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Skipping ports


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Please explain to me how cruise ships can arbitrarely not stop at some of the ports. This summer on different cruises have skipped their Monte Carlo stop (they said there was nowhere to park); and another time just weeks before that they also skipped Monte Carlo - this time because the waves were too rough; and just this past week they didn't stop at Naples (they said it was because of a strike); and when we took their 9 day Med. cruise two weeks ago - they skipped our stop at Palma (same thing - strike on the island-they said).

 

I know I pick my cruises based on the ports - is this common to have a cruise ship skip ports on almost everyone of their cruises?

Edited by prairiecruisecannuckers
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Please explain to me how cruise ships can arbitrarely not stop at some of the ports. This summer same cruise line but different dates- skipped their Monte Carlo stop (they said there was nowhere to park); and another time just weeks before that they also skipped Monte Carlo - this time because the waves were too rough; and just this past week they didn't stop at Naples (they said it was because of a strike); and when we took their 9 day Med. cruise two weeks ago - they skipped our stop at Palma (same thing - strike on the island-they said).

 

I know I pick my cruises based on the ports - is this common to have a cruise ship skip ports on almost everyone of their cruises?

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If you read the fine print, you will see that the ship can skip ports, change ports, shorten the cruise, whatever at will. No reason needed. I am not saying there was or was not good reasons in your examples, just that you have no redress.

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I notice you did not post this on the Carnival board...Any particular reason?

No cruise line skips a port 'arbitrarily'. It takes a lot of work and communication to change the itinerary of a ship. John Heald gave a lengthy explanation on his blog about the reasoning for the port shuffle. EM

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So my follow up question to skipping ports is - do some cruise lines tend to skip more ports then others? I have cruised 9 times and this is the first time I experienced it. And when I started to look into this cruiseline, it appears they seem to do it consistently. I'm starting to think that from now on - I would like to research a cruise ship's past records in skipping ports before I choose which line to go with.

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Not acquainted with the rules of posting (new to this). But in truth I was curious to know if skipping ports is common to other cruise lines besides Carnival (I did email my question directly to Carnival and John as well). And frankly I asummed this rarely happened, and usually only becuase of Hurricanes and things like that. I still find this very disturbing - and although I have read the fine print - I just didn't think skipping ports was actually something that happened except on very rare occasions.( Especially not multiple time in one month)

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On Med cruises the seas can get rough almost anytime. If you read the fine print in the cruise contract, the cruise line can skip ports for a wide variety of reasons. Independent tour operators know this and most will not charge you, even if you booked with them months in advance, until after the tour is completed.

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On ten cruises, we have only missed one port and that was due to high waves that prevented tendering.

 

There are various reasons (weather, mechanical, labor problems) as you've noted for a ship missing a port, but rarely it's done (if ever) due to arbitrary reasons. That doesn't make sense at all.

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On around 55 cruises we have missed a handful of ports; twice because of weather and a few other times due to safety issue in port.

 

This happens infrequently and our experience is that there is always a good reason for this which often is driven by the safety of passengers, crew and ship.

 

Keith

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I wouldn't call missing ports because of strikes or bad weather arbitrary. A captain won't risk endangering his passengers and ship if the sea is to rough to dock and if port or transport workers are on strike there's nothing the cruise line can do about it.

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In 23 cruises, we have missed 2 ports.

 

The first was the Seychelles. There had been 6 pirate attachs in the area in the two weeks before we were scheduled to call there. We had a sea day instead.

 

The second was Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. There were problems trying to get visas to enter the country. We went to Aqaba, Jordan instead.

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It's not arbitrary. They didn't skip the ports b/c they didn't feel like going there that day. The skipped the port b/c it was closed due to a strike or unsafe due to weather. I'm not sure why they skipped the one that was full; a ship can always drop anchor & tender the passangers ashore.

I can't speak to the Med but during hurricane season I'd say it was common to skip a port.

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Shoot..read the cruise contract...it specifically states that they don't even guarantee the "seaworthiness" of the ship! They can do what they want, when they want. When you book a cruise, you agree to the contract and hold the cruiseline responsible for NOTHING.

