Is NCL dropping out of San Diego?

[diogenes65]

Rumored in San Diego. Does anyone know if it is true. No memtion on the NCL  web page.

[pete_coach]

If you are on NCL page and search for a cruise, look at ports of departure, San Diego is not listed.

 

Edited April 28, 2023 by pete_coach

[diogenes65]

1 hour ago, pete_coach said:

If you are on NCL page and search for a cruise, look at ports of departure, San Diego is not listed.

 

Apparently NCL had ben set to start SD departures for the Fall to Spring season. That plan has been cancelled.

[BirdTravels]

That normally happens when there is low interest and bookings. Personally, I would prefer sailing out of San Diego versus San Pedro. 

[jy0ung1]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

That normally happens when there is low interest and bookings. Personally, I would prefer sailing out of San Diego versus San Pedro. 

I wish they would move the Joy or Bliss there, at least for a month or two.  There is so much more to do in San Diego.

[YVRteacher]

There are a number of factors NCL considers when deciding which ports to use. They just pulled out of Panama since the new port was never as promised.

 

San Diego is great when there is only one ship in port but many people have reported long lines and chaos when two ships are there.  Also, the Jewel was late leaving San Diego most weeks due to challenges with getting provisions to the port and getting them loaded.  This is speculation, but I wonder if the long drive from LA impacts the trucks carrying provisions? 
 

 I too loved the San Diego departures and wish they would continue.  What we will likely do when leaving from San Pedro is fly to San Diego and spend a few days there before taking the train to LA.  It’s a nice train ride!

[pete_coach]

 

13 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

There are a number of factors NCL considers when deciding which ports to use. They just pulled out of Panama since the new port was never as promised.

 

....

Please elaborate on this.we are booked on a Panama canal cruise (LA to Miami) in January. We have 1 1/2 days in Panama before the passage thorough the canal.

[YVRteacher]

https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-not-planning-on-more-sailings-from-panama/96077#:~:text=Norwegian Pulls Out of Panama,of Panama following December 2024.

[yankprintster]

3 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-not-planning-on-more-sailings-from-panama/96077#:~:text=Norwegian Pulls Out of Panama,of Panama following December 2024.

 

It doesn't say it in the article referenced above, but I bet a big part of the reason is that the deal for free Panama Canal transits likely expired:

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/panama-oks-ncl-incentive-cancels-operating-tender-delayed-cruise-terminal

 

"Panama Tourism Authority Administrator Iván Eskildsen on Tuesday said the government approved an agreement to reimburse NCL for its Canal transits in 2021, 2022 and 2023, up to an annual sum of $6m, for a total of up to $18m."

 

Another big reason ia that the port was a disaster.  I sailed out of there earlier this year.  The port wasn't ready, so we had to meet at the convention center to check-in, and then a separate shuttle had to take you to the port.  There was a ton of construction going on making it impossible for two busses to pass each other when entering/leaving the port, so we had to wait on the bus for 15-20 minutes to wait for the prior bus to exit.  Once the construction is complete, it will probably be a very convenient experience, though.  Panama airport is close to downtown and the Panama City port.  Much closer than Colon.

[eileeshb]

3 hours ago, pete_coach said:

 

Please elaborate on this.we are booked on a Panama canal cruise (LA to Miami) in January. We have 1 1/2 days in Panama before the passage thorough the canal.

Panama was listed as a potential embarkation port for some itineraries, I actually considered it at one point.

However there was a major incident at the Panama City pier as a port of call a few months ago. The pier construction has been way behind schedule and should have had a sea bridge type connection to the ship but instead it was a gangway. Due to the large change in tide height during the time at port the gangway became very steep and collapsed with guests on it. Obviously the full details are not in public domain due to probable litigation between the port authorities, NCL and the injured guests. 

[pete_coach]

20 minutes ago, eileeshb said:

Panama was listed as a potential embarkation port for some itineraries, I actually considered it at one point.

However there was a major incident at the Panama City pier as a port of call a few months ago. The pier construction has been way behind schedule and should have had a sea bridge type connection to the ship but instead it was a gangway. Due to the large change in tide height during the time at port the gangway became very steep and collapsed with guests on it. Obviously the full details are not in public domain due to probable litigation between the port authorities, NCL and the injured guests. 

Our itinerary states:

Sun 21-Jan 6:00 pm Mon 22-Jan 10:00 pm Dock OVERNIGHT IN PANAMA CITY (PCT), PANAMA
Tue 23-Jan 5:00 am TRANSIT PANAMA CANAL, AT SEA

 

I understand that the intention is to dock Sunday at 6PM, then stay all day Monday and depart through the Canal at 5AM Tuesday.

 

I guess they have until January to get it all sorted out.

[YVRteacher]

If you read the article it says they are not scheduling departures from Panama after December 2024.

[Panhandle Couple]

December 2024 is 19 months away at this point in time.  A lot can happen in between.

And the new terminal is scheduled for completion by Dec 2023.  NCL may be taking a wait and see attitude.

4 hours ago, yankprintster said:

 

It doesn't say it in the article referenced above, but I bet a big part of the reason is that the deal for free Panama Canal transits likely expired:

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/panama-oks-ncl-incentive-cancels-operating-tender-delayed-cruise-terminal

 

"Panama Tourism Authority Administrator Iván Eskildsen on Tuesday said the government approved an agreement to reimburse NCL for its Canal transits in 2021, 2022 and 2023, up to an annual sum of $6m, for a total of up to $18m."

 

Another big reason ia that the port was a disaster.  I sailed out of there earlier this year.  The port wasn't ready, so we had to meet at the convention center to check-in, and then a separate shuttle had to take you to the port.  There was a ton of construction going on making it impossible for two busses to pass each other when entering/leaving the port, so we had to wait on the bus for 15-20 minutes to wait for the prior bus to exit.  Once the construction is complete, it will probably be a very convenient experience, though.  Panama airport is close to downtown and the Panama City port.  Much closer than Colon.

The article was from Nov 2019.

4 months before...you know.

Most contracts have "acts of God" type clauses, so probably new contracts are in the works.

And there was a recent NCL rep tour and port facility review.  NCL is probably waiting to see if any of the construction promises made will be met.

 

 

[jkbec101]

23 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

I too loved the San Diego departures and wish they would continue.  What we will likely do when leaving from San Pedro is fly to San Diego and spend a few days there before taking the train to LA.  It’s a nice train ride!

I wouldn't plan on taking the train any time soon.  The tracks in Southern Orange County were closed for nearly six months due to rock and land slides and now they're closed again due to slope instability above the tracks in San Clemente.  

 

This is a situation that will take millions and millions of dollars to fix and right now there is nothing being planned to provide for a long term solution.  

I would recommend renting a car instead.

[mistertomatoe]

Calling on the port is not affected. It just won’t be a homeport. I went from NYC to Panama City on the Gem 12 days on one cruise and then back to NYC on the return cruise 11 days. It seemed like a mess with all the luggage and supplies they had to load and unload with the other cruise ship and all the shuttle buses. They made a bridge from the port to the ship with metal plates covering an existing rail track and carefully pushed carts of luggage across. Did they come up with that on the fly? I fully expected the bridge to fall apart and them to lose something but it didn’t happen when I was watching. I’m guessing they were port workers doing it all and it seemed dicey.

 

There can’t be that many cruises going from there so I don’t think it’s a major loss.