NCL SKY Itinerary change June - Nov 2017

[flcruiser05]

Just received an email with a letter from NCL. Our 4 night Bahamas cruise in August has had an itinerary change and we are now going to Havana Cuba.

 

If you have a NCL Sky cruise for those dates, check your email.

 

Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners,

 

Norwegian Cruise Line has important information for you regarding Norwegian Sky's 4-Day Bahamas sailing from Miami, Florida from June to December,

2017. All guests booked on these sailings need to be aware of this change and travel professionals are asked to forward this information to their clients.

 

We are pleased to announce that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. received approval from the government of the Republic of Cuba to operate additional cruises to Cuba in 2017. These voyages will provide guests with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to discover not only the rich culture, history and natural beauty of Cuba, but more importantly experience the warmth and hospitality of its people. Please review the revised itinerary and applicable sailing date information below:

 

June 5, 12, 19; July 3, 17, 31; Aug. 14, 28; Sept. 11, 25; Oct. 9, 23 and Nov. 6

 

Original Arrive Depart Revised Arrive Depart

Mon Miami, Florida 5:00 pm Mon Miami, Florida 5:00 pm

Tue Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas 8:00 am 5:00 pm Tue Havana, Cuba 8:00 am overnight

Wed Nassau, Bahamas 8:00 am 6:00 pm Wed Havana, Cuba overnight 3:00 pm

Thu Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas 8:00 am 5:00 pm Thu Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas 9:00 am 5:00 pm

Fri Miami, Florida 7:00 am Fri Miami, Florida 7:00 am

 

Norwegian is offering guests currently booked and fully deposited on these sailings the following options:

 

- Option 1: Remain on the sailing with the new 4-Day Cuba & Bahamas itinerary and your cruise fare will be protected.

 

- Option 2: Select any available sailing in our fleet at the current published fare and your deposit will be applied towards the new sail date.

 

- If you choose any of the above options and are booked in an Inside, Oceanview, Balcony or Mini-Suite stateroom, a $25 onboard credit per stateroom will be applied to your onboard account. If you are currently booked in a suite (categories beginning with S or H) you will receive a $50 per stateroom onboard credit. The onboard credit can be used on any expenditure on the ship excluding service charges.

 

We look forward to hearing from you by February 17, 2017, so that we can modify your reservation. If we don't hear from you by February 17, 2017, your reservation will be cancelled. We are standing by to assist you on our dedicated support line at (877) 461-1160 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm ET Monday through Friday.

[minidonuts85]

We booked the July 17th cruise a few months ago hoping this would happen! We are thrilled!

[TSUmom]

What a nice surprise! :D

[bobnpaml]

Just received our e mail. We are going to accept the change and stay booked. Looking forward to seeing a new island. Does anyone know if we will need visas or will NCL take care of that. Guess I will call and find out.

[ColinIllinois]

It will be interesting to see how many people cancel with the new port being Cuba.

[holdon216]

So excited. Cuba is supposedly beautiful.

[flcruiser05]

Just received our e mail. We are going to accept the change and stay booked. Looking forward to seeing a new island. Does anyone know if we will need visas or will NCL take care of that. Guess I will call and find out.

 

 

From the Cuba FAQs I received from them after calling, you will need a Visa and it's an additional $75 per person

 

Do I need a visa to travel to Cuba?

The Cuban government requires anyone who is traveling to Cuba

on a passport other than a valid Cuban passport to obtain a visa

prior to their arrival into Cuba. For all visitors who were not born in

Cuba, this visa, also known as a “tourist card” (or “rosada” which

must have a pink and blue background irrespective of your country

of residency), is required to enter (and depart from) Cuba for

non-business purposes. The Cuban visa is valid for a single entry

and allows the holder to stay in Cuba for 30 days. You may obtain

this visa through Norwegian for a sep-arate processing and

procurement fee of $75 or on your own. Please note that you will

not be allowed to board the vessel without proof of acquiring this

visa.

 

I was super excited at first. However I was born in Cuba and will require a Cuban passport to go on this cruise. This would be an additional $400 expense per person plus it can take up to 6 months. We were scheduled to sail in August so it's probably enough time but I don't want to risk it.

 

I'm sure I'm in the minority on this one but I'm really upset about this change.

[BOAZ5]

We have a group booked on the Sky for November to celebrate our 30 year class reunion. Many are 1st time cruisers. It is definitely easier to sell classmates on the Bahamas than Cuba. I have been to the Bahamas ports,so I am a little excited about the change myself. I am not sure it was a good change for our class cruise in general.

[Lookingforfacts]

The original itinerary allowed pax to cruise with a birth certificate and license. The new itinerary requires a passport. Required a Cuban passport if a US citizen was born in Cuba.

 

Not good for pax who booked a relatively inexpensive trip which didn't require a passport.

 

Passport and visa will be a significant expense for pax who booked inexpensive cabins.

[Are.we.there.yet?]

