Getaway missed Ponta Delgada Dec. 14, no OBC/refund due to "safety" reason?

[Middleager]

We just finished our Getaway Dec. 5-22 transatlantic sailing from Rome to Miami.  As we were pulling away from Lisbon on Dec. 12, captain announced canceling Ponta Delgada due to swells.  After that, I heard people asking several times about OBC/refund.  Each time, from the captain down to everyone else, all said the OBC/refunds for missing this port, will show up in your account automatically.

 

Last night (night before disembarkation) while we were at Guest Services (dealing with a letter about KLM not delivering luggage), a Guest Services rep told a lady in next line that there is NO refund for missing Ponta Delgada due to safety reasons.  We enjoyed our cruise, so I'm not worried whether we get OBC/refund on this.

 

I'm curious though if a cruiseline really doesn't need to refund for missing a port due to safety reason?

[IrieBajan54]

Only port charges.

[Turtles06]

59 minutes ago, Middleager said:

I'm curious though if a cruiseline really doesn't need to refund for missing a port due to safety reason?

The cruise contract typically allows the ship to miss any port for any reason; no obligation by the cruise line to give guests anything (except perhaps a refund of port charges, if they are a separate line item). That doesn’t mean some OBC might not voluntarily be given, but there’s no obligation to do so. 

Edited December 22, 2021 by Turtles06

[SeaShark]

Not understanding the thread title. What is the purpose of putting the word safety in quotes?

[kochleffel]

I don't think that there is any fixed policy, and I'm sure that there is no legal obligation.

 

I've received OBC when ports were missed, but not every time. In October, NCL gave some when the Breakaway was prevented by high winds from docking at Bermuda on two consecutive days, but Bermuda was the only port of call and the third day, when we did dock, was a short one. That was a safety reason -- it's a narrow channel and cruise ships, because they are so tall, are especially vulnerable to wind. In 2019 Holland America gave some OBC partly because of a port change that could have been announced before departure but wasn't -- from Sint Maarten to St. Croix, because a propulsion problem made Sint Maarten too far away -- and partly because high seas prevented tendering at Half Moon Caye.

 

On the Breakaway, the non-refundable OBC posted on the next-to-last evening of the cruise, leaving only about 24 hours to spend it.

[kochleffel]

23 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

What is the purpose of putting the word safety in quotes?

 

I had the same question. No cruise line skips a port merely for fun.

[Middleager]

 

1 hour ago, SeaShark said:

Not understanding the thread title. What is the purpose of putting the word safety in quotes?

 

1 hour ago, kochleffel said:

 

I had the same question. No cruise line skips a port merely for fun.

I'm not suggesting the cruiseline purposely missed a port for fun.   

 

I was merely asking a question as I don't know the answer (and thanks to those who answered with some info) 

 

Is a cruiseline supposed to provide any OBC/refund for missing a port for safety reason?  I thought for each port there are port charges for stopping there.  If a port is skipped, is there still some port charges to the cruiseline or it is still charged, or is it depending on the port and/or reason.  Or does Ponta Delgada have not port charges, or not obligaged to refund the cruiseline for not stopping there.

 

In this particular sailing, the captain and others all said the OBC/refund would be automatically put into guest accounts but on the last day Guest Services said there is no OBC/refund.  I'm not asking for a refund, I'm just curious and want to learn.

[LGW59]

13 minutes ago, Middleager said:

 

 

I'm not suggesting the cruiseline purposely missed a port for fun.   

 

I was merely asking a question as I don't know the answer (and thanks to those who answered with some info) 

 

Is a cruiseline supposed to provide any OBC/refund for missing a port for safety reason?  I thought for each port there are port charges for stopping there.  If a port is skipped, is there still some port charges to the cruiseline or it is still charged, or is it depending on the port and/or reason.  Or does Ponta Delgada have not port charges, or not obligaged to refund the cruiseline for not stopping there.

 

In this particular sailing, the captain and others all said the OBC/refund would be automatically put into guest accounts but on the last day Guest Services said there is no OBC/refund.  I'm not asking for a refund, I'm just curious and want to learn.

