Norwegian just cut short the March 3 PoA Cruise!!

We are booked on the March 10th Departure= March 11 Departure. Same note and same deal. I have no issue with the fact the ship needs repair or has to be rescheduled. Hey, they are giving us a room for the night so all good there, despite the need for extra meals still no complaints. But they make you call and have to choose what option you want. I would have thought a bit more pro-activity on their part would be helpful.

I even offered to let them keep the cash and just upgrade me to a better room. No dice. This cruise line seems like they worry about every little thing and charge you for it. I don't mind paying more for the cabin, if they kiss your ring. Not used to getting nickle and dimed all the way.

My experience with Royal Caribbean has always been just awesome.

Can someone post the exact wording of the email? There is never a "one day" drydocking, so unless she is in drydock right now, that's not what's happening. There may be a repair that is mandated by USCG or class to be fixed "at earliest possible opportunity" that happened recently, and this was the first time slot where the parts or manpower were available. If someone can post the email, it may help me understand what is actually being done.

 

But, as others have said, ships break things, and they need to be fixed, and in many cases it is the law that it needs to be fixed asap or the ship won't be allowed to sail at all.

It is 2 days, we are on the March 10-17 sailing and we don't leave until the 11th. I think it is what you said the mandated by USCG...I can't post the email from work, but they said it wouldn't affect safety and I have to believe them because I can't believe they would risk passenger safety.. we are looking at is as another day still in Hawaii, not working, And the biggy not having winter weather.! I will look when I get home and if no one posted the email I will post it for you to read.

thanks!

this is the letter

Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners

,

Norwegian Cruise Line has important information for you regarding Pride of America’s

7-Day Hawaii sailing on March 10, 2018 from Honolulu,

Hawaii. All guests booked on this sailing need to be aware of this change and travel professionals are asked to forward this information to their

clients.

Due to regulatory compliance requirements,

Pride of America must undergo an unscheduled technical dry

-dock and the ship’s March

10th

itinerary is being modified as a result. The necessary maintenance that will be conducted during this dry dock will in no way impact the safe

operation of the vessel during your cruise.

The cruise is changing from a 7-day to a 6-day sailing embarking on March

11 , 2018, and the ship will call on Kahului, Maui on March 12th

from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm instead of staying overnight as originally scheduled.

Please review the revised itinerary information below -

No, until a ship reaches 15 years old, the UWILD survey is an acceptable substitute for a drydocking, so it doesn't change the interval. Sometimes the video is shown real time to the surveyor (camera wired to surface monitor) and otherwise it is reviewed as soon as the diver comes up. Since the dives can take many hours, as each diver is relieved, his video can be reviewed while the next dive is underway.

 

I don't think I've ever heard of something being discovered during a UWILD that would require immediate repair or removal of the ship from service. Most frequently, things will be classed as either "repair within the next XX days (usually 90-180)" or "repair at next scheduled drydocking". The most frequently found things are dents in the hull from docks or tugs, and most of this can then be looked at from inside to see if the frames are bent, and if it is merely a dent in the hull plating without deforming any frames, then the dent can be left for the life of the ship, or repaired at the owner's choice. Even if frames are damaged, the most common repair is to cut away the damaged portion of the frame, make a new piece that conforms to the new, bent shape of the hull plating and weld in place. This kind of repair is usually acceptable until next scheduled drydocking. They may find things like missing nuts for holding sea chest gratings, that the divers can repair on the spot, but that's all I've ever seen.

Thanks for the response. Now I can sleep well.:D

Sorry to hear about this change.

Keith

Our cruise was supposed to leave the 10th. It's now the 11th bc of this. So they are docking 2 days. I'm piss because we are coming in a day early and had booked a hotel. Now we have to switch hotels. Because of the other cruise the Hilton is booked. So yes, great vaca lugging our luggage around. 8 days. 3 different beds.

We have dealt with the lugging luggage a few times. It isn't fun but just try to make the best of it.

