NCL "Construction Cruise" nightmare...What would You Do?

[OHCruiser]

I just read about a nightmare cruise on the Norwegian Sun---15 days on a construction site should have been the description.

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2018/04/05/furious-norwegian-cruise-line-passengers-slam-ships-horrible-nonstop-construction-zone.html

 

The public Facebook group is Panama Canal Sun and anyone can go there and view what's going on with complaints.

 

Now, I've endured some fumes and some repair noises on HAL cruises, but never a full-on onslaught of construction crews, closed decks, cordoned off palettes of materials, metal shaving floating through the air, etc.

On the NCL Sun, this was the norm for 15 days while the ship was prepared in advance for going into dry dock...................

 

I've never heard of all of this type of work in advance of dry dock, with a full compliment of guests on board. In one of the FB posts, a guest says that the same thing happened to them on a Carnival cruise:o

 

Has anyone ever experienced this with a HAL cruise? If you boarded a ship and found this type of situation, what would you do immediately?

[haladdict]

We have had minor repairs on Hal, even a few bigger ones, but they have always been respectful towards the guests.

When I saw the Cruise story a few days ago, I wondered if the ships still have a Gangplank?

Sandra

[Sir PMP]

I just read about a nightmare cruise on the Norwegian Sun---15 days on a construction site should have been the description.

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2018/04/05/furious-norwegian-cruise-line-passengers-slam-ships-horrible-nonstop-construction-zone.html

 

The public Facebook group is Panama Canal Sun and anyone can go there and view what's going on with complaints.

 

Now, I've endured some fumes and some repair noises on HAL cruises, but never a full-on onslaught of construction crews, closed decks, cordoned off palettes of materials, metal shaving floating through the air, etc.

On the NCL Sun, this was the norm for 15 days while the ship was prepared in advance for going into dry dock...................

 

I've never heard of all of this type of work in advance of dry dock, with a full compliment of guests on board. In one of the FB posts, a guest says that the same thing happened to them on a Carnival cruise:o

 

Has anyone ever experienced this with a HAL cruise? If you boarded a ship and found this type of situation, what would you do immediately?

 

Get off at the first port and demand a refund...

[RuthC]

I just read about a nightmare cruise on the Norwegian Sun---15 days on a construction site should have been the description.

 

Has anyone ever experienced this with a HAL cruise? If you boarded a ship and found this type of situation, what would you do immediately?

I've been on two HAL final cruises prior to extensive reconstruction of the ships. In neither case was there anything remotely close to the NCL events.

 

On one cruise, we returned from HMC on the final afternoon to notice a few of the room signs had been removed. The items in the shops were in the process of being packed. After dinner (2nd sitting) I saw the elevators had protective padding in them.

And we had noticed workmen eating lunch in the Lido during the cruise. They were easy to pick out because they wore steel-toe shoes, and picked up their own dishes to stack them in the stewards' area.

That was as much---or as little---preparation work as went on. That was on a trans-Atlantic cruise before the ship had Lanai cabins installed, the aft pool removed w/a new deck added above, and the Piano Lounge replaced with The Mix. A lot of extensive work.

 

On the other cruise, there wasn't nearly as much prep work, but the renovations weren't as extensive, either. As a matter of fact, if there was any prep work at all, you can't prove it by me. I never noticed a thing.

 

Now, if I had to endure what those passengers did, I would want 95% of my fare returned as a credit on my credit card. No future discounts acceptable.

[Krazy Kruizers]

How horrible.

We have been on ships while work was being done -- but nothing compared to that.

I am know that we would get off as soon as possible and start going after the cruise line for a refund -- not just a future cruise credit. Real money back to my credit card!!

[OHCruiser]

Get off at the first port and demand a refund...

 

Sounds right to me, especially because of no prenotification. These guests got a 25% [based on the fare that they paid] off another cruise, good for 12 months, non-transferable. Seems like nothing to me, given the exposures and inconvenience. Many on the FB page are complaining of scary pulmonary conditions......

[sail7seas]

We have had minor repairs on Hal, even a few bigger ones, but they have always been respectful towards the guests.

When I saw the Cruise story a few days ago, I wondered if the ships still have a Gangplank?

Sandra

 

 

Gang ways, GANG WAYS..... :)

[BOLOTRAVEL]

25% off a future cruise?! That's ridiculous. If I was on the cruise I'd never cruise NCL again. And now I'm certain I'll never try cruising on NCL.

[Sea42]

I would work through my credit card company to get my money back if the cruise line would not cooperate.

