NCL Breakaway October 13, 2024 -- Are we losing Portland in addition to Bar Harbor!?

[kitkat343]

The call center can only give you the same information as the website.  On my cruise, one port was cancelled two months prior to sailing but the original itinerary remained on NCLs website until we sailed.  And the people who booked after the cancellation weren’t notified of the dropped port when they called ncl to book and they weren’t allowed to cancel and they were really upset.  A significant number of cruisers did not receive the cancellation email and when they called ncl they were told the port had not been cancelled. We had a lot of useless arguments on the roll call, but the port was cancelled.  Your best source of information is the actual official government port schedule.  Our cruise wasn’t on the government schedule, so that’s how we knew it was cancelled prior to ncls email.  Best of luck to you. 

Edited September 11 by kitkat343

[tasia202]

As of today the 

On 8/29/2024 at 8:40 AM, LizzieandLuke said:

Well this is depressing.  I am on the Getaway next August for Bar Harbor and Portland. My Portland date of Aug 26th is not on the website.  I booked this cruise for the itinerary and now it doesn't look I will be going to either of the Maine ports.  I have been on cruises that have switched ports due to mother nature, but this is a complete bait and switch.  

Eh it’s far out and might not have been updated yet, Bar Harbor still has the Getaway visiting next  August 27th don’t get your hopes up but this is one where NCL putting out there itinerary out so early might help if the port of call was booked before March 17th 2022 they are letting those stand. https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/finance-legal-regulatory/bar-harbor-lets-most-2024-cruise-calls-stand-2025-will-see-big-reduction-updated-

[shof515]

It is finally official, one month away from sail date:

 

Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners,
The itinerary for your upcoming vacation on board Norwegian Breakaway on October 13, 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 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, although we will no longer visit Bar Harbor, Maine, we have added a visit to Boston, Massachusetts.
Home to Boston Common, the oldest public park in the U.S., and the nearby Public Garden with its famous swan boats offer a relaxing break from urban
exploration.
Additionally, we are pleased to share we have preserved the amount of time originally scheduled for our visit to Portland, Maine, and we have extended our
time in port in Newport, Rhode Island, and Saint John, Bay of Fundy, Canada, affording you additional time to explore all these fascinating destinations have
to offer. The revised itinerary is as follows:
Original
Day Destination Arrive Depart
Sun NEW YORK CITY, NY 5:30 pm
Mon NEWPORT, RI 6:00 am 3:00 pm
Tue PORTLAND, ME 10:00 am 7:00 pm
Wed BAR HARBOR, ME 8:00 am 5:00 pm
Thu SAINT JOHN, BAY OF FUNDY, CANADA 8:00 am 4:00 pm
Fri HALIFAX, CANADA 10:00 am 8:00 pm
Sat AT SEA
Sun NEW YORK CITY, NY 7:00 am
Revised
Day Destination Arrive Depart
Sun NEW YORK CITY, NY 5:30 pm
Mon NEWPORT, RI 6:00 am 4:00 pm
Tue PORTLAND, ME 11:00 am 8:00 pm
Wed BOSTON, MA 7:00 am 4:00 pm
Thu SAINT JOHN, BAY OF FUNDY, CANADA 10:05 am 10:00 pm
Fri HALIFAX, CANADA 3:00 pm 11:00 pm
Sat AT SEA
Sun NEW YORK CITY, NY 7:00 am

[luv2kroooz]

There it is. Something we have known for months finally made official, Breakaway is not going to Bar Harbor.....all while NCL continued to advertise the false itinerary for weeks if not months, and take new bookings while marketing Bar Harbor. What a dishonest, disreputable way to run a business. At least they say they are working tirelessly.....just like my washing machine at home 🥱🥱.

[mking8288]

7 hours ago, luv2kroooz said:

There it is. Something we have known for months finally made official, Breakaway is not going to Bar Harbor.....all while NCL continued to advertise ... 🥱🥱.

 

Asking for our friends, who almost booked, shown them the revised ITIN ... what is there to do or see at Newport, RI after tendering ashore at 6:30 AM (sunrise ??) - find a place nearby for breakfast first, LOL.   Will NCL be kind & nice enough to open up the MDR and/or Garden Cafe for complimentary breakfast at 4:30 or 5 AM, hungry passengers not fed can be very un-happy cruisers tendering to go somewher ??  Or, would they provide pre-made "breakfast-on-the-go" approved to be taken ashore by guests, at no charge, for everyone's convenience ... #cough #cough, to sail & sustain, and save fuel ... I meant, money too.  

