Breakaway in Portland. Hurricane?

[Treasure Hunter]

We are currently on the Breakaway in Portland Me. Tuesday, and just had a delicious lobster roll at DeMillo’s in town.  tomorrow Bar Harbor. Then supposedly  St John and Halifax. After the whole ArriveCAN and form filing it looks like we might skip the Canadian ports due to the Hurricane. This is the rumor mill, no official word yet. Not sure if we would substitute another port like Boston or just return early. So far the cruise has been great. The weather fairly good, comedy club fun, Six tonight, food terrific. We are in the packed Haven and my only complaint is that they took all the loungers out of the enclosed swimming pool area and replaced them with tables because the Haven restaurant can’t hold everyone. This means you have to climb stairs to the sundeck to lie on a lounge. Only warm enough the first day in Newport. Casino is jammed. Signs for no smoking but some people can’t read and the staff is afraid to say anything. 

[JamieLogical]

I have a friend on this sailing with you. Since you aren't scheduled to leave Halifax until 9:00pm on Friday, I think you will likely be leaving early if you make it there at all. Projection right now is that the hurricane will hit Halifax at 8:00pm on Friday.

[Treasure Hunter]

Yes, my guess is maybe St. John and then a slow trip home. Probably hear more tomorrow. 

[bluesea777]

3 minutes ago, Treasure Hunter said:

Yes, my guess is maybe St. John and then a slow trip home. Probably hear more tomorrow. 

 

Yes, St.John, possibly for a short while then head back. Breakaway must port in Canada to comply with the PVSA law.

 

Although hurricane Fiona doesn't make land until Friday evening it's her waves that will hit land 24-36 hours beforehand so Breakaway will need to get out of Fiona's advance path toward calmer seas.

 

Here in Bermuda we have small craft warning starting tomorrow (Wed) evening, 36 hours ahead.

 

Ugh, just 2 weeks after Earl! Earl was a brush-by (off the right side of Bermuda) with gale winds and we didn't suffer.

 

Fiona will, as projected currently, will also be a brush-by, but with stonger winds as she upgrades to Cat. 4. Ugh.

 

 

[Treasure Hunter]

How can they land in Canada if it’s dangerous? Can’t they get special dispensation?  I do remember that we had to stop in Mexico on our round trip Hawaii ( Princess) so I guess this is the same regulations. Thanks for the input. 

[Turtles06]

52 minutes ago, Treasure Hunter said:

Six tonight

 

Enjoy, it's fabulous!  

 

Hope your cruise isn't too impacted by the storm...

[ColeThornton]

17 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

Yes, St.John, possibly for a short while then head back. Breakaway must port in Canada to comply with the PVSA law.

 

 

Pretty sure exceptions get made in situations like this for crew and passenger safety.

[bluesea777]

Hope so.

 

 

[dandelpino]

40 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

Pretty sure exceptions get made in situations like this for crew and passenger safety.

 

Maybe. If the ship doesn't call in Canada (or any other foreign port) it will be fined. That's how the law is written. Exception are made either by congress or in case of national defence. Outside of that, a fine is issued.

 

NCL can then appeal the fine and show they made every effort to call at a foreign port but were unable to. CBP may then reduce or eliminate the fine but it's not a guarantee by any means.

[Treasure Hunter]

Sounds like NCL will make every effort to make St John. They just moved Burn the Floor from Friday and Saturday up to Wednesday and Thursday 

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, bluesea777 said:

 

Yes, St.John, possibly for a short while then head back. Breakaway must port in Canada to comply with the PVSA law.

Or change the itinerary to go to Nassau. If you can't go north, go south. The opposite happens every season (cruises to Bermuda and Bahamas end up in Halifax). 

[2boyzmom]

4 hours ago, Treasure Hunter said:

We are currently on the Breakaway in Portland Me. Tuesday, and just had a delicious lobster roll at DeMillo’s in town.  tomorrow Bar Harbor. Then supposedly  St John and Halifax. After the whole ArriveCAN and form filing it looks like we might skip the Canadian ports due to the Hurricane. This is the rumor mill, no official word yet. Not sure if we would substitute another port like Boston or just return early. So far the cruise has been great. The weather fairly good, comedy club fun, Six tonight, food terrific. We are in the packed Haven and my only complaint is that they took all the loungers out of the enclosed swimming pool area and replaced them with tables because the Haven restaurant can’t hold everyone. This means you have to climb stairs to the sundeck to lie on a lounge. Only warm enough the first day in Newport. Casino is jammed. Signs for no smoking but some people can’t read and the staff is afraid to say anything. 

A packed Haven i feel will be the new normal with the bidding process. I don't consider eating out by the pool a great dining experience for the restaurant ! 

[Treasure Hunter]

I don’t think it is, as it’s  hot and muggy and there are people traipsing in and out of the hot tubs. I was told ( when I complained about the lack of sun lounges ) that people like it as it’s less cold than the Haven restaurant. 

[chengkp75]

3 hours ago, dandelpino said:

 

Maybe. If the ship doesn't call in Canada (or any other foreign port) it will be fined. That's how the law is written. Exception are made either by congress or in case of national defence. Outside of that, a fine is issued.

 

NCL can then appeal the fine and show they made every effort to call at a foreign port but were unable to. CBP may then reduce or eliminate the fine but it's not a guarantee by any means.

CBP has waived the fines many, many times in the past for cruises that don't call at foreign ports due to weather or mechanical failures.  

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, 2boyzmom said:

A packed Haven i feel will be the new normal with the bidding process. I don't consider eating out by the pool a great dining experience for the restaurant ! 

 

NCL can get more money if, during the last weeks/days prior to a sailing, they can sell upgrades for more money.  And that would probably also filter down.  Sell some Haven upgrades to top non-Haven cabins/suites, and then those are available for upgrades from, say, balconies.  And then those balconies are available for some upgrades from OV or insides.

