Jewel booked for 2/18/07 - What's going on?

[DebLeonard]

My girlfriend and her husband booked the Jewel for their 25th wedding anniversary inviting friends to join them. For the past couple of months I have been checking out the different sites for the best deal and when I went to book last Thursday I was amazed to find on all the internet travel sites that this date did not come up. I called NCL and was told that the entire ship had been chartered!!!! When I asked about my friends reservation they said they still have their reservation. I am surprised that they were not notified. Does anyone have any information on who chartered the ship for that week? My friends are wondering who they will be sailing with?

 

Debbie

[immargaret]

You could always switch to the DAWN for 2/18/07, we have quite the roll call going on....

 

If the entire ship has been chartered your friends may not be cruising at all on that ship.....NCL would contact their TA and they would get their money refunded, which could take some time to notify all the cruisers who have reservations.

[DebLeonard]

My friends did call and NCL didn't say anything to them about not being able to be on that sailing. However, they are now looking at transferring their booking to the Pearl for the 2/16 sailing so their friends would be able to join them. Any thoughts on who would charter the whole ship?

[fezzie_2000]

DebLeonard,

 

I found this posted on a message board from a Google search.

 

"Hi all! I'm not going on this cruise, but I was just curious about something. I saw a documentary on HBO the other night about Rosie O'Donnell & her partner chartering some family-oriented cruises for gay/lesbian families. This particular cruise (NCL Jewel 2/18/07-2/25/07) is listed on the vacation planning web site. I had just seen it on the documentary & checked out the web site http://www.rfamilyvacations.com/ and got curious to see if anyone from Cruise Critic was on this cruise. So looks like you all will be cruising with Rosie O'Donnell! Not often you get to cruise with a celebrity."

[Cosmopolitan]

My girlfriend and her husband booked the Jewel for their 25th wedding anniversary inviting friends to join them. For the past couple of months I have been checking out the different sites for the best deal and when I went to book last Thursday I was amazed to find on all the internet travel sites that this date did not come up. I called NCL and was told that the entire ship had been chartered!!!! When I asked about my friends reservation they said they still have their reservation. I am surprised that they were not notified. Does anyone have any information on who chartered the ship for that week? My friends are wondering who they will be sailing with?

 

Debbie

 

Your girlfriend and her husband?!?!??

Why would you care?????????????????

 

WHAT am I missing here:eek:

[sjbdtz]

Your girlfriend and her husband?!?!??

Why would you care?????????????????

 

WHAT am I missing here:eek:

 

Cosmo...I think the issue is that the friends invited include Deb....but NOW, the ship is chartered...Deb can't get a cabin, to join her friend & friend's DH.

[DaisyL]

Cosmo, women often refer to their women friends as 'girlfriends'.. or were you joking ... hard to tell on the boards... I'm often misunderstood ..:(

 

Deb, I would suggest your friend contact her TA to verify and look into switching the cruise... she would want to rebook before the rates go up and if you wait for NCL; that could be a long time... Besides you can't go wrong on the Pearl ...

[awatt]

We are booked in an A3 on this sailing. I just called NCL and spoke to a supervisor, and she stated it was unofficial as to how much ofthe ship would be chartered. When I inquired as to whether we would lose our booking she said they didn't know yet. Feeling a little frustrated here. If we are going to be bumped I'd rather know sooner than later so we can make other plans.

 

Does anyone kave any idea if this group usually charters the whole ship? Have any of you been bumped by a charter before?

[DebLeonard]

Thanks Fezzie for the info. I knew I could find an answer here on the boards.

 

I was concerned because my husband & I are planning on joining girlfriend and her husband. Many others who were invited had not booked as this sailing is still 8 months away.

 

Looks like all turns out well. Instead on 7 days on the Jewel we will be 9 days on the brand new Pearl!!!

 

Debbie

[shoreguy]

We are booked in an A3 on this sailing. I just called NCL and spoke to a supervisor, and she stated it was unofficial as to how much ofthe ship would be chartered. When I inquired as to whether we would lose our booking she said they didn't know yet. Feeling a little frustrated here. If we are going to be bumped I'd rather know sooner than later so we can make other plans.

 

Does anyone kave any idea if this group usually charters the whole ship? Have any of you been bumped by a charter before?

 

Check out the HBO special - I believe they chartered the whole ship last time. Even if they don't do you really want to be one of a few hundred not part of the group. I imagine that much of the public venues will be used for group events. I can see Tzar's reserved at night for the group only.

