10.20.2024 Itinerary Change

[Travelling2Some]

Yet another itinerary change.  Substituting Boston for Bar Harbor, which is not bad and at least well before final payment.  Have to say I was expecting this but Bar Harbor was an important port stop because this year is probably the last time ships will be allowed to dock there.  We were on the fence about this cruise since it is an easy driving trip from NY and driving allows us more days in ports.  This tips the balance so we will cancel and make it a road trip, which allows us to include Cape Cod and Nantucket.

[gmbhardy]

Thanks for informing us. Have a great trip!

[1025cruise]

Bar Harbor is only an 4-5 hour drive from Boston.

[Travelling2Some]

2 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

Bar Harbor is only an 4-5 hour drive from Boston.

 Exactly and with plenty of attractive stops on the way.  We have been to all these places before being somewhat local, so the cruise is not really needed.  I would rather drive and have several days in places of interest.

[shof515]

Is this for the breakaway? I am on the October 13 sailing. when i look at the bar harbor ship schedule, breakaway is not listed on the date Norwegian says we will be there

[Travelling2Some]

Yes, it's the Breakaway.  My understanding had been that the Bar Harbor authorities intended to honor the bookings that were in place for the coming year.  This made the cruise more attractive (at least for us) since it would be the "end of an era".  Don't know who canceled the stop (NCL or Bar Harbor) but it was an important stop (for Acadia National Park) so the cruise is much less attractive to us now.  A driving trip looks more interesting since we can include multiple nights at Cape Cod/Nantucket on the way up and skip several ports of less interest on the itinerary.

[deliver42]

I won't go and give money to people that don't want me there, so I wouldn't get off the ship if it stopped at Bar Harbor.

[Travelling2Some]

I understand their thinking. I have been to Bar Harbor and it is a small lovely place when cruise ships are not in town.  Much as I love cruising, I see their point.  When people visit by land they spend money on local hotels and restaurants. Cruisers not so much.  I understand that I am very welcome as a land-based traveler but less welcome as a cruiser.  I wouldn't take it personally.

[Rick&Jeannie]

We had a great time a couple years back when we visited Bar Harbor.  We did an excursion to Cadillac Mountain and traveled through Acadia National Park at the peak of the foliage.  Would love to go back.

 

[mking8288]

Thanks for the update.  Shocked and surprised ... not. 

 

We were looking at both the Joy & BA as options this Fall as others wanted to tag along.  More staterooms for others - book 3 rooms with Royal, going to sail out of CL doing 9 nights, and have Sydney, CBI in NS as a new stop for us in addition to Halifax, which we missed last September.  

 

Traffic on the Maine Turnpike can be crazy busy to/from Portland but you don't have to worry about all abroad time and tendering.  Have a great road trip. 

[1025cruise]

12 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

Yes, it's the Breakaway.  My understanding had been that the Bar Harbor authorities intended to honor the bookings that were in place for the coming year.  This made the cruise more attractive (at least for us) since it would be the "end of an era".  Don't know who canceled the stop (NCL or Bar Harbor) but it was an important stop (for Acadia National Park) so the cruise is much less attractive to us now.  A driving trip looks more interesting since we can include multiple nights at Cape Cod/Nantucket on the way up and skip several ports of less interest on the itinerary.

Bar Harbor is only honoring reservations made prior to the referendum date. At least until the courts tell them otherwise.

[pete_coach]

Bar harbour has limited it's passenger debarking to 1000.

As of 4 March 2024:

 

U.S. District Court Judge Lance Walker has ruled that the Maine town of Bar Harbor has the right to limit how many cruise passengers visit. 

Walker ruled that Bar Harbor's new 1,000-passenger daily limit on cruise ship visitors is lawful and does not violate federal laws governing interstate commerce. The limit is an exercise of home rule authority under the Maine Constitution, he said.

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Judge-allows-Bar-Harbor-cruise-visitor-limit

Edited April 5 by pete_coach

[shof515]

2 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

Bar Harbor is only honoring reservations made prior to the referendum date. At least until the courts tell them otherwise.

why is Norwegian canceling the ports on a few of the breakaway sailings in the fall? Both the October 13 and 20 cruise is effected with no longer calling on Bar Harbor and looking at the port schedule it looks like they will be another cruise in September with the port being canceled. 

 

Norwegian should of already made the reservations for these sailings last year when they open the booking for these sailings 

 

it looks like some reservations is not being honoring or it could be something else like new restrictions this with only have bar harbor only have 1 ship in port compare to the having multiple ships in port at the same time 

[Travelling2Some]

Yes, I would have thought that NCL would have made this reservation awhile ago (unless this is another one of their sneaky "we always secretly intended to skip it?" situations?  Regardless, we canceled this morning.  The ironic twist is that now we will be visiting Bar Harbor by land and avoiding it on a day that cruise ships will be in town.

[Turtles06]

16 hours ago, shof515 said:

Is this for the breakaway? I am on the October 13 sailing. when i look at the bar harbor ship schedule, breakaway is not listed on the date Norwegian says we will be there

Could you please link to the web site you’re looking at for the Bar Harbor ship schedule?  (It looks like there are several out there.)

 

Thanks! 

[1025cruise]

I think the referendum was in 2022, so any reservations past that are "void" if they don't meet the constraints. I believe the cruise industry was banking on the court tossing it out.

