UPSET - Pearl Cancels On Me Again Due To Charter!

[hpecorari]

Okay, I'm an avid NCL cruiser but am more than a little upset.

 

I had an 11 day cruise scheduled on the Pearl for October 2014. That cruise was cancelled due to it being chartered out. I rebooked for January 2014 since I really want to go to St. Lucia.

 

Notice today given that they have, again, cancelled my cruise due to it being chartered out.

 

See below:

 

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CRUISE

 

Dear Valued Guest:

 

Norwegian Pearl will be out of service from January 2, 2015 to March 6, 2015 because of a private charter. As a result, the 10-Day Eastern Caribbean sailings on January 2, January 12, February 2 and February 23, 2015 are no longer available. Norwegian Cruise Line sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience caused by this cancellation and would like to thank you for your understanding. Norwegian is offering guests currently booked on these sailings the following options:

 

 

- Option 1: Move to any of Norwegian Pearl's 10-Day Eastern Caribbean sailings from Miami, Florida departing March 6, March 16 or April 6, 2015 and your cruise fare will be protected. If you choose this option, you will receive a $50 per stateroom onboard credit to be used on any expenditure on the ship, except service charges. Guests currently booked in suites (categories beginning with S) will receive a $100 per stateroom on-board credit to be used on any expenditure on the ship, except service charges.

 

 

- Option 2: Transfer your reservation to any sailing in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet from now until December 31, 2015 and the cruise fare will be re-priced to the current published fare. If you choose this option, you will receive a $50 per stateroom on-board credit to be used on any expenditure on the ship, except service charges. Guests currently booked in suites (categories beginning with S) will receive a $100 per stateroom on-board credit to be used on any expenditure on the ship,

except service charges.

 

 

We look forward to hearing from you by Friday, March 21, 2014, so that we can modify your reservation. If we do not receive a response by Friday, March 21, 2014, your reservations will be cancelled and your deposit refunded. Please let us know your preference by calling our dedicated support line at (877) 461-1160 from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm ET Monday through Friday.

 

We thank you for choosing Norwegian Cruise Line and we look forward to assisting you in selecting a new cruise vacation.

 

Sincerely,

 

Crane Gladding

Senior Vice President, Passenger Services

Harriet - who's NOT a happy camper :(

Edited March 7, 2014 by hpecorari

[DMH15]

It does seem the Pearl is the #1 NCL charter ship. Sorry this happened to you.

 

 

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[Cubechick]

We fully expected this to happen. Will pocket the OBC and move on.

[hpecorari]

It does seem the Pearl is the #1 NCL charter ship. Sorry this happened to you.

 

 

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I did know that. But I've sailed her so many times without a problem.....I guess I was just hoping that this replacement cruise wouldn't have been chartered out as well. Seems like I'll never get to St. Lucia.

 

Tomorrow when I'm more in the mood I'll start looking into New England/Canada and/or Alaska but I like cruising in January and they aren't offered at that time.

 

Harriet

[hpecorari]

We fully expected this to happen. Will pocket the OBC and move on.

 

With a deadline of option 1 or 2 being March 21st that doesn't give us much time. That's the deadline to get the OBC.

and....

Will I keep the OBC that's on this cruise from the October cruise that was cancelled and get another OBC for this cruise being cancelled?

 

Harriet

[LrgPizza]

I'm sorry, Harriet! It hardly seems fair that it happened twice.

[Cubechick]

With a deadline of option 1 or 2 being March 21st that doesn't give us much time. That's the deadline to get the OBC.

and....

Will I keep the OBC that's on this cruise from the October cruise that was cancelled and get another OBC for this cruise being cancelled?

 

Harriet

 

I would hope you should!

[bones774]

Do they charter the Pearl during the Alaska cruise season? I have a June 2014 cruise scheduled.

Why in particular the Pearl? Is there something special/good about it?

