Gem delayed, itinerary change??

[Laszlo]

First it was Tuesday, then Wednesday, now Thursday or Friday. Next it'll be check back on NCL.com Monday night for a possible Tuesday sailing.

 

Stuff happens, you have to learn to roll with it.;)

[Cruisin1111]

Yes, it could happen. NCL has no control over when the port re-opens.

 

Well it's funny they're supposedly telling Gem's current passengers that it might be days until they're back in NY, but they're refusing to admit this to Gem's future passengers. They're trying to string us along and it's not right.

[EaglesWin]

Oops, I fed the troll. Bad me.

[che5904]

Agreed.

 

 

Stephen, aren't you just the bearer of good news ;). Actually I don't see anything major on any of my weather sites for us here. I'm thinking the worst is over for us except a lot of crappy rain. Which in my opinion is much better than that white stuff they keep giving us this time of year :p

[MKsol]

I can completely understand the frustration and disappointment one must feel when a vacation that was planned, and drew near is completely thrown into disarray by and act of god and a storm like never seen before.

 

People in the NYC area are suffering with loss of homes, power. The city is crippled with lack of its most important transit system with workers unable to get to work (including ports and airports). Streets are clogged with cars, building parts and other obstructions. Airlines have equipment completely out of place to resume normal schedules and the airports are still cleaning up to restore safe airline operations.

 

I cannot understand blaming a cruise line for being a the mercy of that storm - dealing with passengers currently stranded at sea, and port operations they have no control over.

 

Raging on a message forum about a ruined vacation because of weather circumstances and human suffering seems very small minded and selfish - but that's just my humble opinion.

 

P.S. their facebook update from 10 am this morning sounds like they are actively considering all available options:

 

At this time, we anticipate that the Port will re-open on Thursday or Friday. For guests who were scheduled to sail on Norwegian Gem’s October 29 cruise, we are preparing an alternate itinerary for a five or six-day Bermuda cruise, departing on Thursday or Friday, subject to the reopening of the Port of New York. As a result of the shortened itinerary, guests will receive a pro-rated credit for the missed days based on cruise fare paid.

[Cruisin1111]

Oops, I fed the troll. Bad me.

 

Oh I'm sorry. I'm not happy with your precious Norwegian, so I must be a troll...

[Laszlo]

I can completely understand the frustration and disappointment one must feel when a vacation that was planned, and drew near is completely thrown into disarray by and act of god and a storm like never seen before.

 

People in the NYC area are suffering with loss of homes, power. The city is crippled with lack of its most important transit system with workers unable to get to work (including ports and airports). Streets are clogged with cars, building parts and other obstructions. Airlines have equipment completely out of place to resume normal schedules and the airports are still cleaning up to restore safe airline operations.

 

I cannot understand blaming a cruise line for being a the mercy of that storm - dealing with passengers currently stranded at sea, and port operations they have no control over.

 

Raging on a message forum about a ruined vacation because of weather circumstances and human suffering seems very small minded and selfish - but that's just my humble opinion.

 

The problem is Cruisin1111 could care less about others

[Cruisin1111]

The problem is Cruisin1111 could care less about others

 

What's this supposed to mean? Is NCL out there with tow trucks moving cars and obstructions? Are they restoring power and rebuilding houses? No. They're in the cruise business. Take care of your cruise customers and they will take care of the company.

[GORDONCHICK]

Oh I'm sorry. I'm not happy with your precious Norwegian, so I must be a troll...

 

Troll or not (your decision really), ALL of your posts are morosely negative and you came here with the sole purpose of complaining. Not ever conceding that people who have tried to help and shed light on your situation may actually have a point - or even (gasp) be right.

[primetime39]

NCL said on their facebook page that this cruise will be a 5 or 6 night Bermuda. Its official

[Kosi]

Oh I'm sorry. I'm not happy with your precious Norwegian, so I must be a troll...

 

I agree with you.. why does this make them out to be a troll??? I believe what I am reading here, and on the roll call for 10/29 is that they are MAD for the lack of communication from NCL..

 

If our electric company can mass call all their customers with a message nt of storm, for sure NCL can call/email the customers waiting to get on the ship.

 

I have a friend on the Gem now, and I can tell you her side of the story.. her and her husband don't have alot of money..and are frantic in how much time from work they will lose. They could never afford to fly from Boston to PA, and their car is at the port.. and they NEED their car.

 

This isn't ideal for anyone.. but have a bit of compassion for the people that have saved up, and taken the time off work for this cruise, to sit and wait for word from NCL, when there is NONE.. They have to search for their answers.. just isn't right..

[ColinIllinois]

The problem is Cruisin1111 could care less about others

 

Actually, he "couldn't" care less.

[CopaDave]

First it was Tuesday, then Wednesday, now Thursday or Friday. Next it'll be check back on NCL.com Monday night for a possible Tuesday sailing.

 

Yep. Sucks being at the mercy of a Government agency, doesn't it?

