Worst experience of my life!!!!

[janine1030]

I thought Sandy had ruined my year..My house is now gutted and I am displaced..until that is I received a call from NCL. We had planned to get married aboard the Norwegian Gem on June 1st 2013. I had everything printed in boxes labeled wedding. I had invitations, aisle runners, you name it. I even had a beach wish tree. I imprinted Norwegian Gem June 1st Janine and Rob on just about every detail..I NOW HAVE TO BUY ALL NEW STUFF.The first bump in the road came when they switched companies..They switched wedding companies and I was not contacted for months about this. Then On Thanksgiving I received an email stating that they did not want to interrupt my thanksgiving dinner but to call the next day to discuss my wedding plans. I didn't really think twice. I should have...who gets contacted on Thanksgiving. Anyways....I go shopping for black friday and then I give a call back to NCL..... I was planned to have a half hour wedding and have a two hour reception. I had chosen NCL because of the deal, the port it was leaving from, and how nice everyone had been. I then was told that since customs was leaving earlier that I would be able to have a 30 minute reception at most ...and it is possible there would be no reception.... I had 70 non sailing guests coming...30 sailing guess coming, and I was so into the crusie ship wedding and now im embarrised. I had to cancel my wedding. I could not have people come for a half hour....and with a cruiseship wedding myself and my future hubby were getting the best of both worlds. I wanted a destination...he wanted one home. It worked out perfect. I cried and I cried and I cried...until I found a place on Long Island. It is no crusie ship but it will be wonderful for our wedding here. I have yet to receive any timeline on when I will be receiving my money fro the wedding back. I was told they have to talk to the vice president. So not only was I hit by sandy, not only was my wedding canceled, but I also have no idea when I will be receiving the over 2k that I had paid towards my wedding. This is such horrible customer serivce and I feel like I was really taken advantage of. OH YEAH AND I STILL HAVE TO REBUY EVERYTHING I ALREADY PAID FOR BECAUSE THEY DECIDED TO CHANGE THE PORT TIME!!!!!

[Mandy923]

Not really a tradegy. I'd try to not get worked up into a tizzy. Life's to precious and short for that.

[palmyrafan]

I agree with Mandy.

 

DH and I were set to sail on the Panama Canal repo cruise next April. 17 days of just the 2 of us celebrating our 20th anniversary (about a year late).

 

But God stepped in and reminded us that He is in charge and as much as we would have loved to be on the cruise, it just wasn't going to happen. No pleading, no begging, no bargaining. It ain't happening.

 

Hopefully there will be other opportunities. Life is too short and too precious. Learn to pick your battles. In the great scheme of things called life, this isn't one of the ones worth getting into a hissy about.

[weltek]

You must feel terrible. I hear these stories on land weddings, too. I guess it could happen to any of us! It sounds like NCL's hands were tied due to customs requirements. I hope they get your money back to you quickly.

 

I'm a little selfish and would've still had the wedding and short reception, then sent my guests to a lunch somewhere "on us" for the pleasure of their attendance.

 

I hope you have a lovely wedding and get your money back soon (plus a little something for your massive inconvenience).

[JLC@SD]

I can not understand why folks plan a wedding on a cruise ship, especially with non sailing guests at boarding time.

 

There are so many things that can go wrong with the ship ...that can affect and / or spoil the wedding. Ships arrive late, can have problems with weather / customs / mechanics which affects boarding.

 

Imagine 100 guests awaiting a wedding on a ship that never shows or shows hours late due to weather, noro virus or a mechanical problem.

[lostone65]

I honestly feel for the OP. She planned the wedding she dreamed of and expected it to come off as advertised. You can't blame the OP for getting upset. If a cruise line is offering packages like this they need to make people very much aware that things like this can happen. This is not weather related or act of God type of issue, if it was then it is understandable that plans change. Finding fault in the OP for getting upset is crazy. I hope the wedding is beautiful and you enjoy your life together. Life really is too short to stay upset, I hope Norwegian makes good on this soon as the double expense if not something most can afford.