And then there might be some insides for very good/CHEAP prices at the last minute.

... With more money trickling in at each step along the way...

 

Why wouldn't NCL do this?

It works for them, and anyone who isn't happy with the crowding can "just" go to another cruise line, I suppose.

 

We will now sail NCL *only* when there is no choice for some particular itinerary, and even then, we may think twice, or thrice...

 

For the price of Haven suites, we can have a *very* nice cruise on, say, Oceania or other lines, and in suites, too.  And we prefer the smaller ships anyway.

 

GC

 

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, 2boyzmom said:

A packed Haven i feel will be the new normal with the bidding process. I don't consider eating out by the pool a great dining experience for the restaurant ! 

NCL (and most cruise lines) fill their suites on every cruise. It has nothing to do with the "bidding process". Prior to the bidding, NCL had an Upsell call center that handled upgrades week of cruise. No bidding,,, a fixed price for an upgrade. They even used to send out emails advertising rooms available for upgrade. And they filled the suites every week. As NCL started launching a new mega ship every year, the old call-in number didn't scale upward and they went to an automated process. 

 

8 hours ago, Treasure Hunter said:

We are in the packed Haven and my only complaint is that they took all the loungers out of the enclosed swimming pool area and replaced them with tables because the Haven restaurant can’t hold everyone. 

The Breakaway has always used the pool area for dining tables. 

[goldmom]

I also dislike the dining by the Haven pool area.  We were on the Breakaway last October on a probably half full ship.  There were no loungers by the pool area then either, only those weird day beds things and the chairs and tables for dining.  

I think that's fine for breakfast and lunch seating, but there should also be some lounge chairs as there are in the Jewel class Havens.

The other issue is that people use those dining chairs after getting out of the pools and they can sometimes be very wet.  Not fun if you're not in a bathing suit!

[cruiseny4life]

I've sailed on Breakaway's sister ship, Getaway twice. Once at full + capacity and once with 1,200 folks. Both times the Haven was full due to upgrades. I'm starting to not like the whole upgrade thing as I pay full freight for the room I want...but that's a different topic altogether. 

 

Neither time did the Getaway's Haven have loungers in the Courtyard. There are plenty of these upstairs, though I understand there isn't an elevator to them so this would be difficult for the disabled. Food was served in the Courtyard to those that chose to eat out there for breakfast and lunch. I don't think dinner was served in the Courtyard though I could be mistaken. There was never a wait for the restaurant and we could choose to sit inside or out. We always sat inside due to not wanting to eat in the rain or when it's 100 degrees out and humid. 

 

I don't really see an issue with not having loungers in the Courtyard (except for the disabled). You don't want to see me lounging around in my swimsuit and belly fat when you're eating lunch anyway. 🙂 

 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

I'm starting to not like the whole upgrade thing as I pay full freight for the room I want...but that's a different topic altogether. 

NCL and other cruise lines have always upgraded people to fill the suites. It is nothing new. 

[Treasure Hunter]

We are in Bar Harbor and the sun came out. It is beautiful and I would guess maybe 68 degrees. We came up to the sundeck. Inside all the loungers are made up but outside there was no help to find cushions or towels. I scavenged and we are dozing in the sun. And would it kill them to put out a few loungers downstairs? My knees are shot.

[cruiseny4life]

13 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

NCL and other cruise lines have always upgraded people to fill the suites. It is nothing new. 

Oh, I know! From the perspective of someone who cruises in the Haven, I dislike it. If I put my businessman hat on, I understand the upgrade process and completely support it. If I worked for NCL, I'd be sure to continue the practice, though you do have to be careful not to dilute the value of the experience. 

[2boyzmom]

7 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Oh, I know! From the perspective of someone who cruises in the Haven, I dislike it. If I put my businessman hat on, I understand the upgrade process and completely support it. If I worked for NCL, I'd be sure to continue the practice, though you do have to be careful not to dilute the value of the experience. 

We have been in the Haven more than once ( prior to the bidding process) and never felt it was packed and this was prime time sailings for Presidents week and Easter Break.  If the day comes I can't get a seat at the Haven Bar or get stuck eating outside due to overflow, I'm done. As you said, once the experience is no longer special, they will lose their faithful cruisers.

[2boyzmom]

7 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

NCL and other cruise lines have always upgraded people to fill the suites. It is nothing new. 

They have previously upgraded by people inquiring independently through their TA. It wasn't offered to the masses as it is now.

[BirdTravels]

3 minutes ago, 2boyzmom said:

They have previously upgraded by people inquiring independently through their TA. It wasn't offered to the masses as it is now.

Incorrect. There was an Upsell Desk that you called if you wanted an upgrade. This was a direct call from passengers to NCL. It was an organized, manual, upgrade process. 

 

As NCL started to launch one new mega ship a year, the Upsell Desk could not handle the volume of calls and NCL was the first to go to automated upgrade queues. 

 

The Upsell desk also used to send out mass emails for last minute upgrades if they didn't get enough calls. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[2boyzmom]

5 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Incorrect. There was an Upsell Desk that you called if you wanted an upgrade. This was a direct call from passengers to NCL. It was an organized, manual, upgrade process. 

 

As NCL started to launch one new mega ship a year, the Upsell Desk could not handle the volume of calls and NCL was the first to go to automated upgrade queues. 

 

The Upsell desk also used to send out mass emails for last minute upgrades if they didn't get enough calls. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I stated, now everyone (as soon as you log on to your account) is aware of the upgrades vs. this behind the scenes process. I never received any such email and have been on many NCL cruises. Thanks for your input.

Edited September 22, 2022 by 2boyzmom