NCL pulling visits to St Petersburg

[CielG22]

1 hour ago, Lindysu said:

I am Australian and I am really annoyed and peeved at this move by NCL. The only reason I booked on the cruise was St Petersburg. I am not due to cruise until August. Surely NCL can wait and see what pans out in the interim before cancelling. As another poster pointed out, the Ukraine is nowhere St Petersburg. By the way, the whole world is not American. Plenty of other nationalities cruise too! I don't think I'll be booking with NCL again. I vote with my feet!

 

Wow. Good luck finding a cruise line that isn't dropping St Petersburg. You really think that, when (not if, when) things get bad, given the propaganda that's pushed on the Russian people about how evil the "West" is (and that includes Australia, sorry), that saying you're not American but Aussie is going to stop someone attacking you for speaking a language they are constantly told hates them and wants them dead?

[Turtles06]

2 hours ago, Lindysu said:

I am Australian and I am really annoyed and peeved at this move by NCL. The only reason I booked on the cruise was St Petersburg. I am not due to cruise until August. Surely NCL can wait and see what pans out in the interim before cancelling. As another poster pointed out, the Ukraine is nowhere St Petersburg. By the way, the whole world is not American. Plenty of other nationalities cruise too! I don't think I'll be booking with NCL again. I vote with my feet!

No idea what being an American has to do with this, mate.  Perhaps it has escaped your attention that nothing like this unprovoked, horrific invasion of a sovereign nation has occurred in Europe since WWII. 
 

And BTW, the name of the invaded country is not “the Ukraine.”

[cachouonacruise]

We are Canadians and were booked on our very first NCL cruise to depart on March 13th, 2020 from Honolulu on the Pride of America. The only reason we booked NCL was the itinerary.... Of course the WHO declared the emergency pandemic on March 11.... so our cruise was cancelled. NCL refused to refund, but offered a FCC.

 

Now, hoping to use our FCC, we are booked on the Getaway for a Baltic Cruise (We changed our destination since our adult daughter will not be travelling with us in August. Hawaii was her choice) which included St-Petersburg. Unfortunately for us, after covid, instead of paradise, we are facing Putin and his war...

 

So, we're losing a port of call, which is nothing compared to what Ukrainian people are faced with.  More significantly, is the risk that war spreads like a virus.... 

 

So, I am really unsure about what to do next. Our FCC expire at the end of 2022 and my last opportunity to use it is August 2022... Traveling and planning a trip used to be fun. Now, with the combined requirements associated to Covid plus the risk associated with the Ukrainian war and other extremisms.....Finding fun in travelling is definitely more challenging. 

 

I really, really missed the good old times, at least prior to 2019.

 

 

 

 

[lepidoptera]

4 hours ago, Lindysu said:

I am Australian and I am really annoyed and peeved at this move by NCL. The only reason I booked on the cruise was St Petersburg. I am not due to cruise until August. Surely NCL can wait and see what pans out in the interim before cancelling. As another poster pointed out, the Ukraine is nowhere St Petersburg. By the way, the whole world is not American. Plenty of other nationalities cruise too! I don't think I'll be booking with NCL again. I vote with my feet!

Not just America is sanctioning Russia, the EU has announced them as well, and I expect many more sanctions in the coming days. What the EU ends up with sanctions wise will be far more important for a Baltic’s cruise, since the other ports are EU countries. Yes it may all blow over soon, but I doubt that tensions have been raising since the fall. 

 

 I understand being disappointed and canceling, but St. Petersburg was already in jeopardy as a port for this season. Russia was still very closed to travel and their vaccines are not approved by WHO or the EU and Russia has not approved Moderna, Pfizer or AstraZenica.

 

It is completely reasonable for NCL, and all the other cruise lines, to say this is nail in the coffin for St. Petersburg for this year, and focus on figuring out what new itineraries, shore excursions they will offer. Besides having to figure out all the logistics, cruise lines also have to worry about public relations as well. In the eyes of the general public they still have a black eye from the start of the pandemic, people are still worried about traveling on cruises, cruise lines are correct to worry about the public’s reaction to them continuing with business as usual in Russia. 

[milolii]

There are reports on Cruise Critic today of 2022 SPB Port cancellations from RCCL, Oceania, Celebrity and Viking.  Probably more lines are assessing the situation.  
 

