NCL Itinerary Changes After Final Payment *just the facts*

[EllieinNJ]

Getaway Feb 2023 5 days NY to Bermuda.  Originally questioned if it was warm enough in Feb for Bermuda but most said weather was around 70 and thou not beach weather was nice to do land excursion.  Price was great 

 

Night before people on FB said we were not going but no notice from NCL.  When we got to the pier there was a letter saying we are not going to Bermuda but will stop in Nassau from 9pm to 2am.  No reason given.  Some got off and took a taxi to the casino but most stayed on ship.  Gave us $250 OBC and a 10 percent FCC.

[Seas2mountains]

On 8/17/2024 at 9:29 AM, WhiteOptima said:

@Seas2mountains missing Bonaire would make me angry.  Some lines do the other ports so much that it is great to have Bonaire or other ports.   I mean it is not far from Curaçao so what the heck?  The port intensive cruises like your is why I love cruising out of San Juan.

We are bummed about this, too, but this is our third cruise this year with a port day removed and replaced by a sea day. We are now expecting this to happen with NCL and expect it will happen. We loved the Prima so that is why we are trying not to get too upset about this change. I guess we will have to find another cruise with Bonaire on the itinerary and know if it is NCL, the chances of them really going there are reduced compared to other cruise lines. We realize ports can be cancelled due to weather or other reasons but this one seems to be to save money for NCL.

[Seas2mountains]

22 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

That means that the ship will have 38 hours to travel the roughly 500 miles from Curacao to St. Lucia instead of 24-1/2 hours to travel about 450 miles from Bonaire to St. Lucia.  That averages out to about 12 knots for 38 hours instead of 16 knots for 24+ hours.  That could amount to significant cost savings for fuel.

Thank you for sharing the details on how they will save money on fuel.

 

Yes, it is sad that they didn't publish the itinerary without Bonaire in the first place as we get that NCL is trying to save money on fuel but they should tell us about the plans they have to save money on modifying itineraries much sooner than 1 day before the final payment is due.

[Seas2mountains]

19 hours ago, complawyer said:

unless you're really into scuba diving, there isnt a great deal going on in bonaire. it's picturesque,

but unless your heart was set on visiting there, personally, i wouldnt mind the extra sea day. been to aruba and curacao, if it is the same docking area, you can walk off the ship and walk to downtown curacao. it's really a nice way to spend the day.

 

also, ive been chomping at the bit to get a chance to visit saint lucia, maybe next year. cruise wise, my dance card is filled thru the end of the year

I have been to Aruba and appreciate your recommendation on Curacao as we did not book an excursion there.

 

We are looking forward to St. Lucia, too. The bummer on this big itinerary change is that previously we were arriving in St. Lucia at 1:30pm and now arrive at 7:00am - a whole 6 1/2 hours earlier with a departure 2 hours earlier. But, they have not changed any of the excursions to have earlier start times, yet. All show excursion start times of 1:45pm or 2:30pm. Those times won't work now with the earlier departure and I am sure they won't notify people of the time changes until we are on the ship when the tickets arrive in the cabins.

[ontheweb]

46 minutes ago, Seas2mountains said:

I have been to Aruba and appreciate your recommendation on Curacao as we did not book an excursion there.

 

We are looking forward to St. Lucia, too. The bummer on this big itinerary change is that previously we were arriving in St. Lucia at 1:30pm and now arrive at 7:00am - a whole 6 1/2 hours earlier with a departure 2 hours earlier. But, they have not changed any of the excursions to have earlier start times, yet. All show excursion start times of 1:45pm or 2:30pm. Those times won't work now with the earlier departure and I am sure they won't notify people of the time changes until we are on the ship when the tickets arrive in the cabins.

I am sure they will change, but for passengers who may have booked private excursions, this may be more of a problem.

[BrianLo]

How many of these are we allowed to post? Basically every itinerary I sail with almost all the lines gets changed or cancelled. I'm so used to receiving these stupid emails. I'm missing one from Prima for Iceland, because those itinerary changes were handed out to us on arrival, but they were weather related, to be fair.

 

I've had a NCL Star Norway/Tromso completely cancelled, but >>1 year in advance. I also had a NCL Star Ireland where we missed three ports due to a tropical depression, but that was while on the cruise.

