refund. Filling out all online forms for the refund, NCL refunded 100%, including paid shore excursions.

Our refund showed up on our credit card 30 days before the promised date.

We were really happy with the way NCL handled the cancellation and therefore have booked two future cruises.

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, Lou33 said:

If you asked me two months ago, I would choose NCL with 100% vaxed and no masks.  But NCL seems to have just a many COVID cases as RCI.  The big difference is the cancellation and refund policies.

I think that I can make an informed decision 60 days out. 

[craig01020]

18 hours ago, CarolinaMamma said:

I removed every single optional thong.

🤣🤣🤣

[The Traveling Man]

On 12/27/2021 at 10:22 AM, sunshine4me2 said:

When I cancelled,  I was told we would be credited to our credit card, our deposit and Cruise Next certificate we purchased and for the remainder, I needed to file a claim with AON, which I did just yesterday.  NCL advised me I would lose the cost of the insurance and 10% of cruise fare.  I believe the balance from AON, it will be in FCC.  I’ll post when I get status from AON.

Do we fell relieved that we canceled, yes, but sure wish the world was a healthier place.

 

Sorry for sounding like a total noob, but what is AON?

[craig01020]

7 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

Sorry for sounding like a total noob, but what is AON?

Aon Infinity is NCL's insurance partner.

 

https://affinitytravelcert.com/document/pdfs/NCL-LandingPage-PLATINUM-7-2017.html

 

https://www.aontravelclaim.com/#/home

[The Traveling Man]

4 minutes ago, craig01020 said:

Aon Infinity is NCL's insurance partner.

 

https://affinitytravelcert.com/document/pdfs/NCL-LandingPage-PLATINUM-7-2017.html

 

https://www.aontravelclaim.com/#/home

Thanks.  We always have chosen an independent insurance company when we have purchased travel insurance, so I was not familiar with the AON name.