Gem delayed, itinerary change??

[Laszlo]

Bermuda shouldn't be too bad this time of year, low-mid 70's not beach weather but not cold either

[Lou33]

Careful buddy. This is what I've been trying to say and instead have people jumping down my throat. Seems like you can't post anything negative about Norwegian on here. Kind of takes the "critic" out of cruise critic.

 

This was obviously a major catastophe for NYC, and NCL is lucky that they didn't have a ship damaged, or passengers injured or killed. Yes, they will be losing revenue for your cruise, but I see them as nickel and diming, trying to recover every penny that they can, even if they make their passengers unhappy in the process. This is not a minor itinerary change, this is total disruption.

 

If a passenger is coming in from the west coast, can they get a flight? Do they need to be there on Thursday or Friday? When will the ship sail? Will it even sail at all once I get there? On the other hand, the local passengers from NYC and New Jersey may be thinking "Well my basement is flooded, and a tree just smashed my car, but I'm scheduled for this Bermuda cruise, so guess I just need to go on the cruise and roll with the changes." NOT. I don't think travel insurance would help much in these situations.

[RYMOMA]

So what's to do in Bermuda?? I hope everyone is quick to give me suggestions as they are to whine/bash on each other here! I'm interested to hear the replies.

 

rum swizzles....

rum cake.....

crystal caves...

buses that scare the poop out of you

[RYMOMA]

This was obviously a major catastophe for NYC, and NCL is lucky that they didn't have a ship damaged, or passengers injured or killed. Yes, they will be losing revenue for your cruise, but I see them as nickel and diming, trying to recover every penny that they can, even if they make their passengers unhappy in the process. This is not a minor itinerary change, this is total disruption.

 

If a passenger is coming in from the west coast, can they get a flight? Do they need to be there on Thursday or Friday? When will the ship sail? Will it even sail at all once I get there? On the other hand, the local passengers from NYC and New Jersey may be thinking "Well my basement is flooded, and a tree just smashed my car, but I'm scheduled for this Bermuda cruise, so guess I just need to go on the cruise and roll with the changes." NOT. I don't think travel insurance would help much in these situations.

 

my insurance lady said that if a tree fell on my house i could cancel cause of it and be completely covered

but i cannot cancel just because of weather

[yoyocruiser]

If you have to go somewhere then Bermuda would be one of my top picks. I have gone at the end of October and the weather was beautiful. But it is all the roll of the dice--whcih obivously hasn't been great so far.

But it is beautiful there. And the ships use to go through the end of October--so yes this is the end of the season but is not way off.

 

It is hard to figure how the people are going to fly in for this cruise or even get to the port--but NCL is operating with more information than me obviously.

 

Weather report for Bermuda this week-end is low 70"s and sunny--prior to the week-end it is showers. It would be great if folks could get a few days to enjoy out of this. It is a truly beautiful island.

[Lou33]

my insurance lady said that if a tree fell on my house i could cancel cause of it and be completely covered

but i cannot cancel just because of weather

 

Yes, I'm sure that if a tree smashed your house, you would be covered. But many local people are dealing with minor damage or who knows what. They are trying to get their life back in order after this huge storm. It's not the best time to hop on a cruise to Bermunda. And again, there is likely to be disruption with transportation and at the port. NCL doesn't even know when the ship will sail.

[Don Haynes]

November is generally not the preferred time to go to Bermuda. It's cooler than the Caribbean. When I did a search, I couldn't find any other cruiseline sailing there this November, so there is probably a reason for that. So if they did offer a cruise, it should be at a reduced rate.

 

Bottom line, if NCL had told me that my 9 day Caribbean cruise was now a 5 (or 6) day Bermuda cruise, take it or lose it, I would be P****D.

 

I understand that weather happens, and passengers need to roll with the changes, but there comes a point where if the cruise is shortened and changed so much, then they should give passengers a choice by offering future credit if they don't want to take this Bermuda cruise. And in my opinion, they have reached that point. This is only one step away from changing it to a 4 day cruise to Baltimore.

