Itinerary Change 1 Year Out

[Pyxie]

Just got the notification that our port day in San Juan has been replaced with Nassau on our Mardi Gras cruise next October. Any ideas what the reason could be with still having almost a year until the cruise? While this is technically a downgrade, I guess it is what it is. We've actually never been to the Bahamas so it will be something new.

[mz-s]

There are a multitude of reasons why this could happen. Did Carnival give you anything as a gesture of goodwill for the change?

[cruisingguy007]

5 minutes ago, mz-s said:

There are a multitude of reasons why this could happen. Did Carnival give you anything as a gesture of goodwill for the change?

 

Probably covid policies that are still in place, San Juan being difficult while Nassau is playing ball. 

[Bahbert]

Looks like this is happening across the board. Just commented in another thread about dates from 12/31/22 to 4/13/23 that were also moved from San Juan to Nassau. Bummer.

[Pyxie]

9 minutes ago, mz-s said:

There are a multitude of reasons why this could happen. Did Carnival give you anything as a gesture of goodwill for the change?

 

They did not. But I guess they aren't obligated to.

[sunshower9]

I had an itinerary change for a cruise in 2024.  I asked John Heald and the response was that it was due to "operational issues," which could mean anything. *shrug* 

[FlaMommy75]

It is very strange! We will be on the Mardi Gras 12/24/2022-12/31/2022 and we are still scheduled for San Juan.

[mz-s]

2 hours ago, Pyxie said:

 

They did not. But I guess they aren't obligated to.

 

No they're not. Back before COVID they gave us $50 when our Bermuda cruise's itinerary was affected. But that was years ago and like I said before COVID.

[MardiGras10022021]

 

we cruise celebration in febuary and still have san juan as a stop.

[FTLCruiseGal]

3 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

No they're not. Back before COVID they gave us $50 when our Bermuda cruise's itinerary was affected. But that was years ago and like I said before COVID.

The refund may have more to do with having to pay $40 for Travel Authorisation to the Bermuda government than for a change in your itinerary.

[mz-s]

11 minutes ago, FTLCruiseGal said:

The refund may have more to do with having to pay $40 for Travel Authorisation to the Bermuda government than for a change in your itinerary.

 

As I said this was years before COVID, long before the travel authorization was even a twinkle in a Bermudian politician's eye.

[FTLCruiseGal]

52 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

As I said this was years before COVID, long before the travel authorization was even a twinkle in a Bermudian politician's eye.

Ah, my bad.  Apologies.

[natefish95]

7 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Probably covid policies that are still in place, San Juan being difficult while Nassau is playing ball. 

Why could it possibly be COVID policies? Cruises have been stopping in San Juan just fine, including recent cruises that didn't even require vaccination. Also, some of these cruises are over a year away. Why would it be COVID policies? 

 

It's more likely dock issues or overcrowding issues with too many megaships in port. 

[cruisingguy007]

1 hour ago, natefish95 said:

Why could it possibly be COVID policies? Cruises have been stopping in San Juan just fine, including recent cruises that didn't even require vaccination. Also, some of these cruises are over a year away. Why would it be COVID policies? 

 

It's more likely dock issues or overcrowding issues with too many megaships in port. 

 

I was thinking along the lines of mandatory reporting of cases and other possible rules that are target at cruise ships but not other visitors. It's a popular port stop so it must be something the cruise lines don't want to deal with, aka "operational issues" lol. 

[sparks1093]

11 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

No they're not. Back before COVID they gave us $50 when our Bermuda cruise's itinerary was affected. But that was years ago and like I said before COVID.

How close to the cruise were you when your itinerary changed? Usually when they change it this far out they will allow passengers to cancel without penalty or will allow them to change cruises without penalty. This far out the only penalty that I'm aware of is the Early Saver one, but other rate codes could also be affected. They don't trumpet this, passengers need to call and request it. 

[Honolulu Blue]

16 hours ago, Pyxie said:

Just got the notification that our port day in San Juan has been replaced with Nassau on our Mardi Gras cruise next October. Any ideas what the reason could be with still having almost a year until the cruise? While this is technically a downgrade, I guess it is what it is. We've actually never been to the Bahamas so it will be something new.