 

[njhorseman]

4 hours ago, Lindysu said:

I am Australian and I am really annoyed and peeved at this move by NCL. The only reason I booked on the cruise was St Petersburg. I am not due to cruise until August. Surely NCL can wait and see what pans out in the interim before cancelling. As another poster pointed out, the Ukraine is nowhere St Petersburg. By the way, the whole world is not American. Plenty of other nationalities cruise too! I don't think I'll be booking with NCL again. I vote with my feet!

I guess you don't know that your country has also imposed sanctions on Russia. 

 

https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/world/story/ukraine-crisis-list-of-countries-that-have-imposed-sanctions-on-russia-323591-2022-02-23

Australia
 
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the first tranche of sanctions today. Morrison said that Australia will begin placing sanctions on Russian individuals it believes are responsible for Russia’s actions against Ukraine.
 
He said, “Australians always stand up to bullies, and we will be standing up to Russia, along with all of our partners.” Morrison added that this is only the beginning and more tranches of sanctions against Russia can be expected.

[natefish95]

4 hours ago, Lindysu said:

I am Australian and I am really annoyed and peeved at this move by NCL. The only reason I booked on the cruise was St Petersburg. I am not due to cruise until August. Surely NCL can wait and see what pans out in the interim before cancelling. As another poster pointed out, the Ukraine is nowhere St Petersburg. By the way, the whole world is not American. Plenty of other nationalities cruise too! I don't think I'll be booking with NCL again. I vote with my feet!

If you want to go to Russia so badly, just fly there. This is such an ignorant comment. 

[lanceholt]

1 hour ago, lepidoptera said:

Not just America is sanctioning Russia, the EU has announced them as well, and I expect many more sanctions in the coming days. What the EU ends up with sanctions wise will be far more important for a Baltic’s cruise, since the other ports are EU countries. Yes it may all blow over soon, but I doubt that tensions have been raising since the fall. 

 

 I understand being disappointed and canceling, but St. Petersburg was already in jeopardy as a port for this season. Russia was still very closed to travel and their vaccines are not approved by WHO or the EU and Russia has not approved Moderna, Pfizer or AstraZenica.

 

It is completely reasonable for NCL, and all the other cruise lines, to say this is nail in the coffin for St. Petersburg for this year, and focus on figuring out what new itineraries, shore excursions they will offer. Besides having to figure out all the logistics, cruise lines also have to worry about public relations as well. In the eyes of the general public they still have a black eye from the start of the pandemic, people are still worried about traveling on cruises, cruise lines are correct to worry about the public’s reaction to them continuing with business as usual in Russia. 

St Petersburg was filled with thousands of Russians protesting the invasion of Ukraine today.  This is not going away anytime soon.  While St. Petersburg is wonderful....we were there 12 years ago and loved Talinn, Estonia as well but would not be going this year.....or until that part of the world is or can be at peace again.  It is a sad time for the world....and the last thing we should be is pouting because our cruises are changed.  Good grief.

 

[emmtee]

My first cruise was NCL Baltic Capitals back in '08.  I missed St. Petersburg back then because I broke my ankle at the previous port - Tallinn.  Fortunately, I was able to rejoin the cruise in Helsinki.  I was glad I'd gone, even with the missed port and the broken ankle.  

 

I'm booked to go back to the Baltic in June with more of my family.  It would have been nice to visit St. Petersburg, but I'm more disappointed for my family.  I was able to go back and spend several days in St. P. on a tour a few years ago, so I saw more then than I would in two days in port.  Our cruise this year will include a few ports we didn't visit last time:  Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and additional ports in Sweden and Germany.  It's so port intensive, I think it will be a relief to have a couple of sea days.  

[Ulsteinvik]

On the first Getaway Baltic cruise from 18 May there are the first changes on the official port sites.

Now she is booked on 23 May in Stockholm  and on 24 May in Visby. Visby should be the first replace for St.P. So let's see which will be the other port on the way from Visby to Copenhagen.

[sfaaa]

12 hours ago, Lindysu said:

I don't think I'll be booking with NCL again. I vote with my feet!

 Don't just think. Do it.

[mugtech]

13 hours ago, Lindysu said:

I am Australian and I am really annoyed and peeved at this move by NCL. The only reason I booked on the cruise was St Petersburg. I am not due to cruise until August. Surely NCL can wait and see what pans out in the interim before cancelling. As another poster pointed out, the Ukraine is nowhere St Petersburg. By the way, the whole world is not American. Plenty of other nationalities cruise too! I don't think I'll be booking with NCL again. I vote with my feet!