[shof515]

41 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

#cough #cough, to sail & sustain, and save fuel ... I meant, money too.  

 

i find it very very strange that on the new revised itinerary Norwegian is not saving fuel because the ship has to pass Boston when going from Newport to Portland and then after Portland the ship sails down the coast down to Boston. that seems somewhat inefficient to go back and forth like that

 

For true fuel savings, the itinerary is should be like Newport, Boston, Portland like what some Canada/new England cruises do 

[Menocchio]

48 minutes ago, shof515 said:

 

i find it very very strange that on the new revised itinerary Norwegian is not saving fuel because the ship has to pass Boston when going from Newport to Portland and then after Portland the ship sails down the coast down to Boston. that seems somewhat inefficient to go back and forth like that

 

For true fuel savings, the itinerary is should be like Newport, Boston, Portland like what some Canada/new England cruises do 

Either Boston didn't have an opening a day earlier or Portland didn't have an opening a day later. 

[mking8288]

49 minutes ago, shof515 said:

i find it very very strange that on the new revised itinerary Norwegian is not saving fuel because the ship has to pass Boston when going from Newport to Portland ... should be like Newport, Boston, Portland like what some Canada/new England cruises do 

Probably b/c there is no berth available in Boston and/or Portland on other days that NCL didn't booked/reserved previously ... 

 

As for Halifax, I suppose one can do early bird/evening dinner in town, perhaps seafood & lobster, etc. - finding & booking private/third party independent shorex or tours for the late afternoon/evening ... not going to easy when it's a matter of weeks from now. 

[tasia202]

On 9/13/2024 at 3:06 PM, Menocchio said:

Either Boston didn't have an opening a day earlier or Portland didn't have an opening a day later. 

Boston has room on Tuesday but the Norwegian Gem and Viking Mars are in Portland on Wednesday. 

[tasia202]

On 8/29/2024 at 9:40 AM, LizzieandLuke said:

Well this is depressing.  I am on the Getaway next August for Bar Harbor and Portland. My Portland date of Aug 26th is not on the website.  I booked this cruise for the itinerary and now it doesn't look I will be going to either of the Maine ports.  I have been on cruises that have switched ports due to mother nature, but this is a complete bait and switch.  

Since someone posted a link of the grandfathered ships I think what might have happened since the reservations were made was that Norwegian switched the Breakaway and Getaway ship scheduled.  Bar Harbor says the Breakaway has a grandfathered in reservation that week.  Only issue is Breakaway is in the Med next summer.  Hopefully Bar Harbor allows Norwegian to switch the ships.

 

[The Traveling Man]

On 9/4/2024 at 7:16 PM, kaysha2004 said:

Bar Harbor recently restricted their port to no more than 1000 passengers per day, so there's been some juggling.  NCL is eliminating ports of call with no substitute and keeping the money for port fees and taxes.  We need to push back on this.  It's not legal.

We were in Bah Hah Bah two days ago on a small ship (160 passengers).  There also was a Princess behemoth (about 5000 passengers?) in port.  The tenders kept busy all day and the town was packed with cruisers.

[The Traveling Man]

On 8/29/2024 at 8:42 AM, SAmome said:

 

Can Portland not just host the Breakaway Oct 16th?  The 15th we'll be in Boston.  The Gem is scheduled to be there on the 16th; can Portland port not host two big ships? 

 

We were in Portland three days ago on a small ship, about 160 passengers.  There were two other similar size ships plus a 3000 and a 5000 passenger ship in town.  The city was crowded with visitors, but things seemed to run smoothly.

[The Traveling Man]

On 8/29/2024 at 9:27 AM, SAmome said:

 

 

Why not leave St John at a normal time and at least keep Halifax a daytime experience from advertised itinerary instead of 4pm-11pm (Oct 18th - likely cold)?

The tide.  Ships have to sail when the water in the channel is deep enough for them.  The Bay of Fundy has some of the highest tides on earth.