Prima late into NYC April 27…here we go again

[marktwothousand]

Another late arrival and itinerary change by NCL on the upcoming April 27 repo. They are offering $300, but My travel insurance doesn’t cover things like this, so I don’t know how much I’ll get back from them. 
 

“As part of our commitment to deliver exceptional vacation experiences at every step of the cruise journey, listening to our guests is instrumental. Given recent guest feedback, and to accommodate certain circumstances including but not limited to global maritime regulations, as well as whale zone speed restrictions enroute from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic to New York City, New York, we will now disembark in New York City on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. We apologize for any inconvenience this adjustment may cause.”

 

All guests with independent flights are encouraged to contact their airline provider and reschedule their flights. Please note, flights should be scheduled to depart five hours after the ship's arrival time. We recommend that all guests work directly with their travel insurance provider, and airline carrier if applicable, for reimbursement options related to any expenses incurred. Should any airline-imposed change/cancelation fees not be covered by your insurance provider or the airline, we will reimburse up to $300 USD per person. Please submit your receipts including documentation of denied claim for review at www.ncl.com/case-submission.

[shof515]

other cruise lines have no issue going full speed between NYC and Puerto Plata. It seems like Norwegian is trying to spin this into a fuel saving thing by not running the ship at 22-24 knots. a lot of fuel can be saved by going around 16-18 knots

[marktwothousand]

Does anyone know how strict NCL is with claims. I booked on points and will now have to pay cash for my new flight instead. My travel companion will take a hit because she has to change airlines entirely. I’m usually good at filing admin papers for sh33t like dis, but I’m not sure how this will work because insurance doesn’t apply to flights booked on points.

 

do I basically just say to Norwegian: “the new flights resulted in a price difference of X”, and send some semblance of paperwork, and they’ll pay it out?

Edited April 10 by marktwothousand

[mking8288]

.... well, there is still the possibility of the Prima arriving earlier than 10 AM on the 27th, but announcing this at such a late date, on short or limited notices when air arrangements have pretty much been finalized and locked for just about everyone, really is B.S.  Those maritime regulations have been in place for a while, not 2024, not 2023 ... it goes way beyond the Covid shutdown and was a topic of discussion here on CC.   We are on the TA and will be eagerly waiting for arrival ... and when we completed OLCI last week, figured something odd is happening - and, one of my theory was, exactly, this ... whale protection zones along the Atlantic coastal waterways.   The Escape was "late" and sailed out of NY at 7 PM this past Sunday, and did arrived later than the usual 6 to 7 AM, closer to around 9 AM'ish (I was tracking the ship on other sites but not really that closely for the exact docking time.)  Oddly enough, MSC and RC's vessels were pretty much cruising the same route and they're going faster at 20 to 21, 22 knots either in front or behind NCL - it doesn't add up the totality of "to sail & sustain, for our (in)convenience" as one of the popular tagline go.  

 

Our eDocs printed was still showing 4 PM sailaway but earliest port arrival/check-in and boarding time has been already changed, adjusted to 12 noon ... nobody, no one could get anything earlier than 12:00 - 12:30 to check-in.  Going to be a zoo at Pier 88 later this month, I can just imagine the crowd & madness.  Emails pushed out this morning around 10 AM'ish and multiple folks began seeing it ...   Another prime example of NCL's corporate communication excellence, and lack thereof.  

 

Sorry that many others & you will have to deal with us, wondering if that notice from NCL itself is sufficient to file the claim and use it as documentation & proof of change ... claims for using airline points, you probably should check with their mileage/support desk to ask.  

 

With our notices, NCL also informing all that airport-ground transfer to the pier on our sailing will not begin until 10 AM on that Saturday ... logical, as they can minimize the buses dropping off hundreds of early bird with the port folks not allowing pax to go inside, as least - weather should be good enough in late April, to wait outside.  