Please get back to us and let us know with whom you booked for 2022 that will be going to Leningrad.

[ontheweb]

7 hours ago, lanceholt said:

St Petersburg was filled with thousands of Russians protesting the invasion of Ukraine today.  This is not going away anytime soon.  While St. Petersburg is wonderful....we were there 12 years ago and loved Talinn, Estonia as well but would not be going this year.....or until that part of the world is or can be at peace again.  It is a sad time for the world....and the last thing we should be is pouting because our cruises are changed.  Good grief.

 

I could have written the same post except changing 12 years ago to 14 years ago. And yes Talinn, Estonia is a true gem of a port.

[charlie murphy]

17 hours ago, Lindysu said:

I am Australian and I am really annoyed and peeved at this move by NCL. The only reason I booked on the cruise was St Petersburg. I am not due to cruise until August. Surely NCL can wait and see what pans out in the interim before cancelling. As another poster pointed out, the Ukraine is nowhere St Petersburg. By the way, the whole world is not American. Plenty of other nationalities cruise too! I don't think I'll be booking with NCL again. I vote with my feet!

If that is the ONLY reason you booked that cruise then I would recommend a flight and land tour. STP is a very large city and a 2 day stop on a cruise ship is not enough time to digest all there is to see. You have time and options. Seems like your mind is made up and your feet have made a decision, so enjoy saint petersburg I would suggest a week and there is a train tour to Moscow without the limitations of the ship disembarkment I would suggest several days there as well ( with the ship tour it is basically a bus and train tour and a VERY long day ) Not sure what the visa requirements are from Austalia but  may even save some money by not cruising to STP.  NCL is not your only travel option and you have time to make other arrangements. It seems rediculous to spend all that time on the ship for only 2 days in STP.  It is true the whole world is not american, however the whole world is made up of mankind and as peoples of the world there are issues that deserve our compassion , respect ,  and empathy. Enjoy SPT with more time on land you will really have a much better experience. You may even thank NCL in the end.  

[Laszlo]

18 hours ago, Lindysu said:

I am Australian and I am really annoyed and peeved at this move by NCL. The only reason I booked on the cruise was St Petersburg. I am not due to cruise until August. Surely NCL can wait and see what pans out in the interim before cancelling. As another poster pointed out, the Ukraine is nowhere St Petersburg. By the way, the whole world is not American. Plenty of other nationalities cruise too! I don't think I'll be booking with NCL again. I vote with my feet!

I guess you just don't get is. Its not about Ukraine being nowhere to St. Petersburg its about safety concerns and Not supporting Russia. Maybe you would like the Russian way of life?

 

Its not a good look for you

Edited February 25, 2022 by Laszlo

[JGmf]

17 hours ago, Lindysu said:

I am Australian and I am really annoyed and peeved at this move by NCL. The only reason I booked on the cruise was St Petersburg. I am not due to cruise until August. Surely NCL can wait and see what pans out in the interim before cancelling. As another poster pointed out, the Ukraine is nowhere St Petersburg. By the way, the whole world is not American. Plenty of other nationalities cruise too! I don't think I'll be booking with NCL again. I vote with my feet!

 

We all say things we regret in the heat of the moment, but wow. 

 

There are so many geopolitical, financial, and safety reasons for pulling SPB.....it's was an easy and overwhelming no-brainer by NCL. 

 

I get it though, the disappointment is real. 

 

I did the Baltic cruise, which included SPB, and it was a trip of a lifetime.

 

[njkate]

18 hours ago, Lindysu said:

I am Australian and I am really annoyed and peeved at this move by NCL. The only reason I booked on the cruise was St Petersburg. I am not due to cruise until August. Surely NCL can wait and see what pans out in the interim before cancelling. As another poster pointed out, the Ukraine is nowhere St Petersburg. By the way, the whole world is not American. Plenty of other nationalities cruise too! I don't think I'll be booking with NCL again. I vote with my feet!

