Breakaway itinerary change may 12

[COcruise]

We sail in 2.5 weeks and they dropped tortola. Anyone have any ideas? It seems to be a theme lately? In meetings all day and plan to call later. I know it’s in the fine print, bummed but it’ll still be a good time. We also lost a few hours off another port. 

Edited April 24 by COcruise
Spelling error

[Jordan61]

I'm on this cruise too. The email says, "Given recent guest feedback, and to accommodate certain circumstances". I've never been to Tortola, was there negative feedback about that port?

[COcruise]

Just now, Jordan61 said:

I'm on this cruise too. The email says, "Given recent guest feedback, and to accommodate certain circumstances". I've never been to Tortola, was there negative feedback about that port?

I’ve been to Tortola and it was fine? Why would they give us a sea day instead, to save money? 🤣 I’d rather have the option to get off. then we port later at st Thomas? Seems suspicious. I know we agree to this, so it’ll be fine, just annoying 

[shof515]

3 minutes ago, Jordan61 said:

I'm on this cruise too. The email says, "Given recent guest feedback, and to accommodate certain circumstances". I've never been to Tortola, was there negative feedback about that port?

guest feedback means they want people to remain onboard the ship so they are gambling and drinking aka spending  money on the ship instead of on land 

[COcruise]

Just now, shof515 said:

guest feedback means they want people to remain onboard the ship so they are gambling and drinking aka spending  money on the ship instead of on land 

Rude, I figured. Super annoying. Sometimes I wonder if their financial schemes win in the long run? Sigh.

[Travelling2Some]

5 minutes ago, COcruise said:

Rude, I figured. Super annoying. Sometimes I wonder if their financial schemes win in the long run? Sigh.

Unfortunately, they get away with it because the vast majority of passengers will think their cancellation is an isolated event, rather than knowing that it is a persistent pattern.  Very few cruisers have ever heard of Cruise Critic.

[Sand and Seas]

Tortola is a lovely island and a favorite of ours. I hope this isn't a sign of them cancelling it from other cruises.

[njkate]

3 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

Yes, I'm assuming this will exclude all of the major cruise lines going forward.  One of the reasons we booked it was that we were thinking "last chance" to port in Bar Harbor.  Years ago we booked one of the last sail outs from Venice for the same reason.  Looks like Juneau and Key West are on the endangered list now.  Bar Harbor, Key West and Venice get plenty tourism by land but Juneau is a bit of a surprise since nobody can be driving there.

 

18 minutes ago, Jordan61 said:

I'm on this cruise too. The email says, "Given recent guest feedback, and to accommodate certain circumstances". I've never been to Tortola, was there negative feedback about that port?

I got the same blurb for my cruise in June dropping Key West and adding Cozumel and swapping Ocho Rios for Falmouth

[Travelling2Some]

14 minutes ago, shof515 said:

guest feedback means they want people to remain onboard the ship so they are gambling and drinking aka spending  money on the ship instead of on land 

I don't gamble at all and I'm thinking I could get even by ordering a FAS already paid for drink every 10 minutes, lol.

[COcruise]

Just now, Travelling2Some said:

I don't gamble at all and I'm thinking I could get even by ordering a FAS already paid for drink every 10 minutes, lol.

Lol!!!!!! Love it. Not a bad idea 

[schmoopie17]

11 minutes ago, Travelling2Some said:

Very few cruisers have ever heard of Cruise Critic.

What is this Cruise Critic of which you speak?

[TheycallmeFlip]

21 minutes ago, shof515 said:

guest feedback means they want people to remain onboard the ship so they are gambling and drinking aka spending  money on the ship instead of on land 

We're on the cruise on the 19th and there's a slot tournament and masquerade ball that I was invited to by CAS.  They're giving us $100 in onboard credits (non-refundable) for the cancellation. The cancellation stinks.

 

Flip
 

[Jordan61]

4 minutes ago, TheycallmeFlip said:

We're on the cruise on the 19th and there's a slot tournament and masquerade ball that I was invited to by CAS.  They're giving us $100 in onboard credits (non-refundable) for the cancellation. The cancellation stinks.

 

Flip
 

 

They cancelled it for the 19th as well? So it's not just us.

[Spaniel Lover]

I was really disappointed with the news that my May cruise on Norwegian Breakaway would not be visiting Tortola.  It is actually one of my favorite destinations in the Caribbean, and the fact that this cruise was scheduled to go there was the primary reason that I booked the cruise.

I think you all missed the key reason for the change, which was buried in their lengthy explanation for changing the itinerary.  Here's their explanation, and I'm highlighting the two key words:
 

Given recent guest feedback, and to accommodate certain circumstances including but not limited to fuel optimization as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, as well as global maritime regulations, we have adjusted the original itinerary as shown below. 

 

I think this change has absolutely nothing to do with guest feedback and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that they can save some money by cruising at a much slower speed between St Thomas and Great Stirrup Cay if they do not have to stop at Tortola.

[CruiseKaptain]

4 minutes ago, Spaniel Lover said:

I was really disappointed with the news that my May cruise on Norwegian Breakaway would not be visiting Tortola.  It is actually one of my favorite destinations in the Caribbean, and the fact that this cruise was scheduled to go there was the primary reason that I booked the cruise.

I think you all missed the key reason for the change, which was buried in their lengthy explanation for changing the itinerary.  Here's their explanation, and I'm highlighting the two key words:
 

Given recent guest feedback, and to accommodate certain circumstances including but not limited to fuel optimization as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, as well as global maritime regulations, we have adjusted the original itinerary as shown below. 

