NCL already sold out for the summer 2008?

[Beacher425]

I think that if the ships aren't gonna sail in May and June the employees would have to be notified that they wouldn't get paid for 2 months. NCLA is a American based company and falls under American employment regulations and laws. Unless they plan on giving the crews all that paid time off, they have got to generate income during those months. Can you imagine the uproar from the labor people if they dumped the crews?

[ohioNCLcruiser]

I really wouldn't worry about canceling your cruises just because they are not selling anymore cabins on those dates. I got my vacation info today and I sign off April 19th and sign back on May 24th so nothing is different then before.

[BDL]

Hi James,

We're on the May 24th sailing.. hope to meet you while on board.

Barb

[AussieKathy]

There could be some itinerary changes started to come through see this post for the Pride of Aloha on 16 April. This cruise is not showing up on the NCL website.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=698472

[tnrn-emt]

I've been reading and watching your posts. I went on NCL's website under my Reservation for Pride of America sailing May 31st. The itinerary has changed a little. When I booked the cruise back in September, we were only going to be in Kauai 6/5 from 8a overnight and leaving at 7a on 6/6. Now the itinerary for Kauai is 6/5 8a overnight leaving at 12p on 6/6. I like this itinerary better. The longer on the islands the better for me! Just wanted to let you know.

[rogeralan]

I am booked for May 31 and called with some questions. While on the phone I asked the agent why May and June no longer showed on the website. She said they were sold out. I asked about adding some other people to our party and she suggested going to Expedia or other online booking service because they have a hold on a certain number of cabins. There is a cut off date when they have to release those holds but she didn't know what that date was.

This is the story I got today.

[AussieKathy]

I am booked for May 31 and called with some questions. While on the phone I asked the agent why May and June no longer showed on the website. She said they were sold out. I asked about adding some other people to our party and she suggested going to Expedia or other online booking service because they have a hold on a certain number of cabins. There is a cut off date when they have to release those holds but she didn't know what that date was.

This is the story I got today.

 

Confirms part of my theory that travel agents have them on hold. I have sent off an e-mail to an Australian travel agent advertising the cruises in May and June to see what they come back. Will let you know the outcome.

[Coastaljen]

I visited another board..can't remember the name..and asked. Someone just responded that they talked to an agent who said that NCL had found a "crack" in the system, and they need to ensure that all PoH had places on the ships in May and June. While I realize that should have been done awhile back, if there is a crack and/or a mistake made, then I could understand them having to fix that up first. Just another idea being tossed around...

[NCTravelers]

I too am frustrated, because my husband and I had planned on a May sailing with Norwegian to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary. We liked the fact that it was so port-intensive, since it will be our first time in Hawaii. We had been watching the prices, and like many others, were shocked when one day the cruises just disappeared.

 

The only place that I have seen that still lists these cruises are Expedia. I've gone through the booking process a couple of times just to get an error message that the "best rates" are no longer available and that it was necessary to call them in order to book a cabin. Today I finally called the phone number to see what their response would be.

 

The Expedia was very friendly and put me on hold while she called Norwegian directly. She said that there were no dates in the month of May were available. I asked if it was because they were sold out. She said no, she was told that Norwegian would not be sailing any ships in Hawaii that month. That all intineraries were cancelled.

 

I really hope that is not true for those of you sailing. I'm still holding out hope that I'll be able to join you!

[SeattleCruiselover]

I was unaware until someone pointed it out yesterday with an industry article and an article from 26 Nov 07 in the Miami Herald, and I did further research, that Apollo--as a part of their $1BB capital infusion into NCL--had given NCL and Star a firm deadline to turn things around or cease NCLA operations in Hawai'i altogether, which deadline is the end of 2008.

 

That being the case, their suspending/holding out cabins and sailings for some weeks makes a lot more sense, because it allows them to do the following:

 

1. Shift some itineraries, which they have already started to do. They are also looking at putting back the 10/11 day Fanning Island itineraries (I'm guessing that one is so that they can still do some sailings in HI even if they stop the NCLA brand--and keep them from stirring up the PVSA trouble they are accusing the other cruise lines of at this time, and also could be the reason they are pushing for the new regs to be implemented so soon--as a competition buster).