 

 

Ship: Viva

Sailing date: 05 May - 15 May 2024

Destination: Adriatic

Itinerary Changes: 

Reason Given: 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 port availability, 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 adjustments may cause. 

NCL Notification: 15 days before cruise

Disposition: Not bad

 

 

Ship: Dawn

Sailing date: 08 Mar- 20 2024

Destination: Southern Africa

Itinerary Changes: 

Reason Given: We pride ourselves on delivering incredible experiences, both aboard our ships and by taking our guests to some of the most sought-out destinations around the world. While we try to maintain original itineraries as much as possible, unfortunately, at times modifications are made to optimize the itinerary or to accommodate certain circumstances. As such, due to a recent regulatory requirement, the ship is operating at a reduced speed, impacting its original itinerary as shown below. 

NCL Notification: 8 days before cruise

Disposition: A lot of guests were quite disgruntled about this one. A port was dropped and if you dig into the departure times, Durban and Walvis Bay were kind of terrible. My ship booked Durban excursion still was maintained and we had a 4:00am meeting time...

 

 

Ship: Spirit

Sailing date: 08 Dec- 23 2023

Destination: Polynesia

Itinerary Changes: 

 

 

Reason Given: Due to updated port availability, your itinerary has been modified to now include an overnight call to Raiatea, French Polynesia, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in all this beautiful destination has to offer.

NCL Notification: 7 days before cruise

Disposition: They had made some changes to this one before final payment, from American Samoa to Apia and from Isle of Pines to New Caledonia. The actual changes were just a nuisance around some pre-booked excursions

 

 

 

Ship: Bliss

Sailing date: April 17-22 2022

Destination: Mexico/Reposition

Itinerary Changes: 

Reason Given: In order to enhance the guest experience, the above-mentioned itinerary has been changed. 

NCL Notification: 67 days before

Disposition: This one is a Pandemic cruise and I was just happy to go anywhere. But I'm including it because it is still coded on my latitudes as a Mexico cruise and that makes me laugh. Victoria we were unable to dock and the entire entertainment team had COVID... but I was just happy to travel at the time.

Edited August 18 by BrianLo
Added in the first changes to my Poly Cruise

[The Traveling Man]

20 minutes ago, BrianLo said:

Ship: Dawn

Sailing date: 08 Mar- 20 2024

Destination: Southern Africa

Itinerary Changes: 

Reason Given: We pride ourselves on delivering incredible experiences, both aboard our ships and by taking our guests to some of the most sought-out destinations around the world. While we try to maintain original itineraries as much as possible, unfortunately, at times modifications are made to optimize the itinerary or to accommodate certain circumstances. As such, due to a recent regulatory requirement, the ship is operating at a reduced speed, impacting its original itinerary as shown below. 

NCL Notification: 8 days before cruise

Disposition: A lot of guests were quite disgruntled about this one. A port was dropped and if you dig into the departure times, Durban and Walvis Bay were kind of terrible. My ship booked Durban excursion still was maintained and we had a 4:00am meeting time...

 

 

Your 15 hours over two days in Namibia was cut to about five hours on shore on one day.  Bummer.  Namibia is a beautiful country with much to see and do.  Five hours won't even scratch the surface.  The arrival times in Richard's Bay and Durban, though, sound like a joke.  Unfortunately, NCL isn't laughing and obviously you aren't either.  Who cares if your ship arrives in Durban at 3:00 AM.  Is anyone really going to plan on getting up several hours before breakfast is served and stumble around in the predawn darkness?  In essence, you have maybe five usable hours in port there.

[BrianLo]

3 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

Your 15 hours over two days in Namibia was cut to about five hours on shore on one day.  Bummer.  Namibia is a beautiful country with much to see and do.  Five hours won't even scratch the surface.  The arrival times in Richard's Bay and Durban, though, sound like a joke.  Unfortunately, NCL isn't laughing and obviously you aren't either.  Who cares if your ship arrives in Durban at 3:00 AM.  Is anyone really going to plan on getting up several hours before breakfast is served and stumble around in the predawn darkness?  In essence, you have maybe five usable hours in port there.

You probably missed the part that I indeed went on a 4am tour with NCL in Durban. Of course nothing was actually open to eat!

