NCLA to Pull POAloha from Hawaii on May 11, 2008

[Molokai-Chuck]

In a press release today NCLA announced the POAloha will be removed from Hawaiian sailings....re-flagged....re-named.

 

The POAmerica will remain in Hawaii.....for now. The 2.0 rollout will be completed on the POAm during its dry-dock the release said.

 

I and many, many others said long ago....something was not right....the way all the cabins just disappeared overnight...on both the POAloha and the POAmerica.....now we know.

 

Aloha to the POAloha!

 

 

Chuck

[ocngypz]

I did my last bookings for the ALoha the second week in Dec. Dec 27th, the client wanted to add another oceanview. There were none to be had. This was the 8/31/08 sailing. Just BC and above available... and at higher rates than I had originally booked at earlier in the month.

 

Of course, when you call NCL.. not a soul knows what you are talking about!

[Cruising89143]

Once again Veitch blames the competitors for this. Throw the blame to everyone else but a company that could not get their act together. He's just trying to add fuel to the fire for getting the rules changed.

 

http://www.cruise-community.com/ShowStory.asp?ID=13565

[newmexicoNita]

In a press release today NCLA announced the POAloha will be removed from Hawaiian sailings....re-flagged....re-named.

 

The POAmerica will remain in Hawaii.....for now. The 2.0 rollout will be completed on the POAm during its dry-dock the release said.

 

I and many, many others said long ago....something was not right....the way all the cabins just disappeared overnight...on both the POAloha and the POAmerica.....now we know.

 

Aloha to the POAloha!

 

 

Chuck

ok,you are too fast: I was about to post the same thing. I haven't been working this PM so just pick the message up. I don't think this is necessarily bad news as we all know the wonderful plan for American flagged ships out of Hawaii has never worked well. When the old line had the two ships there, they price was out of this world and the ships were not the most desirablel around.

 

Nita

[2tnts]

I am glad I sailed to Hawaii last year on POH.

[newmexicoNita]

Once again Veitch blames the competitors for this. Throw the blame to everyone else but a company that could not get their act together. He's just trying to add fuel to the fire for getting the rules changed.

 

http://www.cruise-community.com/ShowStory.asp?ID=13565

and your point is: what does your comments have to do with anything? "american flagged" line in Hawaii not to survive. I think there is a little more to this than any of us understand. What would you suggest he say?

 

DAmn we are stupid for trying this? or would you rather him say "you know the American Crew were too demanding and we just couldn't keep things going?

 

Nita

[CruisinMinnie]

I was sorry to see this announcement. We sailed on the American Hawaii line Constitution many years ago, and last year we sailed on the Pride of America. Whether the Pride of America stays in Hawaii alone or goes the way of the Pride of Hawaii and Aloha, I'm glad we took both cruises. For many reasons, the 7 day Hawaii cruise was the best/only choice for us. I am sorry for those already booked on the Aloha. I hope all works our for them.

[ce2000]

What is the downside?

I see this as a win for us cruisers, with only one NCLA ship to staff there should not be a shortage of good employees.

I see this as a win for NCL as there will be less market saturation which should allow fares to increase for NCLA.

I now believe that NCLA will be successful.

I see goodness here, what am I missing?

[Cruising89143]

and your point is: what does your comments have to do with anything? "american flagged" line in Hawaii not to survive. I think there is a little more to this than any of us understand. What would you suggest he say?

 

DAmn we are stupid for trying this? or would you rather him say "you know the American Crew were too demanding and we just couldn't keep things going?

 

Nita

 

Nita, take off your NCL cheerleader uniform long enough to read what Vietch had to say. Also do you have a problem with reading comprehension? He blames everyone else for the failure of NCLA but himself and his management. They placed three ships in this small market in a very short time with crew members that were not trained properly, high turnover rate and the product suffered because of this. The competition is not the reason that NCLA failed. Poor management on NCL's part is. Those same rules that are in affect now regarding foreign flagged ships were in affect when NCL started up NCLA. Why didn't Colin and his boys bring the issue up then? Guess he needed a scape goat and this is it. It took the folks at Apollo to come in and fix this mess.:rolleyes:

[honestguy]

This is no surprise. I told anyone who would listen that it would happen. You can be sure NCL is currently planning on what to do with the america when they pull it from service. It won't be long.

 

I've said It before NCLA was the worst ran company I ever worked for!

[garycarla]

It is probably a mix of what is being said - publicly.

 

These guys run a big company. They are not going to say EXACTLY what is going on in a press release. Just is not gonna happen. Press releases are issued by Spin Doctors. That is just plain good business.

 

By the way, from what everyone has reported, NCLA was a bad business venture from what I can see. But, if companies do not try, we will get nowhere, will we?

[KTG UK]

What will they do about the people who have booked.

 

Like me for my honeymoon :(

[cruizinwithkids]

What will they do about the people who have booked.

 

Like me for my honeymoon :(

 

The press release says you will be rebooked to the Pride of America which is supposed to be a nicer ship. Don't be sad. Congratulations on your wedding/honeymoon. Contact NCL or your travel agent.:)

[KTG UK]

The press release says you will be rebooked to the Pride of America which is supposed to be a nicer ship. Don't be sad. Congratulations on your wedding/honeymoon. Contact NCL or your travel agent.:)

 

Thanks

 

x

 

I have she is calling them now.