No OBC and we pay our portion of port fees in advance and those will be refunded 

[SeaShark]

23 minutes ago, Middleager said:

 

 

I'm not suggesting the cruiseline purposely missed a port for fun.   

 

I was merely asking a question as I don't know the answer (and thanks to those who answered with some info) 

 

Is a cruiseline supposed to provide any OBC/refund for missing a port for safety reason?  I thought for each port there are port charges for stopping there.  If a port is skipped, is there still some port charges to the cruiseline or it is still charged, or is it depending on the port and/or reason.  Or does Ponta Delgada have not port charges, or not obligaged to refund the cruiseline for not stopping there.

 

In this particular sailing, the captain and others all said the OBC/refund would be automatically put into guest accounts but on the last day Guest Services said there is no OBC/refund.  I'm not asking for a refund, I'm just curious and want to learn.

 

Thanks, but I just assume that anyone asking a question is doing so because they don't know the answer and want to learn what the answer is. Thought that was a given.

 

However...I only asked why safety had to be put in quotes in the thread title. You quoted my question, but there is nothing in the reply that explains the purpose of the quotes. I'm just curious and want to learn.

[hallux]

The port fees you pay with your cruise fare are estimated, if the fees for the other ports went up to the point that the skipped port refund 'covered' the increased fees then you wouldn't have gotten a refund.  Typically I don't think they'll charge you the extra if the fees go up, you may get OBC if the fees are less than anticipated (I got one on one of my RCI trips).

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, Middleager said:

If a port is skipped, is there still some port charges to the cruiseline or it is still charged, or is it depending on the port and/or reason. 

 

In October, when the Breakaway could not dock in Bermuda for two of our three scheduled days there because of dangerously high winds, I was told that that port does not refund the port fees to the cruise line, because it has reserved the dock for their ship for the scheduled days.  I have no idea what other ports may do.

[Middleager]

4 hours ago, SeaShark said:

 

Thanks, but I just assume that anyone asking a question is doing so because they don't know the answer and want to learn what the answer is. Thought that was a given.

 

However...I only asked why safety had to be put in quotes in the thread title. You quoted my question, but there is nothing in the reply that explains the purpose of the quotes. I'm just curious and want to learn.

I put in quotes to emphasize "safety" was the reason given on the night before disembarkation.  That is different than the expectations the captain and others had given -- that the OBC/refund will be automatically put to people's accounts.

 

If Ponta Delgada charged the cruiseline port charges regardless they docked or not, and therefore no OBC/refund, that's a good explanation, but we never heard that was the case.

 

I came here asking a question to learn.  You questioned how I asked the question.  Hope this explanation is satisfactory to you.  If not, I don't know how to explain things to your liking.

[tinkr2]

Apparently NCL just isn't going to return missed port fees . We did not get DR back  from Epic . Or the excursion. 

[KeithJenner]

I have probably missed half a dozen ports during cruises. There has never been any communication regarding refunds but on around half of those occasions we have received something back as OBC.

 

My assumption has always been that they don’t necessarily get the fees back for some ports.

 

If I ever have a missed port I always assume there will be no refund so it’s a bonus when there is. We have usually saved a bit of money we would spend at the port anyway, and at least these days I know I won’t end up spending a load extra at the bar. Actually missing the port is usually a much bigger deal than a little bit of cash.

[Turtles06]

4 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

Actually missing the port is usually a much bigger deal than a little bit of cash.

 

I agree!

[Middleager]

5 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

around half of those occasions we have received something back as OBC.

 

My assumption has always been that they don’t necessarily get the fees back for some ports.

 

If I ever have a missed port I always assume there will be no refund so it’s a bonus when there is. Actually missing the port is usually a much bigger deal than a little bit of cash.

Yap, we were disappointed to miss Ponta Delgada.  I researched the route and site pics of the excursion we were going to, they look beautiful.   We also felt bad for the tour operator we had signed up for.  He had lined up several vans, to take several groups of us.  We were going to pay cash (plus tip), but he also missed those income.  It must be really tough for them on the island.

[cooncat_mom]

Perhaps the OP put that in quotes to let us know that’s specifically  what was said.  Just a thought….