 

I think originally the tour was scheduled for something humane like 7am.

 

I mean that said I personally had a very enjoyable cruise regardless. I wouldn’t even say that was my worst itinerary experience. The worst was Ireland having three unexpected sea days mid cruise. Or I guess technically Royal turning a Panama Canal cruise into just a Caribbean cruise. For ‘guest experience’. But at least I canceled that!

[The Traveling Man]

1 minute ago, BrianLo said:

You probably missed the part that I indeed went on a 4am tour with NCL in Durban. Of course nothing was actually open to eat!

 

I think originally the tour was scheduled for something humane like 7am.

 

 

Yes, I did.  I assumed that you cancelled the tour.  I know I would have.

[BrianLo]

Just now, The Traveling Man said:

Yes, I did.  I assumed that you cancelled the tour.  I know I would have.

Optimist/masochist, used to being on-call, here. It was a game reserve though, so it actually was not bad to arrive around sunrise.  I really did think it was a joke at first when they maintained the time. The tour surprisingly stayed full because I think people were kind of just desperate to use every possible second we had given all the shore time reductions.

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@The Traveling Man & @Seas2mountains

 

I had to smile about your time/trip comparison.

 

According to all information we have the following:-

 

 

The allowance is 37 hours to get from Melbourne to Burnie, a distance of 218NM, so they are anticipating the Spirit to be travelling at about 6kn.

 

When will we get an itinerary change?

 

 

 

[Panhandle Couple]

1 hour ago, BrianLo said:

How many of these are we allowed to post? Basically every itinerary I sail with almost all the lines gets changed or cancelled. I'm so used to receiving these stupid emails. I'm missing one from Prima for Iceland, because those itinerary changes were handed out to us on arrival, but they were weather related, to be fair.

 

I've had a NCL Star Norway/Tromso completely cancelled, but >>1 year in advance. I also had a NCL Star Ireland where we missed three ports due to a tropical depression, but that was while on the cruise.

 

 

Ship: Viva

Sailing date: 05 May - 15 May 2024

Destination: Adriatic

Itinerary Changes: 

Reason Given: 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 port availability, 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 adjustments may cause. 

NCL Notification: 15 days before cruise

Disposition: Not bad

 

 

Ship: Dawn

Sailing date: 08 Mar- 20 2024

Destination: Southern Africa

Itinerary Changes: 

Reason Given: We pride ourselves on delivering incredible experiences, both aboard our ships and by taking our guests to some of the most sought-out destinations around the world. While we try to maintain original itineraries as much as possible, unfortunately, at times modifications are made to optimize the itinerary or to accommodate certain circumstances. As such, due to a recent regulatory requirement, the ship is operating at a reduced speed, impacting its original itinerary as shown below. 

NCL Notification: 8 days before cruise

Disposition: A lot of guests were quite disgruntled about this one. A port was dropped and if you dig into the departure times, Durban and Walvis Bay were kind of terrible. My ship booked Durban excursion still was maintained and we had a 4:00am meeting time...

 

 

Ship: Spirit

Sailing date: 08 Dec- 23 2023

Destination: Polynesia

Itinerary Changes: 

 

 

Reason Given: Due to updated port availability, your itinerary has been modified to now include an overnight call to Raiatea, French Polynesia, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in all this beautiful destination has to offer.

NCL Notification: 7 days before cruise

Disposition: They had made some changes to this one before final payment, from American Samoa to Apia and from Isle of Pines to New Caledonia. The actual changes were just a nuisance around some pre-booked excursions

 

 

 

Ship: Bliss

Sailing date: April 17-22 2022

Destination: Mexico/Reposition

Itinerary Changes: 

Reason Given: In order to enhance the guest experience, the above-mentioned itinerary has been changed. 

NCL Notification: 67 days before

Disposition: This one is a Pandemic cruise and I was just happy to go anywhere. But I'm including it because it is still coded on my latitudes as a Mexico cruise and that makes me laugh. Victoria we were unable to dock and the entire entertainment team had COVID... but I was just happy to travel at the time.

For the Bliss cruise...

We sailed on Bliss 1 month earlier in March 2022, and had a very good time.  Ship was only 45% full.

Staff still had to wear masks (if I recall correctly) but passengers didn't have to except in hallways or theater.  