 

Pearl is doing a TA and also leaving from NY later this month, 2 days earlier than ours, and I imagine they are doing the same.  NCL just can't seem to coordinate and align the schedule, and make timely notifications ahead of time, when these are "unforeseen circumstances" ... but, we'll get flamed for not being cheerleaders, regardless (fine by me - that's what the ignore list is used for ... don't respond to them at all) 

 

Well, on a positive note - wish you and all on the repo a great cruise, smooth sailing and calm seas, wonderful ports and enjoy, seeing that the roll call isn't that active - unlike ours following but we had to tug at it to steer it the CC way with poachers lurking from elsewhere.  For the M&G, if you have the list of senior officers on board, might we kindly ask if you can share & post it here (and/or pass it directly to our roll call ... although, I think we have a pretty good idea of who's on her, some will probably go on vacation once in Europe at the end of the TA)

Edited April 10 by mking8288

[bluefish17]

If I'm in Haven and do self walk off, would I make a 12 noon flight out of Newark?

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, shof515 said:

other cruise lines have no issue going full speed between NYC and Puerto Plata. It seems like Norwegian is trying to spin this into a fuel saving thing by not running the ship at 22-24 knots. a lot of fuel can be saved by going around 16-18 knots

It's roughly 1300 nm from Porta Plata to NYC.

At 23 knts, that's 56 hours.

At 17 knts, thats 76 hours.

Prima was scheduled to debark NYC at 7AM.

Now Prima is scheduled to debark NYC at 10AM.

If  your conjecture was correct, Prima would be delayed 20 hours, not 3.

[RocketMan275]

2 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

Another late arrival and itinerary change by NCL on the upcoming April 27 repo. They are offering $300, but My travel insurance doesn’t cover things like this, so I don’t know how much I’ll get back from them. 
 

“As part of our commitment to deliver exceptional vacation experiences at every step of the cruise journey, listening to our guests is instrumental. Given recent guest feedback, and to accommodate certain circumstances including but not limited to global maritime regulations, as well as whale zone speed restrictions enroute from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic to New York City, New York, we will now disembark in New York City on April 27, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. We apologize for any inconvenience this adjustment may cause.”

 

How long will the arrival of Prima in NYC be delayed?

Why does this require changing flights?

[marktwothousand]

2 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

How long will the arrival of Prima in NYC be delayed?

Why does this require changing flights?

I was booked for noon EWR. now the ship arrives at 10 (instead of 7) and I had to book a 4 PM. 

[RocketMan275]

1 minute ago, marktwothousand said:

I was booked for noon EWR. now the ship arrives at 10 (instead of 7) and I had to book a 4 PM. 

So, you're rebooking for  your convenience, to avoid an additonal three hour wait at the port?

[marktwothousand]

Just now, RocketMan275 said:

So, you're rebooking for  your convenience, to avoid an additonal three hour wait at the port?

No— I think you’re misunderstanding. Now that Prima’s official arrival time is 10 AM, I had to change my EWR outbound home because I would not have made it on time for a noon flight. 
 

please let me know if there’s something I’m not understanding here. I have 24 hours to cancel my flight and rebook, if I’ve got that wrong. 

[RocketMan275]

4 minutes ago, marktwothousand said:

No— I think you’re misunderstanding. Now that Prima’s official arrival time is 10 AM, I had to change my EWR outbound home because I would not have made it on time for a noon flight. 
 

please let me know if there’s something I’m not understanding here. I have 24 hours to cancel my flight and rebook, if I’ve got that wrong. 

I misunderstoon.  I thought  you were embarking on the 27th instead of arriving on the 27th.  

[marktwothousand]

38 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

I misunderstoon.  I thought  you were embarking on the 27th instead of arriving on the 27th.  

Ok! You scared me LOL. don’t scare me like that again

[cruiseny4life]

2 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Those maritime regulations have been in place for a while, not 2024, not 2023 ... it goes way beyond the Covid shutdown and was a topic of discussion here on CC.