Thanks

[DevCruise]

Do they charter the Pearl during the Alaska cruise season? I have a June 2014 cruise scheduled.

Why in particular the Pearl? Is there something special/good about it?

Thanks

 

NCL designated the Pearl their official charter ship for the music cruises. They seem to mostly be doing these when the Pearl is in the Caribbean so don't think you'd have to worry about an Alaska cruise being cancelled, but I guess it could happen.

[Demonyte]

Do they charter the Pearl during the Alaska cruise season? I have a June 2014 cruise scheduled.

Why in particular the Pearl? Is there something special/good about it?

 

No, charters are usually in Jan/Feb and Oct/Nov.

 

Pearl just happened to fit their overall schedule some years ago, they have been focusing on using her as the designated charter ship in order to prevent cancellations on random ships and within the last six months they permanently removed the water slide (to be honest it wasn't that good to begin with) in order to be able to fit the stages there during the music charters.

 

I wouldn't say that there is nothing especially good about her but she is second newest ship in Jewel class (having wall climbing and bowling alleys just like Gem) and just about right size to host full charters - older ships are older and possibly not so suitable and newer ships are too big.

[Twiz]

I really want to book the Pearl for Feb/15 but I am so afraid that this same thing will happen. It really is hard to plan so far ahead which most people have to do with their jobs than have it cancel. I was hoping that NCL would only allow it to be chartered on specific weeks and work with that so that canceling for others wouldnt happen. We did the SUN this year and were so excited to hear that the Pearl would be doing the run next year....we didnt care for the Sun much but loved the cruise itself ...

 

GUESS IT ALREADY HAPPENED !!!

Edited March 7, 2014 by Twiz

[mamabeac]

Wow! We were booked on the one for Jan. 12th and were quite nervous that it might get cancelled. Circumstances caused us to cancel it ourselves so now I'm not nearly as disappointed. It looks like we'll be checking out any other ship except the Pearl from now on.

[DISNEY1975]

What happens if you have already booked your airfare?

[Twiz]

Do you think there is a chance they will use another ship for the long 10/11 day crusie. We like the longer ones and look forward to them in Feb ...I think there are going to be alot of upset people that there isnt that option now for 10/11 day cruise !!!

[cmdchiefthom]

This is the second time they got me for 21 days on the Pearl. I was booked for October 2014, and they chartered it our, so I rebooked for the 2nd of February for another 21 days. I kind of knew this was coming, and I called my PCC last week and booked suites aboard the Epic and Getaway the end of January and first part of February. Frankly, I'm a little tired of how NCL corporate treats its paying guests.

[hpecorari]

What happens if you have already booked your airfare?

 

 

::drum roll::

 

aaaannnnddddd that's why one should always get trip insurance!

 

Without it.......well, it's up to you and your airline to try to work something out.

 

Harriet

[willoughbee]

We were booked for the 2nd of February. After reading threads on CC got a gut feeling that something might happen. Booked a backup cruise for the 6th of April. With my wonderful PCC because we booked so far in advance not only did we get $300 OBC but got another $100 for booking the backup---$400. Today by cancelling, officially, the 2/2/15 and keeping the 4/6/15 got the same rate for cabin plus another $100 OBC. Total $500 OBC. Being semi-retired we can somewhat flexible in booking. Gives us a little more time to save. Leave Sunday on the Epic. Got to go and finish packing. Hopefully there will be a thread started for the 6th. Have a great weekend fellow cruisers.:):):)

[pscozz702]

Was booked on the January 12 10 day now trying to find something comparable. A 12 day out of NYC on the Breakaway is jumping out at us...however we had an S suite on the Pearl but there are no S suite on Breakaway only Haven. Can't afford a Haven suite so do we get screwed out of the $100 obc because we only can opt for a mini suite?

 

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[Seanote]

What happens if you have already booked your airfare?

 

Who books non-refundable airfare eleven months in advance?

[Cruisercl]

Who books non-refundable airfare eleven months in advance?