 

I think this change has absolutely nothing to do with guest feedback and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that they can save some money by cruising at a much slower speed between St Thomas and Great Stirrup Cay if they do not have to stop at Tortola.

 

[CruiseKaptain]

I think you nailed it! $

[snorklinbarb]

16 minutes ago, TheycallmeFlip said:

We're on the cruise on the 19th and there's a slot tournament and masquerade ball that I was invited to by CAS.  They're giving us $100 in onboard credits (non-refundable) for the cancellation. The cancellation stinks.

 

Flip
 

We didn't miss Tortola on Getaway last week but did miss Bermuda for which we were given refundable OBC.  Wonder why yours is non-refundable?

[shipshipship]

Another  disappointing announcement.  We are on the Breakaway 19th and 26th.  We were really looking forward to Tortola one of original reasons for booking.  We will make the best of it, but disappointing.  

[brookie848]

I find it interesting that they are canceling Tortola. From what I've read, NCL (and Disney) helped pay for/develop the port area, so you think they would want to stop there.

 

I will say, though, that most of the cruises I've been on that stop at Tortola has been a waste or just not what it could have been. The crappy 6:00-1:00 (or 7:00-2:00 port times) are not awesome. We were really pleased that we actually had a whole day there on our last cruise.

[Panhandle Couple]

It took me 5 minutes to find this, which just MIGHT have an explanation.

 

https://bvinews.com/two-tourists-missing-in-the-bvi/

Summary:

Two men missing from the NCL Sky stop on 19 April.  No contact from them since they got off.

 

If NCL thinks there is not enough action to protect their passengers, they will skip the port until the locals make some changes, or add security.   The removed tourist spending should energize the location, or maybe not.

 

If you review this web site, you will also see stories about increased illegal immigration,  and increasing theft in businesses.  I wonder if all this is connected?

[Menocchio]

9 minutes ago, Spaniel Lover said:

Given recent guest feedback, and to accommodate certain circumstances including but not limited to fuel optimization as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, as well as global maritime regulations, we have adjusted the original itinerary as shown below. 

They say that for every itinerary change, no matter what. Here's from an email I got about a cruise I'm taking in October:

As part of our commitment to deliver exceptional vacation experiences at every step of the cruise journey, listening to our guests is instrumental. Given recent guest feedback, and to accommodate certain circumstances including but not limited to enhanced port and shore excursion availability for the ultimate vacation experience, fuel optimization as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, as well as global maritime regulations, we have adjusted the original itinerary as shown below. We apologize for any inconvenience these slight adjustments may cause.

Now, in my case I'm getting plenty of advance notice, the change involves leaving Juneau at 10PM instead of 11PM, and arriving at Skagway at 6AM instead of 7AM. Not a big deal, IMHO (though I guess if you're really into that Alaskan nightlife it could be a little bit of a bummer, and expecting people to enjoy their 6AM arrival is a bit of a joke). But why are they doing this? Probably not fuel, as we're getting to our next destination in exactly the same amount of time. Probably something to do with either the tides or the port. Why not just tell us? 

 

Coincidentally, around the same time HAL also shifted the itinerary of a booked cruise for the following year.

Please be advised that due to port congestion, Nieuw Statendam's overnight
call to Istanbul, Turkey has been moved forward a day to Tuesday, October 14
and Wednesday, October 15, 2025. Additionally, we will now call to Mykonos,
Greece on Friday, October 17, rather than Monday, October 13, and we will
conduct scenic cruising of the Dardanelles on Monday, October 13 and Thursday,
October 16.

 

Also not a big deal, as they just changed the order we're going places (originally it was Mykonos, then the Dardanelles and Istanbul). But look! They told me why! Port Congestion! An actual reason, communicated to me like I'm a person worthy of being told why the vacation I paid for is being altered. Maybe they even made my vacation better! I appreciate that. 

[TheycallmeFlip]

19 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

It took me 5 minutes to find this, which just MIGHT have an explanation.

 

https://bvinews.com/two-tourists-missing-in-the-bvi/

Summary:

Two men missing from the NCL Sky stop on 19 April.  No contact from them since they got off.

 

If NCL thinks there is not enough action to protect their passengers, they will skip the port until the locals make some changes, or add security.   The removed tourist spending should energize the location, or maybe not.

 

If you review this web site, you will also see stories about increased illegal immigration,  and increasing theft in businesses.  I wonder if all this is connected?

The comments on the article were crazy! 

[comfy_critters]

23 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

It took me 5 minutes to find this, which just MIGHT have an explanation.

 

https://bvinews.com/two-tourists-missing-in-the-bvi/

Summary:

Two men missing from the NCL Sky stop on 19 April.  No contact from them since they got off.

 

I

Those two NCL cruise passengers who are missing from last week are not the only ones. There were 3 NCL cruise passengers from a previous trip who are also missing when they got off in Tortola, so it makes sense NCL would stop docking there until it is known what happened to these people. This article mentions the previous passengers, also  https://www.cruisehive.com/two-cruise-passengers-reported-missing-in-the-british-virgin-islands/129774

[LatinaInTexas]

1 hour ago, njkate said:

 

I got the same blurb for my cruise in June dropping Key West and adding Cozumel and swapping Ocho Rios for Falmouth

My August cruise got these same changes, this is the second time I have had Key West dropped☹️

[Panhandle Couple]

2 hours ago, Jordan61 said:

I'm on this cruise too. The email says, "Given recent guest feedback, and to accommodate certain circumstances". I've never been to Tortola, was there negative feedback about that port?

Only missing passengers, potentially kidnapped or murdered.  I guess their families feedback might be a little negative on Tortola.