NCL Customer Service

[GUEST080219]

Looks like NCL and you have a different definition for emergency.

From what I read, NCL cared for your parents while on board and arranged everything for a land based medical treatment, which was successful. At the end they had a couple on board where one of them was in a medical condition that did not allow him to continue the cruise. But nothing extremely severe and probably something that happens quite often that they have standard procedures for it.

 

I am not sure if not contacting you is really NCLs fault. It will sound cruel, but your mom did contact you after some days, so would it be so wrong for the NCL staff on board to assume your mom would do it instantly when arriving at the hospital?

 

And I am sure they are be able to arrange a voice contact to every ship in fleet for an emergency but they just did not file it as urgent and used the standard email communication.

[NMLady]

he purchased NCL’s trip insurance so he would be evacuated to the U.S. should he become ill. quote]

 

I've read the entire thread so I know your Dad is now okay and on the way home. I'm glad of that.

What I wanted to speak to here is your idea that trip insurance evacuates to the US. NOT necessarily, especially while the person is still ill and unable to travel. Evacuation is to the nearest hospital, regardless of the country. Only after the person is stabilized is the person able to be evacuated to the US. That could be just a few days, or it could be weeks, depending on the illness.

 

Also, it is up to the patient or the emergency contact to notify the insurance company. It is not the cruise line's place to do so. And, as someone else mentioned in the thread, it is possible that your father listed your mother for emergency contact, in which case you would not have been contacted, especially for privacy reasons.

 

But in any case I'm glad it finally is ending well for you and your parents.

[sparks1093]

I can now see how a communications break down would occur in this situation and it does look like NCL dropped the ball somewhere along the line (probably from the staff assuming that OP's mother would be able to take care of what needed to be taken care of and we all know what it means to assume).

 

What this incident emphasizes is that all travelers need to be aware of who is responsible for what in an emergency and to be proactive in these situations, don't rely on someone else to do something or if you have to rely on them then verify that they did it. While saying that the OP's mother should have asked the crew "will you call my son and the insurance company?" doesn't help them it does help the rest of us to know that we have to ask those questions if we find ourselves in that situation. It seems to me that if those two questions had been asked then it would have gone a long way to preventing all of the not knowing (and yes, I know that OP's mother may have asked those questions and may have relied on the info she was given which would of course make the communications breakdown even worse).

 

Also, the ship's phone number is printed on the cabin key so it's prudent to pass that info on to loved one's ashore.

[Agent999]

Thank you for these further details. I have read elsewhere from people who are on this sailing that the ship has gone to Code Red from the "virus." It can be very troublesome for those who have other health issues. We had a similar but not as bad situation during a cruise last year when DH got sick.

 

I hope your father will have a complete recovery.

 

Thank you for sharing this information.

 

Would you mind also sharing a link to the information that you read elsewhere about this sailing? I would appreicate the opportunity to see the other reports for myself.

[ohioNCLcruiser]

Also, the ship's phone number is printed on the cabin key so it's prudent to pass that info on to loved one's ashore.

 

Just a little FYI, when giving out that phone number make sure you tell them a credit card is required to call it. This goes to the passenger also if trying to call the ship that they are running late, injured etc.

[sparks1093]

Just a little FYI, when giving out that phone number make sure you tell them a credit card is required to call it. This goes to the passenger also if trying to call the ship that they are running late, injured etc.

 

Thanks James, that is excellent info!

[icecreammama]

Thank God your father is ok. I feel NCL should have, at the bare minimum, contacted the emergency contact. Why do they ask you for all your info if they are just going to dump you off and forget about it? In times of stress, especially for older people, they can get caught up in the moment and very frightened. I know because my parents are in their seventies and many times they need my help when just regular everyday stuff is overwhelming. Can you imagine these two people, in their 80's, in a strange country, and one of them very ill? To me, it's just not right. What if it was a life or death situation? Someone from the ship should definitely called so the son could have a chance, if he wanted to, to get on a plane and go to the hospital.

[orangeh3]

Thank you for sharing this information.

 

Would you mind also sharing a link to the information that you read elsewhere about this sailing? I would appreicate the opportunity to see the other reports for myself.

 

I don't believe CC allows sharing other cruise message boards.:)

[Cubechick]

Thank you for sharing this information.

 

Would you mind also sharing a link to the information that you read elsewhere about this sailing? I would appreicate the opportunity to see the other reports for myself.