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Shoot..read the cruise contract...it specifically states that they don't even guarantee the "seaworthiness" of the ship! They can do what they want, when they want. When you book a cruise, you agree to the contract and hold the cruiseline responsible for NOTHING.

just a reminder, some of the language in the cruise contract is unenforceable. Also it depends on where you are from as to what happens when a ship misses a port(really). EU law requires different compensation for missing a port than then US. So it depends on where you live(its one reason that some cruise lines charge EU citizens more and don't allow them to book through a US Travel agent). US law prohibits cruiselines from disclaimimg liability for their negligence that causes a physical injury...as examples.

 

But cruise lines do miss ports for many reasons. They are rarely arbitrary but they are within the exclusive discretion of the cruise line and the ships captain and may seem arbitrary to you but there is little you can do about it. Cruise lines make money in port on excursions and for the most part would rather make a port than miss one.

 

How often does it happen? Not every cruise but it happens pretty often....sometimes every week sometimes not for months.

Edited by smeyer418
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Rather than research which cruise lines skip the most ports, research what times of the year cause the most problems.

 

If you book something in the Caribbean in Hurricane season you can expect to miss ports...cruise line notwithstanding.

 

The Med is also unpredictable. We even missed a port (HAL) in Denmark due to high winds and waves in the North Atlantic (June).

 

Side note, our 12 night Carnival cruise in October 08 missed no ports in the Med.

 

As for your snarky comments about "they said" there was a strike, high winds, no room, etc....why would they lie?

 

Damage to a cruise ship would delay the rest of your cruise, possibly for days. Would you like that?

Putting you ashore in the midst of a strike would likewise p__s off hundreds of pax as well as possibly endanger the security of same.

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So my follow up question to skipping ports is - do some cruise lines tend to skip more ports then others? I have cruised 9 times and this is the first time I experienced it. And when I started to look into this cruiseline, it appears they seem to do it consistently. I'm starting to think that from now on - I would like to research a cruise ship's past records in skipping ports before I choose which line to go with.

 

Is there a place to see records of skipped ports? I'm thinking that some ports may be skipped more often than others (by all ships) rather than some ships skip more ports. This would be great information to have when planning private vs ship excursions.

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Last year we almost missed our stop in Athens due to a strike. If the workers aren't at the port, the ship cannot dock. The cruise line cannot control what happens in other countries. Anything can happen at any time. It's like picking a cruise during a hurricane. You take a chance every time you sail.

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it is NOT arbitrary. they know darn well they will have many upset peeps on board any and every time a port gets skipped for any reason.

 

would you really have wanted to pull into, oh say, Labadee, 3 days after the earthquake?

 

or pull into a port that is teeming with civil unrest that could turn violent/ or be unable to secure any transportation to your preferred excursion destination due to a strike? or put the ship in jeopardy due to crappy wind/surf conditions?

 

if a certain area/city is THAT important.. book a land vacation and fly there

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The captain of a ship is the closest thing there is to a legitimate absolute monarch -- for good reason. He/she may make a bad call, but he/she is responsible for making the best call in his/her judgement given the circumstances. "Arbitrary" is not an appropriate term to use in this discussion -- you may not like the decision, but you signed on for a cruise, the terms of which clearly outlined the possibility of such decisions being made. If you do not like the variables which inevitably accompany going to sea, the solution is obvious: stay on land.

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So my follow up question to skipping ports is - do some cruise lines tend to skip more ports then others? I have cruised 9 times and this is the first time I experienced it. And when I started to look into this cruiseline, it appears they seem to do it consistently. I'm starting to think that from now on - I would like to research a cruise ship's past records in skipping ports before I choose which line to go with.

 

It all has to do with taxes:

In Europe a cruise ship itinerary has to include a non EU port, if the cruise line can claim tax free status...good for the overall profits as well that tax and duty free stores can stay open during the entire voyage.

 

Non EU ports include:

Norway

Canary Islands, even that they belong to Spain

Channel Islands

Gibraltar, often ships make only a "technical" stop there.

Monaco

 

Now it becomes clear why these ports are skipped so often.

 

Just a point of interest: Since Malta joined the EU in 2004, the number of arrivals has dropped by 50 %!

 

Since the unrest in Northern Africa, cruise lines are now in desperate search of non EU ports, and often will include them in their itinerary, but never really intend to "make port" there.

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