 

And when the passengers from the west coast change their flights, and fly in Friday or whenever, if they can even find a flight, they are likely to still find disruption at the port, subways closed, etc. And then NCL might say, thanks for flying all the way here, but we decided to just cancel the cruise after all.

 

If passengers were flying in with a Norwegian organized flight, they are already in New York City by now waiting for the ship. They won't be flying in at a later date. Most likely if they flew in without a Norwegian organized flight, they are also waiting for the ship at a hotel they booked themselves. So your argument makes no sense whatsoever.

 

Who knows, the cruise may end up being an overnight to nowhere. It is not up to NCL or you to decide to open the port of New York. Period. And if NCL does end up canceling the cruise, they will probably refund your money they organized and maybe some future credit. But NCL won't owe you anything for your expenses you booked yourself. If I were you I would be enjoying my stay in New York City and see a Broadway show. That is make lemonade out of the lemons of your present vacation.

[jingle5616]

November is generally not the preferred time to go to Bermuda. It's cooler than the Caribbean. When I did a search, I couldn't find any other cruiseline sailing there this November, so there is probably a reason for that. So if they did offer a cruise, it should be at a reduced rate.

 

Bottom line, if NCL had told me that my 9 day Caribbean cruise was now a 5 (or 6) day Bermuda cruise, take it or lose it, I would be P****D.

 

I understand that weather happens, and passengers need to roll with the changes, but there comes a point where if the cruise is shortened and changed so much, then they should give passengers a choice by offering future credit if they don't want to take this Bermuda cruise. And in my opinion, they have reached that point. This is only one step away from changing it to a 4 day cruise to Baltimore.

 

And when the passengers from the west coast change their flights, and fly in Friday or whenever, if they can even find a flight, they are likely to still find disruption at the port, subways closed, etc. And then NCL might say, thanks for flying all the way here, but we decided to just cancel the cruise after all.

 

I agree. At some point the entire trip becomes untenable for a host of reasons. If NCL forced this upon me I wouldn't cruise with them again. I've got 30 some cruises with them. There are a lot of vacation providers out there and the best ones are the ones who understand the biggest rule in hospitality. Don't screw with someones vacation, be it your fault or not. JMO, YMMV.

 

Jingle

[MKsol]

I would agree as well, and its entirely possible that might still be the case, after all information is changing hourly, and daily. I am certain NCL is assessing this on a regular basis and might at some point draw that same conclusion, but once cannot say that they have handled this badly as they are at much at the mercy of the conditions as those booked on the cruise schedule to have departed on the 29th.

[Mr Owl]

my insurance lady said that if a tree fell on my house i could cancel cause of it and be completely covered

but i cannot cancel just because of weather

 

May I ask what kind of insurance you have? If I am reading it correctly, NCL's insurance is "cancel for any reason" and you get 75 % in a credit. It goes to 90% if you upgrade to platinum.

 

Did you buy some other insurance?

[che5904]

Ok just talk to my TA

ship will leave on Friday either you make the ship or you are FU**ED

you will be in default and lose all your money.

will not transferred it to another cruise or will give you future cruise credit.

 

They will pro rate days missed as OBC will not tell you how much they are money they are giving back. and that will be refundable at the end of the cruise.

 

.

 

I'd be careful about taking too much stock in what this TA has told you. As far as I can tell NY port have not stated it would re-open on "Friday". So unless this TA is psychic that is still unknown information.

[RYMOMA]

May I ask what kind of insurance you have? If I am reading it correctly, NCL's insurance is "cancel for any reason" and you get 75 % in a credit. It goes to 90% if you upgrade to platinum.

 

Did you buy some other insurance?

i didn't book through NCL

so it is insurance that my TA uses..

[RYMOMA]

Yes, I'm sure that if a tree smashed your house, you would be covered. But many local people are dealing with minor damage or who knows what. They are trying to get their life back in order after this huge storm. It's not the best time to hop on a cruise to Bermunda. And again, there is likely to be disruption with transportation and at the port. NCL doesn't even know when the ship will sail.