But, guest feedback! You're missing that...guests totally want to change their travel plans due to NCL being...well...reactive to guest feedback. Don't you see how much fun @marktwothousand is having changing travel plans? 🙂

[vacation44]

2 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

But, guest feedback! You're missing that...guests totally want to change their travel plans due to NCL being...well...reactive to guest feedback. Don't you see how much fun @marktwothousand is having changing travel plans? 🙂

You are also forgetting it is what the "contemporary cruiser" wants.

[Baron Barracuda]

A classier move would have been to give everyone $300 not just those facing higher airfare.  We're disembarking on the 27th with dd picking us up at pier and $600 would have been a nice farewell gift.

[mjkacmom]

2 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

I was booked for noon EWR. now the ship arrives at 10 (instead of 7) and I had to book a 4 PM. 

You never would’ve made it, at Newark we arrive 2 hours before our flight, 3 hours international.

[zqvol]

2 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

I was booked for noon EWR. now the ship arrives at 10 (instead of 7) and I had to book a 4 PM. 

You would not have made that flight anyway, at least now you have time to make appropriate changes

[debenson0723]

7 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

You never would’ve made it, at Newark we arrive 2 hours before our flight, 3 hours international.

I was thinking the same thing. I never book a flight out of any NYC airport after a cruise there, as you never know what could happen or what is going on (ship, port or city related). We are doing the Joy Bermuda cruise in June and our return flights are at 4pm out of JFK. 

[marktwothousand]

Just now, zqvol said:

You would not have made that flight anyway, at least now you have time to make appropriate changes

Sorry, I meant 1:10 PM originally with a standby flight at noon if I was early. 
 

I would have probably NOT made the 1:10 PM with a 10 AM debark

[RocketMan275]

3 hours ago, mking8288 said:

.... well, there is still the possibility of the Prima arriving earlier than 10 AM on the 27th, but announcing this at such a late date, on short or limited notices when air arrangements have pretty much been finalized and locked for just about everyone, really is B.S.  Those maritime regulations have been in place for a while, not 2024, not 2023 ... it goes way beyond the Covid shutdown and was a topic of discussion here on CC.     

Yes, the regulations have been in place for some time.  However, the speed zones are subject to change.   "For a period of 15 days after a whale is detected, mariners are encouraged to avoid these areas or reduce speeds to 10 knots or less while transiting through these areas."

 

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/endangered-species-conservation/reducing-vessel-strikes-north-atlantic-right-whales#right-whale-slow-zones and-dynamic-management-areas

 

IOW, you cannot predict more when or where these zones might affect your cruise.

[ellewoods]

7 hours ago, mking8288 said:

.... well, there is still the possibility of the Prima arriving earlier than 10 AM on the 27th, but announcing this at such a late date, on short or limited notices when air arrangements have pretty much been finalized and locked for just about everyone, really is B.S.  Those maritime regulations have been in place for a while, not 2024, not 2023 ... it goes way beyond the Covid shutdown and was a topic of discussion here on CC.   We are on the TA and will be eagerly waiting for arrival ... and when we completed OLCI last week, figured something odd is happening - and, one of my theory was, exactly, this ... whale protection zones along the Atlantic coastal waterways.   The Escape was "late" and sailed out of NY at 7 PM this past Sunday, and did arrived later than the usual 6 to 7 AM, closer to around 9 AM'ish (I was tracking the ship on other sites but not really that closely for the exact docking time.)  Oddly enough, MSC and RC's vessels were pretty much cruising the same route and they're going faster at 20 to 21, 22 knots either in front or behind NCL - it doesn't add up the totality of "to sail & sustain, for our (in)convenience" as one of the popular tagline go.  