 

 

I have; it is not that uncommon. You can get really good prices.

 

When I book a trip I know I am going. I have never had an issue and have traveled extensively for over 30 years. I guess I have been lucky.

 

The only possible issue I have ever had is with NCL cancelling a cruise but we hadn't booked our flight yet. So we don't book that early when cruising on NCL; that is the only cruise line that we have even heard of it happening. It seems to be very often too.

 

Happy and safe cruising all!!

[Twiz]

This is so disappointing, we went on the Sun last month for an 11 day met about 30 people and quickly became friends and the plan was to try and all do the same week again Feb/15. We liked NCL because we could get the longer cruises and even were thinking of doing BB next time....

I wont be sailing with NCL again until they bring them back again and stop playing games ...

[jvsnana]

With a deadline of option 1 or 2 being March 21st that doesn't give us much time. That's the deadline to get the OBC.

and....

Will I keep the OBC that's on this cruise from the October cruise that was cancelled and get another OBC for this cruise being cancelled?

 

Harriet

Harriet,

 

Sorry this happened to you.

 

This happened to us before our Panama Canal cruise that we were on with you last month...here is my experience with getting all of our OBC transferred...hope it helps :)

 

Make sure they "protect" (support contact's words) all of your OBC and any other perks you may have received from BOTH cancelled cruises.

 

Be sure to get the name of your support contact and their email and/or phone number!

 

It took me at least 8 phone calls to get all of my OBC and perks transferred over to my Star PC cruise...in the end they also gave me an additional $225 OBC as a "courtesy" ...that was a NICE surprise :)

 

Also, be sure to have them email you an amenity conformation page so you can take it with you!

[hpecorari]

Harriet,

 

Sorry this happened to you.

 

This happened to us before our Panama Canal cruise that we were on with you last month...here is my experience with getting all of our OBC transferred...hope it helps :)

 

Make sure they "protect" (support contact's words) all of your OBC and any other perks you may have received from BOTH cancelled cruises.

 

Be sure to get the name of your support contact and their email and/or phone number!

 

It took me at least 8 phone calls to get all of my OBC and perks transferred over to my Star PC cruise...in the end they also gave me an additional $225 OBC as a "courtesy" ...that was a NICE surprise :)

 

Also, be sure to have them email you an amenity conformation page so you can take it with you!

 

Thank you for the info. Truthfully, after talking to my SIL we're going to cancel it entirely at this time. We have a cruise on the Getaway coming up May 31st and then we'll worry about what and when to book. I also have a FCC attached to this so now I'll get that back and with the two others I purchased on the Star that now gives me a total of 3.

 

I'd love to go on the Star again.....l really loved that ship AND the Crew were fantastic! But the cost of the flight out or flight back - if I take the transatlantic is HUGE!

Harriet

Edited March 8, 2014 by hpecorari

[B6ConMe]

Thank you for the info. Truthfully, after talking to my SIL we're going to cancel it entirely at this time. We have a cruise on the Getaway coming up May 31st and then we'll worry about what and when to book. I also have a FCC attached to this so now I'll get that back and with the two others I purchased on the Star that now gives me a total of 3.

 

I'd love to go on the Star again.....l really loved that ship AND the Crew were fantastic! But the cost of the flight out or flight back - if I take the transatlantic is HUGE!

Harriet

 

Was going to suggest the 12 day British Isles cruise in Sept. 2015 on the Star, but I guess that's out of the question if you don't like the flights. I don't either, but we're thinking we may take the Star back home following the BI cruise if it happens, if not we'll have to fly.

 

Anyway I'm sure you'll find something to replace the disappointing cruise you're cancelling. Good luck :)

[Dtazs]

Just a little added information. If you look at sixthman website. You will see they have many cruises scheduled for the pearl. They are getting very popular and they seem to repeat and add many of the same cruises every year. For example I believe they have a rock boat cruise that is going on its 15th year next year.