As someone just mentioned dealing with an American flagged ship isn't easy. Now, let's just hope, regardless of the reason for cutting the cruise short one day, this doesn't happen again for a long time, if ever. :(

I reread thinking I may have been unclear but I did say our cruise is in October. The part of the charter was a question.

ok, I am sorry I missed that part. As for the charter part, all lines do this. It is not just NCL. For anyone who has cruised several times and not experienced this, you are so lucky. I see both sides of the story: for a cruise line, you got to go where the money is; for the cruiser you have your plans made and you are disappointed when this happens. I will say, we have been one of those lucky ones, that have not experienced getting bumped due to a charter taking over, but we don't book more than 6 months out. We have been bumped off flights more than once and left high and dry to make adjustments to our plans. It isn't fun, but nothing in life is perfect.

The discounts are only on the cruise fare- so for us the 25% dicsount nets to 18.2%. Not worth it when 1/7th is 14.2%- they assume after being treated like this we want to travel again with them. Hmmm sounds like United Airlines

They say one day prorated but again only on cruise fare. They are charging full rate on taxes (If I get a 10% discount on a 100 purchase I pay taxes on 90 not 100) full rate for port fees (they are not paying port fees for all 7 days) and nothing off the prepaid grats (yep you pay for 7 days of grats). I am sure they will only pay the govt the taxes based on 6 days and add the extra day grats and that would pay for the hotel- Norweigan is out nothing.

The minimum they need to do is take one day off but it needs to be one full day- this is what Vivian Ewart said they would do and ethically is what they should do.

I suggest we all send Vivian Ewart a letter expressing our feelings, she is also on Linked In

This is like ordering a pizza, only getting half of it and them saying but we only charged you for half so everything is great.

An onboard credit for each guest of $100 (which would probably cost them 45) would go a long way but they won't do that- they aren't even giving one full day refund as they said they would (by only prorating the cruisefare not the taxes,port charges or grats)

I understand these things happen but if you say you are giving one day refund make it one day refund.

They are not paying port fees for all 7 days and you pay for 7 days of grats. I am sure they will only pay the govt the taxes based on 6 days.

 

 

 

The minimum they need to do is take one day off but it needs to be one full day- this is what Vivian Ewart said they would do.

Just file a claim online for 1/7 of the port fees & gov’t taxes + the $13.99 per person prepaid daily service charge. Quote the letter that says you are to receive a full day refund.

This worked for our Australia adrift at sea cruise last year where all ports but one on a 12 day cruise were missed. It did take 8 months to get the refund though.

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Assuming not an NCL cruise, or I bet they would apply credit..

You would think so, but this isn't the case. In fact, they will not apply it to any existing cruise, only new bookings and travel must be completed before 2/19/19.

I was told I would get a call back Thursday before 9. It didn't happen. I called back Friday and was told "I don't know when they would have time to call. Our phones ring as soon as we hang up." I was then told they would send a message to the original person to call me. We'll see what Monday brings. I'm guessing I'll get a completely different story.

25% off cruise rate only- not total- for us this comes to 18.2% so not worth it. And they assume we will be lining up to take another trip with them-

The prorated one day off is also only on cruise rate only- we are paying port fees for 7 days, grats for 7 days and taxes based on our total (if I got a 10% discount off $100 I would pay taxes on $90) am sure the extra money they should be refunding us is paying for the hotels for one night so Norweigan is not out anything.

One day prorated should be off the total- once you start playing games and think no one will notice you lose customers

Every mass market line that gives the future cruise credit is based on your paid cruise fare only. I got one on royal exact same terms that ncl offers. From a little weekend cruise it wasn't enough to get me to decide to take one, but I gladly used the $45 on a cruise I decided to go on.

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just saw another post re a different change to their itinerary- if you took the insurance, you can file a claim and get additional $$$. Didn't believe it till I read it myself- yes, an itinerary change qualifies for insurance $$$. Who knew????