We got to know a couple of bartenders very well. 

[kitkat343]

Bonaire has been dropped from some ABC cruises.  https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-removes-coveted-port-from-multiple-sailings/142393?fbclid=IwY2xjawEx3PNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHQJhEbxa8Ni7Kc6Lr7GqeXsdTDeqOMs1vBctghqlWJCK5hJuqoS5ZTouHA_aem_HZr4du6nRGAT3Bvxo07OOg. It's Feb, so it might be outside of final payment, although since the cruise leaves from San Juan some people might have purchased airfare. 

[Seas2mountains]

Duplicate

Edited August 20 by Seas2mountains

[Seas2mountains]

2 hours ago, kitkat343 said:

Bonaire has been dropped from some ABC cruises.  https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-removes-coveted-port-from-multiple-sailings/142393?fbclid=IwY2xjawEx3PNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHQJhEbxa8Ni7Kc6Lr7GqeXsdTDeqOMs1vBctghqlWJCK5hJuqoS5ZTouHA_aem_HZr4du6nRGAT3Bvxo07OOg. It's Feb, so it might be outside of final payment, although since the cruise leaves from San Juan some people might have purchased airfare. 

It is impacting us on our December cruise. We found out about the change on Friday when final payment was due on Saturday. I did post it within this thread. 

[kitkat343]

1 hour ago, Seas2mountains said:

It is impacting us on our December cruise. We found out about the change on Friday when final payment was due on Saturday. I did post it within this thread. 

Oh - I'm so sorry that happened to you.  

[luv2camp04]

This is for my client's booking in November.  There is really no tangible reason on the letter for the itinerary change.  I know this happens but it seems there should be some compensation given for this kind of change (5 ports deleted and only 3 ports added).  Note that this cruise leaves from LA and the first port is now San Diego.  They are sailing 118 miles between 4:00 pm and 7:00 am.  All I can think is that they will be sitting at sea for several hours.

 

Has anyone been offered any sort of compensation on these itinerary changes?  Just curious.  

Date: 08/21/2024           Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners, The itinerary for your upcoming vacation on board Norwegian Jewel on November 7, 2024, has changed. In addition, the departure time in Los Angeles, California, has been updated, and will now commence at 4:00 p.m. local time. Travel Partners are asked to share this information with impacted guests. We are committed to providing the best vacations at sea and have been working tirelessly to continue elevating the quality of the overall guest experience while positively impacting society and the environment. As we continue to optimize itineraries for enhanced port and shore excursion availability, as well as fuel efficiency, as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, we have adjusted the itinerary as shown below. We recognize the importance that destinations play in our guests' vacation decision-making process and assure you that these modifications were made with an optimal guest experience top-of-mind. As such, while we will no longer visit Manzanillo, Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, and Puerto Chiapas, Mexico; Acajutla, El Salvador; and San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, we are pleased to share that we have added a visit to San Diego, California; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; and Panama City (Pacific Cruise Terminal), Panama. San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, a historic district in downtown, is known for its vibrant nightlife, excellent dining, and charming Victorian-era buildings. You can also explore Balboa Park, a massive cultural park that houses museums, theaters, gardens, and the famous San Diego Zoo. Guatemala is home to numerous volcanoes, such as Pacaya Volcano for stunning views, and is also famous for its coffee. You can enjoy local coffee plantations and gain insight into the production process, from bean to cup, as well as the chance to taste some of the world's best coffee. The historic district of Panama City, Casco Viejo, is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its charming colonial architecture, narrow streets, and vibrant cultural scene. It's filled with cafés, restaurants, and shops, making it perfect for exploring on foot. Additionally, we have extended our visits to Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, as well as Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Please note, we will now depart Los Angeles, California, at 4:00 p.m. local time. The modified itinerary is as follows:   Original Day Destination Arrive Depart   Thu LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA   5:00 pm   Fri AT SEA       Sat CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO 12:00 pm 8:00 pm   Sun PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO 1:00 pm 8:00 pm   Mon MANZANILLO, MEXICO 9:00 am 5:00 pm   Tue ZIHUATANEJO/IXTAPA, MEXICO 7:00 am 6:00 pm   Wed AT SEA       Thu PUERTO CHIAPAS, MEXICO 7:00 am 6:00 pm   Fri ACAJUTLA, EL SALVADOR 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Sat SAN JUAN DEL SUR, NICARAGUA 9:00 am 5:00 pm   Sun PUNTARENAS, COSTA RICA 8:00 am 5:00 pm   Mon AT SEA       Tue DAYLIGHT TRANSIT PANAMA CANAL       Wed CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA 10:30 am 6:00 pm   Thu AT SEA       Fri GEORGE TOWN, GRAND CAYMAN 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun TAMPA, FLORIDA 7:00 am     Revised Day Destination Arrive Depart   Thu LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA   4:00 pm   Fri SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 7:00 am 3:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO 8:00 am 5:00 pm   Mon PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO 10:30 am 10:00 pm   Tue AT SEA       Wed AT SEA       Thu PUERTO QUETZAL, GUATEMALA 7:00 am 6:00 pm   Fri AT SEA       Sat PUNTARENAS, COSTA RICA 7:00 am 6:00 pm   Sun AT SEA       Mon PANAMA CITY (PACIFIC CRUISE TERMINAL), PANAMA 7:00 am 10:00 pm   Tue DAYLIGHT TRANSIT PANAMA CANAL       Wed CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA 10:30 am 6:00 pm   Thu AT SEA       Fri GEORGE TOWN, GRAND CAYMAN 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun TAMPA, FLORIDA 7:00 am

