Spirit Itinerary Change 4/19

[sundercruiser]

To respond to KerCar's recent post:

 

I think you're too pessimistic when you say it won't make "any difference at all." Perhaps very little difference. Even an infinitessimal amount of difference. But it will be SOMETHING. Don't ever underestimate the power that a single individual has, even in our vast impersonal society. Every little bit helps.

 

You might be able to make the point that energy could be better spent publicizing dissatisfaction with NCL somewhere else or in some other way. Who knows, could be true. But I think you're dead wrong to say this thread, and the "whining," will have NO effect. Personally, I know that it has had some (admittedly small) negative effect on the way I view NCL.

 

By the way, if you reread my post you'll see that I specifically mentioned the financial and emotional hit suffered by those who have not yet made final payment. If you misunderstood what I wrote I accept some blame as I admit it was slightly garbled. Since people in your situation can cancel without penalty, NCL isn't giving you as big a concession as they are giving to folks in the first week or two of affected itineraries, who ordinarily couldn't. Both groups, though, face the "financial and emotional penalty" if they cancel and rebook some other cruise, or postpone a much-anticipated vacation, etc. I still think NCL could have reduced the grumbling by offering up some OBC to both groups, as they did to earlier SPIRIT passengers affected by the engine fire.

 

I never heard about the Rosie O'Donnell "fiasco." (Hint, hint!) Not that it would have made much difference because I made the decision as to when and who to cruise with because my brother had booked our 2/16 on the GEM months previously and we were hooking up with him. Like you (I presume) we're all in the northeast and going on GEM out of NYC because that way we don't have to fly.

[KerCar]

I think you're too pessimistic when you say it won't make "any difference at all."

 

Hey, I'm the biggest optimist I know;) Evidenced by my glass is still full attitude regarding my itinerary change:D However, I have been on these boards long enough to know these threads come and go and very little happens as a result. Cruises get cancelled and rerouted, we all get upset, we all debate with one another and then one day the thread ends up getting buried somewhere on page 10.

 

The Rosie fiasco :eek: In a nutshell, NCL chartered out a July 2007 Dawn sailing out of NYC to Rosie O'Donnell's Family Cruising group. The ship was chartered back in July 2006, however NCL continued to book cabins on the cruise to other unsuspecting passengers. Then with only a few months left to go, NCL decided to allow Rosie to charter the entire ship thus forcing all the other people who booked to become displaced. Many of the people asked to be allowed to stay on the cruise, but NCL refused saying they would have to cancel and rebook at the much higher charter rate. Since it was so close to the summer and the fares had gone up, some of the displaced passengers were being told they would have to pay more to switch to a new cruise even with a comp from NCL. This story was HUGE on this board and ended up on the news and newspapers. One CC member even called into a radio show! Rosie even made a statement where she put all the blame on NCL! I really thought it would turn into a public relations nightmare for NCL, but after a few weeks the story disappeared. What consumed us all for so long, ended up making so little of an impact. So much so, that you didn't even get my reference!

 

By the way, if you reread my post you'll see that I specifically mentioned the financial and emotional hit suffered by those who have not yet made final payment. If you misunderstood what I wrote I accept some blame as I admit it was slightly garbled. Since people in your situation can cancel without penalty, NCL isn't giving you as big a concession as they are giving to folks in the first week or two of affected itineraries, who ordinarily couldn't. Both groups, though, face the "financial and emotional penalty" if they cancel and rebook some other cruise, or postpone a much-anticipated vacation, etc. I still think NCL could have reduced the grumbling by offering up some OBC to both groups, as they did to earlier SPIRIT passengers affected by the engine fire.

 

I totally got your meaning here! My comment about 4/19 not being the only sailing being affected was in response to other posts I've read. I feel like some think they the rest of us haven't been affected by this and that just is not the case. I do feel really bad for what the 4/19 people are going through and invite them to vent a much as they want!!!! I'm glad to see some of them have been able to make alternate plans. I hope the ones who stay put can still have a wonderful cruise.