[mking8288]

The other consideration for NCL, is the logistics and time involved to tender the *Away/+ class ship like the Breakaway with 3,500+ pax and crews that need to go ashore at ports like Bar Harbor, assuming sea state & weather conditions are optimal on the day of ... which nobody can't predict ahead.  

 

On the Dawn in 2019 with a scheduled stop at BH returning after visiting Halifax & St. John first, we had to deal with CBP coming onboard to clear everyone first, before pax were allowed to priority board using ship's lifeboats to get ashore.  The entire transfer took 2+ hours and that was with only 2,300+ pax (not everyone went but we sure did) ... shorex didn't leave on schedule despite early arrival, buses were leaving the parking/staging area next to the pier as late as 11 AM & beyond.  

 

Imagine the logistics & time needed for 3,500+ souls going ashore ... and, the subsequent return.  We're on the Getaway's Caribbean sailing in 2022-23 sailing at reduced capacity and due to "unforeseen" reasons, our tender stop at one of the ABC islands were cancelled & ended up going to a different port with a gangway ... of course, for our (in)convenience - we're only informed after being onboard, etc. etc.  

 

As for the port reservations discussed, chats previously here on CC mentioned that cruise lines including NCL almost certainly had their slots booked for this season (2024) prior to the passage of the restrictions, that it shouldn't matter or else NCL wouldn't be (should not) advertising it earlier.  We're on the Escape last September to NE/C with BH scheduled, but skipped & cancelled due to weather/stormy forecast but that was different, and nothing anyone could've done otherwise - however, tendering at Newport went smoothly with the ship at/near full double occupancy.  

 

At least, this time, it's months before final payment and there is no penalty to cancel and book something else ... those flying in & making their own flight or travel arrangements will just have to manage those accordingly.  

[Rick&Jeannie]

36 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

Could you please link to the web site you’re looking at for the Bar Harbor ship schedule?  (It looks like there are several out there.)

 

Thanks! 

Mr. Google is your friend...

https://cruisedig.com/ports/bar-harbor-maine

[shof515]

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

Could you please link to the web site you’re looking at for the Bar Harbor ship schedule?  (It looks like there are several out there.)

 

Thanks! 

 

This seems like the official ship schedule: https://maine.portcall.com/#!?tab=2&port=Bar Harbor it was found on https://www.barharbormaine.gov/190/Cruise-Ship-Information 

 

[Turtles06]

42 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Mr. Google is your friend...

https://cruisedig.com/ports/bar-harbor-maine

 

Thanks Rick, but the first thing I do before asking folks on social media is to ask my friend Mr. Google.  And I came up with that site too, but it shows the Breakaway in Bar Harbor on Oct. 9, 16 and 23 [as well as many huge ships there in 2025].  So that one didn't seem to be correct.

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, 1025cruise said:

I think the referendum was in 2022, so any reservations past that are "void" if they don't meet the constraints. I believe the cruise industry was banking on the court tossing it out.

 

Yes, it was in November 2022.  This recent article is very helpful in explaining how Bar Harbor is implementing the restrictions, given their victory in federal court.  I agree with you -- it's likely that cruise lines made reservations hoping or expecting the restrictions to be judicially invalidated. 

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/new-details-confirmed-about-port-cruise-ship-limits/125450

[Turtles06]

14 minutes ago, shof515 said:

 

This seems like the official ship schedule: https://maine.portcall.com/#!?tab=2&port=Bar Harbor it was found on https://www.barharbormaine.gov/190/Cruise-Ship-Information 

 

 

Thank you.  Interestingly, that site shows the Breakaway in Bar Harbor on Oct. 2 and Oct. 9, 2024, but not any later this year. 

[Turtles06]

I have a related question about the Bar Harbor port schedule linked in comment 19 above:

 

https://maine.portcall.com/#!?tab=2&port=Bar Harbor

 

Going into September-October 2025, it shows a number of visits by the Breakaway, but none by the Getaway.  As best I can tell from NCL's web site, the only Away class ship NCL has sailing to Bar Harbor those months is the Getaway.  Indeed, I'm booked on the Getaway departing NY on Sept. 14, 2025, which NCL says will be calling at Bar Harbor on Sept. 17, 2025, but the port schedule shows the Breakaway there on that date.  I wonder if NCL made a reservation for the Breakaway -- (possibly prior to the Nov. 2022 referendum) -- and now hopes to swap for the Getaway. 

 

In any event, I've booked the Getaway cruise fully expecting that we won't be going to Bar Harbor.  (Frankly, I'd love a sea day instead. 🙂) 

[shof515]

2025 schedule seems like placeholder like Norwegian is reservation specific dates for their ships on those dates. Its too early to tell what will happen eventfully happen. the full schedule for 2025 will not be released until this time next year. 

 

It was around late February when i noticed the portcall website had dates for 2024 and when i noticed most of all the breakaway October cruises were missing

 

I wonder how long it will take for me to get the official itinerary change notice about the October 13 sailing

[Hot Stop]

https://maine.portcall.com/#!?tab=2&port=Bar Harbor
 

I’m supposed to in Bar Harbor on the Gem on 8/29 but that site has us in Portland on that day instead. It’s not a big deal for me either way but if it has changed to Portland I just wish NCL would let us know.