Cancellation of cruise in the Middle East

[Charlene Jones]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2023/11/02/oceania-cruise-refunds-israel-hamas/71406253007/?fbclid=IwAR1cLrwcBvZFNi-sBgyDot_9PsBOAjzHw4DZEs1psmiBfeHQlnkLD1PjCEc_aem_Afdtu2HVWuFq0pqRitPLzgVdaDUO3uiU_cV9KUrP5uIH3Hi-h-oOO_MSkRLVUB5imqk#lohxmribiee2k36af9h

[Charlene Jones]

If you were promised a FCC and the offer was rescinded, have your travel agent ask them to reconsider.  They seem to be begrudgingly honoring that promise suddenly.  

[PhD-iva]

1 minute ago, Charlene Jones said:

If you were promised a FCC and the offer was rescinded, have your travel agent ask them to reconsider.  They seem to be begrudgingly honoring that promise suddenly.  

Based on what? Not that USAToday article? One couple featured in the article got a full refund.
Who has stated they recently received an offer of an FCC? Please provide source and a link. People affected will want to be able to follow up on this information.

They will thank you.

[Charlene Jones]

1 minute ago, PhD-iva said:

Based on what? Not that USAToday article? One couple featured in the article got a full refund.
Who has stated they recently received an offer of an FCC? Please provide source and a link. People affected will want to be able to follow up on this information.

They will thank you.

I know the individual quoted in the article.  We have been working the PR angle together. Divide and conquer, so to speak. The travel agency they use has had success with its customers who had the FCC offer rescinded.  This seemed to start happening yesterday afternoon.  

[PhD-iva]

Just now, Charlene Jones said:

I know the individual quoted in the article.  We have been working the PR angle together. Divide and conquer, so to speak. The travel agency they use has had success with its customers who had the FCC offer rescinded.  This seemed to start happening yesterday afternoon.  

GREAT! Thx for sharing!

[Charlene Jones]

1 minute ago, PhD-iva said:

GREAT! Thx for sharing!

Of course. 

[Harry Lake]

8 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

Based on what? Not that USAToday article? One couple featured in the article got a full refund.
Who has stated they recently received an offer of an FCC? Please provide source and a link. People affected will want to be able to follow up on this information.

They will thank you.

Why not go ahead and try? What do you have to lose? And I find "going to the top" to be quite effective.

[1 EastEnder]

On a separate subject, as I'm forced to go on this cruise, can anyone tell me about the alcohol policy?  I was told you/anyone could bring on six bottles of wine/alcohol.  Is it six per person (I'm traveling with my two daughters) or six per entire cruise or six whenever you get off at a port and get back on the ship?  I asked an Oceania staffer, and she said just six and the crew will hold the bottles for you.  I'm really confused.  Any clarification anyone?  Thanks.

[PhD-iva]

13 minutes ago, 1 EastEnder said:

On a separate subject, as I'm forced to go on this cruise, can anyone tell me about the alcohol policy?  I was told you/anyone could bring on six bottles of wine/alcohol.  Is it six per person (I'm traveling with my two daughters) or six per entire cruise or six whenever you get off at a port and get back on the ship?  I asked an Oceania staffer, and she said just six and the crew will hold the bottles for you.  I'm really confused.  Any clarification anyone?  Thanks.

Everyone will tell you there is no effective or enforced limit on bringing alcohol onboard. Given that any alcohol you bring onboard either is consumed in your stateroom, or you have the option to pay a $25(?) corkage fee in a restaurant to imbibe your wine w your meal. 
Enjoy your cruise!

[Heartfelttraveler]

I am currently on the Nautica right now.  We were supposed to dock in Civitavecchia this morning after a turbulent roller coaster ride all night.  I am happy to say we are not attempting to dock and I will not feel compelled to try and take our excursion in the gale force winds and rain.  (The missed excursion is an O’Life choice and I will get nothing for it.)

 

My real reason for this post is to let you know that the Cruise Director has been very busy working to book guest speakers and come up with lots of activities for the cruise through the Suez Canal.

 

I guess it is time to bounce our way up to breakfast.

[PhD-iva]

5 hours ago, Heartfelttraveler said:

 

My real reason for this post is to let you know that the Cruise Director has been very busy working to book guest speakers and come up with lots of activities for the cruise through the Suez Canal.

Thx for your update!

I wonder how difficult it will be to book speakers to travel through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea.

[LHT28]

7 hours ago, Heartfelttraveler said:

  (The missed excursion is an O’Life choice and I will get nothing for it.)

 

 

So you cannot choose another  excursion  in another port? 

 

 

[cruisemom42]

7 hours ago, Heartfelttraveler said:

 I am happy to say we are not attempting to dock and I will not feel compelled to try and take our excursion in the gale force winds and rain.

 

Wow. As an aside, it's quite uncommon for ships not to be able to dock in Civitavecchia -- the weather must really be rough. 

[Heartfelttraveler]

Gale force winds.  Huge waves.  We could not even go out on deck.
we each got a $100 credit for the O’Life excursion we missed.

Lots of people getting seasickness meds.

a nice surprise - The Barbie Movie in the theater.  

[Prosecco220]

On 10/29/2023 at 4:51 PM, asnaleah said:

@Lastdance, we are booked on that TA also. 

I commiserate! This was to be our 50th anniversary voyage. But don’t despair.
1) The Federal Maritime Commission requires that cruise line put passenger paid money into escrow. Our money is sitting there.

