Fanning Island ?

[Kapuna]

Is it true that NCL will stop going to Fanning Island after April 2008 ?

The last such cruise is listed as April 5 , 2008 on their website , but I have seen no announcement about discontonuing this itinerary For the Pride of Aloha .

Anyone have the facts ?

[electricron]

Yes, it's true. Although NCL could restart Fanning Island cruises whenever they wished because they still have the exclusive agreement with the government of Kiribiti.

 

There's just not enough demand for Hawaiian cruises, and NCL/NCLA had to cut back its number of ships there from four to three so far, and early next year down to two.

 

The only reason the Aloha is sailing 10-11 day cruises to Fanning Island every four cruises this winter is because these cruises are being used to accommodate those passengers displaced by the canceling of the Norwegian Sun's Hawaiian-Fanning Island cruises this winter. Since the Sun's Hawaiian-Fanning Island cruises ended next spring, that's when the Aloha's 10-11 day cruises end.

 

If and when the demand for Hawaiian cruises increase, NCL could return one of it's International crewed ships and resume Hawaiian-Fanning Island cruises. Since they don't have any of these scheduled for next winter, the earliest they could resume would be the winter 2009-2010. But I don't think they will until the winter 2010-2011 at the earliest.

 

So, if you wish to cruise to Fanning Island soon, better do so in the next few months. It could be years before NCL returns.

[Kapuna]

Thanks for your input . I still do not understand why NCL is also abandoning the 10 & 11 day cruises that just go around the Hawaiian Islands without Fanning Island . The website shows Pride of Aloha doing only 7 day cruises after April 2008 . It seems to me that many passengers would like the longer cruises which provide a little more time at sea with scenic cruising .

[travelingfools]

I didn't hear anything about this change either. I've been watching for the 11-day trips next fall. We took the cruise to Fanning Island almost 2 years ago and loved it. I wanted to do it all again. 7 days is just not long enough in Hawaii. I hope something changes!

[electricron]

Thanks for your input . I still do not understand why NCL is also abandoning the 10 & 11 day cruises that just go around the Hawaiian Islands without Fanning Island . The website shows Pride of Aloha doing only 7 day cruises after April 2008 . It seems to me that many passengers would like the longer cruises which provide a little more time at sea with scenic cruising .

 

There is some logic behind it.

 

In 31 days, the Aloha can sell three 10-11 day cruises.

In 28 days, the Aloha can sell four 7 day cruises.

 

Let's compare the fares for the last 10/11 day cruise vs the first 7 day cruise.

10 days departing April 16, 2008 > Inside $1,009

That averages $101 per night.

7 days departing April 27, 2008 > Inside $899

That averages $128 per night.

 

The difference being $27 per night.

Double that amount per cabin, for double occupancy, that's $54 per cabin per night.

Multiply that by 356 nights per year, we come to over $19,000 per cabin per year.

Multiply that by 1,000 cabins for simplicity (actually there is only 999 cabins, but what is one cabin more or less).

 

That's $19 Million per year. That's not chump change.

 

That's what an extra cruise per month or so is worth to NCL.

[DAGVBSB]

Its just typical NCL. I seem to remember just a couple years ago when they launched NCL-America, Colin Veitch himself said that NCL was committed to helping the people of Fanning Island and that NCL would be there for many years to come.

 

Three years is not many years to come in my book. I guess the poor people of Fanning Island are just not that important to Colin and the boys.

[wtoms]

What a shame, the Fanning island trip was a once in a lifetime experience that I am so glad I was able to do.

Not only will I miss the trip I planned on doing again but I miss the NCL Wind to do it aboard!

I can only wonder what will happen to the people who live on Fanning, they appeared to me to be somewhat dependant on the ships arrival every so often.

Oh well - at least I did it once!

[EVdriver]

There is also the fuel costs. It's a lot cheaper to stay in port at Maui and Kauai than cruise out and back to Fanning Island.

[Globaliser]

I guess the poor people of Fanning Island are just not that important to Colin and the boys.

I think that when the survival of the company itself is at stake, some things may just have to give way.