deniseatnycs

25 minutes ago, kjquilts said:

If you meant November 2020 you should be able to edit your post

Too late to edit but thank you I did mean 2020.  All NCL cruises up to November 30th  2020 cancelled 

As expected we have the email cancelling the Epic November 2021 Transatlantic.   This is from NCL U.K. not sure if anyone outside Europe has been notified yet.

5 minutes ago, SpainAlien said:

The same as us, we live in Alicante province but our PCC is in the international division of Miami. We want to rebook with the UK call centre because we have a better relationship with them

 

I asked the PCC to cancel yesterday and he still hasn't done it 

 

Small world we have an apartment at Villamartin and our home in a Spanish village just outside Orihuela.  We were "allocated" a Spain based PCC by Miami but after 2 telephone conversations ended the relationship and went back the the excellent U.K. team.

Looking forward to cruising again we have seven booked with NCL the first the T.A. out of Barcelona in November, living in hope as the Epic is in Europe but being realistic so have a plan B to use up our Alicante to Barcelona flight and Hotel bookings 

3 hours ago, SpainAlien said:

I have just spoken to my PCC and he says that it will take 15-20 days for the FCC to appear in MyNCL.   I do not have a good relationship with my PCC he has lied to me many times and I do not trust what he is saying now, I suspect that he is putting off the cancellation until after the end of month for some reason - perhaps his sales figures.  

 

 

Cancelled our B to B Greece cruise for May 2021 Monday and rebooked (lost the OBC but saved 900 pounds).  Cancellation email came within minutes followed by the new booking email.  P.C.C. said the FCC  (deposits returned under the peace of mind)  from the original booking should appear in our account between two and three weeks .

We live in mainland Spain but book through the U.K. call centre

22 hours ago, ged1967 said:

I have email from Ncl via my TA offering choice off 100% cash refund ( if I claim it) or 125% of money’s paid  by June 26th in FCC. 

 

My issue is that the TA doesn’t appear to have paid the balance due by June 26th despite balance due to Ncl by June 7th. I paid my TA the balance due around 3 weeks earlier (15th May approximately)

 

I want what what I expect & believe I’m entitled to a FCC to the value of 125% of the cruise. 

 

If if I wanted a cash refund then there wouldn’t be a problem and my complaint isn’t against Ncl they have already refunded what they can. My complaint is against my TA. Keeping hold of my money and therefore I’m losing over £500 in credit I could use against a future cruise.

 

Question for UK based TAs: What is the due date that a TA has to pay the final balance to NCL? Is it 70 days the same as if booked direct through NCL by pax? 

 

Please stop telling me I’ve had credits. Ncl has done everything they can with what they’ve been paid. 

 

Any Uk based folk been in similar situation? 

 

 

 

 

Hi Ged1967

I nearly always book direct with NCL uk over the phone with a CC we have used for years.  Last year I spotted an amazing deal with an online U.K. Cruise Company for a May Northern Europe cruise which I booked.   Obviously the cruise was cancelled due to Covid  (after the full payment date)and the Cruise Company emailed us with this news as soon as they were notified.  They did try to express that we had to accept a FCC and rebook with them.

I then telephoned our normal CC at NCL U.K who advised to to ask the online cruise to forward the email from NCL with our 125% FCC or 100% cash offer.  This arrived the same day, along with a credit to our latitudes account.  The credit was in three parts, Cruise next refund, payment refund and 25% FCC if we decided not to claim cash.  We were also offered a 20% reduction off a future cruise.  All was seemless using the NCL uk telephone number on the NCL U.K. site.  Hope you get it resolved soon 

49 minutes ago, GA Dave said:

First Cruise Line Down

 

To be fair they were a terrible cruise line   cheap and all inclusive apart from the service charge. with 3 old ships.   Not good news  for the staff,   Spanish Travel agents and tour Companies though

12 hours ago, eileeshb said:

Some of continental Europe is starting to open up, Ireland’s on track for phase 2 on June 8th which will allow non-essential journeys up to 20km and small retailers can re-open (this includes my family’s shop).