[OlsSalt]

Sounds like NCL uses the same PR firm that responded to the current HAL website debacle:

 

Norwegian Sun has 13 decks and 2000 passengers - how many in fact were directly impacted - it would be like a Vista ship - there is always the other side of the story that we have not yet heard - what do they mean by "some" passengers and "some" inconvenience. Lurid cruise ships stories always sell, and today "some" people just love being victims, regardless:

 

"At Norwegian Cruise Line, we continuously aim to offer the best vacation experience for all our guests," the statement said. The company acknowledged "enhancements" were happening during the cruise and that some guests "experienced some inconvenience."

[ottahand7]

We were on the Oosterdam prior to the dry dock getting off the ship on March 20 prior to dry dock. I was sensitive to having workers onboard due to other comments on this board. There was a man painting in the cabana area and that is the extent of any work going on although I did see workers coming onboard in Aruba.

[Dog Drool]

FYI

 

 

#63

Miami, FL

226 Posts

Joined Jun 2004

Posted Today, 06:54 PM



At Norwegian Cruise Line, the travel experience, safety and satisfaction of our guests is of the utmost importance to us. Recently Norwegian Sun underwent enhancements as part of our continuous efforts to ensure that every ship across the fleet delivers a consistently high-quality passenger experience. While we do our utmost to minimize any impact to our guests when these enhancements are being implemented, we do recognize that during a recent sailing, we did not meet the expectations of our guests, nor our own standards, for which we truly apologize. Norwegian Cruise Line is inviting the guests on the March 16th Norwegian Sun voyage to cruise again and fully experience all that Norwegian has to offer with a 100% future cruise credit of their fare paid, which can be applied towards another cruise of their choice from now through March 31, 2023. We realize that this gesture cannot replace their recent experience but do hope to have the opportunity to welcome them on board again soon.

Norwegian Cruise Line

www.ncl.com

 

[Wishing on a star]

I would never set foot on an NCL ship... ever...

so I would never have to to figure out what I would do.

[kazu]

I've never heard of HAL having this extent of construction work with passengers on board either.

 

As to the compensation offered? 25% off a future cruise? The odds are most of these people will want to risk another NCL cruise so the offer is of little use.

 

And the percentage? Way too low. It should be a refund not a future cruise credit.

 

NCL is doing themselves a disservice by not compensating these passengers properly. The publicity will do them more damage than a proper compensation would have IMO.

[bobpell]

We were on a partial Panama Canal cruise on the Nieu Amsterdam years ago just before it went into dry dock.

We did not know this was its next stop.

Thanks for the poster that shows us when dry docks will occur now.

Getting up on the last morning to grab two chairs on the aft Lido deck we were surprised to see them all stacked up and fastened down with straps. Upon querying the bored bar staff it was revealed that as soon as we dock at Fort Lauderdale the ship was leaving for Freeport and dry dock.

The bare naked aft deck space was going to have containers craned up .

The chairs were very limited forward on deck 10. Lots of unhappy campers later in the morning.

as a result we avoid pre or post dry dock cruises!!

Bob

[ABoatNerd]

Would collect picture inventory.

 

3 actions:

 

1) Contact the federal consumer relations agency and make a formal complaint against the cruise line for misleading advertising (attach photos)

 

2) Contact the federal health organization and make a formal complaint indicating a health and safety violation of the cruise line product offering

 

3) Contact my federal and state/province elected member and advise them of 1 and 2 above and request their support and interaction to achieve a full refund

 

4) Go on Trip Advisor and make negative review

 

5) Contact my Travel Agent and ensure they and the rest of the staff in the agency know that the cruise line can not be trusted in providing value to their customers

 

Pour myself a coffee and or "adult beverage" and get r done.

[Essiesmom]

I was on Oosterdam for 32 days prior to her drydock in 2009 when she had her aft bumped up = or whatever. Only on the last day before Civitavecchia did we have any construction going on. they started dismantling the aft pool area. EM

[Love the beach]

FYI

 

 

 

 

 

#63

Miami, FL

226 Posts

Joined Jun 2004

Posted Today, 06:54 PM



At Norwegian Cruise Line, the travel experience, safety and satisfaction of our guests is of the utmost importance to us. Recently Norwegian Sun underwent enhancements as part of our continuous efforts to ensure that every ship across the fleet delivers a consistently high-quality passenger experience. While we do our utmost to minimize any impact to our guests when these enhancements are being implemented, we do recognize that during a recent sailing, we did not meet the expectations of our guests, nor our own standards, for which we truly apologize. Norwegian Cruise Line is inviting the guests on the March 16th Norwegian Sun voyage to cruise again and fully experience all that Norwegian has to offer with a 100% future cruise credit of their fare paid, which can be applied towards another cruise of their choice from now through March 31, 2023. We realize that this gesture cannot replace their recent experience but do hope to have the opportunity to welcome them on board again soon.