 

Nothing beats sailing out of NY for us east coasters. Have a GREAT cruise and be sure to report back when you come back:D:D

[familyof4cruising]

Rosie also chartered a cruise during President's week in 2007, but I was lucky enough to get out of that one with the opportunity of sailing on the Pearl. NCL did me a favor on that trip - we loved that cruise.

 

As angry as I am at NCL, I also can appreciate NCL. The Spirit is not my favorite ship and I should have followed my gut and never booked this cruise. NCL is lucky that I have previously sailed them and enjoyed all my cruises with them ( except the Spirit). Holland chartered my sailing for next week. I booked the Holland Westerdam for the GREAT itinerary - Aruba was one of the stops and we were sailing from FLL ( no cruise ships ona 7 day itinerary sails to Aruba from Florida). I cruise 3-5 times a year and I probably will never sail Holland because of what they did - just because of principle. So I can see how a customer could get turned off to NCL for this.

[bagelsnbrew]

A Rosie cruise??? OMG...THE HORROR!

[KerCar]

A Rosie cruise??? OMG...THE HORROR!

 

Just when you thought nothing could be worse than getting diverted to San Juan:eek:

 

Familyof4: You rock! As upset as you are with NCL, it's awesome that you're still willing to sail them again in the future. I don't blame you for staying away from Holland America. Engine trouble is one thing, but when they bump you for a charter that's a whole other story:mad: Did HAL offer a great comp package??? I hope so!

 

Hopefully, your Spirit sailing will have some sort of silver lining like your Pearl sailing did. Have a wonderful trip:D

[familyof4cruising]

Just when you thought nothing could be worse than getting diverted to San Juan:eek:

 

Familyof4: You rock! As upset as you are with NCL, it's awesome that you're still willing to sail them again in the future. I don't blame you for staying away from Holland America. Engine trouble is one thing, but when they bump you for a charter that's a whole other story:mad: Did HAL offer a great comp package??? I hope so!

 

Hopefully, your Spirit sailing will have some sort of silver lining like your Pearl sailing did. Have a wonderful trip:D

 

Like an unbelieveable upsell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D I wish!!!!!

[KerCar]

[/b]

 

Like an unbelieveable upsell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D I wish!!!!!

 

In less than a year, you've been bumped for a Rosie charter AND had your whole itinerary turned upside down, they should be offering you the Captain's suite;)

[familyof4cruising]

In less than a year, you've been bumped for a Rosie charter AND had your whole itinerary turned upside down, they should be offering you the Captain's suite;)

 

And then people want to know why I am so disappointed:confused: ;) :eek: :D

 

An upsell call could make the lose of St Thomas and 7 hours of port time tolerable!;) Considering I have no other choices at this point but to accept it. I am getting into vacation mode - leaving in 5 days!

[cruise4kicks]

[/b]

 

Like an unbelieveable upsell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D I wish!!!!!

You know, that's not a bad idea, not bad at all...

 

NCL should create an upsell list for these changed itinerary cruises, with those booked prior to the change being at the top of the list. ;)

[familyof4cruising]

You know, that's not a bad idea, not bad at all...

 

NCL should create an upsell list for these changed itinerary cruises, with those booked prior to the change being at the top of the list. ;)

 

I am glad we are becoming friends!:D

[cruise4kicks]

[/b]Like an unbelieveable upsell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D I wish!!!!!

You know, that's not a bad idea, not bad at all...

 

NCL should create an upsell list for these changed itinerary cruises, with those booked prior to the change being at the top of the list. ;)

I am glad we are becoming friends!:D

I can recognize a good idea when I see one. ;) If NCL is paying attention to this thread -- and I'm pretty sure they pay attention to CC -- they'll do your idea as a show of goodwill.

[familyof4cruising]

I can recognize a good idea when I see one. ;) If NCL is paying attention to this thread -- and I'm pretty sure they pay attention to CC -- they'll do your idea as a show of goodwill.

