Has anyone had success with a refund from NCL?

[Never cruise with NCL]

Booked a back-to-back NCL cruise, starting in New York to Iceland, with a 2nd returning to New York. We received approval from NCL to disembark early during the first leg and reboard on the second leg in Akureyri, Iceland. However, we were never informed of any itinerary changes. NCL claimed they changed due to weather, but we couldn't find any records of storms and they won't provide any evidence. The ship never docked at the agreed port or the next port in Iceland, leaving us stranded and causing us to miss our entire second voyage. We even tried to reboard at a different port in Greenland but were denied. NCL is refusing to refund us, citing that we didn’t purchase their travel insurance and therefore have no obligation to compensate us. They have offered NO path of remedy, no future credits, no on board credits, nothing. Has anyone experienced something similar or have advice on how to get a refund or compensation? Is there a higher power to appeal to, like a court? 

[ChiefMateJRK]

I don't think you have a legitimate complaint.  It sounds like you took some risks and paid the price.

[debenson0723]

Whenever someone gets permission to disembark early and/or then reboard at another port, there is always the caveat that if the ship fails to make either port, then the responsibility is of the cruiser who took the chance. On my Baltic cruise back in 2017, I got off a day early instead of going to the disembarkation port (with permission). IF the ship had missed the port I got off at (Copenhagen) and took me the next day to the original disembarkation port, it was my responsibility to get back to Copenhagen. 

The other lesson learned is always, always buy travel insurance, especially if you are doing something out of the ordinary. Sorry this happened to you but you would face the same consequences on any cruise line.

[Asawi]

It would surprise me very much if it wasn't in whatever document you accepted when doing this that there was no guarantee whatsoever that the ship would make the port since there never is any guarantee for that. And by doing what you did you took a gamble and lost.

Sounds harsh, but NCL doesn't owe you anything except possibly, out of goodwill, some compensation for the days you weren't on the ship. Not for any costs you incurred.

[Asawi]

7 hours ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

NCL claimed they changed due to weather, but we couldn't find any records of storms and they won't provide any evidence. 

And, FWIW, if July 27 - Aug 8 is the cruise you were planning to join there actually was a weather issue according the the CC roll call.

 

[julig22]

Ports are never guaranteed.  It's a risk you take. I'm sure the passengers onboard were notified of scheduling changes but unless you had an agent onboard why would you expect to get notified? Or that they have to prove to you why they missed 1 or more ports? They have thousands of other passengers onboard, it would be up to you to keep in touch with the ship not the other way around. Not allowing you to board in Greenland was probably due to regulations of some sort.

Without insurance you're probably out of luck from a legal standpoint.

[mjkacmom]

I can’t think of any reason why you should be compensated. Why didn’t you purchase travel insurance, you didn’t need to buy it from NCL. Ports are never guaranteed, the cruise line can cancel any port for any reason.

[KKB]

8 hours ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

Booked a back-to-back NCL cruise, starting in New York to Iceland, with a 2nd returning to New York. We received approval from NCL to disembark early during the first leg and reboard on the second leg in Akureyri, Iceland. However, we were never informed of any itinerary changes. NCL claimed they changed due to weather, but we couldn't find any records of storms and they won't provide any evidence. The ship never docked at the agreed port or the next port in Iceland, leaving us stranded and causing us to miss our entire second voyage. We even tried to reboard at a different port in Greenland but were denied. NCL is refusing to refund us, citing that we didn’t purchase their travel insurance and therefore have no obligation to compensate us. They have offered NO path of remedy, no future credits, no on board credits, nothing. Has anyone experienced something similar or have advice on how to get a refund or compensation? Is there a higher power to appeal to, like a court? 

A classic story of why you should always have travel insurance.

Highly unlikely any other cruise line would offer compensation either.

Edited August 16 by KKB

[bluesea777]

50 minutes ago, Asawi said:

And, FWIW, if July 27 - Aug 8 is the cruise you were planning to join there actually was a weather issue according the the CC roll call.

 

Yep, and I kept on tracking the Star … she spent TWO days cruising in the Prins Christian Sound, sheltering from the storms! That must be a wonderful! Then she went to the two Greenland ports as scheduled and the weather was clear, according to the ship’s web cam. 
 

 

[graphicguy]

Yeah...when you plan on doing something a little "funky" with your travel plans on a cruise, get travel insurance for this very reason.

 

In essence, you booked two separate cruises.  One of them you missed boarding.  The fact that they were back t0 back is inconsequential.  NCL views at as you missed the ship.

[genealogyfan]

Did you purchase any travel insurance, like from a private company not associated with NCL? If not, that's your loss. Sorry but why should NCL compensate you?

[bluesea777]

10 hours ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

Booked a back-to-back NCL cruise, starting in New York to Iceland, with a 2nd returning to New York. We received approval from NCL to disembark early during the first leg and reboard on the second leg in Akureyri, Iceland. However, we were never informed of any itinerary changes. NCL claimed they changed due to weather, but we couldn't find any records of storms and they won't provide any evidence. The ship never docked at the agreed port or the next port in Iceland, leaving us stranded and causing us to miss our entire second voyage. We even tried to reboard at a different port in Greenland but were denied. NCL is refusing to refund us, citing that we didn’t purchase their travel insurance and therefore have no obligation to compensate us. They have offered NO path of remedy, no future credits, no on board credits, nothing. Has anyone experienced something similar or have advice on how to get a refund or compensation? Is there a higher power to appeal to, like a court? 