Norwegian Cruise Line

www.ncl.com

 

 

Now that's more like it! 100% future cruise credit!

[RuthC]

Now that's more like it! 100% future cruise credit!

Closer, but not there yet. The credit should be for the cruise just completed---a full refund.

Plus, a credit on a future cruise, perhaps. That might help instill good will.

 

But if this cruise was so awful, why would anyone take a chance on another without a big incentive.

[dogo88]

Love the group think on this thread.

 

"My HAL would NEVER do anything like this. How awful." Theme

Yet you can search the HAL boards and find threads where folks have complained about conditions on older HAL ships.And have asked when are they going to fix it?

 

Or those who have never sailed on NCL now proclaim they will never sail on NCL.

 

I wasn't on that cruise so I have no idea if it was as horrible as one report lists. And every person's expectations are different. But many know it's never as good as you expect, nor as bad as you thought.

 

They offered a free cruise. Seems reasonable.

[sail7seas]

IMO, Full re fund of current fare paid and 25% off future cruise of same number days as current cruise.

[kevingastreich]

I would work through my credit card company to get my money back if the cruise line would not cooperate.

Won't work because the cruise line provided what they said they would...a cruise.

[kevingastreich]

FYI

 

 

 

 

 

#63

Miami, FL

226 Posts

Joined Jun 2004

Posted Today, 06:54 PM



At Norwegian Cruise Line, the travel experience, safety and satisfaction of our guests is of the utmost importance to us. Recently Norwegian Sun underwent enhancements as part of our continuous efforts to ensure that every ship across the fleet delivers a consistently high-quality passenger experience. While we do our utmost to minimize any impact to our guests when these enhancements are being implemented, we do recognize that during a recent sailing, we did not meet the expectations of our guests, nor our own standards, for which we truly apologize. Norwegian Cruise Line is inviting the guests on the March 16th Norwegian Sun voyage to cruise again and fully experience all that Norwegian has to offer with a 100% future cruise credit of their fare paid, which can be applied towards another cruise of their choice from now through March 31, 2023. We realize that this gesture cannot replace their recent experience but do hope to have the opportunity to welcome them on board again soon.

Norwegian Cruise Line

www.ncl.com

 

Sounds like they fixed it. Take it and move on.

[winddawn]

Inside Edition picked up this story providing even more awareness. I saw it on their TV show today on CBS. I hope this is a lesson to the cruise industry to not try to perform renovations better suited to dry dock, on a cruise with passengers onboard (no doubt to earn more money). I would be very disappointed if I'd paid thousands of dollars for a cruise that ended up being a bridge to dry dock, interrupting my vacation cruise experience. I don't see anything wrong with performing minor maintenance when passengers are onboard, and that is a common experience, but this instance appears to go way beyond that. On my last HAL cruise which was the last cruise for the ship prior to a scheduled dry dock, I noticed on embarkation morning as I left the ship that new carpet had been installed in the public area at the elevators, but I never heard any noise from it.

 

A little common sense goes a long way. It's a shame some corporate decisions favor profits at the total expense of customer experience. The cruise industry experiences more than it's share of negative press coverage without providing fuel to the fire.

 

https://www.insideedition.com/cruise-ship-passengers-stage-mutiny-after-theyre-bombarded-construction-noise-42235

Edited April 6, 2018 by winddawn

[sail7seas]

Inside Edition picked up this story providing even more awareness. I saw it on their TV show today on CBS. I hope this is a lesson to the cruise industry to not try to perform renovations better suited to dry dock, on a cruise with passengers onboard (no doubt to earn more money). I would be very disappointed if I'd paid thousands of dollars for a cruise that ended up being a bridge to dry dock, interrupting my vacation cruise experience. I don't see anything wrong with performing minor maintenance when passengers are onboard, and that is a common experience, but this instance appears to go way beyond that. On my last HAL cruise which was the last cruise for the ship prior to a scheduled dry dock, I noticed on embarkation morning as I left the ship that new carpet had been installed in the public area at the elevators, but I never heard any noise from it.

 

A little common sense goes a long way. It's a shame some corporate decisions favor profits at the total expense of customer experience.

 

https://www.insideedition.com/cruise-ship-passengers-stage-mutiny-after-theyre-bombarded-construction-noise-42235

 

Maybe low l level of common sense, but High level of Greed. That greed in this instance is sure to cost them big time.