Germany is on track to reopen it’s borders for travellers from 31 European countries by June 15th
France have only just allowed internal travel up to 100km, no indication at present about when they’ll welcome cross-border visitors

Spain is mostly onto phase 3 but Madrid and Barcelona are in phase 2, the government there plans to open to tourist July 1st, no 2 week quarantine 

Italy is almost back all businesses/services open, and from June 3rd will no longer require 2 week quarantine for visitors.

 

i got all of this from a piece on an Irish news site, but to the best of my knowledge the lifting of quarantine requirements will depend on the country people are travelling from. I know Sweden and the UK are very much on the black/grey list at present

 

Here’s the original article, bear in mind it’s very much a summary of current status.

Hi all

Update from mainland Spain where we have had the strictest lockdown in Europe if not further afield, with (if the official figues are to be believed) fantastic results.  In the Valencia region where we are Residents we enter phase 2 today.  Murcia region entered this stage last week but because we encompass the City of Alicante our move forward was set back. No area is in stage 3 and a 6th extension to June 21st is being sort.

We as a country have not had any shortages abiet sometimes the shelves were bare as the shops couldn't fill them fast enough but that was just the 1st 2 weeks.  There is talk of domestic tourism and some beaches are being sectioned off to allow for this.  Our Prime Minister Sanchez and health Minister for tourism Reyes Maroto acknowledged the need for tourism but both insist the health and protection of the nation must be a priority. They are talking of opening the borders to the German and French and other nations but a ban on non essential visits from the U.K will not be lifted until the R figures drop to an acceptable level.

This week we should be on the Escape in the Baltic but are healthy and feel safe not to be bothered about the cancellation. Next up we have the med on the Star and the November T/A on the Epic. Our expectations are low so would be a pleasant surprise if we did sail.

Keep safe everyone 

Denise 

9 hours ago, Northern wanderlust said:

Could you post a link to this itinerary please?  Or let us know the embarkation date?  It looks fantastic.

Hi Northern wanderlust.  We have just booked this the date is August 29th Southampton to Southampton.  

5 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

Unless you are doing a ship sponsored excursion from Hellesylt to Geiranger you are not allowed off the ship.

This Forum is fantastic thank you gnome2 I was just about to look up private excursions as the NCL one is expensive.  Would anyone know if it is worth doing please.  I wil try and find the details 

Denise 

Thank you everyone. I had not noticed the port times you are all correct we are just one hour in Hellesyit (do we have tome to get off not a massive ship but 2,340 passengers)  then straight to Geiranger

Denise 

We have just been notified of the (expected) cancellation of our Baltic cruise due to take place at the end of May 2020.

Living in Spain on extremely strict and well policed lockdown since March 13th we can see that we, will not be allowed border crossing for a while to come, and certainly wouldn't want to put any more strain of front line workers so no cruises for us this year or early 2021.

Husband, not wanting to travel too far fancies a Fjords cruise.  However, our cancelled cruise was with NCl and there is nothing much on offer that I can see.

To take advantage of our 125% FCC and 20% discount  on a new booking that we have been offered, we are looking at the below. Are there any negatives I have not picked up on please?

Its the same here in Mainland Spain the press especially the ex pat free papers are making it up as they go along.

Fantastic news for us though after a very tough lockdown since March 13th we can go for a walk from Saturday and for the future plans.