[che5904]

I honestly feel for the OP. She planned the wedding she dreamed of and expected it to come off as advertised. You can't blame the OP for getting upset. If a cruise line is offering packages like this they need to make people very much aware that things like this can happen. This is not weather related or act of God type of issue, if it was then it is understandable that plans change. Finding fault in the OP for getting upset is crazy. I hope the wedding is beautiful and you enjoy your life together. Life really is too short to stay upset, I hope Norwegian makes good on this soon as the double expense if not something most can afford.

 

I don't see where anyone is telling the OP she shouldn't be disappointed. Of course she's disappointed, anyone with a heart would be. But this is not the cruiselines fault, the OP stated " I then was told that since customs was leaving earlier that I would be able to have a 30 minute reception at most" The cruiseline really has no control over that.

 

OP I do understand your complete disappointment and sorry you had to deal with the wrath of Sandy. But unless I'm terribly missing something I really don't see where NCL has done anything wrong or has taken advantage of you or has given you bad customer service. But I do hope you get whatever money you are entitled to back in quick order so you can go forward with your new plans. Good luck and hope you have a beautiful wedding.

[BadKitteh]

As someone who got married less than 2 years ago and nearly didn't get my wedding because of a hurricane that landed only days earlier, I can sympathize with OP.

 

BUT, this isn't the cruiselines fault. CUSTOMS changed their agenda. So because the federal government changed their arrangement, it is somehow the responsibility of the cruiseline. It makes no sense. If it rains does NCL get blamed too?

 

I am sure that in your contract, there was something about "subject to change" listed in there. Also, you were arranging for non-sailing guests to hang around the port for 2 1/2 hours? It would have made more sense to have the ceremony/reception NEAR the port and use the cruise as a honeymoon immediately following the conclusion of the reception. Was the ceremony actually going to be on the ship with non-sailing passengers or was it going to be in the port somewhere?

 

All weddings have a chance to change. All my life I wanted an outdoor wedding and it was threatening rain the whole day before my ceremony. I had a back up plan and everything was fine.

 

Isn't the point of a wedding to celebrate your relationship and not the materialism of the ceremony/reception? It stinks that everything was printed up and now you're stuck there since you were just trying to be prepared well in advance.

 

I will show sympathy in line with your plans getting screwed up, but to say this is worse than Sandy devastating your home is ridiculous. Sandy killed people. Having your wedding in LI won't.

[PCHENG]

I did not get married on a ship, so I do not know all the details or procedures, but the situation doesn't appear hopeless to me.

 

Usually the wedding party gets on board before everybody else. Say you check in early and is the first party onboard at 11 a.m. Unless the custom agents plan to leave at noon, you should have at least a couple hours for ceremony and reception. You said NCL advised you that you only have an hour total for both ceremony and reception. Assuming the custom agents leave right after check in closes at 1 p.m., that must mean your ceremony starts at noon, and your original plan is to have the reception end at 2:30 p.m., 30 minutes before ship sails.

 

In any event, you still have over six months before your wedding, why not ask NCL if you can push up the start time by 1 hour to accommodate the custom agents' schedule? You may have to get on the ship while the crew is still cleaning, and even then you may still get a (slightly) shortened reception, but wouldn't that be preferable to canceling and rebuying everything?

[j_jaye]

I don't see where anyone is telling the OP she shouldn't be disappointed. Of course she's disappointed, anyone with a heart would be. But this is not the cruiselines fault, the OP stated " I then was told that since customs was leaving earlier that I would be able to have a 30 minute reception at most" The cruiseline really has no control over that.

 

OP I do understand your complete disappointment and sorry you had to deal with the wrath of Sandy. But unless I'm terribly missing something I really don't see where NCL has done anything wrong or has taken advantage of you or has given you bad customer service. But I do hope you get whatever money you are entitled to back in quick order so you can go forward with your new plans. Good luck and hope you have a beautiful wedding.

