NCL Pearl itinerary change?

[salzdt]

Hi everyone, we just got back from the B/B Boston to Quebec .  We had a great time, but I could have used another sea day.  You will have a great time, sorry you have to miss a few ports.  NCL wants to keep you safe. The staff is amazing and makes you days very enjoyable..  I have mobility problems, and everyone was extremely helpful!

Dot and Fred

[Sean224]

29 minutes ago, Emmabelle said:

 

 

I live just north of Boston and that sunset was amazing.  Hope you get to see some ports soon!  We had been looking at this cruise but I didn't want to figure out how to get back to Boston from Quebec. lol

Yes, sometimes cruise lines like to make it sound simple at first glance, don’t they?  Like calling Warnemunde “Berlin” even though it’s not even close.  Calling Civitavecchia “Rome” is similar, though it’s much less of a crime since it’s only 50 miles away rather than about 150.  (For those of us from Massachusetts, I think one could get away with calling Plymouth or [maybe] Worcester “Boston” — both about the same distance as Civitavecchia and Rome.  Calling Portland, Maine “Boston” would never fly, though, and that’s 30 miles closer than Warnemunde and Berlin.). 
 

Forgive my little rant there…
 

Anyway, in this case, it’s not the cruise lines themselves to blame but the natural inclination to think, “Quebec, that’s not far at all [under 400 miles] from Boston” and assume that transportation won’t be too complicated.  Not so.

 

Case-in-point: My flight to Florida connects in the same place (Philadelphia) and arrives at about the same time as it would into Boston even though it’s 1000 miles farther.  (If you’re a Star Alliance person—instead of a committed Oneworld traveler like me—you might have a faster journey on Air Canada, though it might be ludicrously expensive.) 

 

I think the easiest solution is actually to sail back-to-back—leave from Boston and return to Boston.  If you watch the fares, you might be able to find a deal that would that would double your vacation and only cost a little more (or even a little less!) than the one-week cruise and flights. 

 

 

[BirdTravels]

20 hours ago, ManyMore said:

I told you yesterday it was staying in Boston lol. Have a good time everyone!

You sure did. It is clearly not the first choice of the cruise line. And they continued to evaluate the weather and ride to find alternates until boarding commenced. 

 

But, you are not unique. There were many ports up and down the east coast that got calls about alternate itineraries for the Pearl. NCL just doesn't show up to a port and say "got a place to park?". And in each port that NCL contacted, the local port agent reached out to its dock workers to ensure that they would have personnel available in case the Pearl showed up. For Boston,,,, "we need some junior shore personnel to sit in the hallways and ensure that passengers don't wander into places they should not, ensure that passengers don't play on the escalators, clean the bathrooms, empty the trash, and check ids of returning passengers, 24/7, until the ship leaves". So, yes, you and a lot of dock workers at different ports were put on notice that you may make some overtime should the Pearl end up in your port. It is fortunate that the forecasted winds allowed the ship to remain on the dock. 

Edited September 16, 2023 by BirdTravels

[Emmabelle]

3 hours ago, Sean224 said:

 

Anyway, in this case, it’s not the cruise lines themselves to blame but the natural inclination to think, “Quebec, that’s not far at all [under 400 miles] from Boston” and assume that transportation won’t be too complicated.  Not so.

 

I think the easiest solution is actually to sail back-to-back—leave from Boston and return to Boston.  If you watch the fares, you might be able to find a deal that would that would double your vacation and only cost a little more (or even a little less!) than the one-week cruise and flights. 

 

 

 

when I was looking at Quebec back to Boston flying, you had to fly way past Boston for a connection to then fly back up.  If we didn't have so much going on it would make perfect sense to do the back to back cruise.

 

we decided to book the Disney Dream out of NYC to Bermuda on 10/7.  Hoping the weather will cooperate. 😂😂

[K80 Diver]

Hello.  I am on board.  Here is our new itinerary

We stayed overnight Friday in Boston harbor. We are scheduled to depart today (Saturday) at midnight. Sunday is a sea day.  Monday is Halifax.  Tuesday is Sydney Cape Breton. Wednesday is another sea day.  Thursday is Saguenay and  Friday is Quebec City disembarkation. We missed Bar Harbor and Prince Edward Island.  Guess we’ll be back some other time.  

 

 

 

[K80 Diver]

Ha!  I didn’t get through all the pages before I posted.  Sorry about not checking better!!

[Sean224]

1 hour ago, K80 Diver said:

Ha!  I didn’t get through all the pages before I posted.  Sorry about not checking better!!

I don’t think you need to apologize!  I wish we were underway but I’ve enjoyed this cruise immensely. Most people I’ve talked with seem to be happy with the decision to take the safe route.  If you haven’t had a drink in the atrium yet, I think the bartenders are the best there, and there’s usually something going on (like trivia or, God forbid for me, country line dancing lessons). 

[bonvoyagie]

We did thie cruise on the Dawn back in 2016 when the NB and SB itineraries were different except for Halifax being on both directions - we couldn't decide which direction to go so we did both! On the return triip we were greeted by the winds ahead of a hurricane coming up the coast - the outer decks were closed for the evening hours and we could feel the wind on the side of the ship as we rounded the tip of Nova Scotia.

[buffet24]

I guess by now, all you guys are on your Voyage!!!  😊

[Hwhens43]

They are on their way my mom sent two pictures when they were leaving the harbor. Here is the pictures she sent. So glad they are cruising now and glad they stayed put during hurricane lee. 

 

 

Edited September 17, 2023 by Hwhens43

[RN_Prof]

Any Itinerary changes besides missing Bar Harbor? How did Halifax, Syndey, and Charlottetown fair?

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, RN_Prof said:

Any Itinerary changes besides missing Bar Harbor? How did Halifax, Syndey, and Charlottetown fair?

The revised itinerary in post #95 also shows Charlottetown eliminated from the itinerary.

[buffet24]

1 hour ago, RN_Prof said:

Any Itinerary changes besides missing Bar Harbor? How did Halifax, Syndey, and Charlottetown fair?

You do realize this is a ship and not an airplane right?  How fast do you think they are moving at Sea right now??? 😄

[Panhandle Couple]

We are following a friend on FB who is on this cruise. She had several pictures from Halifax today.

All appears well.  Since they docked, and went on excursions, it seems there was minimal damage to the port and the Halifax area.