Edited August 26 by luv2camp04

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@luv2camp04

 

This is almost a different cruise!!   Glad I am not anywhere near it!!   The lost ports would be NEW ones replaced by OLD ones; NO

[MoCruiseFan]

Bottom line fact is that changes can and do happen at any time for many reasons.  The cruise contract explains that this is possible and that no explanation is necessary.  This is not at all unique to NCL.  It happens on all lines.  When it does happen, the cruise line can't win.  If they give no explanation people whine even though the contract agreed states they owe none. If they do give an explanation those sane people complain that they do not like it,  Yeah it sucks when plans get changed but I have a lot more important things to worry about,  All facts,

[afiaccone]

IMPORTANT INFORMATION Itinerary Change   CRUISE PLANNERS INC   Date: 07/30/2024           Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners, The itinerary for your upcoming vacation on board Norwegian Getaway on December 22, 2024, has changed. Travel Partners are asked to share this information with impacted guests . We are committed to providing the best vacations at sea and have been working tirelessly to continue elevating the quality of the overall guest experience while positively impacting society and the environment. As we continue to optimize itineraries for enhanced port and shore excursion availability, as well as fuel efficiency, as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, we have adjusted the itinerary as shown below. We recognize the importance of destinations in our guests' vacation decision-making process and are pleased to share that our visit to Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras, has been extended. In addition, we have preserved the amount of time originally scheduled for our visit to Cozumel, Mexico. The modified itinerary is as follows:   Original Day Destination Arrive Depart   Sun NEW ORLEANS, LA   4:00 pm   Mon AT SEA       Tue COSTA MAYA, MEXICO 11:00 am 7:00 pm   Wed HARVEST CAYE, BELIZE 8:00 am 6:00 pm   Thu ROATAN, BAY ISLANDS, HONDURAS 8:00 am 4:00 pm   Fri COZUMEL, MEXICO 9:00 am 7:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun NEW ORLEANS, LA 7:00 am     Revised Day Destination Arrive Depart   Sun NEW ORLEANS, LA   4:00 pm   Mon AT SEA       Tue COZUMEL, MEXICO 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Wed HARVEST CAYE, BELIZE 9:00 am 6:00 pm   Thu ROATAN, BAY ISLANDS, HONDURAS 8:00 am 6:00 pm   Fri COSTA MAYA, MEXICO 7:00 am 1:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun NEW ORLEANS, LA 7:00 am         Really annoyed about the earlier arrival times, especially Costa Maya

Edited August 26 by afiaccone

[The Traveling Man]

3 hours ago, luv2camp04 said:

This is for my client's booking in November.  There is really no tangible reason on the letter for the itinerary change.  I know this happens but it seems there should be some compensation given for this kind of change (5 ports deleted and only 3 ports added).  Note that this cruise leaves from LA and the first port is now San Diego.  They are sailing 118 miles between 4:00 pm and 7:00 am.  All I can think is that they will be sitting at sea for several hours.

