Have you missed the ship then boarded in St. Thomas?

[Maryscooking]

If so, would you mind sharing your experience? How NCL helped or didn't, how it went overall?

 

For reasons and a story too long to explain, friends we are cruising with face a good possibility of missing the ship on embarkation day. Switching to a new sailing in advance isn't an option. If they do miss it, it appears the first chance to board would be meeting the ship in St. Thomas. 

 

I don't like the unknown lol and so hearing what others have experienced would help. Thanks for any stories!

[JesseB]

I think a lot of how much NCL would help would depend on if they were somehow "involved" in you missing the ship (i.e. got airfare through them, etc).  If you had your own arrangements to get to the port and missed it I think its on you to get to the next port....

[Maryscooking]

5 hours ago, JesseB said:

I think a lot of how much NCL would help would depend on if they were somehow "involved" in you missing the ship (i.e. got airfare through them, etc).  If you had your own arrangements to get to the port and missed it I think its on you to get to the next port....

 

Yes I agree. They definitely expect to have to make their own arrangements in that case, as NCL doesn't have anything to do with their schedule conflict. 

 

I guess I am more wondering if anyone has run into problems with NCL not letting them board at the next port? Or how hard it is to do overall?

[Greenpea2]

From things I have read,it could be a real problem..if it leaves from the US and returns to the Us, there can be a problem embarking in a different country. You probably should not take advice from anyone here because it all sounds a bit confusing. You need to contact someone (who knows what they are talking about) at NCL. Which I’m not sure you will get at their customer service number. Or do more research than I just did…good luck. 
 

 

[cruisinmeme]

7 minutes ago, Greenpea2 said:

From things I have read,it could be a real problem..if it leaves from the US and returns to the Us, there can be a problem embarking in a different country. You probably should not take advice from anyone here because it all sounds a bit confusing. You need to contact someone (who knows what they are talking about) at NCL. Which I’m not sure you will get at their customer service number. Or do more research than I just did…good luck. 
 

 

 

Keep in mind St.Thomas is considered US

[Maryscooking]

17 minutes ago, Greenpea2 said:

From things I have read,it could be a real problem..if it leaves from the US and returns to the Us, there can be a problem embarking in a different country. You probably should not take advice from anyone here because it all sounds a bit confusing. You need to contact someone (who knows what they are talking about) at NCL. Which I’m not sure you will get at their customer service number. Or do more research than I just did…good luck. 
 

 

 

So I think you are referring to boarding in US ports when a cruise embarks from a US port. I and they did read about that, and asked a travel agent who pointed them to info that shows the USVI (ie St Thomas) are an exception to the law in question. 

 

They have called NCL and got a wishy washy response. Basically they won't commit to or promise anything ahead of time, which isn't surprising. They are really not being helpful at all from what I gather hearing about it secondhand.

[BirdTravels]

8 hours ago, Maryscooking said:

If so, would you mind sharing your experience? How NCL helped or didn't, how it went overall? For reasons and a story too long to explain, friends we are cruising with face a good possibility of missing the ship on embarkation day. Switching to a new sailing in advance isn't an option. If they do miss it, it appears the first chance to board would be meeting the ship in St. Thomas. I don't like the unknown lol and so hearing what others have experienced would help. Thanks for any stories!

If NCL gets wind of the fact that your "friends" are asking to board mid-cruise, it is likely going to be denied. If your "friends" are in constant communication with them on embarkation day (let's say Saturday), documenting where you are and how you can not get to the port (not that the dog sitter can't start until Sunday), they may permit a mid-cruise embarkation. It is a lot of effort on NCL's part to get approved to embark people mid-cruise. And once you return to Miami/PC, the entire ship will have to wait for the non-closed-loop passengers to be fully processed back into the US by CBP, who will also have questions on why you boarded mid-cruise. Lately, they have been giving away no-show rooms to make money on upgrades, so you have to be talking to NCL's emergency number on embarkation day. 

 

The best advice is for your "friends" to cancel and file an insurance claim. 

