Epic Cruise Cancellation Due to Dry Dock. What About My Flight?

Apparently Epic's September dry dock is being extended from 2 weeks to 3 weeks. Lots of us who were booked on the October 11 Iberian Peninsula sailing have woken up to find our itineraries changed automatically to some other itinerary. In my case, I have been moved to an October 18 Western Mediterranean that I will not sail. (I just did a Grand Mediterranean in September 2012, so every port would be a repeat.)

By big question for anyone who has been through an outright itinerary cancellation is this: does Norwegian do anything to cover the cost of modifying airline tickets? The NCL insurance plan specifically indicates there is no coverage of any kind unless NCL books the flight. So, are hundreds or thousands of passengers just going to have to eat the flight modification fees?

Thanks for sharing any experiences you have had. Cheers.

That is just awful. I wish you the best of luck with your dilemma.

Rochelle

Officially, you're on your own. However, I've read accounts on here that people who have asked nicely and been lucky have had OBC added to their accounts.

Did you get trip insurance? Or pay by CC? You may be covered for the change fee depending on your benefits.....

Officially, you're on your own. However, I've read accounts on here that people who have asked nicely and been lucky have had OBC added to their accounts.

 

Did you get trip insurance? Or pay by CC? You may be covered for the change fee depending on your benefits.....

I didn't think about credit card benefits. I will look into that. As I said above, I do have trip insurance via NCL. The policy specifically excludes airfare.

This isn't just a substitution of one identical itinerary for another. We have been given a completely different itinerary. The only common port on the new cruise is Barcelona. Consequently, I'm looking at Queen Victoria, which is sailing a. 7-night itinerary on the Aegean. So, on board credit isn't going to help a lot.

This has been brought up here every time NCL cancels a cruise for a charter. It happens at least 6 months out, and I don't think I've read of NCL making up the airfare costs. I don't think most book airfare that far in advance.

I didn't think about credit card benefits. I will look into that. As I said above, I do have trip insurance via NCL. The policy specifically excludes airfare.

 

This isn't just a substitution of one identical itinerary for another. We have been given a completely different itinerary. The only common port on the new cruise is Barcelona. Consequently, I'm looking at Queen Victoria, which is sailing a. 7-night itinerary on the Aegean. So, on board credit isn't going to help a lot.

I wonder if the 18th sailing will be Southampton to Barcelona...? We were booked on the 18th sailing and that is gone from NCL's website too. The ship will have to get to Barcelona and if the dry dock is increased by a week the ship will still be in London on the 18th.

I wonder if the 18th sailing will be Southampton to Barcelona...? We were booked on the 18th sailing and that is gone from NCL's website too. The ship will have to get to Barcelona and if the dry dock is increased by a week the ship will still be in London on the 18th.

It's a 7-night Western Mediterranean round trip from Barcelona.

It's a 7-night Western Mediterranean round trip from Barcelona.

It was but not sure it still is? The sailing is not NCL's web site. We were booked on it and the 11th sailing and they have both been canceled...

It was but not sure it still is? The sailing is not NCL's web site. We were booked on it and the 11th sailing and they have both been canceled...

Your guess is as good as mine. The easiest thing for me would be to move my flight one week. If it's Iberian Peninsula on the 18th, I'm in. Otherwise I'm moving to Cunard.

By big question for anyone who has been through an outright itinerary cancellation is this: does Norwegian do anything to cover the cost of modifying airline tickets? The NCL insurance plan specifically indicates there is no coverage of any kind unless NCL books the flight.

Unfortunately for you, that is what insurances are for, if you don't have insured other portitions of your trip, then you're out of luck. :(

And if there is an alternative (assuming same length) cruise offered, that complicates things even further as the cruise line doesn't guarantee you any specific ports during the cruise according to the contract so technically and legally they are still fulfilling their part of the deal.

As other have said, I think you're out of luck. On our upcoming AK cruise, I insured our flights - which I've never done before. I just felt like since we're flying in the day before to Vancouver and there are issues and we miss the ship, I want it covered. I think it was $125 for $2500 in flight costs, so worth it for us.

Apparently Epic's September dry dock is being extended from 2 weeks to 3 weeks. Lots of us who were booked on the October 11 Iberian Peninsula sailing have woken up to find our itineraries changed automatically to some other itinerary. In my case, I have been moved to an October 18 Western Mediterranean that I will not sail. (I just did a Grand Mediterranean in September 2012, so every port would be a repeat.)

 

By big question for anyone who has been through an outright itinerary cancellation is this: does Norwegian do anything to cover the cost of modifying airline tickets? The NCL insurance plan specifically indicates there is no coverage of any kind unless NCL books the flight. So, are hundreds or thousands of passengers just going to have to eat the flight modification fees?

 

Thanks for sharing any experiences you have had. Cheers.

i`m so sorry this has happened to you .

We had the same problem on the Jade last year when our cruise got cancelled due to her being booked for the winter Olympics . Very long storey but to keep it short NCL did refund us our already booked air fair , but it was only approx £130 each as we live in uk so flights to Rome were low priced . If i were you i`de try not too stress too much today and try to get it sorted out tomorrow . Hope this helps xx

I am sorry to hear about your cancellation, Cruiser Bruiser, if I read your post correctly, they automatically reassigned you to the October 18 cruise out of Barcelona? Seems like they should check with a group before automatically reassigning them in that fashion. I hope you have a good resolution to this issue.

We are booked on the Oct 28 cruise out of Rome/Civitavecchia, does anyone have experience with dry dock schedules going way beyond the expected? I'm wondering if our cruise on the 28th could be in jeopardy.

As a side note, I have googled all over the place since reading about the dry dock, and can't find anything that details what they will be doing during the dry dock. Anyone have any info on that?

thanks!