Day 47 on Spanish Lockdown. Only 4 days until we can go out for a walk. Only 11 days until lockdown is over. Or is it? Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he planned to ask parliament for a fourth 15-day extension of the lockdown after the current one ends on May 10Here is the News we have all been waiting for. This will happen only if the CV19 figures keep going down. The Government hopes to finish all the de-escalation plan by the end of June 2020 Phase zero begins now, with individual attention and by appointment in shops Madrid – reported by El Pais newspaper APR 29, 2020 - 00:27 CEST Spain has chosen a different path from that of other European partners such as France or Italy. The Spanish program for de-escalation, which is officially called the "plan for the transition to a new normality", will not finally have precise dates for the reopening of shops, beaches or bars, as happens in other nearby countries. But it does have a very important one: the Executive wants to have all the de-escalation completed in eight weeks, at the end of June, according to the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez. The Government hopes to reach the “new normal” then, this is with limitations due to the presence of the virus, but this would save the summer, a fundamental moment in a country where tourism occupies 12% of GDP. By July, when the peak of the season begins, if the evolution of the epidemic allows it, the de-escalation would be over, although the Executive has not yet given dates for the reopening of borders, something that will have to be agreed with the European partners. After four weeks of intense work in the midst of enormous secrecy, the Government has presented this Tuesday its formula, very different from that of its partners, based on a scheme of four phases: 0, 1, 2 and 3, and without dates concrete for each step. The four phases of confinement "The de-escalation will be gradual, asymmetric and coordinated. We are going to do it in phases, the unit will be the province or the island, there will be no mobility between provinces or islands ”, Sánchez summarized when explaining the plan at a press conference. The idea, therefore, is to gradually recover movement but without moving between provinces ie, no going shopping in Murcia and visa versa until the de-escalation ends at the end of June. The only movement that will be allowed would be to go to work from one province to another, as it happens now, and for some extraordinary situations such as a funeral, the president explained. What citizens will NOT be able to do, Sánchez has expressly clarified, is go to their second homes if they are in another province until the de-escalation ends, this is at the end of June. The intention is thus to prevent the virus from moving from the most affected territories, such as Madrid and Barcelona, to others less touched on the coasts and recreation areas. The government has been tweaking the plan until the last moment in a long meeting of the Council of Ministers, which has caused a further delay in Sánchez's appearance. Four phases: 0 to 3 in eight weeks Phase 0 has already started and with it come certain openings. Throughout this phase, businesses will be able to start operating by appointment and always complying with security measures and social distance, although the Government has not clarified the specific date of this start. The president gave the example of restaurants, which although they will not be able to open their doors to the public yet, they will be able to provide takeaways. Government sources add others: gyms or hairdressers by appointment and individual attention. In BARS, the first thing that will be opened will be the terraces with capacity reductions of 30%. It will be in phase 1, which will arrive on May 10 to all the provinces that meet the epidemiological criteria, whose specific figures (such as cases per 100,000 inhabitants) have not yet been finalized. During this phase, in the reopening of premises, there will be special hours for the most sensitive population such as the elderly. In phase 2, for example, premises with guarantees of separation would be opened. The school years will not resume until September but in phase 2 some centers may be reopened for recoveries, selectivity or help for parents of children under six who have to go to work. Everything is detailed in the Government text. Thus, in matters of culture, a particularly sensitive question. Like any other business, bookstores could attend by appointment now, but we will have to wait for phase 1 to open its doors. A series of markers is established to move from one to the other, but decisions will be made in coordination between the Government and the autonomous regions and will be reviewed every two weeks. Sánchez made it very clear that there will be coordination and objective criteria, with markers that will be made public, but it will be the Ministry of Health who decides the pace of the de-escalation in each province, and not the autonomous communities, despite the fact that some of them claim to take these decisions. "If we have to choose between prudence and risk, we will choose prudence," Sánchez said as a warning. "We are going without a GPS, this plan is flexible, we can lose what we have achieved, the virus is still there, lurking, until we have a vaccine, and time is running out. We have to fight impatience, "he insisted. The starting gun will come with the walks of the adults this weekend May the 2nd, although the details of these outings have not yet been finalized, something that will soon make a ministerial order. From there, the next steps will be much more complex. This is the plan so far. Updates will follow on a daily basis.

Living for the past 16 years in mainland Spain, and under very severe hard lockdown since March 13th,  I honestly cannot see our Prime Minister allowing any Spanish Port opening to welcome cruise ships, or the Spanish population although in the main, reliant on Tourism accepting such a move.