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic. I had to re-read your post twice .... you disembarked early during the first leg and were going to reboard in Akureyri during the second leg, right?

 

This meant you were spending several days on land in Iceland, thus missing Reykjavik which was the turnaround port and day, right?

 

Sorry, but you need to realize that anything could happen that NCL felt it was necessary to amend the itinerary at short notice, meaning at a day's or two days' notice. As you toured in Iceland the Star went from one cruise to another.

 

It was a big risk that you took. By the way, the second leg the Star did not go to Grundarfjörður as the first port of call, presumedly because it was a tender port. She went to Isafjordur instead and spent longer time than scheduled there. Then the Star went directly to Greenland to Prins Christian Sound to avoid and take shelter from the ongoing and upcoming sea storm that was heading from South West Greenland toward Iceland. Sea storm with 30ft waves, not airborne storms. 

 

I looked at Windy and saw that the winds were moderate but the waves weren't!

 

There have been reports on CC of people disembarking at one port for some land tour and finding the ship not being able to make it to the next port (or two) of call due to weather or seas.

 

Sorry that it happened to you, let it be a lesson learned, and hope you'll cruise again. The cruise lines often do not like when people disembark early before the cruise is over (more work involved) or leave at one port to rejoin ship at another port.

 

 

[odie1024]

As others said you took a chance and lost. No port is guaranteed on any cruise. I am getting the feeling you do not have insurance as you would have mentioned it.

[Ellis1138]

I did research this and yeah, NCL (nor any other cruise line) owes you nothing. It's risky, because there's no guarantees of making any of the ports, even the embarkation and disembarkation ones.

 

That said, you could call NCL and ask for some goodwill FCC or something. However, since you just joined CruiseCritic this morning, post-cruise, and chose the profile name of 'Never Cruise With NCL', I suspect you aren't interested in Future Cruise Credits with NCL. 

 

If you don't have travel insurance, you don't want FCC and/or NCL doesn't offer any, you might have some coverage from the credit card you used to pay for the cruise?

[pghflyer]

Sorry for your loss and all the bad logistics that negatively impacted you, but when you left the ship, it was 100% up to you to get back on it, wherever it ended up going. They were holding your room for you the whole time, you just never arrived to use it. They actually probably lost planned revenue from your anticipated on-board spending, which is part of the economics of cruise pricing.

[MeHeartCruising]

I'll pile on here.  NCL does not owe you anything.  When you arranged to leave the ship, you did so at your own risk.  You rolled the dice and lost.  Move on.  Any cruise line would treat you exactly the same way.  So you really shouldn't hold a grudge against NCL.  Let it go and enjoy future cruises on NCL or elsewhere.

[Middleager]

The OP came here, with handle 'Never Cruise With NCL', to describe a situation of the OP's own choice, and facing challenges NCL had to deal with (sea storm, 30' waves).

 

Next time the OP might go to another cruiseline and when facing some issue, would become 'Never Cruise With xxx'

[Pauser]

Ugh! I'm sorry - that's very disappointing. I would call NCL after I calmed down and see if you are able to salvage anything. If you have travel insurance, make a claim. If not, try the credit card you used to pay your cruise. This in an unfortunate example of why you should purchase travel insurance. You just can't control what happens. In general, if we can eat the cost (like a flight for example) we don't purchase insurance. But if it's a pretty significant expenditure, we always purchase insurance. We did make a claim once - I ended up with pneumonia the day before our cruise. We were grateful to be reimbursed. I hope this doesn't deter you from cruising in the future! Best wishes. Hope you can salvage some of your expenditures.

[yakcruiser]

I seriously doubt any cruise line would refund money under these circumstances.

[ChiefMateJRK]

Do you folks really think that a trip insurance company would reimburse for this situation?  Maybe they would.  I'm just asking.

[pghflyer]

I can't imagine. No different than if I left the airport and took a nap in my car and missed the plane. What would I claim was my coverable loss?  They don't cover voluntarily missing the ship.

[julig22]

38 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Do you folks really think that a trip insurance company would reimburse for this situation?  Maybe they would.  I'm just asking.

If there is a CFAR clause I suppose they'd get reimbursed for the 2nd cruise that they missed. Although if I was putting in a claim I might not go into details as to why I didn't embark in Reykjavik, assuming they were booked as separate trips.

[Asawi]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Do you folks really think that a trip insurance company would reimburse for this situation?  Maybe they would.  I'm just asking.

I've been thinking the same! I don't know about US trip insurances, but it would not work with any common ones I have seen here. It would certainly have to be one with some sort of "cancel for any reason" clause. But I don't know either.

[Panhandle Couple]

Waiting for the U-Tube video in 

3...

2...

1...

 

"NCL Abandons Cruise Passengers On Remote North Atlantic Island!!"

Edited August 17 by Panhandle Couple

[graphicguy]

17 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Do you folks really think that a trip insurance company would reimburse for this situation?  Maybe they would.  I'm just asking.

Good point.  This probably would not have been covered under insurance.