[Joken35]

Unfortunately, we had to embark on the second of our cruise due to a family death. We were in touch with Princess from the start and they were aware that we would miss the initial embarkment In France .We boarded the  next day in Southampton  .we were I contact with them the entire time and they actually held the ship 1 hr due to our US flight debacle.Stay in communication!!!

[Greenpea2]

33 minutes ago, cruisinmeme said:

 

Keep in mind St.Thomas is considered US

Good point, thanks. It does sound like it could be iffy in any case. Which I never realized until this thread.

[Greenpea2]

26 minutes ago, Maryscooking said:

 

So I think you are referring to boarding in US ports when a cruise embarks from a US port. I and they did read about that, and asked a travel agent who pointed them to info that shows the USVI (ie St Thomas) are an exception to the law in question. 

 

They have called NCL and got a wishy washy response. Basically they won't commit to or promise anything ahead of time, which isn't surprising. They are really not being helpful at all from what I gather hearing about it secondhand.

I do hope they can work it out!

[tallyho8]

I missed my self booked flight to Fort Lauderdale on November 13, 2022 on Holland American, therefore missing my cruise. My next stops were Puerto Rico and St Thomas. Holland American said there was nothing they could do about it and that I could not board at another port and also, sorry, no refund.

[Maryscooking]

57 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

If NCL gets wind of the fact that your "friends" are asking to board mid-cruise, it is likely going to be denied. If your "friends" are in constant communication with them on embarkation day (let's say Saturday), documenting where you are and how you can not get to the port (not that the dog sitter can't start until Sunday), they may permit a mid-cruise embarkation. It is a lot of effort on NCL's part to get approved to embark people mid-cruise. And once you return to Miami/PC, the entire ship will have to wait for the non-closed-loop passengers to be fully processed back into the US by CBP, who will also have questions on why you boarded mid-cruise. Lately, they have been giving away no-show rooms to make money on upgrades, so you have to be talking to NCL's emergency number on embarkation day. 

 

The best advice is for your "friends" to cancel and file an insurance claim. 

 

Your presumptions are awfully rude. And wrong. They didn't call and ask to board mid-cruise, that is their last desire, to intentionally cut their trip short.

A group of us are cruising together. A couple has happened into a very tight schedule that cannot be changed. They want to do their best to make the trip and cruise with the group. If they miss the ship (and of course we hope they don't!), and they can't board at a later port, then I guess they'll have to file an insurance claim then.

Personally this type of thing makes me too anxious just on a secondhand basis. We do everything possible to come into the cruise port the day before the ship leaves. 

[Maryscooking]

1 hour ago, tallyho8 said:

I missed my self booked flight to Fort Lauderdale on November 13, 2022 on Holland American, therefore missing my cruise. My next stops were Puerto Rico and St Thomas. Holland American said there was nothing they could do about it and that I could not board at another port and also, sorry, no refund.

 

Augh that stinks, I'm sorry 😞

Did they give you a specific reason why they couldn't let you board?

[Babr]

Don’t assume that insurance will cover missing the ship. It depends on language in the policy and the reason for failing to arrive on time.

[Maryscooking]

20 minutes ago, Babr said:

Don’t assume that insurance will cover missing the ship. It depends on language in the policy and the reason for failing to arrive on time.

 

Right.

My impression is that it wouldn't be covered. But I'm also not reading the details of their policy either. The financial cost isn't really any of my business.

[YVRteacher]

If it helps, when we were on the NCL Jewel in May 2022 on the second leg of a cruise from Seward to Vancouver, Alaska Airlines cancelled a flight from Seattle to Seward which impacted 40 people who were scheduled to board the ship in Seward.  Shore side NCL staff were in frequent contact with ship management and the passengers who were affected boarded in Juneau.  NCL crew even helped them carry their luggage up the gangway!

 

On these boards, one person will say “no, that can’t happen, these are the rules…” but then someone else will say “it can happen.”

 

I wonder if your friends could contact the general manager of the ship in advance?

 

Best wishes to both you and your friends.  I truly hope it works out well.