We are booked on the T/A out of Barcelona end of November this year,  the 1st leg of three NCL cruises that ended in January 2021.  Being realistic we are expecting to be spending the festive season in Spain.  

Happy to wait until the end of 2021 as long as those we love, and those who are taking card of us all  get through this.

18 hours ago, eileeshb said:

Update from Ireland

our version of a lockdown has been extended to May 5th, and mass gatherings (over 5,000) banned until at least September which will wipeout the summer festivals as well as all sports events.

Our health minister has already speculated that pubs may not reopen at all this year.

My local council has issued an orange level fire warning for the whole of this week, there were 2 bushfires already and another today. Wildfires are not really something people associate with Ireland, but it’s been oddly dry weather since the lockdown began. 
 

The EU has extended the border closures to non-essential travel until May 15th, this is highly likely to be extended further. Here is the EU page on travel and transport.

 

 

My adopted home of mainland Spain has also extended its "State of Alarm"  until the 9th May making two full months of very strict lockdown which is being in the main adhered to.  Read the other day that most people in Spain are more afraid of the penalties of breaking the laws than they are of catching the virus!

There are many reports in the International press of the lightening of our restrictions which are, in the main, not based on fact.   As of this Monday children under the age of 14 are allowed to go for a walk with a parent and construction workers are allowed to work on unoccupied buildings.  Together with restaurants being allowed to deliver takeaways (again with restrictions) this in essence is the total of the new relaxed regime.

There is talk in the political papers, but nothing passed in law, that the schools may reopen in September and there will be no travel in or out of Spain for tourist purposes in 2020.  Like many others we have saved and planned for our May Baltic, November Transatlantic, December Caribbean and Christmas and New Year cruises.  Obviously, the May Baltic from Copenhagen is to be cancelled any day, but in all honesty I (and its my personal take on this ) cannot see our Government opening up the port of Barcelona to cruise ships this year.     

18 minutes ago, eileeshb said:

Checking in from Ireland. We’re pretty much on lockdown here, the gardaí (police) got new powers today to charge people not obeying the current restrictions. A major concern here is people heading off to their holiday homes around the country for Easter. 
over half of all cases here have been in Dublin but people down in holiday areas started seeing the vacation regulars appearing at their holiday homes this week. The Garda commissioner came out today and told them, anyone already at their holiday home has to stay there for the remainder of the lockdown. I suspect quite a few will come to regret that decision as they discover exactly how bad the broadband is outside the main centres of population. 
my home county had some of the very earliest cases, my doctor and his family were in Italy before the covid-19 outbreak was known about. He called our health service (his employer) when the outbreak in Italy became known and they told him to go to work as normal.. a week later he and his family tested positive. 
current restrictions are 1 person per car going for groceries or medicines, exercise to be within 2km of your home. Anyone over 70 or immune compromised is supposed to stay at home and have others fetch their groceries or medicines, etc... officially no solo sports are disallowed but the various adventure sports bodies are now advising everyone to desist.

Our Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) is a qualified doctor, he hasn’t been on the medical register for 7 years but went back on the register and is now doing a shift each week to help at the frontline. He’s doing telephone assessments of patients to determine if they need covid testing or need to actually see a doctor or go to a&e. Can’t imagine there’s too many other heads of state working in their health services during this. 

Hi EilseeB

Thank you for the update, we hear about the U.K. but nothing much coming from Ireland on our newsfeed.  Our adopted home of Spain is suffering greatly (pro rata population). 