My last Carnival cruise just before the pandemic lasted 14 days and had 8 port stops - including San Juan.  They dropped one of our stops (Antigua) roughly a year before the cruise for some silly reason and replaced it with something else.  This also changed the order of our ports, and more arrival and departure times were changed.  While we were on the cruise, we had to swap around the order of the ports due to being slowed by high headwinds and an extra fuel stop.  Of our eight stops, only ONE was on the same day with the same times.

 

We didn't get compensation for any of these changes.

[mz-s]

4 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

How close to the cruise were you when your itinerary changed? Usually when they change it this far out they will allow passengers to cancel without penalty or will allow them to change cruises without penalty. This far out the only penalty that I'm aware of is the Early Saver one, but other rate codes could also be affected. They don't trumpet this, passengers need to call and request it. 

 

I can’t recall, I think it was maybe 6 months. 

[fireresq15]

19 hours ago, Pyxie said:

Just got the notification that our port day in San Juan has been replaced with Nassau on our Mardi Gras cruise next October. Any ideas what the reason could be with still having almost a year until the cruise? While this is technically a downgrade, I guess it is what it is. We've actually never been to the Bahamas so it will be something new.

It is because Puerto Rico can not handle two Mega ships. So they are alternating between Mardi Gras and Celebration.

[Ilovesailaway]

1 hour ago, fireresq15 said:

It is because Puerto Rico can not handle two Mega ships. So they are alternating between Mardi Gras and Celebration.

On 2/1 Celebration and Wonder OTS are scheduled for San Juan. 

[sparks1093]

2 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

I can’t recall, I think it was maybe 6 months. 

Ok, sounds similar to our experience when they substituted the Bahamas for Bermuda about 4 months out. Very little OBC, but they did allow passengers to cancel/reschedule (again, if they called).

[mz-s]

54 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

Ok, sounds similar to our experience when they substituted the Bahamas for Bermuda about 4 months out. Very little OBC, but they did allow passengers to cancel/reschedule (again, if they called).

 

Right, as I recall the $50 OBC was not an automatic thing. We did have to call our PVP at the time and request it.

[TripWatch]

Our Jan 21, 2023 ailing was also changed from San Juan to Nassau. Have no desire to go to Nassau. I checked the Carnival website and the Mardi Gras is still going to San Juan the week before and week after our cruise.  I called Carnival and they WILL NOT change us to either of the other sailings without charging us cancellation fees.  Nor will they tell us why the itinerary changed.

We selected the cruise for San Juan and would not have signed up had we know we would not be going there. 

Customer service will not help, stating they have instructions not to. VERY poor customer service. With the change made almost 90 days before sailing, Carnival should work/assist the customer. 

My wife just retired and we're now able to travel. We are looking at additional cruises in 2023; however, if Carnival continues to take this position, this will be our last cruise with them.

[Joebucks]

On 10/25/2022 at 1:58 PM, sunshower9 said:

I asked John Heald and the response was that it was due to "operational issues," which could mean anything. *shrug* 

 

This is the answer that everyone needs to accept. You don't need to know the exact reason so you can play judge and jury and decide how much it ruined your life or deserve in compensation. However, I also believe they should let you cancel without penalty.

[tidecat]

I am on a Mardi Gras sailing that is still scheduled to call at San Juan on February 24, 2023. The only other ship in port that day is Harmony of the Seas - that will be around 11,000 passengers at double occupancy. February 17 just has Oceania's Riviera. March 3 has Norwegian Gem and Regent's Seven Seas Navigator. Both of the Mardi Gras calls there for those days have been cancelled.  February 25 and February 27 have three ships each scheduled to call at San Juan those days, although I wouldn't be surprised if one of those is at the Pan American pier instead one of the piers at Old San Juan.

 

Maybe Old San Juan is limiting to two ships at once, with Pan American serving as an overflow? Celebrity historically has docked at Pan American, and they show up on the 3-ship and 4-ship days; the schedule occasionally has Royal Caribbean instead of Celebrity on some 3-ship and 4-ship days as well.

[JT1962]

There is another thread discussing the change also. It is to save on fuel costs, the San Juan Port Authority was told. 
 

https://www.cruisehive.com/port-provides-update-on-why-carnival-cruise-ship-is-pulling-out/85884

 

 

 

Edited October 29, 2022 by JT1962