2) Others have started getting refunds. Your travel agency is probably part of Signature Travel Network and these folks have real clout with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. I recommend that you be proactive. Insist that your travel agency’s OWNER either ask Signature to intercede and/or personally demand a full refund. Also convey your intention to go to arbitration, which we believe is winnable, and not expensive. If 100 of us declare this intention, it will overwhelm them.

3) The negative PR pressure is building and because NCLH’s decisions/choices have been so anti-customer, so egregious, so erratic, can anyone ever trust their decision-making again?

 

We place our lives in their hands, and for Jewish passengers, this is especially scary if we’re dealing with apparently unprincipled people. Their choice to deliberately place a ship full of “rich Westerners” into a war zone simply boggles the mind. 

[Flatworld]

Given the fact that Houthi rebels in Yemen continue to send missiles and drones toward Israel, with a couple of drones accidentally hitting Egyptian port towns, why would any of us feel safe sailing through the Suez Canal, Red Sea and Arabian Sea at this point in time?  From what I've read, a US warship managed to intercept several missiles and drones, and Israeli missile ships have now been dispatched to the Red Sea.  

 

[Elless100]

3 minutes ago, Prosecco220 said:

I commiserate! This was to be our 50th anniversary voyage. But don’t despair.
1) The Federal Maritime Commission requires that cruise line put passenger paid money into escrow. Our money is sitting there.

2) Others have started getting refunds. Your travel agency is probably part of Signature Travel Network and these folks have real clout with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. I recommend that you be proactive. Insist that your travel agency’s OWNER either ask Signature to intercede and/or personally demand a full refund. Also convey your intention to go to arbitration, which we believe is winnable, and not expensive. If 100 of us declare this intention, it will overwhelm them.

3) The negative PR pressure is building and because NCLH’s decisions/choices have been so anti-customer, so egregious, so erratic, can anyone ever trust their decision-making again?

 

We place our lives in their hands, and for Jewish passengers, this is especially scary if we’re dealing with apparently unprincipled people. Their choice to deliberately place a ship full of “rich Westerners” into a war zone simply boggles the mind. 

I am 100% on the same page. I have even spoken to an attorney. 

[1 EastEnder]

Are you able to share what advice the attorney gave.  Did he or she suggest a class action lawsuit, or any recourse?

[Prosecco220]

On 10/29/2023 at 4:51 PM, asnaleah said:

@Lastdance, we are booked on that TA also. 

I commiserate! But don’t despair. 1) The Federal Maritime Commission requires that cruise line put passenger paid money into escrow. Our money is sitting there. 2) Your travel agency is probably part of Signature Travel Network and these folks have real clout with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. I recommend that you be proactive. Insist that your travel agency’s OWNER ask Signature intercede and demand a full refund. Also convey your intention to go to arbitration, which we believe is easily winnable. 3) The negative PR pressure is building and because NCLH’s decisions/choices have been so 

[Prosecco220]

Yes, we will share. A class action is less onerous to NCLH, tho, than 500 individual arbitrations.  Ideally, travel agents, agency owners and consolidators must hit NCLH hard and demand refunds on behalf of their customers. Do these folks REALLY work for the cruise companies and airline? Their actions will speak volumes. Since some people have been given refunds, there’s blood in the water. 

[davencl]

55 minutes ago, Prosecco220 said:

1) The Federal Maritime Commission requires that cruise line put passenger paid money into escrow. Our money is sitting there.

 

I don't understand how this applies.   This ship did not embark from a US port.  From the FMC webpage "FMC requires cruise lines to have a bond or other financial surety available to refund passenger deposits in the event of nonperformance or for death or injury on a voyage. This requirement applies to cruise lines that embark from a U.S. port and have at least 50 berth accommodations."

[Elless100]

2 minutes ago, davencl said:

I don't understand how this applies.   This ship did not embark from a US port.  From the FMC webpage "FMC requires cruise lines to have a bond or other financial surety available to refund passenger deposits in the event of nonperformance or for death or injury on a voyage. This requirement applies to cruise lines that embark from a U.S. port and have at least 50 berth accommodations."

Yes this is true. I contacted them and they said it was out of their jurisdiction 

[Charlene Jones]

8 minutes ago, Prosecco220 said:

Yes, we will share. A class action is less onerous to NCLH, tho, than 500 individual arbitrations.  Ideally, travel agents, agency owners and consolidators must hit NCLH hard and demand refunds on behalf of their customers. Do these folks REALLY work for the cruise companies and airline? Their actions will speak volumes. Since some people have been given refunds, there’s blood in the water. 

My travel agency is so angry with Oceania over its treatment of customers that they refunded me my money and are going after Oceania.  I'm beyond happy that I've been made whole, but wish it had come from Oceania as opposed to the travel agency. 

[SophieM]

14 minutes ago, Prosecco220 said:

Yes, we will share. A class action is less onerous to NCLH, tho, than 500 individual arbitrations.  Ideally, travel agents, agency owners and consolidators must hit NCLH hard and demand refunds on behalf of their customers. Do these folks REALLY work for the cruise companies and airline? Their actions will speak volumes. Since some people have been given refunds, there’s blood in the water. 

I think the ticket contract says you waive your right to a class action suit. 

[Prosecco220]

As you say, factors arise during a cruise that may force the ship to avoid port. That is understandable. However, if Viking knew a full month ahead that a particular cruise could not stop in ANY of the scheduled ports, I feel sure they would cancel the cruise and give refunds. Oceania is trying to salvage this pretty expensive trip by abandoning the original itinerary and substituting an entirely different cruise. Plus they’re subjecting their customers to 9 days sailing through a war zone.