sbcatraveler

I tried calling guest relations, but they only deal with post cruise complaints. I asked to speak to a live person in reservations, she transferred me, got terminal hold again.

How do I get a hold of NCL? Permanent hold when I call. I am upset about this cancellation, and it looks like they may cancel Cabo and Acapulco as well? Anyone know about this? This is our first and probably last NCL cruise. I have spent hours trying to reach NCL. Spent over 40 minutes on hold this morning. At 16 minutes a Debby came on, I told her I couldn't book anything for Cabo, Acapulco or Guatamala, and she disappeared, said give me a minute. I hung up at 38 minutes never being anwered . I am really angry right now, as I would have booked a river cruise or something with those 3 weeks travel time.

Sorry about those changes - we really liked Guatemala.

 

In Costa Maya we really liked https://www.thenativechoice.com/tours/mayan-experience-tour , which lets you visit Mayan ruins (you can climb some) and then cook with Mayan grandmothers.

How do I get a hold of NCL? Permanent hold when I call. I am upset about this cancellation, and it looks like they may cancel Cabo and Acapulco as well? Anyone know about this?

I tried to submit as a review of the Amazon trip on the prinsendam but was not accepted. I feel that people should know what to expect when traveling into the Amazon in Nov. December. We left on a bucket list trip from Ft. Lauderdale on the Prinsendam 11/24/15. We enjoyed the ship very much, and really had looked forward to the Amazon, and Devil's Island. Unfortunately the travel guides or info that I saw about going to the Amazon said nothing about the horrible air pollution of Brazil Amazon. They are burning off so much of the forest, and soy bean fields that smoke is everywhere and for 8 days was a bit much. The ship was great, but ventilation in the rooms, made the smoke even worse at night in the room, than on the deck. Nearly everyone came down with bronchitis by the end of the cruise, including many of the staff. What should have been an amazing cruise was severely diminished by the horrible air pollution and poor visibility from the constant burning of the forests, and soy bean fields. If I had known in advance, I would have picked a different time to visit the amazon, or not gone at all. We had so looked forward to the trip, and tried to make the best of it by enjoying all that we could. It is hard, to do when you can't breath! The stop to Devil's Island was canceled through no fault of HAL, but no compensation was offered for having to miss that stop. It was the stop that required a yellow fever vaccine. It was also a stop we were looking forward to a great deal. Getting a few bucks back for the port charges really feels unacceptable. That stop is about 1/9th of the stops of the cruise. Oh well, we did have a good time as much as possible, but 2 weeks later, I am still coughing.

Thanks for the replies. I have checked every alternative I can think of, and for flights in mid april returning mid may; fares seem to be quite high at about $1300 per ticket. Even the non direct flights are that high. Aeroflot was $850 per ticket. I have read that 54 days is the best time to buy a ticket, and that will be next week. In the past when I have to buy airfare, it seems to fluctuate every day or hour one way or another; but not this time. All fares seem to cost in the $1300 range. the cruise line said airfare through them is $1500 pp and you can't really pick your flights easily through them. Is airfare just really high right now, or is flying to Europe just expensive compared to say south america from LAX? Thanks again, I am still going to repeatedly try to get a better price and hope to avoid the Aeroflot route. It's just that the $800 savings for the two of us seems like something to consider.

:confused:

Has anyone flown on aeroflot to get to amsterdam? the price difference is substantial flying out of LAX. Travel agent said not to use them, but didn't really give a reason for it. The return involves a 10 hour layover; but can get a hotel room at the airport for about $100, and still involves about a $700 savings on airfare. Just wondering if we are crazy to consider it. Flying to amsterdam to take a 25 day cruise on HAL, and airfare is surprisingly high on the other airlines unless a sale is coming soon? Thanks for the input.:cool:

Thank you both for your advice. I think we have decided it too much frustration to do both London and Amsterdam on this particular trip and will save London for another time when we can catch a cruise specifically out of the London area. We will add an extra day or 2 to Amsterdam instead and just really visit that area. Tulips and gardens should be in bloom, and that way we won't be cutting those sites short.

:rolleyes:

Hi, first time travelers to London and Amsterdam. Booked a HAL cruise that leaves Rotterdam in April, but was going to add 3 days in london prior to going to amsterdam allowing 2 days in amsterdam before cruise leaves. I am stressing about the details of it all, and confused. Just cancelled our hotel that I booked in city of london at the apex. Looked like a great hotel, but after reading all the comments about how far out that area was from Heathrow, decided to look for a more suitable area. I am seeing that Earls court or Kensington would be better for getting to from Heathrow. Am I correct on that? Also, I see that traveling with a suitcase each and a carry on, may be too much luggage, but the cruise is 25 days and adding another week onto that; means a need for more clothes, even if I do laundry on the ship part way through. My question is: Is there enough time to board the tube, or train with the luggage, or do the doors close quickly as in some other cities, where you could get trapped part way in the door? It looks like it is cheaper to buy tickets ahead of time on the internet, is that true, and do you have to select a specific time to do that. I am not sure how long it takes to get through security and get the bags once arrived at Heathrow. I also have a question about buying a London pass, vs just getting some of the 2 for 1 deals that I have read you can get with buying a train ticket. Is that discount common and offered pretty much all the time? Then the detail of the best way to get to Amsterdam has me baffled too. I can buy a one plane ticket for each way ticket for about $99 pp, but was thinking the train would be more interesting. Any advice is greatly appreciated also on transport from Amsterdam airport area hotel to the boat dock in Rotterdam. Thanks