 

my wish is that they would just scrap the cruise all together

but if i can cruise even for 5 or 6 days to bermuda, which i have cruised to before, i will take it

it all depends on when the port opens and that is it

 

nothing more or less

[Lou33]

If passengers were flying in with a Norwegian organized flight, they are already in New York City by now waiting for the ship. They won't be flying in at a later date. Most likely if they flew in without a Norwegian organized flight, they are also waiting for the ship at a hotel they booked themselves. So your argument makes no sense whatsoever.

 

Who knows, the cruise may end up being an overnight to nowhere. It is not up to NCL or you to decide to open the port of New York. Period. And if NCL does end up canceling the cruise, they will probably refund your money they organized and maybe some future credit. But NCL won't owe you anything for your expenses you booked yourself. If I were you I would be enjoying my stay in New York City and see a Broadway show. That is make lemonade out of the lemons of your present vacation.

 

You don't know that all passengers who fly through NCL are in NYC at this point. I would think that NCL would not fly them in until tonight at the earliest, since the ship leave tomorrow at the earliest. Two of the airports just opened, and they are probably jammed with all kinds of people trying to get back not NYC, it probably isn't easy to get a flight. I would think most people who book air on their own still have not flown, since they have been left in limbo.

 

So if they are going to cancel a cruise (and they might have to) or offer future credit, they should do so now, before people start flying in, only to find a disaster zone and total disruption.

 

So your arguement makes no sense at all. I'm not on this cruise, I'm not in NYC. I don't think Broadway shows are open at this point. But from what I have seen on TV, NYC is a mess, and the subways are totally flooded, the Hollend tunnel is flooded. I would not want to go there now just to visit a Lemonade stand.

[Mr Owl]

i didn't book through NCL

so it is insurance that my TA uses..

 

well that stinks. What good is insurance then?

 

I hope you get to Bermuda.

[zqvol]

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..

 

 

Not sure which pier they used but this doesn't look good.

 

http://www.nycruise.com/brooklyn-cruise-terminal-parking-lot-vehicles-need-to-be-towed/#.UJGGXIbzPbg

[EaglesWin]

Unfortunately they are going to have real problems.

 

http://www.nycruise.com/brooklyn-cruise-terminal-parking-lot-vehicles-need-to-be-towed/#.UJGGXIbzPbg

 

Cars are in Manhattan not Brooklyn.

[Caligirl33]

Just posted on Facebook

 

Norwegian Cruise Line

 

Hurricane Sandy Update

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 at 4 pm ET

 

At Norwegian Cruise Line, the safety and security of our guests and crew is of the utmost importance. Hurricane Sandy has had an unprecedented impact on New York City. At this time, the Port of New York remains closed, however officials are anticipating that it could re-open on Friday, November 2.

 

In anticipation of the Port opening on Friday, Norwegian Gem will depart Boston after midnight tonight, sail toward New York and plan to arrive in New York on Friday morning.

 

For guests who were scheduled to sail on Norwegian Gem’s October 29 cruise, we apologize for the uncertainty and inconvenience this extreme weather-related situation has caused. Norwegian Gem is expected to depart on Friday afternoon on a five-day cruise and spend two days in Bermuda, returning on Wednesday, November 7. As a result of the shortened itinerary, guests will receive a pro-rated refund in the form of an on-board credit for the missed days based on cruise fare paid.

 

 

[MKsol]

The NY port is Midtown, most of the worst damage and flooding occurred in Lower Manhattan so a car parked on the top level of a parking garage should be okay from flooding - wind and flying projectiles would be the area of concern but I think the the changes are pretty good the car will be intact and good shape.

[emcelh]

Cars are in Manhattan not Brooklyn.

 

The Caribbean Princess was supposed to dock in Brooklyn today then leave on a repositioning cruise to Ft. Lauderdale. I think they went to Boston too, waiting to see when they can go back to NY. Those passengers will have to have to deal with their cars on top of everything else.