Hi,

 

We received the same e-mail but our sailing on the SKY is July 24th and the e-mail includes many dates not on this list. It seems like they changed most of the 4 day sailings to this itinerary. SWEET!

 

Tina

[hawkeyetlse]

We received the same e-mail but our sailing on the SKY is July 24th and the e-mail includes many dates not on this list.

They have reportedly changed 25 sailings. Is the content of the e-mail you received exactly the same as what the OP posted (same port times in the revised itinerary, same two options for booked guests, same deadline) or are there maybe some small differences in the details?

[samiam0403]

Not good for pax who booked a relatively inexpensive trip which didn't require a passport.

 

Also not good for any active duty military - we were just recently notified that we're still not allowed to go to Cuba except for a few exemptions (ie visiting close family or for work). I was looking at maybe cruising the Sky again this fall, but I guess I'll look elsewhere.

[Are.we.there.yet?]

Hawkeyetise,

 

Our letter is very similar but our times are slightly different. We leave Cuba at noon the second day instead of 3:00 PM. That's unfortunate. Instead, we arrive at Great Stirrup Cay an hour earlier - 8:00 AM. There must be a reason we have to leave Cuba earlier. Maybe another ship takes our place? Either way, I'm excited. We booked this trip to celebrate our son's 21st B-Day. We've been to the Bahamas before so this will be a better 21st B-Day celebration.

 

Tina

[Skala]

We look forward as well to enjoy Cuba on this revised itinerary (though handling visas will add some add. work)

[highmath]

Well this has thrown a wrench in my plans. I planned to surprise the wife with a quick trip on the Oct 9th sailing for our anniversary, but we too are active military and can't go.

 

Back to the drawing board. :-(

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DisneyDatknee]

Perfect. I really liked the Sky's Cuba itinerary compared to Royal's. This cruise is perfect for us as my mother just wants a peek at her old home. No excursions. Just trying to recollect all the memories she can get. Then back to the US and never again. :) Now waiting till they open the bookings up for pricing!!

 

EDIT: Well my mother has to pay $140 to get a permit? And $75 for a visa each x 3? Getting pricey...

Edited February 8, 2017 by DisneyDatknee

[DisneyDatknee]

From the Cuba FAQs I received from them after calling, you will need a Visa and it's an additional $75 per person

 

Do I need a visa to travel to Cuba?

The Cuban government requires anyone who is traveling to Cuba

on a passport other than a valid Cuban passport to obtain a visa

prior to their arrival into Cuba. For all visitors who were not born in

Cuba, this visa, also known as a “tourist card” (or “rosada” which

must have a pink and blue background irrespective of your country

of residency), is required to enter (and depart from) Cuba for

non-business purposes. The Cuban visa is valid for a single entry

and allows the holder to stay in Cuba for 30 days. You may obtain

this visa through Norwegian for a sep-arate processing and

procurement fee of $75 or on your own. Please note that you will

not be allowed to board the vessel without proof of acquiring this

visa.

 

I was super excited at first. However I was born in Cuba and will require a Cuban passport to go on this cruise. This would be an additional $400 expense per person plus it can take up to 6 months. We were scheduled to sail in August so it's probably enough time but I don't want to risk it.

 

I'm sure I'm in the minority on this one but I'm really upset about this change.

 

Ahh yes. My mother's roommate waited 6 months for his. She luckily does not have to get one since she came to the states before 71'.

[coaster]

Fathom switched one day from Dominican Republic to a day in Cuba on a few sailings starting end of this month. Our price was protected and Fathom is paying for our Visas.

 

 

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[Bulldog3777]

We look forward as well to enjoy Cuba on this revised itinerary (though handling visas will add some add. work)

NCL will be taking care of the visa. $75(per person) will be added to the cost of the cruise and the visa info will be taken from the registration form. Will that change? Heaven knows.

[hawkeyetlse]

It's not a real visa (there is no application process or "extreme vetting" on the part of the Cuban authorities). For $75 you get a little piece of pink paper that you fill out all by yourself…

[holdon216]

Do you think the ship will stay in port overnight or possibly circle Cuba? I don't think gambling is allowed while in port which would shut down the casino for the entire stay. I don't gamble but I was just curious.

[hawkeyetlse]

The revised itinerary says overnight, so the ship will remain docked the whole time (or at anchor, possibly). No idea what the arrangements are for the casino, I guess it will likely stay closed.

[Just4funn]

Yes you need a visa. $75 for each person and there will be additional taxes to be paid. Also, be aware that you have to sign up for a People to People program while in Cuba. Remember, any money you spend ashore and the visa costs are supporting the Castro regime.

[Just4funn]

I know that on the Carnival ship that sails to Cuba part of the agreement with Cuba is that lunch will be serve on shore, no cost, but still supporting the communist regime. My further question in relation to services offered, will the bars be open while in port in Havana? If not the value of the cruise certainly is affected.

[happywhencruising]

These new itineraries aren't shown on the NCL website. Do you know if they will be open to new bookings? I am very interested in cruising to Cuba in the fall.