 

Our eDocs printed was still showing 4 PM sailaway but earliest port arrival/check-in and boarding time has been already changed, adjusted to 12 noon ... nobody, no one could get anything earlier than 12:00 - 12:30 to check-in.  Going to be a zoo at Pier 88 later this month, I can just imagine the crowd & madness.  Emails pushed out this morning around 10 AM'ish and multiple folks began seeing it ...   Another prime example of NCL's corporate communication excellence, and lack thereof.  

 

Sorry that many others & you will have to deal with us, wondering if that notice from NCL itself is sufficient to file the claim and use it as documentation & proof of change ... claims for using airline points, you probably should check with their mileage/support desk to ask.  

 

With our notices, NCL also informing all that airport-ground transfer to the pier on our sailing will not begin until 10 AM on that Saturday ... logical, as they can minimize the buses dropping off hundreds of early bird with the port folks not allowing pax to go inside, as least - weather should be good enough in late April, to wait outside.  

 

Pearl is doing a TA and also leaving from NY later this month, 2 days earlier than ours, and I imagine they are doing the same.  NCL just can't seem to coordinate and align the schedule, and make timely notifications ahead of time, when these are "unforeseen circumstances" ... but, we'll get flamed for not being cheerleaders, regardless (fine by me - that's what the ignore list is used for ... don't respond to them at all) 

 

Well, on a positive note - wish you and all on the repo a great cruise, smooth sailing and calm seas, wonderful ports and enjoy, seeing that the roll call isn't that active - unlike ours following but we had to tug at it to steer it the CC way with poachers lurking from elsewhere.  For the M&G, if you have the list of senior officers on board, might we kindly ask if you can share & post it here (and/or pass it directly to our roll call ... although, I think we have a pretty good idea of who's on her, some will probably go on vacation once in Europe at the end of the TA)

the pier is likely to be crowded either way as I assume no one on either sailing will be parking. This means everyone will be arriving or leaving in to the same location- the drop off/pick up area, rather then dispersing some to the parking lots. 

[mking8288]

21 minutes ago, ellewoods said:

<snipped> pier is likely to be crowded either way ... everyone will be arriving or leaving in to the same location- drop off/pick up area, rather then dispersing ... 

Good point ... most likely a good cautionary alert to get out.  

 

Watch out for surge pricing with Uber & Lyft, they've been known to jack up rates by $20 to $25 or more for trips to the airports when we disembarked ... and, I won't be "shocked" of a higher fare quote.  Heading there, probably okay if coming off an in-bound flight to NY on that Saturday for the next TA that's now sailing at 6 PM, or later.  

 

We shall see & find out soon.  

[gotscrapz]

You were the my last cruise in Italy 1 1/2 years ago and we are also sailing the Prima TA to NYC in October. I'm no actual help but I thought that was interesting. We are staying 2 nights in NYC when we arrive and this is one of the reasons - arrival / weather / flights and bcus we on the west coast and want to enjoy NYC a bit. Hope it works out for you.

[lepidoptera]

Sorry you are having to deal with this, and that you will have to jump through hoops for reimbursement. 

 

I swore after a debacle that I would never, ever sail back into NYC from the Caribbean -NCL first changed disembarkation to like 2 pm after we detoured out of the way for a medical evacuation and then we actually ended up getting delayed even more until around midnight. Luckily I had rebooked my flights until the next morning and booked a hotel (that I spent about 4 hours in 😂) after the first delay since some people including international guests had to rebook 2 times. The most frustrating was we spent several frustrating hours bobbing in the Hudson waiting for the current to be weak enough for the Breakaway to be able to turn into the dock.

 

I was a decently experienced cruiser, but this made me realize how much can go wrong with returning to NYC and how tight it is to make it there on time. The stress is not worth it! I only do repos out of NY or Boston because of this. Now that those are getting pushed later in the year to colder weather, I think I might just start flying to Florida and cruising from there instead.

 

 

[Baron Barracuda]

Manhattan is chaotic.  Bayonne much easier.  Brooklyn not too bad.