 

Now i have thought about it i am glad we are going on POAM :p

[whale-watcher]

Thanks

 

x

 

I have she is calling them now.

 

Now i have thought about it i am glad we are going on POAM :p

You should be glad...the POAM is a well-run and beautiful ship, and you will have a great vacation.

[ohioNCLcruiser]

For the people who are going to be rebooked on the America you will have one great cruise. They are taking the best of the best of the crew and combining them to the one ship. The America's ratings were top before all this so just imagine what it will be like after this. I for one am VERY excited.

James

[ohioNCLcruiser]

For the people who are going to be rebooked on the America you will have one great cruise. They are taking the best of the best of the crew and combining them to the one ship. The America's ratings were top before all this so just imagine what it will be like after this. I for one am VERY excited.

James

[KTG UK]

For the people who are going to be rebooked on the America you will have one great cruise. They are taking the best of the best of the crew and combining them to the one ship. The America's ratings were top before all this so just imagine what it will be like after this. I for one am VERY excited.

James

 

 

Thanks James.

 

As you prob noticed its my honeymoon when we sail. Will we be given the same grade cabin as we had on POAL, do you think?

 

Thanks x

[ohioNCLcruiser]

Thanks James.

 

As you prob noticed its my honeymoon when we sail. Will we be given the same grade cabin as we had on POAL, do you think?

 

Thanks x

 

I don't know the answer to that so please keep in mind this is from my own view, but I don't see why they wouldn't. Also the Aloha was built in 1997 as the Norwegian Sky, the America is just over 2 years old..so the cabins will be even newer and fresher I think.

[KTG UK]

I don't know the answer to that so please keep in mind this is from my own view, but I don't see why they wouldn't. Also the Aloha was built in 1997 as the Norwegian Sky, the America is just over 2 years old..so the cabins will be even newer and fresher I think.

 

Oh i am excited!!

 

Thanks x :p

[Cruising89143]

That's exactly what I posted also....still don't see "all the excuses" you are talking about....and what does the fact that we are agents have anything to do with this conversation?

 

If you don't get it then there is no use in trying to explain it again.:rolleyes:

[lvtotrvl1]

If you don't get it then there is no use in trying to explain it again.:rolleyes:

 

If you can't explain it, then I have a serious question with your post...

[Bennett'sCruise]

Nita, take off your NCL cheerleader uniform long enough to read what Vietch had to say. Also do you have a problem with reading comprehension? He blames everyone else for the failure of NCLA but himself and his management. They placed three ships in this small market in a very short time with crew members that were not trained properly, high turnover rate and the product suffered because of this. Perhaps NCL had great faith in the youth of the US ... thinking the kids would meet the challenge of working 24/7. I see that as their only *mistake*. And, also a sad comment on a fully non-foreign crew. (with some obvious exceptions) When they saw what was going on they were ON THE SHIPS early and for long periods trying to correct the problems.

 

The competition is not the reason that NCLA failed. Poor management on NCL's part is. Those same rules that are in affect now regarding foreign flagged ships were in affect when NCL started up NCLA. Why didn't Colin and his boys bring the issue up then? Because the number of R/T sailings from the West Coast to Hawaii has EXPLODED over the last couple of years by every main-stream cruise line. When NCLA was formed, that was not the case. US-flagged Hawaii only ships looked like a hugely successful venture until the letter of the law was challenged by the foreign-flagged vessels leaving the West Coast.

 

Guess he needed a scape goat and this is it. It took the folks at Apollo to come in and fix this mess. Just a case of being at the right place at the right time for Apollo. :rolleyes:

 

And, yes, we are NCL lovers. :) We love NCL's product and their forward-thinking management.

~dianne

[DAGVBSB]

It is probably a mix of what is being said - publicly.

 

These guys run a big company. They are not going to say EXACTLY what is going on in a press release. Just is not gonna happen. Press releases are issued by Spin Doctors. That is just plain good business.

 

By the way, from what everyone has reported, NCLA was a bad business venture from what I can see. But, if companies do not try, we will get nowhere, will we?

 

 

Gary, I don't always agree with you on alot of stuff, but I am 100% in agreement with everything that you said here.

 

I do think NCL rushed the Hawaii operation into place. They should have taken more time to get the infastructure in place. Even NCL admits that the start up months were a disaster which included refunding the service charge to all passengers for months and issuing many on board credits and discounts on future cruises due to poor service. That bad start gave them a bad name to start with and that has added to their problems.

 

This is not at all implied by the press release:

 

I will say that current NCLA employees I had the privilage of meeting on the POAM last month (as well as on this board) have a somewhat different view of the company...perhaps things have improved over time?

 

I sailed on the POA in 2004 and had a collegue from work who sailed on the POAm this past summer. Without any comments or prodding from me, she described their problems with service on the POAm and they sounded almost exactly the same as we experienced three years earlier. To me that showed that NCLA never moved to fix the problems.

[keep on cruisin]

My parents were schedule on the May 11 Pride of Aloha. Their TA called NCL and was told they have not decided how to handle the already booked passengers. Understandably he does not want to take the cruise critic press release as gospel. Have any TA's here been able to confirm that the press release on CC match's what they are doing.

 

Thanks,

 

David