 

Has anyone been offered any sort of compensation on these itinerary changes?  Just curious.  

Date: 08/21/2024           Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners, The itinerary for your upcoming vacation on board Norwegian Jewel on November 7, 2024, has changed. In addition, the departure time in Los Angeles, California, has been updated, and will now commence at 4:00 p.m. local time. Travel Partners are asked to share this information with impacted guests. We are committed to providing the best vacations at sea and have been working tirelessly to continue elevating the quality of the overall guest experience while positively impacting society and the environment. As we continue to optimize itineraries for enhanced port and shore excursion availability, as well as fuel efficiency, as a part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts, we have adjusted the itinerary as shown below. We recognize the importance that destinations play in our guests' vacation decision-making process and assure you that these modifications were made with an optimal guest experience top-of-mind. As such, while we will no longer visit Manzanillo, Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, and Puerto Chiapas, Mexico; Acajutla, El Salvador; and San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, we are pleased to share that we have added a visit to San Diego, California; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; and Panama City (Pacific Cruise Terminal), Panama. San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, a historic district in downtown, is known for its vibrant nightlife, excellent dining, and charming Victorian-era buildings. You can also explore Balboa Park, a massive cultural park that houses museums, theaters, gardens, and the famous San Diego Zoo. Guatemala is home to numerous volcanoes, such as Pacaya Volcano for stunning views, and is also famous for its coffee. You can enjoy local coffee plantations and gain insight into the production process, from bean to cup, as well as the chance to taste some of the world's best coffee. The historic district of Panama City, Casco Viejo, is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its charming colonial architecture, narrow streets, and vibrant cultural scene. It's filled with cafés, restaurants, and shops, making it perfect for exploring on foot. Additionally, we have extended our visits to Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, as well as Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Please note, we will now depart Los Angeles, California, at 4:00 p.m. local time. The modified itinerary is as follows:   Original Day Destination Arrive Depart   Thu LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA   5:00 pm   Fri AT SEA       Sat CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO 12:00 pm 8:00 pm   Sun PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO 1:00 pm 8:00 pm   Mon MANZANILLO, MEXICO 9:00 am 5:00 pm   Tue ZIHUATANEJO/IXTAPA, MEXICO 7:00 am 6:00 pm   Wed AT SEA       Thu PUERTO CHIAPAS, MEXICO 7:00 am 6:00 pm   Fri ACAJUTLA, EL SALVADOR 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Sat SAN JUAN DEL SUR, NICARAGUA 9:00 am 5:00 pm   Sun PUNTARENAS, COSTA RICA 8:00 am 5:00 pm   Mon AT SEA       Tue DAYLIGHT TRANSIT PANAMA CANAL       Wed CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA 10:30 am 6:00 pm   Thu AT SEA       Fri GEORGE TOWN, GRAND CAYMAN 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun TAMPA, FLORIDA 7:00 am     Revised Day Destination Arrive Depart   Thu LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA   4:00 pm   Fri SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 7:00 am 3:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO 8:00 am 5:00 pm   Mon PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO 10:30 am 10:00 pm   Tue AT SEA       Wed AT SEA       Thu PUERTO QUETZAL, GUATEMALA 7:00 am 6:00 pm   Fri AT SEA       Sat PUNTARENAS, COSTA RICA 7:00 am 6:00 pm   Sun AT SEA       Mon PANAMA CITY (PACIFIC CRUISE TERMINAL), PANAMA 7:00 am 10:00 pm   Tue DAYLIGHT TRANSIT PANAMA CANAL       Wed CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA 10:30 am 6:00 pm   Thu AT SEA       Fri GEORGE TOWN, GRAND CAYMAN 7:00 am 4:00 pm   Sat AT SEA       Sun TAMPA, FLORIDA 7:00 am

The first half of this cruise is significantly different from the originally published itinerary.  Although some of the new ports of call might prove more interesting than some of those which were dropped, others might prove less appealing.  As to the short distance but long time interval from Los Angeles to San Diego, the 118 miles in 15 hours means that the Jewel will not have to sail even half as fast as its maximum cruising speed.  I suppose, then, that you might refer to NCL's notification as a half fast answer.

