04/15 Pearl Boston to Bermuda itinerary changed

[styles27]

Just received an email from NCL that our itinerary for Bermuda has changed. 
 

Wondering if they’ve changed the 04/08 itinerary as well. Anyone on that sailing get the email today?

 

Original itinerary

Updated itinerary leaving Bermuda early and adding Bar Harbor 

[DonJuan77]

We’re sailing on the 22nd and they changed ours as well. I wonder why? I’m not complaining just curious if anyone has heard anything. 

[GeezerCouple]

8 minutes ago, styles27 said:

Just received an email from NCL that our itinerary for Bermuda has changed. 
 

Wondering if they’ve changed the 04/08 itinerary as well. Anyone on that sailing get the email today?

 

Original itinerary

Updated itinerary leaving Bermuda early and adding Bar Harbor 

 

I had thought that all of the Boston-Bermuda cruises had changed (from several years ago, anyway) to include that Bar Harbor port en route back.

And then it seemed that it didn't apply for the first (several??) cruises.  Maybe now... all?

GC

[styles27]

Yes it seemed that beginning in May they started going to Bar Harbor, not sure why April sailings didn’t. Maybe because of the cold temps in Maine?

 

It’s not a huge deal as we probably wouldn’t have gone out Tuesday night in Bermuda anyway. 

[styles27]

9 minutes ago, DonJuan77 said:

We’re sailing on the 22nd and they changed ours as well. I wonder why? I’m not complaining just curious if anyone has heard anything. 

Do you think we should modify our Bermuda travel authorization request to reflect the new dates? I hate to mess around with it at this point. 

[tinasmom8]

We are on the 4/8 sailing and have not received any notification of an itinerary change. 

[BlushPell]

I am on the sailing tomorrow April 8th and have not received any notification of a change yet. 

 

Funny thing is that the April 15th sailing doesn't list Bar Harbor on the NCL website so who knows. Maybe they will change ours as well when we arrive tomorrow.

Edited April 7, 2022 by BlushPell

[styles27]

7 minutes ago, BlushPell said:

I am on the sailing tomorrow April 8th and have not received any notification of a change yet. 

 

Funny thing is that the April 15th sailing doesn't list Bar Harbor on the NCL website so who knows. Maybe they will change ours as well when we arrive tomorrow.

Right it doesn’t I looked too and I just looked at my account to see if they’re offering excursions for Bar Harbor and there aren’t any listed yet. 
 

Interesting that your sailing didn’t change. 
I hope you have a great cruise! 

Did your Bermuda authorization get approved in a timely fashion after you submitted your Covid test results?

Edited April 7, 2022 by styles27

[BlushPell]

Thanks @styles27I hope your cruise is great as well. 

 

I had to actually call for the Bermuda authorization. I submitted it in the morning and hadn't heard anything by 4:30pm and their website was down so I was a little nervous about it getting messed up.

 

I was on hold for about 30 minutes but the woman I spoke with approved it while I was on the phone. It was kind of nerve wracking to say the least. The time frame for the authorization and the testing is rather tight. Hopefully since mine was one of the first few sailings the kinks will get ironed out for when it's time for you to submit yours. 

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Bar Harbor even though it will be quite chilly but like you mentioned I wasn't really going to do anything Tuesday evening anyway in Bermuda so why not get in another port. Bar Harbor is beautiful and I am sure it won't be crowded lol. 

Strange that they emailed you but then offered no excursions. Maybe it's too early in the season for them to be running? Also not sure why they wouldn't update the itineraries for their website either.  

[styles27]

6 minutes ago, BlushPell said:

Thanks @styles27I hope your cruise is great as well. 

 

I had to actually call for the Bermuda authorization. I submitted it in the morning and hadn't heard anything by 4:30pm and their website was down so I was a little nervous about it getting messed up.

 

I was on hold for about 30 minutes but the woman I spoke with approved it while I was on the phone. It was kind of nerve wracking to say the least. The time frame for the authorization and the testing is rather tight. Hopefully since mine was one of the first few sailings the kinks will get ironed out for when it's time for you to submit yours. 

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Bar Harbor even though it will be quite chilly but like you mentioned I wasn't really going to do anything Tuesday evening anyway in Bermuda so why not get in another port. Bar Harbor is beautiful and I am sure it won't be crowded lol. 

Strange that they emailed you but then offered no excursions. Maybe it's too early in the season for them to be running? Also not sure why they wouldn't update the itineraries for their website either.  

Oh wow that’s what I was worried about that the turnaround for the travel authorization approval is quite tight.
I’m glad you got it sorted out. 

After the lady approved yours on the phone did she send you an email confirmation? 
 

I think you’re right that Bar Harbor hasn’t had a chance to set up their excursions with such short notice. 
We stopped there one other time on a Canada/ New England cruise.

It’s very picturesque. I remember opening the curtain in the morning when we arrived and there was a cool mist above the water, it was really beautiful.
There’s a small town within walking distance of the ship. If I remember correctly we were tendered, which isn’t ideal. But it was a larger Princess ship so maybe the Pearl can dock. 

[DonJuan77]

1 hour ago, styles27 said:

Do you think we should modify our Bermuda travel authorization request to reflect the new dates? I hate to mess around with it at this point. 

I haven’t started that yet so I’m not 100% sure. I thought we had to wait until we got the Covid test results. 