 

If I were booked I would be asking now to be moved to the Pearl rather then getting bumped later when no A3s are available. If you end up staying onboard it will be a different cruise with such a large group dominating and perhaps dictating the activities onboard.

 

 

As far as others being bumped. There was a thread here when folks were bumped when Rosie chartered the Dawn. I don't remember the details but maybe I will try a search.

[shoreguy]

Here is a link to a review from Rosie's Dawn cruise.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=206172&highlight=Rosie+Dawn

[shoreguy]

We are booked in an A3 on this sailing. I just called NCL and spoke to a supervisor, and she stated it was unofficial as to how much ofthe ship would be chartered. When I inquired as to whether we would lose our booking she said they didn't know yet. Feeling a little frustrated here. If we are going to be bumped I'd rather know sooner than later so we can make other plans.

 

Does anyone kave any idea if this group usually charters the whole ship? Have any of you been bumped by a charter before?

 

You will be bumped but maybe you can sell your space at a nice profit :D

 

A3 for this cruise listed at $9,299 pp :eek: plus $300 for port taxes, government fees, and gratuities per person

 

http://www.rfamilyvacations.com/cruise_caribbean/pricing.html

[awatt]

Thanks shoreguy. Somehow I knew you'd come through with some info.

 

Wish I could sell our space in the A3 as we got a good rate from my TA. But I guess we will be displaced instead.

 

I just wish NCL would make this official and then offer us the options. The waiting is costly as this is a school vacation week and many cruises fill up. We unfortunately are not flexible with our dates this time.

 

Shoreguy, any idea who might be a good contact person to call at NCL to try and get more info?

 

BTW, we are booked on teh Dawn one-nighter again- will miss visiting with you in the Garden Villa!

[sjbdtz]

Check out the HBO special - I believe they chartered the whole ship last time. Even if they don't do you really want to be one of a few hundred not part of the group. I imagine that much of the public venues will be used for group events. I can see Tzar's reserved at night for the group only.

 

If you end up staying onboard it will be a different cruise with such a large group dominating and perhaps dictating the activities onboard.

 

 

There's something different about this "group", which is that they don't know each other....so it's not such a shock to be "one of a few hundred not part of the group".

 

Yes, there may be some LGBT-themed comedians, but the idea of R-Family is that it is family-friendly (the other gay-themed charter groups Atlantis, etc. are more aimed toward the party end of the spectrum).

 

I suspect you would have a blast. DO watch the movie first, and then contact R-Family and tell them you're already on the ship, and wish to stay there.... maybe they can mark the suite as sold, or figure out how to transfer your booking from NCL to them.

[garycarla]

If you are concerned, rebook NOW.

 

I was on the other end a semi-chartered cruise once. Our company had a trip for top salespeople and 90% of those onboard belonged to this group. We TOOK OVER the ship. It was sad for those thinking they were on a regular cruise.

 

Rebook and get it over with.

[shoreguy]

If you are concerned, rebook NOW.

 

I was on the other end a semi-chartered cruise once. Our company had a trip for top salespeople and 90% of those onboard belonged to this group. We TOOK OVER the ship. It was sad for those thinking they were on a regular cruise.

 

Rebook and get it over with.

 

I was on the other end of that. 90% of those onboard were part of a sales conference. The only 4 day cruise I ever took. On top of being on the outside it rained for 3.5 days:D

 

I not sure I would cancel. There will be some compensation when bumped. An option might be to make a second reservation to lock up the space wanted. The only down side is you tie up a second deposit for perhaps months. Air could be another issue.

[awatt]

Thanks for your hellp everybody.

 

Since two members of our group are straight single guys, I don't thinkthe Rosie cruise would be their choice. Also i saw the documentary and thought the protesters in teh islands were awful. I felt elt so badfor those families,especially the kids. Noone should have to deal with that on vacation. I know it would be too upsetting for us to experience.

 

Am looking into the Pearl while we wait to hear from NCL. Also the Caribbean Princess in case our group can't do 9 nights.

 

Will keep you all posted. Really hope we hear from NCL soon.

[packercruising]

Well the very next week is a Packer fan cruise if they are football fans! :)

[ocngypz]

Rosie's group did the same with the Star this summer in Alaska.

 

I had a group previously booked on the sailing. I called for several weeks before NCL admitted the ship was going out on full charter. Grrrr.

 

Rebook now while you can still get good space on the Pearl. Remember, it is Feb school vacation up here in the frozen climes.

[awatt]

ocngypz: How did NCL hsndle your displaced clients? Did they offer a substitute that week?