[mjkacmom]

9 hours ago, tinkr2 said:

Apparently NCL just isn't going to return missed port fees . We did not get DR back  from Epic . Or the excursion. 

If it was a NCL excursion you should’ve been reimbursed.

[tinkr2]

3 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

If it was a NCL excursion you should’ve been reimbursed.

Obviously. We were not . Everyone was told it would be obc . It wasn't. The ship said oh it's a credit card refund. It wasn't . 

[mjkacmom]

59 minutes ago, tinkr2 said:

Obviously. We were not . Everyone was told it would be obc . It wasn't. The ship said oh it's a credit card refund. It wasn't . 

Did you expect them to compensate you for a private excursion?

[coin ops]

If you have travel insurance, you may be entitled to a claim for delayed or missed ports (depending on your insurance).  On our last Alaska cruise, we were about 3 hours late to the obligatory stop in Victoria,  BC and we were able to file a claim for a delay.

Edited December 23, 2021 by coin ops

[AMarc]

I was on the Gem's 11/28 cruise and 2 ports were missed and 1 was added. I thought (since I've always received partial port charge refunds in the past, to my on-board account) that the total port charge amount for the cruise would be recalculated, and a small refund would be issued to me while on-board. Didn't happen. Guest Services on the ship said they don't do it, and Katty Byrd's (Corporate VP Guest Services in Miami) man servant e-mailed me and said NCL has "complete discretion" over port fees, and I'd get nothing back. I don't like the inconsistency, but I'm not going to take NCL to court over a maybe $50 or less potential refund.

[ransclan]

On 12/23/2021 at 9:21 AM, Middleager said:

Yap, we were disappointed to miss Ponta Delgada.  I researched the route and site pics of the excursion we were going to, they look beautiful.   We also felt bad for the tour operator we had signed up for.  He had lined up several vans, to take several groups of us.  We were going to pay cash (plus tip), but he also missed those income.  It must be really tough for them on the island.

 

Hi Middleager:  We also missed Ponta Delgado on our last Transatlantic; horrible winds.  We had been there before and it is a beautiful island.

I’m not sure that this is where I should be asking my question, but I will give it a try.  We are booked on a TA in April; NYC to Rome on the Gem.  There are 8 of us booked and somewhat nervous now given the rising Covid cases.  Can you tell me what happens on board if someone tests positive for Covid - are they isolated in their own cabin or are there quarantine cabins on the ship?  I read somewhere that on another Cruiseline that a person testing positive went from a balcony to the “dungeon”.  We’re all double vaccinated and have our boosters and not as worried about getting Covid as what life on a TA would be like if we tested positive.  Thanks for any information you have.

[ECCruise]

We are going round and round on this with lots of non-information re: the OPs comments.

 

It is fairly simple.   The Captain specifically said (with about 500 people present in the Q and A) that since we were missing Punta Delgada due to weather issues, "there will be a refund of the port charges in your onboard account" in response to a question addressing that point.  Nothing was said about any additional OBCs (and we did not expect).

 

It is as simple as that. He said it.  No refunds were ever posted to the account. 

[Middleager]

1 hour ago, ransclan said:

 

Hi Middleager:  We also missed Ponta Delgado on our last Transatlantic; horrible winds.  We had been there before and it is a beautiful island.

I’m not sure that this is where I should be asking my question, but I will give it a try.  We are booked on a TA in April; NYC to Rome on the Gem.  There are 8 of us booked and somewhat nervous now given the rising Covid cases.  Can you tell me what happens on board if someone tests positive for Covid - are they isolated in their own cabin or are there quarantine cabins on the ship?  I read somewhere that on another Cruiseline that a person testing positive went from a balcony to the “dungeon”.  We’re all double vaccinated and have our boosters and not as worried about getting Covid as what life on a TA would be like if we tested positive.  Thanks for any information you have.

Good question because I'm curious too.  I asked Guest Services, the answer was they cannot disclose such info. 

One time we were lining up and a guy said he walked by an area on the 5th floor by accident and it was an area where they put the infected people to be in isolation.  It's not an area to walk by.  I didn't go walking on the 5th deck so I don't know if that is true or not.