 

2. Increase their prices (some speculate that this may be as much as a 100% price increase) once PoH/Jade is out of the NCLA fleet. By suspending/holding out cabin space, they can sell those at the increased prices once they finally release them. If they are successful in filling the ships at the greatly increased prices, it might buy them something of an extension in the deadline to prove that they can stop the hemorrhaging of money. If they are not, the deadline could either be moved up or just kept as it is currently, at the end of 2008.

 

3. Whatever wet dock/dry dock activities that they do in April/May will likely be just "cosmetic" work (i.e. repainting, new carpet/drapes/furniture, etc as needed), saving any heavy duty work until they know which flag the ships will sail under in 2009.

 

Look for them to release the space about the time that PoH/Jade starts for the West Coast....

[BDL]

I just called Expedia myself to see if I would get the same response as NCTravelers. What I was told was that since NCL is repositioning one ship from Hawaii they needed to put those cruises on hold to new bookings until the passengers from the Pride of Hawaii were re-accomodated on the two remaining ships.

 

Well, now we know this is not true. All passengers have long been re-accomodated. She didn't even put me on hold.. had the answer as soon as I asked the question. :eek:

[Coastaljen]

If they are waiting until P of H leaves there to increase prices, couldn't the just increase them now? I mean they know they are going to have less cabins to sell now. I am not sure I understand why they have to wait until it stops sailing Hawaii.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Because having the excess capacity of PoH is their excuse for having to have prices low to fill up the beds that they have. Once she is gone, voila, no more excuse, double the prices and release any beds that are left unsold.....even though she will be gone next month, rather than leaving in May or June.

 

Also, even though NCL is handling the res right now, NCLA Is now controlled solely by Star Cruises out of Malaysia. NCL no longer has anything to do with it other than in name only. Apollo controls the board of directors of NCL now, and they want nothing to do with NCLA's money losing ways. That could be holding things up, too, with "delayed communication" from Asia.

[Coastaljen]

Ohhhh ok

 

I was confused. I didn't realize that basically NCL has nothing to do with them now and they are controlled by Star Cruises of Malaysia.

 

I just wonder why July and August seem normal on agents' websites. Oh well.....

 

I will go see when PofH leaves for good.......

 

Thanks

[AussieKathy]

I got an e-mail on the 26th from the Upsell Fairy for a balcony cabin so looks like the cruise is going ahead. I have also asked the person what is going on with the May and June dates so I will let you know what he comes back with.

[CabinForFour]

I got an e-mail on the 26th from the Upsell Fairy for a balcony cabin so looks like the cruise is going ahead. I have also asked the person what is going on with the May and June dates so I will let you know what he comes back with.

 

AussieKathy, we have a group of 14 family members on the same sailing as you, so I'm glad to hear that you got some positive communications about that sailing. I asked our TA what was going on, and he called his contacts at NCL who didn't know either. Go figure...

[AussieKathy]

I was pleased too when I received the e-mail. Just heard back from Charles at NCL and this is what he told me "yes the sailing is still ON, we haven’t been told otherwise. J"

 

I also got the balcony for only $210 extra so I was even happier!

[AussieKathy]

AussieKathy, we have a group of 14 family members on the same sailing as you, so I'm glad to hear that you got some positive communications about that sailing. I asked our TA what was going on, and he called his contacts at NCL who didn't know either. Go figure...

 

Come join us on our Roll Call it's very quite with only one other family of 8 (Beacher425)!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=658336&page=2

[CarolChaCha]

I clicked on proceed to booking form, and nothing.

 

It says either I am not connected to the internet, the website is experiencing a problem, or the address is incorrect.ugh...

 

It could be my computer I guess, but I never had that problem with other cruise websites, and I just was on a Celebrity one last month and I have Princess reservations for July.