As I said on the other thread:

 

The minimum they need to do is take one day off but it needs to be one full day- this is what Vivian Ewart said they would do and ethically is what they should do.

 

I suggest we all send Vivian Ewart a letter expressing our feelings, she is also on Linked In

 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=55381497&postcount=2

Good luck ;)

Life happens.....adapt and overcome. Enjoy the day in a nice hotel, enjoy the discount and enjoy the cruise.

25% off cruise rate only- not total- for us this comes to 18.2% so not worth it. And they assume we will be lining up to take another trip with them-

The prorated one day off is also only on cruise rate only- we are paying port fees for 7 days, grats for 7 days and taxes based on our total (if I got a 10% discount off $100 I would pay taxes on $90) am sure the extra money they should be refunding us is paying for the hotels for one night so Norweigan is not out anything.

One day prorated should be off the total- once you start playing games and think no one will notice you lose customers

I'm not an accountant, so not sure if I'm correct, but wouldn't the 25% credit be applied to a future cruise fare before the tax is calculated on that fare, thereby saving ("refunding") you the tax at that time?

"Taxes" on a cruise is not a straight percentage like a sales tax. And, it's a misnomer - really a shorthand for per passenger taxes, port fees, and other government imposed fees. Typically it is the same dollar amount for the least expensive to the most expensive cabin/suite.

"Taxes" on a cruise is not a straight percentage like a sales tax. And, it's a misnomer - really a shorthand for per passenger taxes, port fees, and other government imposed fees. Typically it is the same dollar amount for the least expensive to the most expensive cabin/suite.

So could that be why in this case these "taxes" are seemingly not being refunded even though the cruise is being cut short? Even if 1/7th of the fare is refunded, would the per passenger taxes, port fees and other government imposed fees remain the same for a shortened cruise? If the ship is docked in Maui for only one day instead of overnight, do the port fees (which are usually refunded if a ship is unable to make port at all) remain the same regardless of whether the ship spends one or two days in port?

As I said on the other thread:

 

 

 

You get 25% of your basic cruise fare to go toward your next cruise.

 

You get one day's worth of port fees back to your OBA.

 

You don't get charged one day's DSC.

 

NCL pays for your one night's stay at a Hilton hotel on Waikiki which may be worth more that your one day on cruise (if you are in an Ocean View cabin).

 

It happened to us when our cruise was shortened by one day. We came out fine and happy, and we still cruise with NCL.

Good for you. It still sucks and we still aren't compensated for the irregularities in the trips we planned and booked. The 25% on a future trip (within a year) is BS. Give me 25% off this trip and I'll listen.

I don't want to change hotels to an inferior property than where I've been staying.

It's awful convenient for others to suggest what is or isn't an appropriate compensation for everyone else. I wonder what motivates someone to do that?

Life happens.....adapt and overcome. Enjoy the day in a nice hotel, enjoy the discount and enjoy the cruise.

What discount? A refund of a day already paid for is no discount!

Then take the refund of a day instead if you don't want a future credit.

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I don't want to change hotels to an inferior property than where I've been staying.

Where have you been staying - the Halekulani? Hilton Hawaiian Village is a very nice hotel and probably one of the only hotels largest enough for a cruise ship full of passengers on short notice.

If you can extend your stay one night at your current hotel, you could always try a claim on your travel insurance for it. This worked for us on a land vacation several years ago.

It’s really sad that folks don’t read the terms and conditions of there carriage contract. In all fairness cruise lines don’t want to cancel or delay cruises either. But things happen that out of there control. There floating cities. Folks seem to keep asking for more and more. Even when there contract says all there required to do. All the offering of reduced fares on future cruises does is cause the ref fares to go up to stay profitable.

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Has anyone else been unable to access their online account? We cannot view any of our trip info for the March 10 (or 11th now) cruise and the page says it's on "permanent vacation". I plan to call later today, but wanted to hear if anyone else is having this experience.