[Dave of Maine]

For all those saying that going to Bar Harbor in April is "no big deal"...  It is still in the daytime 40's here in Maine and there is NOTHING opened in BH until Memorial Day!

 

 

[DonJuan77]

17 minutes ago, Dave of Maine said:

For all those saying that going to Bar Harbor in April is "no big deal"...  It is still in the daytime 40's here in Maine and there is NOTHING opened in BH until Memorial Day!

 

 

I feel like most people cruising out of Boston are fellow new englanders so it won’t be a huge shock. I’m sure there are some bars and shops open.  

[styles27]

41 minutes ago, DonJuan77 said:

I haven’t started that yet so I’m not 100% sure. I thought we had to wait until we got the Covid test results. 

NCL recommends waiting but the Bermuda.gov site recommends starting the process ahead of time and then they will send a reminder email 4 days before your cruise to get your Covid test and upload the results to finalize the application. 

[styles27]

20 minutes ago, Dave of Maine said:

For all those saying that going to Bar Harbor in April is "no big deal"...  It is still in the daytime 40's here in Maine and there is NOTHING opened in BH until Memorial Day!

 

 

I live in Rhode Island so it really isn’t a big deal for us. I’d rather have the extra stop and not two sea days in a row like the original itinerary. 

[styles27]

Here’s a helpful link to what’s open in Bar Harbor right now. 
https://www.visitbarharbor.com/open

[DonJuan77]

6 minutes ago, styles27 said:

NCL recommends waiting but the Bermuda.gov site recommends starting the process ahead of time and then they will send a reminder email 4 days before your cruise to get your Covid test and upload the results to finalize the application. 

Good call! Thanks for the heads up. 

[mking8288]

Hmmm, interesting last minute change - most of the NY's sailing out to Bermuda this / next month are making a stop at Norfolk (Virginia Beach) VA on the way out to Dockyard instead of Day 2 being an easy going day at sea. 

 

Since the Pearl is en route back to Beantown & stopping at BH first, which is a #cough #cough - tender port, that's fun by itself, although with likely reduced occupancies, shouldn't be too bad.  That probably, translate into, waiting for US-CBP to come onboard & process everyone - before being permitted to join the queue for the tenders (immigration & customs).

 

Happy cruising !! 

[BlushPell]

1 hour ago, styles27 said:

Oh wow that’s what I was worried about that the turnaround for the travel authorization approval is quite tight.
I’m glad you got it sorted out. 

After the lady approved yours on the phone did she send you an email confirmation? 
 

Yes I was on the phone when she sent the email. You then open the email and digitally sign(I just used my finger to sign on the touch screen) and type in your initials and hit submit. Once you hit the submit then there is an authorization form that shows up, you can download and print or show it on your phone. I printed mine just in case I needed it in Bermuda for some reason and my phone didn't get a signal

[Longstockingpippi1]

2 hours ago, Dave of Maine said:

For all those saying that going to Bar Harbor in April is "no big deal"...  It is still in the daytime 40's here in Maine and there is NOTHING opened in BH until Memorial Day!

 

 

Agree, but just gotta roll with it and pack warm clothes and raincoat ☹️☹️. 

[Laszlo]

9 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Hmmm, interesting last minute change - most of the NY's sailing out to Bermuda this / next month are making a stop at Norfolk (Virginia Beach) VA on the way out to Dockyard instead of Day 2 being an easy going day at sea. 

 

Since the Pearl is en route back to Beantown & stopping at BH first, which is a #cough #cough - tender port, that's fun by itself, although with likely reduced occupancies, shouldn't be too bad.  That probably, translate into, waiting for US-CBP to come onboard & process everyone - before being permitted to join the queue for the tenders (immigration & customs).

 

Happy cruising !! 

Bar Harbor is a heck of a lot better than Norfolk!

[styles27]

8 hours ago, Longstockingpippi1 said:

Agree, but just gotta roll with it and pack warm clothes and raincoat ☹️☹️. 

Right! It’s been in the high 40’s here so not like we’re walking on the ship in Boston with shorts and sandals on anyway. 😊April cruises to Bermuda from Boston are usually like that and mostly locals on board. 

[shof515]

23 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

Bar Harbor is a heck of a lot better than Norfolk!

the only problem with Bar Harbor is the tendering process can be slow and time consuming. Depending on the ship and/or day the ship uses the lifeboat tenders or they contract it to a third party company. ship lifeboat tenders can be somewhat horrbile

 

the great thing with Norfolk is they have a pier where you can just walk off the ship

[Longstockingpippi1]

Just now, shof515 said:

the only problem with Bar Harbor is the tendering process can be slow and time consuming. Depending on the ship and/or day the ship uses the lifeboat tenders or they contract it to a third party company. ship lifeboat tenders can be somewhat horrbile

 

the great thing with Norfolk is they have a pier where you can just walk off the ship

That’s why I booked the Bermuda cruise 4/22, my daughter is in a wheelchair and Bermuda is the one cruise we can walk off of😭.

[Flamingo26]

First time cruise person here!!  And got this message also!!  I definitely didn’t want to go to Maine in April but might be a good spa day??  
 

I am also super nervous that I am doing the Covid testing requirements correctly. I have called NCL twice and got two different answers 😳 

 

any tips you all have and help is appreciated!!! Really looking forward to this and want to make sure we do this right!