 

 

Believe me they know who I am! LOL

I not a chronic complainer. I am the first to send NCL an email to praise a crew member or to say THANK YOU! I love my cruises. Booking them so far in advance gives me and my family something to look forward to. I have only been fortunate enough to get an upsell once in all of my cruises. It is difficult when I always travel on busy weeks. If not this cruise - think of me on the Dawn in August or the Jade next April.:D

[zqvol]

Can someone answer this question for me please.

 

If St Thomas is closer to Tortola (at least it looked that way on the map) and they did not cancel Tortola, why is the ship going to San Juan instead. Wouldn't it be easier and less distance from St. Thomas to Tortola?

 

Just asking..

 

I honestly think that it all has to do with geography. I think that the NYC - St. Thomas run takes too long. Once you get to San Juan it is about 150 miles to Tortola, no big deal, but it is probably an extra 150 - 200 miles from NYC to St. Thomas which is an extra 5 or 6 hours sailing. That gets you to St. Thomas too late. Tortola to Samana can be reached in the 16 hours available after leaving Tortola. This shortens the distance to NYC by a couple of hundred miles which is about 10 hours sailing time. (While we would like to think the ships can sail in straight lines that is not always possible while crossing the Bahamas, so keep that in mind when analyzing this opinion.)

 

The real choice from NCL was St. Thomas vs Tortola. I am not sure why they made the decision that they made on that one, but I do think that it probably has to do with the fact that so many ships go to St. Thomas that they wanted to offer something different.

[pixiedustdawn]

Thank You for your opinion on why you think the Spirit is going to San Juan instead of St Thomas. I appreciate your response. I guess once you put it that way, it makes some sort of sense to me.

Thanks again.

[GaryWT]

Well, we were on the six day in Aug and I thought it would still work but the other 3 adults on the trip did not so we just cancelled our trip. We have book for the following week on a 5 day Carnival Imagination Cruise that includes Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Nassau.

 

I hope all that stay with the Spirit enjoy it, Good Luck.

[AlaskaFan05]

Are you booked for 8/11/08 NCL is holding our deposit for 10 days before they release it?

[GaryWT]

Yes we are booked, check your email.

[JBug]

i wasn't quite as angry as some of the others on here but i was bummed. this is my second cruise, 1st one was with NCL as well. the one in the end of august/beginning september where they told us 2 days before our trip that we weren't leaving till a day later than we were supposed to. and then when we get on the ship an hour later they tell us we're not leaving for ANOTHER day. so two days lost pretty much. we were actually happy in the end because we got half our money back and 20% off our next NCL cruise. but still bummed we didn't have as long a vacation.

 

right now i'm just stoked our cruise wasn't cancelled or shortened a couple days like last time!

 

i guess it helps that i have a patient at work that comes in all the time talking about her wedding in puerto rico and how she goes there 3 times a year because she loves it so much. being from a beach tourist area i've come to love the beach at night when everyone goes home. so as soon as that ship docks you'll see us being the first ones to head to the closest beach. who cares if it's 3 by time we get to the beach. it's still gorgeous.

 

i'm actually really glad they're not getting rid of tortola. the baths is why i fell in love with this itinerary to tell you the truth.

 

the 2nd cruise in a row from NCL getting messed up puts a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth. but we really like freestyle cruising so what can ya do ya know?

[hawkshoe]

Well, it's official. We are cancelling our 6/14 cruise on NCL Spririt. Going instead on Princess. It is costing us more but we are adding a day and the new ports and times are much better.

 

Hope all that stay the course enjoy their cruise. NCL just left a really bad taste in our mouths and we do not plan on looking to them for future cruises.

[hawkshoe]

sorry duplicate post.

[awatt]

Well, it's official. We are cancelling our 6/14 cruise on NCL Spririt. Going instead on Princess. It is costing us more but we are adding a day and the new ports and times are much better.

 

Hope all that stay the course enjoy their cruise. NCL just left a really bad taste in our mouths and we do not plan on looking to them for future cruises.

 

I think you wll enjoy Princess. It's very nice, and the closest to NCL in terms of flexibility onboard.