 

Get it through your fat head...nobody, and nothing, is going into the Port of New York until the Port Authority says so.

 

So, that means that everybody is at the mercy of a government official. Suck it up and quit whining.

 

Based on your self-centered blathering, you have been whining and pitching a fit since the damn storm made landfall. The wind probably hadn't even dropped below TS strength and you were already on the phone to NCL, demanding they give you a full refund, comp your next three cruises and shoot the captain.

 

Every affected cruise line will tell you the same information...which is, nobody knows what in the hell is going to happen until everything is checked out.

 

• Can the ship clear the bridge?
  
• Are there new, uncharted sandbars in the way?
  
• Is the dock safe?
  
• Is the debris in the water going to damage a ship?
  
• If they open the port, can the pax get off the ship and out of the area safely?
  

 

These are just some of the things that NY is dealing with...and I'm pretty sure that whiny passengers who are "put upon" are pretty low on their priority list right now.

[primetime39]

It's official NCL is doing a 5 or 6 night Bermuda cruise

[MKsol]

What's this supposed to mean? Is NCL out there with tow trucks moving cars and obstructions? Are they restoring power and rebuilding houses? No. They're in the cruise business. Take care of your cruise customers and they will take care of the company.

 

That is correct, and as such they must use ports owned and operated by cities - in your case, a city that has been hit with a crippling storm. The port is closed, and they have no control over when it will open and when there will be employees available to handle disembarkation and boarding of a new new set of passengers.

 

How exactly do you expect them to take care of you (since clearly you is all you are concerned about) in these conditions? They are planning alternate itineraries based on the best available information they have - they are communicating daily with customers, and tending to those currently stranded on board the ship. All consistent with their terms and conditions that you agreed to when you purchased your ticket.

 

Perhaps, just maybe its you who is being somewhat unreasonable and needy? Just here on this board to flame them (thats what a troll is FYI).

[Laszlo]

What's this supposed to mean? Is NCL out there with tow trucks moving cars and obstructions? Are they restoring power and rebuilding houses? No. They're in the cruise business. Take care of your cruise customers and they will take care of the company.

 

You have must have had a nasty childhood because you really sound like one miserable person

[Kosi]

NCL said on their facebook page that this cruise will be a 5 or 6 night Bermuda. Its official

They get compensated for the nts missed.. but do they get compensated for it now being just a Bermuda cruise.. which would be way cheaper than a 5-6 nt Caribbean trip??

[penwah2002]

And.............this is why I choose not to cruise during hurricane season and I always buy trip insurance. Hope everyone's vacations turn out as they hoped but were not guaranteed.

[peg013]

NCL said on their facebook page that this cruise will be a 5 or 6 night Bermuda. Its official

 

I posted NCL's FB quote 20 posts ago but the only part the OP wanted to read was the port opening "Thursday or Friday" to whine that it will probably change. Nothing or no one can make the OP feel any better about his/her decision to book during hurricane season and obviously not bother to even buy insurance. You can't fix SELFISH.:rolleyes:

 

I really feel sorry for their traveling companions since instead of finding something to do while they wait - they are being ignored in favor of whining on a message board.

[GORDONCHICK]

 

I have a friend on the Gem now, and I can tell you her side of the story.. her and her husband don't have alot of money..and are frantic in how much time from work they will lose. They could never afford to fly from Boston to PA, and their car is at the port.. and they NEED their car.

 

 

Just wondering - do they know that their car is still where they left it? If it is and it's driveable, are the streets around it passable and open? The port area is one of the hardest hit.

[KansasCityGuys]

They get compensated for the nts missed.. but do they get compensated for it now being just a Bermuda cruise.. which would be way cheaper than a 5-6 nt Caribbean trip??

 

They would make adjustments to the port fees as well as credits for the missed nights that have been already discussed, but I bet that is all they NCL do.

[peg013]

They get compensated for the nts missed.. but do they get compensated for it now being just a Bermuda cruise.. which would be way cheaper than a 5-6 nt Caribbean trip??

 

Bermuda is not cheaper! Not sure where you got that info. Have you priced any Bermuda cruises out of NYC lately?:confused:

[Cruisin1111]

Wow. A lot of haters here. All I'm asking for is better communication from NCL and a credit towards a future Norwegian cruise. I don't see how this makes me out to be unreasonable...

[Laszlo]

First it was Tuesday, then Wednesday, now Thursday or Friday. Next it'll be check back on NCL.com Monday night for a possible Tuesday sailing.

 

Maybe you should read the following............

 

The Northeast Corridor slowly struggled back to life on Wednesday after the knockout punch from Superstorm Sandy.

Millions in New York City, New Jersey and other cities and towns along America's most populous urban stretch coped with major losses and daily inconveniences.

Commuters, homeowners and businesses struggled with the loss of power, waterlogged or burned homes and the challenge of navigating a crippled infrastructure of damaged roads, bridges and mass transit systems.