 

I totally agree with you and I also want to point out that it was the OP's choice to cancel the wedding- NCL was still onboard to deliver a wedding all be it in a shoerter timeframe due to the cutoms time change. It is highly likely that NCL wont return any money or all of the money already paid as they are in all likelihood abiding by the terms of the contract (as it will probably have a line about substitution or situations beyond their control) and the OP is breaking that contract by cancelling.

[deladypilot]

OP - I am so sorry to hear things did not work out as planned. I really do feel for you and I can truely understand your disappointment. Weddings are so special. I hope things work out for you. Remember no matter what, you are still going to marry the person of your dreams and you will be together. One day though, years from now, this will be another memory to recall.

 

Case in point - The day before my wedding, the car we planned to drive away in broke down. $1000 to fix it. Ouch. Then the next morning as people were flying in from all over the country to be at our wedding, we get a call from one of our relatives that said... Our plane will be delayed and we wont land until the wedding is starting.... Then in the middle of the ring ceremony, my DH drops the ring my ring on the floor, it goes down 3 steps and he yells ( in a very load voice) OH S**T. Remind you this is in a Baptist Church. However, the minister laughed and then everyone else laughed and we went on. Now - we are set to sail on a 25th Anniversary cruise next summer. So, what I thought was devistating news turns out to be some of the best stories we have. No matter what, you love each other and these little road blocks can not keep you apart.

 

Best of luck and I hope you get your money soon

[surran12]

I know I haven't been on her long, but it seems there really is no sympathy in some people. I am aware there were posters who sympathized just that no matter what NCL can do no wrong, ever, for some of you. I'm a huge NCL fan and its the only cruise line I've been on and plan to go on. But NCL offers these packages to people for their weddings which is a HUGE deal. I can understand if the government steps in but NCL still sold her that they offer this service. Weddings cost so much money and forethought. I really do hope the OP gets some sort of recompense for the boxes of stuff that she has already paid for. Be it a free cruise, or OBC if she is still going on one, or something, but there definitely needs to be something for the OP for NCL's failure to hold up there end of the contract. If she came on her saying the government cancelled her flight to the cruise port but she didn't have travel insurance and NCL wouldn't help her at all, not one of you would be saying it was the governments fault, but the OP's for not having travel insurance and the cruise line owes her nothing. Well this is just like that.

 

 

OP I truly am sorry that happened I know how long you must have been planning for this and much work you put into it. I'm glad you found another place to hold it and hope it comes off better than you could imagine.

[hartsnvt]

I feel for you, however, the "Worst experience of my life!!!!" was when my father passed away 5 weeks after a botched AAA surgery. I hope you can learn to put things in perspective so you can enjoy a long and happy marriage. I wish you luck and it is not about the wedding but the relationship that counts in the long run.:)

[che5904]

I know I haven't been on her long, but it seems there really is no sympathy in some people. I am aware there were posters who sympathized just that no matter what NCL can do no wrong, ever, for some of you. I'm a huge NCL fan and its the only cruise line I've been on and plan to go on. But NCL offers these packages to people for their weddings which is a HUGE deal. I can understand if the government steps in but NCL still sold her that they offer this service. Weddings cost so much money and forethought. I really do hope the OP gets some sort of recompense for the boxes of stuff that she has already paid for. Be it a free cruise, or OBC if she is still going on one, or something, but there definitely needs to be something for the OP for NCL's failure to hold up there end of the contract. If she came on her saying the government cancelled her flight to the cruise port but she didn't have travel insurance and NCL wouldn't help her at all, not one of you would be saying it was the governments fault, but the OP's for not having travel insurance and the cruise line owes her nothing. Well this is just like that.

 

 

OP I truly am sorry that happened I know how long you must have been planning for this and much work you put into it. I'm glad you found another place to hold it and hope it comes off better than you could imagine.

 

Actually, I am not an NCL cheerleader, I have only been on 2 cruises. BTW NCL is holding up to their end of the contract, if you are taking a cruise you had best read the contracts.