We have been (we moved from the U.K. to Southern Spain 16 years ago) from March 13th.  similar to your regime but not allowed outside the home at all apart from shopping or health appointments ( 1 person per car, 1 person in the nearest shop, 1 in one out)  

It is very well policed here with the Guardia Civil, the local police and even the army making sure everyone adheres to the restrictions.  Like you our, main area of cases is a large city, for us it is Madrid.  Many City dwellers have second homes here on the South East coast (Alicante area) and are heading down for the Easter break which is unbelievable .  The police and army have road blocks up and most are being fined and turned back but the odd ones are finding a way through.  The selfishness of these people is breathtaking.  Health workers, police, army, retail workers, transport workers and many others are risking their lives for us all but we are fighting a loosing battle because of this attitude

We were really looking forward to our Baltic cruise out of Copenhagen on the Escape at the end of May, accepting this is not going to happen  and hoping to rebook for next May if the prices don't rocket.

We are looking  now at our Transatlantic from Barcelona at  end of November, across to Puerto Rico and onwards on the Encore from Miami followed by Christmas and New Year on the Pearl.  Bit of a domino effect if the first one doesn't sail, the whole lot falls down. Must admit, as we live in Spain and are suffering greatly (pro rata population wise), that it is doubtful Spain will allow any cruise ships to port here in 2020.

Still we are lucky that we can always book and cruise next year hopefully, with those we love still here to wish us bon voyage

Hi LeonieC yes for the very fist time we have a level graph today.

Long way from being a politician and other than being an ex e.n nurse in the U

K. certainly not a medic nor in anyway a clairvoyant but for what its worth.

My adopted country is suffering pro rata population wise the greatest at the moment unfortunately.

As the lockdown enters a new stage of 15 days from 13th March to 26th April as declared yesterday,  we see a greater tightening of the restrictions already in place and in the main adhered to and extremely well policed.

Since the 13th March no one other than essential workers have been allowed freedom of movement (rightly so)  with extremely heavy fines and/or detention for those wishing to risk it.

We now see towns being closed off to stop city dwellers accesing their holiday homes.  Many Spaniards have second homes, and as we approach Easter this is a great worry to all.

In all honesty, once this is over, which I hope will be very soon, I cannot see any cruise lines being allowed to dock in any Spanish port in 2020.

Like many others we have worked hard to pay for this cruise, and had booked 2 further ongoing cruises with NCL.  Its looking like 2021 for us hopefully without loosing any of those we love.

Take care all of you. 

Hi all 

We live in mainland Spain and have been badly affected.  We are on day 11 of total lockdown, no outside visits at all except to the nearest chemist or supermarket and only one person per car.

Everyone is sticking to the curfew and helping others and its refreshing to see.   Loving life and looking forward to our cruises.  Hope everyone else is fine?

Denise

Hopefully, fixed soon but there is a problem with the ship (Discovery).  Its going slow so missing ports and if your sailing before January 8th there is a changed itinerary.  May be wise to check before booking any non refundable trips 

2 hours ago, blossomleh said:

Hi all 

 

We were told a couple of hours after we had left Singapore that there had been a fire on the starboard engine, which thankfully had been put out with no injuries. This meant that we had to miss Koh Samui (for which they gave us £25pp on board credit for) and now after flying in technicians while we were in Bangkok for two days, we have been told the itinerary has been changed again.

 

We are now also missing out on Cambodia and Malacca but going back to Singapore again which isn't high on anyone's list by the sounds of it. They are offering us £250pp for the inconvenience which doesn't sound like a lot considering we have now missed out on 3 ports due to an engine issue. 

 

Has anyone else has any similar issues who can advise on where we stand on this? Doesn't sound like anyone on this ship can help so can't do anything until we get back anyway so haven't tried asking yet. 