Coastaljen, I have been trying for at least two weeks to get my husband and I registered on the NCL's Advance Guest Registration site. I', having the same problem, when I try to submit all the information.... won't go through "Internet Explorer, not connected, etc.,etc. I even e-mailed their "technical" dept. all I got was the web site address that I already had. That's not the problem... seems to be NCL's web site. I'm really worried about reserving some shore excursions when the time comes... afraid they won't have a record of it. Anyone else having this problem ????

[Coastaljen]

Nope, it was just my new computer with Vista. I had never taken the time to read the error message I always received about how internet explorer is not working, there is a problem with the website, or some other ideas.

 

It gives you specific information on going into tools, and then internet options, and then advanced. Then you check the SSL settings are marked. My lower level one was not checked. I checked the box, and now I have no problems with the website.

 

I have NEVER been so happy to hear someone received an upsell. I booked my air today. Hopefully everything is on for the sailings.

[Coastaljen]

It is their website. Last night I got the error message again. I decided to do the advanced booking registration or whatever. It took about 45 minutes and about seven tries before the information was ever accepted. I just kept typing it over and over. It also took a lot of tries to get into the form. Hit and miss. ee gad. I should have printed it once I finally successfully did it for proof. ;) I figure the airline flight could change, so I didn't. When I have time, I will print them since it is so hard to use their website.

[paulsurf]

Sailing on 5/17/08 POAM..I can indeed log in and select shore excursions

Called NCL other day and asked if ship is out of service 4/16-5/20 and in dry dock

Person said yes ship is out of service those dates but she did not know if in dry dock

NCL has not given their people the proper info....called a couple days prior and that person said ... he had no info as to ths ship being out of service. I did ask him then why did the DOT / Port authority in Hawaii show it was in dry dock for two weeks. The dude did not know.

[starburst4]

I just called NCL corporate office in Miami and spoke to someone at the help desk. She said yes all the cruises for May, June and she thinks July have been removed from the website indefinitely. She does not know when or if they will be on the site again. She said "that decision has not been made yet". I asked her what will happen if people make their final payment and the cruise is cancelled. She said the passengers will be booked on another cruise. I asked her if the money will be refunded in full if they can't travel at another time. She said she did not know if people will be offered vouchers on another cruise or if all the money will be refunded or just some of the money. I then asked her what will happen to passengers that have already bought non-refundable plane tickets. Again, she said "they" have not made a decision on that either. She would not say exactly what is going on with these cruises but I do not think it is good.

[MizzouMary]

I just called NCL corporate office in Miami and spoke to someone at the help desk. She said yes all the cruises for May, June and she thinks July have been removed from the website indefinitely. She does not know when or if they will be on the site again. She said "that decision has not been made yet". I asked her what will happen if people make their final payment and the cruise is cancelled. She said the passengers will be booked on another cruise. I asked her if the money will be refunded in full if they can't travel at another time. She said she did not know if people will be offered vouchers on another cruise or if all the money will be refunded or just some of the money. I then asked her what will happen to passengers that have already bought non-refundable plane tickets. Again, she said "they" have not made a decision on that either. She would not say exactly what is going on with these cruises but I do not think it is good.

 

We just paid for our air on Friday, so if they cancel our cruise, we will all be so disappointed. I hope that's not the case. I don't want to pay our final balance in 18 days and then be told our cruise has been cancelled. I called my cruise agent and asked her to research this. She's based in Florida and they do a tremendous amount of business with NCL, so maybe she has some information. I will let you know what she finds out.

 

This is our first time cruising with NCL, and probably our last, due to this experience.

[BDL]

This is getting a little ridiculous... the May and June sailings have now been off the web site for a month! How long does it take for them to figure this out? July went away slowly, so I'd almost be willing to believe July did sell out.

 

If its not clarified by final payment for us next month we're canceling and will steer clear of NCL or NCLA in the future. I'd be happy taking a Hawaii land vacation at this point. Already have the airfare and will only need hotels and inter-island transportation.