Great deal to get to Bar Harbor......... $1,025..... Careful

[SAmome]

NCL is featuring Bar Harbor on cruise they know will NOT go there.  So be careful just looking at itinerary and booking.  To be safe you'd need to go to each port authority's schedule and double check and search cruise critic for experts that can see thru the bait and switch.  

 

This Oct 13th cruise is going to Boston instead of Bar Harbor and switches ports around and changes Halifax into an evening visit instead of daytime.  No truth in advertising here.  Asking your NCL cruise consultant doesn't help; they don't have an announcement of the changes.

 

May want to try NCL Sky instead of Breakaway if trying to get to Bar Harbor.  

 

https://maine.portcall.com/#!?tab=2&port=Bar Harbor

 

 

[shof515]

I am also on the October 13 sailing, booked it last year and i hate these changes with the lack of official communication from Norwegian about this.

 

Boston port schedule shows the breakaway on October 15, the same day as Portland. i wonder what is going to happen to Portland. With all of the "fuel optimization" changes Norwegian does, it does not make sense for the ship to past Boston to dock at Portland and then sail down back down to Boston.

[mking8288]

Last minute changes can and do happen, for many reasons ... and, if booked thru (grossly over-priced) shorex with NCL, it'll get automatically cancelled, refunded and/or rebooked with partnered vendor(s) if possible & doable.  

But, if you have privately arranged / booked / paid-in-full tours or shorex (refundable or not) - then it isn't as simple ... and, lately, some of NCL's ships with and without Starlink "upgrade" are reported to have (serious ?) satellite WiFi issues - not fun to try to contact and/or call to reach out to the vendor.   Wait, let me see if I can dial them on the satellite phone ... oops, nevermind - banned to bring onboard, let alone use one.  

[SAmome]

On 8/23/2024 at 9:07 PM, shof515 said:

I am also on the October 13 sailing, booked it last year and i hate these changes with the lack of official communication from Norwegian about this.

 

It is very disappointing they aren't sharing the real planned itinerary.  No reason not to tell pax and to make them scour port authority websites and "guess" where going.  

 

Well, one reason not to share the info, they want to keep selling spots on the ship advertising Bar Harbor as a port and Halifax visit during daytime instead of night. 

 

It would be a courtesy to those who haven't booked yet and considering NCL Sky, Gem or Breakaway to let them know not to book Breakaway if they want Bar Harbor.  NCL isn't going to tell them via ncl.com or their personal cruise consultant.  

[shof515]

if the port schedule is accurate, the only "good thing" i found is in st john the ship will be in port for 12 hours from 10am to 10pm. unfortunately that late departure causes a late afternoon arrival in Halifax the next day

[SAmome]

12 hours ago, shof515 said:

if the port schedule is accurate, the only "good thing" i found is in st john the ship will be in port for 12 hours from 10am to 10pm. unfortunately that late departure causes a late afternoon arrival in Halifax the next day

 

Yeah, who wants to be in Halifax in the evening instead of daytime in late October?  I've never done these ports. 

 

Legit tangent question, any recommendations for an evening in Halifax?  If it's cold and windy is it better to just stay on the ship where food and entertainment are already paid for?  

[jerseyblue]

On 8/23/2024 at 8:46 PM, SAmome said:

NCL is featuring Bar Harbor on cruise they know will NOT go there.  So be careful just looking at itinerary and booking.  To be safe you'd need to go to each port authority's schedule and double check and search cruise critic for experts that can see thru the bait and switch.  

 

This Oct 13th cruise is going to Boston instead of Bar Harbor and switches ports around and changes Halifax into an evening visit instead of daytime.  No truth in advertising here.  Asking your NCL cruise consultant doesn't help; they don't have an announcement of the changes.

 

May want to try NCL Sky instead of Breakaway if trying to get to Bar Harbor.  

 

https://maine.portcall.com/#!?tab=2&port=Bar Harbor

 

 

Thank you for keeping cruiser's aware of this port cancellation/change to Bar Harbor by NCL. We are victims of this Bar Harbor cancellation/change on this October cruise. I tried to change the cruise date with our T/A as soon as we found out but it would have cost us more $ than I wanted to spend for the date change. Our T/A also recommended a Princess cruise that stopped in Bar Harbor, we opted to just keep our NCL booking. This is our first cruise with NCL...not getting a good vibe but hoping things turnaround for the better.

[SAmome]

20 hours ago, jerseyblue said:

Thank you for keeping cruiser's aware of this port cancellation/change to Bar Harbor by NCL. We are victims of this Bar Harbor cancellation/change on this October cruise. I tried to change the cruise date with our T/A as soon as we found out but it would have cost us more $ than I wanted to spend for the date change. Our T/A also recommended a Princess cruise that stopped in Bar Harbor, we opted to just keep our NCL booking. This is our first cruise with NCL...not getting a good vibe but hoping things turnaround for the better.

It would help if they would tell us the official schedule.  I can't find an NCL contact that might be willing to share the plans.  The port authority schedules still have some ambiguity and it's odd to need to go there to figure it out, the cruise is only 47 days away.  

 

One reason they might not want to tell us is that they can't continue to sell to those who might book it b/c of the fictional itinerary displayed.  Bar Harbor included and Halifax during daylight hours.  I'm gonna assume they really intended to go where they said when we booked and roll with it but also think someone should be letting the people who might book last minute the real info.  NCL is not going to tell them.

 

I'd eat my words if I thought there was a chance NCL hasn't announced dropping Bar Harbor b/c they were trying to negotiate a way in but with large ships already on the schedule for Oct 15/16/17, they know full well there is no room for Breakaway and have known it for a long time.

 

 

ENCHANTED PRINCESS - Oct 15

1,082' | 3660 guests

NORWEGIAN SKY - Oct 16

848' | 2480 guests

NORWEGIAN GEM - Oct 17

964' | 2394 guests

 

If you want to sail NCL to Bar Harbor and not have a messed up itinerary, go Sky or Gem.