 

This is our honeymoon and we were so hoping to see all the ports, especially Cambodia, I've put the original itinerary below if anyone is interested.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give 🙂

 

L x

 

Day 1-2
Langkawi, Malaysia
Day 3
Penang, Malaysia
Day 4
Port Klang (for Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia
Day 5
Singapore, Singapore
Day 6
at sea...,
Day 7
Koh Samui, Thailand
Day 8-9
Laem Chabang (for Bangkok), Thailand
Day 10
Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Day 11
at sea...,
Day 12
Phu My (for Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam
Day 13
at sea...,
Day 14
Malacca, Malaysia
Day 15
Langkawi, Malaysia

Hi Blossomleh

Firstly congratulations on your marriage.   We are booked on the January 9th Discovery Cruise so watching with interest anything pertaining to it.  By no means an expert in Cruise law, but a frequent cruiser with past experience of missing ports.   Before we get bombarded, it is safe to say that no one should book a cruise with only the ports of call as priority as weather and countries political situations etc.,  can change in an instance.  These factors are beyond any cruiseline owners control and many a time we have missed ports and private islands due to these factors.  Not once would it enter our minds to either complain or expect any form of compensation as safety is priority.

Nonetheless, the breakdown of a ship (or its propulsion) is something of a grey area.  Granted no cruise line would wish a ship to develop faults, especially at sea but it must take total responsibility when it does occur.   

An offer of 250 pounds in compensation is not  (imho) acceptable.

 Stressing that you are still on a fabulous holiday, and having a great honeymoon but understanding that  you did not travel all that way to stay in what is essence is becoming an all inclusive hotel at sea.

The staff/crew I would imagine are being fabulous and it is sad to learn on other social platforms that some passengers are giving them a hard time.  My husband, myself and two friends  had an almost identical situation on the NCL Star two years ago (the reason we have booked the Discovery in January 2020).  We were notified 2 days before sailing that the Star had propulsion problems and needed to sail slow so would miss Ko Samui, Saigon and Cambodia and we would spend 3 extra days at sea (reduced to 2 after sailing as the Captain got a berth at Singapore for an extra night)  NCL offered a full refund before sailing and a 15% voucher off a future cruise or we could sail and get 50% of our cruise price in cash and the other 50% in a future cruise credit.  We chose to sail and had the most fantastic time, made better with the knowledge that we had enough compensation to book another cruise.

Hopefully, the offer of compensation will increase as it really is nothing like the cruise you had booked.  Check with your travel insurance when you get home, but make the best of your cruise

18 minutes ago, Preziosa said:

A new ship, a new card, I look forward to my trip on the new MSC Grandiosa from Hamburg 10. Th of november...

Us too on both counts, really looking forward to this new ship

Denise

2 hours ago, Preziosa said:

We are in Ginn Hotel Hamburg.

they have a terrasse from where We Can see the ship and the fireworks.

we Will arrive around 5 o clock in the afternoon. Then We Can have a Nice dinner before the show goes on. There is a Nice restaurant on the hotel on the store of the river Elben. The Cruise terminal is on the other side of the river. We are from Denmark.

We Take a taxi in the morning to the cruiseterminal

Thank you, I have looked at so many hotels!   Just booked, the Ginn Hotel for  Hubby and myself we are British ex pats living in the South of Spain.  

Denise 

1 hour ago, Preziosa said:

This sounds great. We Will Be on the first sailing from Hamburg 10 th of november.

We Will see the fireworks the Night of the christening from Our hotel in Hamburg.

Hi Preziosa  we are also on this sailing.,  Just looking at hotels would you mind letting us know which hotel this is please as it sounds perfect?

Denise

9 hours ago, DandDM said:

Any thoughts on Vueling?  We can do a round trip with them for $55pp which includes 10kg 'cabin bag' and 'smaller bag'

We live in Spain so fly Ryanair and Vueling a lot. Not had a problem with either. If we fly Ryanair we pay the small surcharge for priority, it gives you hand luggage and another (un- weighed and decent sized) bag. Pre booked seats the ability to print boarding passes early and priority boarding.   Well worth the extra.

Denise

40 minutes ago, DandDM said:

Thanks for all the great input, folks!  We ended up putting a deposit down on the Epic cruise to lock in the price, so now we have until final payment in December to make our final decision. 

 

Much to ponder...

Hi DanDM  just a thought, but if you have the time and Ibiza is on your bucket list the flights from Barcelona to Ibiza are only around 40 dollars return (plus luggage) and just under an hour each way