Edited December 18, 2022 by YVRteacher

[Maryscooking]

9 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

If it helps, when we were on the NCL Jewel in May 2022 on the second leg of a cruise from Seward to Vancouver, Alaska Airlines cancelled a flight from Seattle to Seward which impacted 40 people who were scheduled to board the ship in Seward.  Shore side NCL staff were in frequent contact with ship management and the passengers who were affected boarded in Juneau.  NCL crew even helped them carry their luggage up the gangway!

 

On these boards, one person will say “no, that can’t happen, these are the rules…” but then someone else will say “it can happen.”

 

I wonder if your friends could contact the general manager of the ship in advance?

 

Best wishes to both you and your friends.  I truly hope it works out well.

 

Thank you for sharing your experience!

 

[tallyho8]

10 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

If it helps, when we were on the NCL Jewel in May 2022 on the second leg of a cruise from Seward to Vancouver, Alaska Airlines cancelled a flight from Seattle to Seward which impacted 40 people who were scheduled to board the ship in Seward.  Shore side NCL staff were in frequent contact with ship management and the passengers who were affected boarded in Juneau.  NCL crew even helped them carry their luggage up the gangway!

 

On these boards, one person will say “no, that can’t happen, these are the rules…” but then someone else will say “it can happen.”

 

I wonder if your friends could contact the general manager of the ship in advance?

 

Best wishes to both you and your friends.  I truly hope it works out well.

That is probably because they booked the flight through NCL.

[zqvol]

12 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

If it helps, when we were on the NCL Jewel in May 2022 on the second leg of a cruise from Seward to Vancouver, Alaska Airlines cancelled a flight from Seattle to Seward which impacted 40 people who were scheduled to board the ship in Seward.  Shore side NCL staff were in frequent contact with ship management and the passengers who were affected boarded in Juneau.  NCL crew even helped them carry their luggage up the gangway!

 

On these boards, one person will say “no, that can’t happen, these are the rules…” but then someone else will say “it can happen.”

 

I wonder if your friends could contact the general manager of the ship in advance?

 

Best wishes to both you and your friends.  I truly hope it works out well.

That was likely because it was not a closed loop cruise. 

[Hannodcruise]

Per the Frequently asked questions on the website

[Maryscooking]

6 minutes ago, Hannodcruise said:

Per the Frequently asked questions on the website

 

Yes thank you, they have read all of the available information.

 

The FAQ aside - they were actually told by NCL reps that if they miss the ship, the decision to allow them to meet up with the ship, and if so, in which port, would be made on embarkation day. They did not receive a "that will not be allowed" answer. And they called two different times. They were given the phone number to call if they miss their flight to port.

 

Makes me anxious for them. But at least we are just talking about a cruise getaway with a group of friends, not a once in a lifetime irreplaceable vacation.

[kitkat343]

34 minutes ago, Maryscooking said:

 

Yes thank you, they have read all of the available information.

 

The FAQ aside - they were actually told by NCL reps that if they miss the ship, the decision to allow them to meet up with the ship, and if so, in which port, would be made on embarkation day. They did not receive a "that will not be allowed" answer. And they called two different times. They were given the phone number to call if they miss their flight to port.

 

Makes me anxious for them. But at least we are just talking about a cruise getaway with a group of friends, not a once in a lifetime irreplaceable vacation.

Given how many people have come to post about the important incorrect information they've been given by all cruise line phone reps (not just NCL) I am glad that at least they were told this, since honestly this is probably exactly what is going to happen.  If the people working that day can make it happen and want to make it happen, they will help your friends.  If customs or NCL bosses say no or they don't want to deal with the Jones act paperwork (or whatever other paperwork is involved) they will be denied.  Its better to know that possibility ahead of time than be disappointed.   On the family cruise forum we tell people that all the time about the kids club - their children want to move up or down a level to be with siblings, cousins or friends.  We tell them it might happen, but you won't know until sailing because it depends on the number of kids in the kids club and how flexible the staff is.  There's just no way to predict.

Edited December 18, 2022 by kitkat343