I can only shake my head at this post. No, the whole world isn't American but all countries that are members of NATO are doing sanctions against Russia, an by the way that includes Australia and I'm sure there will be level 4 travel advisories if not an out right ban of traveling to Russia for at least the next few months

[susiesan]

What NCL has done on all of their 2022 Baltic cruises is just drop St. Petersburg and have those 2 days be sea days. I looked at the revised itinerary for my Aug. 16 Dawn cruise. Original itinerary was:

Stockholm-Helsinki-SPB-SPB-Talinn-Klaipedia-Gdansk-Warnemunde-Copenhagen-sea-Amsterdam

new itinerary is:

Stockholm-Helsinki-sea-sea-Talinn-Klaipedia-Gdansk-Warnemunde-Copenhagen-sea-Amsterdam

 

NCL is not subbing ports, they are just adding sea days. They are not even lowering the price to compensate. This is unacceptable. It appears NCL didn't even try to rearrange the schedules to add ports they just put in sea days and kept the cost the same.

[Ulsteinvik]

10 minutes ago, susiesan said:

What NCL has done on all of their 2022 Baltic cruises is just drop St. Petersburg and have those 2 days be sea days. 

No, they will put new ports in but they need time. They have to get everything clear with the new ports. Getaway will sail a lot of times to Visby instead of St.Petersburg and this will also be soon published from NCL. 

Edited February 25, 2022 by Ulsteinvik

[Karaboudjan]

8 minutes ago, susiesan said:

What NCL has done on all of their 2022 Baltic cruises is just drop St. Petersburg and have those 2 days be sea days. I looked at the revised itinerary for my Aug. 16 Dawn cruise. Original itinerary was:

Stockholm-Helsinki-SPB-SPB-Talinn-Klaipedia-Gdansk-Warnemunde-Copenhagen-sea-Amsterdam

new itinerary is:

Stockholm-Helsinki-sea-sea-Talinn-Klaipedia-Gdansk-Warnemunde-Copenhagen-sea-Amsterdam

 

NCL is not subbing ports, they are just adding sea days. They are not even lowering the price to compensate. This is unacceptable. It appears NCL didn't even try to rearrange the schedules to add ports they just put in sea days and kept the cost the same.

Do you really think they can arrange alternates on one day's notice?  What is your evidence that they "didn't even try?"  And what should they do in the meantime?  Just leave SPB in the itinerary?  

[susiesan]

2 minutes ago, Ulsteinvik said:

No, they will put new ports in but they need time. They have to get everything clear with the new ports. Getaway will sail a lot of times to Visby instead of St.Petersburg and this will also be soon published from NCL. 

No, no new ports added. SPB days now sea days. The new itineraries are on the NCL web site today. And the price is still the same as if going to St. Petersburg or 2 other ports. I am very disappointed in NCL for taking the easy way out.

[Ulsteinvik]

1 minute ago, susiesan said:

No, no new ports added. SPB days now sea days. The new itineraries are on the NCL web site today. And the price is still the same as if going to St. Petersburg or 2 other ports. I am very disappointed in NCL for taking the easy way out.

Are you kidding me, they temporarily took out Russia of the website that nobody will book with the hope to visit Russia and are now working on the new ports. Nothing has been updated, just be patient. The mail from NCL has already said everything.

[susiesan]

4 minutes ago, Karaboudjan said:

Do you really think they can arrange alternates on one day's notice?  What is your evidence that they "didn't even try?"  And what should they do in the meantime?  Just leave SPB in the itinerary?  

They could put a note on saying the sea days are temporary until substitute ports are arranged. Because they are selling these revised cruises now tells me this is the way they will be run. But keeping the price the same for those of us already booked is wrong. I have not made final payment yet, mine is due April 15, and I will need some major enticements from NCL, a discount, an upgrade, to keep me from cancelling this cruise.

[Turtles06]

2 minutes ago, susiesan said:

No, no new ports added. SPB days now sea days. The new itineraries are on the NCL web site today. And the price is still the same as if going to St. Petersburg or 2 other ports. I am very disappointed in NCL for taking the easy way out.

 

The "easy way out"?   Do you think they only started looking into this yesterday?   

 

I can't imagine there's anything "easy" about running a cruise line, ever, and not especially during a pandemic, let alone when the world has just seen the first unprovoked, horrific invasion of a sovereign European nation since WWII. 

[susiesan]

1 minute ago, Ulsteinvik said:

Are you kidding me, they temporarily took out Russia of the website that nobody will book with the hope to visit Russia and are now working on the new ports. Nothing has been updated, just be patient. The mail from NCL has already said everything.

Ulsteinvik, you need to actually look at the NCL web site. It has been updated. They are selling Baltic cruises with 2 sea days in place of SPB.