 

As for the other part of your post, what exactly do you think travel insurance is for?

[david_sobe]

We all feel your sorrow, anger and pain. But there is a huge silver lining to this situation. Thank goodness you found this stuff out now instead of later when the wedding was supposed to happen. I see on the news all the time the wedding cruise horror stories. Some have big weddings planned in a port and then at the last minute aboard the ship, the port get cancelled. All the wedding plans are out the window and the land travelers must fly home not seeing a wedding.

Count your blessings this did not happen. At least you will get will get your money back and be able to plan again.

[Markanddonna]

Hi,

 

I also feel for the OP. I had a recent cruise right after Sandy that could have been hugely impacted if I had not been proactive about flights to avoid all the diverted and cancelled flights to the port.

 

That sailing taught me that: cruising during the long hurricane season can potentially mess up the best thought out plans and to get travel insurance. On that cruise, I heard of a person dying (yes, they have a "cooler" for the body, a couple got kicked off the ship for fighting and causing damage (yes, they have a jail and you could also be placed under "cabin arrest", a person getting food poisoning while at port and needing to see a doctor for a colonoscopy at the next port, and numerous falls/injuries, etc.

 

Planning a major event like that has huge risks and you can't really blame the cruise line. I also discovered that all these events and the cruise itself comes with a long contract most of us don't read but it is all there about how they will handle such things.

[shelly11]

I know the OP is upset, but as several have pointed out NCL gave her an option. Customs caused this issue not NCL. I really doubt she's going to get a full refund.

[iluvdoxies]

wait until your 19 yr old son suddenly dies - how's that for a worst exp ?

 

tired of people complaing about mudane problems ---weddings can be changed

[bluesea777]

OP ... can't you move the wedding to next day June 2nd on Breakaway - it leaves NYC at 4pm and you'll be able to honeymoon in Bermuda.

 

Anyone who plan an out of town wedding needs to have a Plan B.

 

Good luck, and may you have a great long married life. We did have a few disasters pre-wedding but we still laugh when we recount. We're still married after over 26 years.

[punkincc]

I feel for you, however, the "Worst experience of my life!!!!" was when my father passed away 5 weeks after a botched AAA surgery. I hope you can learn to put things in perspective so you can enjoy a long and happy marriage. I wish you luck and it is not about the wedding but the relationship that counts in the long run.:)

 

Hartsnvt, you are so right!

 

To the OP, I know you are disappointed, but I hope you don't jump into another contract before you know how NCL is going to handle your refund, if any. And have you given the company you contracted with the opportunity to see what could be worked out with boarding times, etc so that your wedding could take place as planned?

 

You are the one who chose a venue and wedding time ( embarkation time )

which is subject to many variables out of NCl's control. I hope at least, you are still cruising with your 30 guests, so that they are not disappointed as well.

 

If you must change your venue and you can't afford to change all the preprinted items, just use them and laugh about it. It's the marriage that's important, not the wedding.

[dlynn0366]

wait until your 19 yr old son suddenly dies - how's that for a worst exp ?

 

tired of people complaing about mudane problems ---weddings can be changed

 

Is this not just a little harsh? Instead of making such uncalled comments such as this possibly one should look at a bereavement group. I've had several tragic losses, I'm in the medical profession & see tragic things all the time but never would I put a comment such as this. I believe the OP is very disappointed and is possibly looking for suggestions which some have kindly provided.

[BruinsFan08]

Janine1030 - I'm sorry to hear about your plans being screwed up. I know it sucks. My wife and I planned to get married aboard the Epic in 2010 but the company contracted to execute these weddings by the cruise line is horrible. We ended up canceling the wedding onboard ourselves. We found some great suggestions for wedding planners on CC forums and had the wedding that we wanted off the ship on St Thomas. It was the best of both worlds. We found a customer service oriented wedding planner in St. Thomas who did everything she could to make our wedding what we were after (there's always a hitch or two) and we still enjoyed the EPIC as our honeymoon. The key is that it's not actually NCL that does the wedding, it is a contracted company. Sorry again, and I hope that you have a fun wedding.