[RenoDuck]

Ship: Star

Sailing date: 18 May - 30 May 2024

Destination: Northern Atlantic

Itinerary Changes: See visual below.

 

 

Reason Given: 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 port availability, 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 adjustments may cause. 

 

NCL Notification: Change from Stavanger to Ulvik and Djupivogur to Seydisfjordur a few months in advance.  Drop of Ulvik and Torshavn, Faroe Islands after final payment.  Change of embarkation port from Portsmouth to Southampton a week prior to embarkation. 

 

Disposition: I liked the switch of ports in Iceland.  Disappointed to lose the fjords of Stavanger to Ulvik as our time in port was 4pm to 9pm in a farm town of a couple of hundred people in which even the church would have been closed.  So wasn't disappointed to gain a sea day when that port was dropped.  The drop of the Faroe Islands, for which many people had specifically booked this itinerary, was very disappointing, especially given we had to sail right past it from Shetland Islands to Iceland . We were provided $50 OBC per person for the change in embarkation, which covered the non refundable train tickets to Portsmouth that had to be replaced with tickets to Southampton. 

 

It will be a long time before I trust NCL enough to book another "unique" itinerary with them.  Too many stories of these kinds of changes lately.

[luv2kroooz]

13 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

Bottom line fact is that changes can and do happen at any time for many reasons.  The cruise contract explains that this is possible and that no explanation is necessary.  This is not at all unique to NCL.  It happens on all lines.  When it does happen, the cruise line can't win.  If they give no explanation people whine even though the contract agreed states they owe none. If they do give an explanation those sane people complain that they do not like it,  Yeah it sucks when plans get changed but I have a lot more important things to worry about,  All facts,

You are so misinformed and it is sad. The cruise contract is intended to give cruise lines necessary protections when ports are not able to be visited due to civil unrest, hurricanes, medical emergencies of crew or passengers. It was never intended to allow haphazard, random changes in the name if "elevating the guest experience while contributing positively to society and the environment". Read the contract, understand the contract, but understand that you need to apply some level of critical and legal analysis to the contract. If you just think a contract is black and white, you are very misinformed. Courts interpret contracts over and again. When someone decides to push the issue with NCL via litigation, NCL will settle out of court or likely lose the court cases. Contracts were never intended to be used and abused in the way NCL us using them. Until then, passengers are free to continue to sail with NCL and guess where they are going to end up. Alternatively, like us, just choose other cruise lines where itinerary changes happen, but are much less common. Sorry not sorry. Rant over.

[ontheweb]

34 minutes ago, luv2kroooz said:

You are so misinformed and it is sad. The cruise contract is intended to give cruise lines necessary protections when ports are not able to be visited due to civil unrest, hurricanes, medical emergencies of crew or passengers. It was never intended to allow haphazard, random changes in the name if "elevating the guest experience while contributing positively to society and the environment". Read the contract, understand the contract, but understand that you need to apply some level of critical and legal analysis to the contract. If you just think a contract is black and white, you are very misinformed. Courts interpret contracts over and again. When someone decides to push the issue with NCL via litigation, NCL will settle out of court or likely lose the court cases. Contracts were never intended to be used and abused in the way NCL us using them. Until then, passengers are free to continue to sail with NCL and guess where they are going to end up. Alternatively, like us, just choose other cruise lines where itinerary changes happen, but are much less common. Sorry not sorry. Rant over.

Yes, at some time common sense has to prevail as to what contract terms mean. An example, though not from a cruise contract---We had through a local travel company a bus ride to NY City with Broadway tickets to the play about the Temptations. And then covid hit, and the Broadway theaters were all closed. I called the company and asked for a refund and was told the policy which I had agreed to said NOREFUNDS. My reply was this can't possibly mean no refund when you can no longer provide the trip, plus I am sure the theater will refund the tickets you purchased. He repeated no refund. I then said fine, I will contact American Express (the card on which I had made the purchase. He then said in a panicky voice, please do not do that. I will make the refund.

[Distinctive-Destinations]

“Fuel optimization” cited as a reason on any already booked cruise is pretty shady. If you want to save fuel apply it to future cruises that are being planned but not yet available to book.

 

If you book a flight from NYC to LA, but only goes to Chicago to save fuel, that’s crap.