Information NCL cruisers might want to know

[Panhandle Couple]

This time from RCL.

And pretty major, turning Panama Canal cruises to non-Panama Canal cruises next year.

"To Enhance Your Experience".

Follow along on the RCL page.

Have popcorn ready.

 

 

[The Traveling Man]

31 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

This time from RCL.

And pretty major, turning Panama Canal cruises to non-Panama Canal cruises next year.

"To Enhance Your Experience".

Follow along on the RCL page.

Have popcorn ready.

 

 

I'm sorry to hear that RCL has cancelled these cruises, but NCL still lists more that a half dozen full transits of the canal among its itineraries for 2024.  In addition, there also are another half dozen cruises which either do a partial transit or at least visit a port in Panama.  Thus far there is no need to panic about NCL's plans regarding Panama.

[Panhandle Couple]

11 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

I'm sorry to hear that RCL has cancelled these cruises, but NCL still lists more that a half dozen full transits of the canal among its itineraries for 2024.  In addition, there also are another half dozen cruises which either do a partial transit or at least visit a port in Panama.  Thus far there is no need to panic about NCL's plans regarding Panama.

It was more in reference to "only NCL does these kind of things" posts that drag on and on.

 

[yakcruiser]

"Enhance your experience." That tops "For your convenience."

[BirdTravels]

The grass is not greener. 

[hallux]

9 hours ago, Panhandle Couple said:

It was more in reference to "only NCL does these kind of things" posts that drag on and on.

 

I watched a video yesterday - people here think NCL does nickel and dime to the extreme...  Royal changes prices on add-ons based on what ship you're on.  Not even ship-based items - activities on their private island have different prices based on what ship you arrived on.  They want $150 to enjoy the water park for a couple hours.

 

Their drink packages also vary in cost based on ship and itinerary, unlike NCL that has a set cost if you pay for it instead of getting the FAS...

[njkate]

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2023/08/09/panama-canal-shipping-pileup-due-to-drought-reaches-154-vessels.html
 

Sorry but imo and I know many will not agree but cargo ships going through canal take precedence over cruise ships

[JillK]

11 minutes ago, njkate said:

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2023/08/09/panama-canal-shipping-pileup-due-to-drought-reaches-154-vessels.html
 

Sorry but imo and I know many will not agree but cargo ships going through canal take precedence over cruise ships

 

If this kind of outlook is part of RCI's reasoning for the itinerary change, I suspect that those currently booked on transit or partial transit canal cruises being affected by the itinerary change would have appreciated them just saying so. It would make a lot of more sense to know there is some kind of reasoning to the decision beyond the non-sensical "to enhance your experience" line. 

[njhorseman]

31 minutes ago, njkate said:

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2023/08/09/panama-canal-shipping-pileup-due-to-drought-reaches-154-vessels.html
 

Sorry but imo and I know many will not agree but cargo ships going through canal take precedence over cruise ships

 Cruise ships pay substantial reservation fees to secure scheduled time slots for their canal passages. Cargo ships generally don't pay for reserved transit slots so their transits are on a space-available basis. The result is that cruise ships generally have priority.

[njkate]

36 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

 Cruise ships pay substantial reservation fees to secure scheduled time slots for their canal passages. Cargo ships generally don't pay for reserved transit slots so their transits are on a space-available basis. The result is that cruise ships generally have priority.

Reading the article I can understand why some cruise lines may avoid canal crossings at the current time.

[cruiseny4life]

2 hours ago, JillK said:

 

If this kind of outlook is part of RCI's reasoning for the itinerary change, I suspect that those currently booked on transit or partial transit canal cruises being affected by the itinerary change would have appreciated them just saying so. It would make a lot of more sense to know there is some kind of reasoning to the decision beyond the non-sensical "to enhance your experience" line. 

WAIT?!?!?! You want honesty out of a cruise line? Any cruise line? Hahahahaha....sorry. I'm truly not trying to be flippant. I agree with you completely. But, having seen the marketing they all do, I don't think their marketing/sales departments could tell the last time they told the full truth. 

[Panhandle Couple]

1 hour ago, njhorseman said:

 Cruise ships pay substantial reservation fees to secure scheduled time slots for their canal passages. Cargo ships generally don't pay for reserved transit slots so their transits are on a space-available basis. The result is that cruise ships generally have priority.

Cruises also (generally) stop and bring tourist money into the country.  Container ships don't.

As pointed out in the attached thread, cruise ships draft (amount below waterline) is les than cargo ships, and fairly predictable.  The current draft restrictions are well above what even large cruise ships draw.   

[kitkat343]

My understanding so far is that these changes were made for sailings in early 2024, so passengers can still cancel if they booked this cruise for a partial transit through the Panama Canal.   Cancelling will obviously be more difficult and complicated if they already booked airfare.  

Edited August 14, 2023 by kitkat343