 

I'm just off the Star and can confirm the Norovirus did come aboard at Costa Rica (before that the Captain had proudly stated that we had Zero cases). As of Friday night the ship was in full "code red". They did everything they could to prevent further spread of the virus.

[jackinthebox422]

Curious - post 3 of 3 on the boards? If this was me, last place I would be in the middle of this was on a CC board that I have never been to before. If it is true NCL has some explaining to do, but I wonder

[NoahtheRed]

Thank you for sharing this information.

 

Would you mind also sharing a link to the information that you read elsewhere about this sailing? I would appreicate the opportunity to see the other reports for myself.

 

 

Yes, this seems quite relevant. If it's a virus, this could become quite serious :(

[spirit rev]

Thank you for sharing this information. Would you mind also sharing a link to the information that you read elsewhere about this sailing? I would appreicate the opportunity to see the other reports for myself.

Unfortunately, giving the link would be a violation of the terms of use for CC. It was on another cruise talk board.

 

Posted before I read the rest of the thread. I see info has been posted by someone who was on this sailing.

[youngestof9]

regardless of all of the details I truly hope your dad gets well really fast. I'm so sorry you (and they!) had to experience this.

[mpk218]

I too believe the OP and I am not pleased if in fact it was handled this way by NCL ( my preferred line ) .

 

NCL , lets hear from you .

[DAGVBSB]

Curious - post 3 of 3 on the boards? If this was me, last place I would be in the middle of this was on a CC board that I have never been to before. If it is true NCL has some explaining to do, but I wonder

 

The story is becoming more and more confirmed as we go along.

 

James, an NCL crew member believes the OP and so that would indicate that NCL may have done this before.

 

The virus aboard the Star has been confirmed by a passenger and the virus was picked up before the ship reached Colombia.

 

It all is just fitting together.

 

I'm sorry....I don't know how anyone can defend NCL's action in this case. At very least, they should have either called the Emergency contact, the US Consulate or the Trip insurance company. It may not be legally what they had to do... but it was the moral thing to do.

 

I still have a real problem with the fact the NCL was supposedly "out of contact" with the Star for 2-3 days. This just seem fishy to me in this day and age. Either NCL needs to upgrade their equipment OR someone LIED to the OP. (I am guessing the later.)

[AddictedtoFL]

I assume that your dad is home now and being taken care off.

We just got off the Norwegian Sun yesterday and it's our first time cruising with NCL. We usually do at least 2 cruises with a specific cruise line before judging the company, but i don't know if i can subject my family to another NCL cruise.

[Sauer-kraut]

I assume that your dad is home now and being taken care off.

We just got off the Norwegian Sun yesterday and it's our first time cruising with NCL. We usually do at least 2 cruises with a specific cruise line before judging the company, but i don't know if i can subject my family to another NCL cruise.

 

What didn't you like about the SUN cruise? Can you be more specific?

[fshagan]

I'm sorry....I don't know how anyone can defend NCL's action in this case. At very least, they should have either called the Emergency contact, the US Consulate or the Trip insurance company. It may not be legally what they had to do... but it was the moral thing to do.

 

I still have a real problem with the fact the NCL was supposedly "out of contact" with the Star for 2-3 days. This just seem fishy to me in this day and age. Either NCL needs to upgrade their equipment OR someone LIED to the OP. (I am guessing the later.)

 

Not defending NCL, but usually there are reasons things happen, and understanding the reasons is important to improving the process. I fully understand the OPs distress, and his frustration. But the rest of us can learn from his experiences only if we know the full story.

 

I suspect the emergency contact for his father was his mother. NCL would not call a second emergency contact down the list once things were being handled by the first emergency contact. Just speculation on my part, but that is the most logical explanation I can think of; I certainly wouldn't want NCL calling my parents if my wife knew I was sick. Why put them through the worry when they are miles away and can't do anything about it? My wife knows, and she is with me, and if we need more help its no one else's damn business.

 

I still don't know why the son was calling NCL to see if his parents were still on the ship. Either he knew they weren't because his mother called him finally, or they had failed to make contact via email or text or something. Perhaps he can chime in again. I can certainly see a missed contact leading to concern.