"We are in a state of crisis all across this state," Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Cory Booker told CNN on Wednesday. "It's going to be a challenging time."

President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit the battered Jersey Shore on Wednesday and survey the damage, described by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as "unthinkable."

As Sandy sputters away, it leaves behind at least 108 deaths from Haiti to Canada.

The storm killed 67 people in the Caribbean. Then it slammed into the U.S. East Coast, where it left at least 40 dead. And one woman in Canada died after debris from the storm struck her.

 

On Wednesday, the New York Police Department reported a total of 22 deaths in the city from Sandy.

Transportation mess slowly untangles

New York and New Jersey

Some New York City ground transit and airports are coming back to life Wednesday. After days of canceled flights and stranded travelers, two New York-area airports -- John F. Kennedy and Newark Liberty -- were scheduled to reopen Wednesday with limited service.

But New York's LaGuardia Airport was to remain closed Wednesday because of significant damage. The city's massive subway system will stay offline for several more days as workers try to bring the inundated underground network back to life. New York's bus service will resume a nearly full schedule Wednesday, but it probably won't accommodate the 5 million commuters who rely on the subway every day. Police in New York coped with crime. Thirteen people have been arrested there, and most of them were charged with looting Tuesday in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, CNN affiliate WABC reports. Much of the looting took place on Coney Island in Brooklyn.

Is Sandy a taste of things to come?

Booker: 'Difficult days ahead' for N.J. Sandy spawns blizzard in West Virginia Rooftop rescues in Staten Island Blood shortage due to Sandy

Likewise, the transportation headaches are far from over in New Jersey.

The rail operations center of New Jersey Transit was crippled by 8 feet of water, and an emergency generator was submerged, officials said.

Floodwater damaged at least 65 locomotive engines and 257 rail cars. It will be weeks before service resumes on the New Jersey coastline.

"There is major damage on each and every one of New Jersey's rail lines," Christie said. "Large sections of track were washed out."

Authorities reported a fire in Mantoloking, a New Jersey shore town between the Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay.

Effects of the storm, state by state In Philadelphia, commuters were more fortunate. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority said regional rail service will resume Wednesday morning.

States farther west are grappling with Superstorm Sandy's dramatic encore -- a blizzard that dumped 3 feet of snow in West Virginia and left hundreds of thousands in the shivering cold.

Still in the dark

Early Wednesday, at least 6.2 million electric customers across the Eastern United States were still in the dark.

At one point, about 300,000 people in West Virginia were without power. That number dropped to 236,000 Wednesday morning. But residents can't necessarily count on the power staying on long.

As snow continues falling, so do power lines and tree limbs -- meaning residents are still at risk of going cold.

How you can help

New Jersey's stranded rescued Sandy floods NYC, New Jersey subways Broken power, gas lines in Long Branch iReporters share Hurricane Sandy images

"The storm absolutely outpaces anything we have ever seen since moving here," said Allison Vencel of Morgantown, West Virginia.

Vencel's electricity has sputtered out four times. But that's not foremost on her mind. The family is wondering how to drive to her daughter's wedding in Virginia this weekend.

Forecasters predict even more snow for West Virginia on Wednesday, coupled with winds so fierce that the snow will fall sideways.

Sandy's other hazards

Parts of New York City had no running water for a second day, and cities such as New Brunswick, New Jersey, urged residents to boil drinking water.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a task for those recovering from the storm:

"Clean and disinfect everything that got wet," he tweeted. "Mud left from floodwaters can contain sewage and chemicals."

Workers in Howard County, Maryland, scrambled to stop a sewage overflow caused by a power outage.

The raw sewage spilled at a rate of 2 million gallons per hour, county emergency official Karen Spicer said. It was unclear how much sewage had flowed into the Little Patuxent River.

Mounting devastation

In addition to the scores of deaths, the superstorm has also wreaked financial havoc.

The total cost of property damage and lost business is estimated at $10 billion to $20 billion, according to Eqecat, which provides loss estimates to the insurance industry.

Christie said seeing the damage to New Jersey's treasured beaches was "overwhelming," and the Jersey Shore might never return to its original glory.

"We will rebuild it. No question in my mind, we'll rebuild it," he said. "But for those of us who are my age, it won't be the same. It will be different because many of the iconic things that made it what it was are now gone and washed into the ocean."

Even residents accustomed to major storms were struck by Sandy's power.

"You would not believe the amount of ocean water that has pushed through onto the shore, down blocks. It has downed trees, power poles. People are just heartbroken here," said Jon Daniel, who lives two blocks from the ocean in Deal, New Jersey.

"Everything is different now. We doubt anything will ever be the same again here."

[Kosi]

Just wondering - do they know that their car is still where they left it? If it is and t's driveable, are the streets around it passable and open? The port area is one of the hardest hit.

No they don't know anything about their car.. I guess we were all guessing it is fine.. It is on that top level next to pier..