 

BTW, according to what I've been reading on the Princess boards, they haven't been any more generous in compensation than NCL at this point. Maybe its time to stop the speculation on these threads and wait until it's all sorted out. No one knows for certain that the ship will even be able to dock in the next couple of days. Nasty remarks directed at one another because of differing opinions isn't accomplishing anything

[April7901]

And a comment on that Facebook posting, from above:

 

Hello Everyone - The on board credit amount is a pro-rated credit for each missed day, based on cruise fare paid. If the amount credited is not used on board, the remaining portion will automatically be refunded back to you at the end of the cruise. Again we apologize for the inconvenience caused by this natural disaster and appreciate everyone's understanding and patience as we all work through this unfortunate situation.

[Medtech2]

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...

Well, it was how you stated your position. And all people have been trying to do was put things in perspective.

 

Our home was hit with Hurricane Hugo while on an anniversary trip with our baby. We were not allowed down I-26 for 3 days. We had no cell phones. The last we heard from my parents was that they were in their attic, and the roof was tearing off....then the line went dead...

 

Trust me when I say that not knowing the fate of your home and loved ones is worse than not knowing the fate of a cruise embarkation. We arrived home to half our roof missing and our dogs gone. Found the dogs, fixed the roof. Parents okay. What was weird was one block over they had no damage and one block the other way they were flooded out.

 

A friend of mine recovering from cancer is stuck in Rome until Staturday at the earliest because of the NE airport delays from Sandy. They were supposed to come back this past Saturday and she is exhausted. But she is happy to be alive and coping well. Her attitude is an inspiration to us all!

 

Just repeat this mantra-- it's all good...

[Mereswan]

Well, let me see, DH and I flew into NYC from the midwest on Saturday, 10/27 for the sailing on Monday, 10/29. We have been in the overpriced NYC hotel since then. We survived the hurricane without loosing power. We have walked the city streets until we almost know where we are going now.

 

Disappointed, yes we are, our 9 day cruise to four warm weather ports, two of which we have never been to and the other two are our favorites is now, maybe, going to be a 5 day to a mild (I hope) weather port that was never on my bucket list.

 

ON the other hand, I still have my DH, children and grandchildren and we are all healthy. My home and business are still in one piece and it looks like NCL is going to do their best to help us salvage what we can of our vacation. They really don't have to do anything, if you read the fine print.

 

Having been on many cruises and three other cruise lines in addition to NCL and hearing the horror stories of other bad situations on other lines, I am feeling pretty good about what they are offering.

[Laszlo]

Well, let me see, DH and I flew into NYC from the midwest on Saturday, 10/27 for the sailing on Monday, 10/29. We have been in the overpriced NYC hotel since then. We survived the hurricane without loosing power. We have walked the city streets until we almost know where we are going now.

 

Disappointed, yes we are, our 9 day cruise to four warm weather ports, two of which we have never been to and the other two are our favorites is now, maybe, going to be a 5 day to a mild (I hope) weather port that was never on my bucket list.

 

ON the other hand, I still have my DH, children and grandchildren and we are all healthy. My home and business are still in one piece and it looks like NCL is going to do their best to help us salvage what we can of our vacation. They really don't have to do anything, if you read the fine print.

 

Having been on many cruises and three other cruise lines in addition to NCL and hearing the horror stories of other bad situations on other lines, I am feeling pretty good about what they are offering.

 

We need a like button:)

[RYMOMA]

Well, let me see, DH and I flew into NYC from the midwest on Saturday, 10/27 for the sailing on Monday, 10/29. We have been in the overpriced NYC hotel since then. We survived the hurricane without loosing power. We have walked the city streets until we almost know where we are going now.

 

Disappointed, yes we are, our 9 day cruise to four warm weather ports, two of which we have never been to and the other two are our favorites is now, maybe, going to be a 5 day to a mild (I hope) weather port that was never on my bucket list.

 

ON the other hand, I still have my DH, children and grandchildren and we are all healthy. My home and business are still in one piece and it looks like NCL is going to do their best to help us salvage what we can of our vacation. They really don't have to do anything, if you read the fine print.

 

Having been on many cruises and three other cruise lines in addition to NCL and hearing the horror stories of other bad situations on other lines, I am feeling pretty good about what they are offering.

 

very well put

see you in a few days :)