 

Like you, I think they blew it by saying they could only contact the ship by email. That sounds like a "customer service excuse" rather than a real reason. The real reason might be that they won't release information regarding passengers to third parties. 80 year old parents are still independent adults with all the rights and privileges of any other adult, until they are found incompetent and put under a conservatorship.

 

This might be an indication that they should stop traveling alone, although convincing them of that is tough to do.

[leekel619]

Another possibility is that maybe OP's parents have age related confusion. They may very well have forgotten the informational assistance given to them by NCL (or anyone else for that matter) during the disembarkation procedures.

 

Add the stress of illness and the confusion worsens. I agree that maybe they shouldn't travel alone anymore?

Because face it, whether we agree or not, NCL or any cruise line or vacation for that matter, is not responsible for the personal care of anyone. Unless its a trip specifically designed for physical, emotional, developmentally challenged people and then there would be personal care attendants and advocates along with them....for a fee.

 

This is an unfortunate event for the parents and they must be so happy to be home now. And it sounds like more than one person was sick.

[Krazy Kat]

Leeke - why blame the victims? Come on... your agism is showing. You probably believe that anyone over 70 belongs in a nursing home, right??? Walk in someone else's shoes before suggesting they are not "privleged enough" to cruise with only capable people like you! Regardless of whether NCL followed their legal obligation or not, they did not do what was right, moral or humane. They ran as fast as they could to escape the norovirus which has now become public.

[rvsullivan]

Leeke - why blame the victims? Come on... your agism is showing. You probably believe that anyone over 70 belongs in a nursing home, right??? Walk in someone else's shoes before suggesting they are not "privleged enough" to cruise with only capable people like you! Regardless of whether NCL followed their legal obligation or not, they did not do what was right, moral or humane. They ran as fast as they could to escape the norovirus which has now become public.

 

How in the world do you make a leap like that? Who ran as fast as they could, they treated this family for a day or two and when the illness was to much, they turned them over to medical care/ambulance ashore.

I also saw no age related bashing, mostly speculation about what COULD happen with aging folks. None of us know all the facts. Sounds to me like NCL did pretty much what they do with most medical emergencies? Turned them over to appropriate medical care. We don't know what the privacy issues may or may not be regarding contact with other parties and who they may release info to.

This whole series of posts is a lot of one sided information and speculation.

[Urban trekker]

There was an outbreak of the noro virus on this cruise as I just got off the ship this morning which started appearing after we left Puerto Quetzal or Puntarenas - thanks for coming back and giving us details of there leaving the ship.

 

That was only one of at least four other evacuations on this cruise - the one at Manzanillo - by boat - there was one at Huatulco - a gentlemen who had a stroke went off in Panama which was why we were a long time clearing the first lock - there was an ambulance at Key West to take another person off.

 

In additional several people fell on a wet pool deck and receive injuries.

 

As for the person who wants a link to the noro - I talked to a least two people who were stricken with it and also have cruised enough - 17 and counting - to know that when you can't serve yourself even a glass of water they have implemented the CDC protocol for handling the outbreak.

 

Dennis

[cruisemuse13]

Curious - post 3 of 3 on the boards? If this was me, last place I would be in the middle of this was on a CC board that I have never been to before. If it is true NCL has some explaining to do, but I wonder

I think there are alot of lurkers out there, who have been visiting CC for a long time, but have never felt the need to join. Often someone will join CC when they have a specific question that they do not see answered in the current posts. Or, sometimes because they are angry and need to vent.

 

I do not know if the OP was a lurker or not. Just saying that you can not assume that someone is totally new to CC based on the date of their first post.

[halos]

Leeke - why blame the victims? Come on... your agism is showing. .

There was NO blame there.....

I think you are over reacting.

 

I'm sure there are some 80+ year old folks out there that have the minds of a 50 year old, but let's be realistic here....that most likely doesn't happen that often.

Age aside, just fear for her husband's health on top of being removed from a ship to a foreign country would be enough to make even a person half that age confused.

 

If what happened is exactly as the OP posted, then NCL dropped the ball here...big time.

[Buford T Justiice]

Glad your dad is feeling better and will be home soon.

 

I wonder if ships crew even know if customers book Berkley insurance through ncl? Usually co's keep this stuff Commission Sales Income separate... and have a bermuda / Grand Cayman insurance affiliate.

 

Customer service should never divulge the passenger manifest to callers to the 1 800 number.

 

I think this unfortunately boils down to customer privacy and confidentiality