[Sea Monster 2]

OP, I'm so sorry this is happening to you, and I know it's even more frustrating on the heels of your losses to Sandy. Sometimes it just feels as though everything is going wrong and nothing is within your control. That said, as disappointing and frustrating as all of this is, it is not a tragedy, and you will move on with your wedding and your rebuilt house and hopefully have a wonderful marriage. My wedding had to be postponed by more than a year and relocated to another state due to circumstances beyond my control-- and yes, we lost quite a bit of money due to everything that had already been paid for. Then, Hurricane Floyd came, and we were in Haiti and they announced that the airport would be closing and WE WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT TO OUR OWN WEDDING!!!!! :eek::eek::eek: I cannot tell you what that day was like-- my fiance booked us on a plane that day, I left work without telling my boss, spent an hour in traffic to get to my house to get my dress-- I went to my wedding with nothing I had planned to bring except my dress and shoes-- spent another hour in traffic trying to get to the airport, sat sobbing in the car as I watched the plane we were supposed to be on leave because I couldn't get there in time, got to the airport and found that my fiance had booked us on two flights just to be safe (my hero!!!:D), and we made it on the last flight out. Hurricane Floyd went straight through Orlando, closed Disney for the first time ever, all east coast flights were a mess, which meant none of our guests were arriving when they should, and somehow Disney (bless them, best customer service ever :D) managed to find everyone and get them where they were supposed to be over the course of two days. It was absolutely insane, and still we had the best time ever, as did our guests, and it went down in history as the day that Disney performed the most weddings ever because they were juggling all the ceremonies from the days the park was closed and all of the delayed arrivals.

 

So, both of my attempts at marrying this guy were somewhat disastrous, and yet we have a great wedding story and we are happily together all these years later... and that's what's important! Don't spend your time and energy on anger, because there's nothing to be accomplished. Reorient yourself to the new plans and have a wonderful day!!

[che5904]

Janine1030 - I'm sorry to hear about your plans being screwed up. I know it sucks. My wife and I planned to get married aboard the Epic in 2010 but the company contracted to execute these weddings by the cruise line is horrible. We ended up canceling the wedding onboard ourselves. We found some great suggestions for wedding planners on CC forums and had the wedding that we wanted off the ship on St Thomas. It was the best of both worlds. We found a customer service oriented wedding planner in St. Thomas who did everything she could to make our wedding what we were after (there's always a hitch or two) and we still enjoyed the EPIC as our honeymoon. The key is that it's not actually NCL that does the wedding, it is a contracted company. Sorry again, and I hope that you have a fun wedding.

 

The OP states in this thread and another that "They (NCL) switched wedding companies" back in September. Whether their contracts were up and weren't renewed for whatever reason or whether one of them broke the initial contract is not made clear in the email the OP quotes in another thread that she received from the initial wedding organizer.

 

The OP also never states whether the new wedding organizer has even agree to allow them out of their contract with them without penalty since she is the one that decided to call off the wedding. She states in this thread "but I also have no idea when I will be receiving the over 2k that I had paid towards my wedding." So I'm just hoping the "when" used is a confirmation that this cancellation has been approved without penalty or the OP is in for another disappointment.

 

She is well within her cancellation allowable time through NCL so whatever down payments her and the other 20 cabins, that she has cancelled, have put down will be returned to them for sure.

[iluvdoxies]

Is this not just a little harsh? Instead of making such uncalled comments such as this possibly one should look at a bereavement group. I've had several tragic losses, I'm in the medical profession & see tragic things all the time but never would I put a comment such as this. I believe the OP is very disappointed and is possibly looking for suggestions which some have kindly provided.

 

soooo glad you were not my brereavement counselor !

 

I did join a group tyvy==================it's been 16 yrs but you never fogrt-------------so thanks for your compassions