Your guess is as good as mine. The easiest thing for me would be to move my flight one week. If it's Iberian Peninsula on the 18th, I'm in. Otherwise I'm moving to Cunard.

We would also be in for the Iberian Peninsula on the 18th. Hope they let us know soon what is going on...

i`m so sorry this has happened to you .

We had the same problem on the Jade last year when our cruise got cancelled due to her being booked for the winter Olympics . Very long storey but to keep it short NCL did refund us our already booked air fair , but it was only approx £130 each as we live in uk so flights to Rome were low priced . If i were you i`de try not too stress too much today and try to get it sorted out tomorrow . Hope this helps xx

Thanks for the kind advice. I'm glad you were able to get some recompense. It appears that my flight is changeable for a modest fee, but my worst fear is that the fee is per segment. After 10 Norwegian cruises, this is the first time I've dealt with a cancellation. It isn't fun. ;)

Otherwise I'm moving to Cunard.

Pack your fancy duds, you need at least even a jacket in the evenings to eat in the buffet.... :D

Well it's in dry dock in France so if that has been extended a week then the Southampton - Barcelona cruise would move to the week after and the 18th and 21st med cruises cancelled.

It won't travel down empty for several days.

I'm on the way before dry dock so guess I'm lucky but then I've got travel insurance which covers flights etc..

I am sorry to hear about your cancellation, Cruiser Bruiser, if I read your post correctly, they automatically reassigned you to the October 18 cruise out of Barcelona? Seems like they should check with a group before automatically reassigning them in that fashion. I hope you have a good resolution to this issue.

 

We are booked on the Oct 28 cruise out of Rome/Civitavecchia, does anyone have experience with dry dock schedules going way beyond the expected? I'm wondering if our cruise on the 28th could be in jeopardy.

 

As a side note, I have googled all over the place since reading about the dry dock, and can't find anything that details what they will be doing during the dry dock. Anyone have any info on that?

thanks!

Thanks for the kind words. It is a bit strange that we were all bumped without any prior contact. I will be eager to talk to the special team tomorrow.

As I understand from reading prior posts about dry docks, all ships go through an extensive one every five years. I think it's required, actually. So on this dry dock they're doing lots of mechanical maintenance, plus they're installing the all-new entertainment lineup. New show in Epic Theater, so all new sets, etc. Plus Fat Cats is being converted into the Cavern Club. They likely determined (too late for my taste) that the dry dock was going to take longer than they had originally scheduled. Everything should be well resolved by the time of your cruise, I think.

Southampton VTS shows Epic in Southampton now on the 18th Oct.

NORWEGIAN EPIC 18-Oct-15 TBA 18-Oct-15 TBA 106 DENHOLM WILHELMSEN LTD

Pack your fancy duds, you need at least even a jacket in the evenings to eat in the buffet.... :D

I've got a suit! I'm really going to have to investigate the cheapest option for modifying my flight. Norwegian has an 11-night Western Med cruise tour out of Rome that would be a desirable alternative. I really had my heart set on the Southampton sailing, as this was a substitute for my 12-night British Isles sailing that my travel buddy decided to cancel. Someone doesn't want this particular Anglophile to visit the UK! :rolleyes:

Southampton VTS shows Epic in Southampton now on the 18th Oct.

 

NORWEGIAN EPIC 18-Oct-15 TBA 18-Oct-15 TBA 106 DENHOLM WILHELMSEN LTD

Thanks for digging up that bit of information! It makes me a bit more optimistic. Cheers.

Officially, you're on your own. However, I've read accounts on here that people who have asked nicely and been lucky have had OBC added to their accounts.

 

Did you get trip insurance? Or pay by CC? You may be covered for the change fee depending on your benefits.....

Unfortunately for you, that is what insurances are for, if you don't have insured other portitions of your trip, then you're out of luck. :(

 

And if there is an alternative (assuming same length) cruise offered, that complicates things even further as the cruise line doesn't guarantee you any specific ports during the cruise according to the contract so technically and legally they are still fulfilling their part of the deal.

Miraculously, I did "choose to protect my investment." :D I bought insurance for this flight! I never do this. The same force that apparently doesn't want me to visit the British Isles must have foreseen the cancellation. What a relief, I think. So long as the insurance actually applies. :confused:

Hopefully Norwegian will post the correct itinerary tomorrow so we all know where we're going! :p

Miraculously, I did "choose to protect my investment." :D I bought insurance for this flight! I never do this. The same force that apparently doesn't want me to visit the British Isles must have foreseen the cancellation. What a relief, I think. So long as the insurance actually applies. :confused:

 

Hopefully Norwegian will post the correct itinerary tomorrow so we all know where we're going! :p

What is that Matt Damon movie with the "Adjustment Bureau"?

They are the ones that see that everything goes according to "schedule", and if someone is supposed to be place A at time B, to make sure "it happens"?

;)

GeezerCouple

Apparently Epic's September dry dock is being extended from 2 weeks to 3 weeks. Lots of us who were booked on the October 11 Iberian Peninsula sailing have woken up to find our itineraries changed automatically to some other itinerary. In my case, I have been moved to an October 18 Western Mediterranean that I will not sail. (I just did a Grand Mediterranean in September 2012, so every port would be a repeat.)

 

By big question for anyone who has been through an outright itinerary cancellation is this: does Norwegian do anything to cover the cost of modifying airline tickets? The NCL insurance plan specifically indicates there is no coverage of any kind unless NCL books the flight. So, are hundreds or thousands of passengers just going to have to eat the flight modification fees?

 

Thanks for sharing any experiences you have had. Cheers.

Many of them will not be out of luck since they bought separate flight insurance.

I've had two cruises cancelled because of charters and was given $500 OBC for my trouble. Fortunately we were traveling on Amtrak.