Does anyone know why NCL replaced Key West with Freeport on their Gem itinerary?

[Sandyrella]

and when?? I'm just curious. We had originally looked to sail on the Gem this March but changed it to the Dawn, however when we were looking at the Gem, part of the reason for me was the stop in Key West. Never been, always wanted to. I would have been disappointed booking this cruise with the intention of going there and having them change it on me.

 

Any chance of them changing back next year? (Wishful thinking....)

 

Thanks,

Sandy

[Coastaljen]

No ideas, but I wanted to say I LOVED Key West when I cruised NCL last. The sunset was amazing. It is a shame so many other cruiselines leave before sunset. I would love to go back there someday.

[LOWTYD]

I THINK THEY HAVE TO LEAVE PORT BECAUSE THEY ARE DOCKED RIGHT AT MALLORY SQUARE AND BLOCK THE VIEW FROM ALL THE PEOPLE ON SHORE. THER EIS ANOTHER DOCK DOWN FURTHER WHERE SHIPS COME IN ALSO. I WAS DISSAPPOINTED ALSO THEY THEY BLEW OFF KEY WEST FOR DUMPY FREEPORT. (WE WERE NOTIFIED IN SEPTEMBER) I THINK THEY MADE A DEAL WITH THE BAHAMA GOVERNMENT OR SOMETHING. ONE POSTER SAYS THEY COULDN'T GET DOCK SPACE BUT I HAD CHECKED EARLY ON THE KEY WEST PORT CALANDER AND THE GEM WAS ON IT SO I DON'T THINK THAT WAS IT AT ALL. ONE OF THE REASONS I BOOKED THE CRUSIE LAST APRIL WAS BECAUSE IT WENT TO KEY WEST. IT'S A GREAT STOP! MY CRUISE PORT INFO BOOKLET I JUST RECEIVED STILL HAS THE KEY WEST INFO IN IT (NOT FREEPORT) YOU THINK THEY COULD HAVE UPDATED THAT!

 

SORRY FOR THE CAP LOCKS. I GOT TOO FAR INTO THE MESSSAGE BEFORE I NOTICED.:rolleyes:

 

BRING BACK KEY WEST!:(

[amjdcm]

it has something to do with a u.s. law about stopping in a u.s. port before stopping at a foreign port. something like that. it has something to do with ncl wanting protection on their Hawaii itineraries. the competition was getting around this law by flying a foreign flag. ncl Hawaii ships are u.s. registered. i am sure someone else will chime in with the exact details.

[CTCruisers]

I have read various reasons....the dock was not ready, not big enough, signed a deal with the Bahamas, etc..

 

Regardless, it was very disappointing to hear about the change in the itinerary. We booked this cruise specifically to see Key West. We have visited most of the islands and always wanted to see Key West.

 

We have no interest in going to the Bahamas. So it seems that we will not be getting off of the ship for the entire cruise (more time to spend at the pool while everyone else is off the ship while in port ;-) ).

[Sandyrella]

it has something to do with a u.s. law about stopping in a u.s. port before stopping at a foreign port. something like that. it has something to do with ncl wanting protection on their Hawaii itineraries. the competition was getting around this law by flying a foreign flag. ncl Hawaii ships are u.s. registered. i am sure someone else will chime in with the exact details.

 

Thanks everyone for the responses and sorry to those that booked this itinerary for Key West only to have it taken away. That really is disappointing!

 

If the above explanation is the situation, could NCL have avoided this problem by going to GSC and Nassau first or would they have had the same problem in reverse, going from Key West straight back to NY?

 

Again, I'm just curious...trying to understand it.:)

[Dolphins]

I fail to see the attraction of Key West as a cruise port? It is too small, congested with traffic, has few cultural sights and limited beaches. Not an ideal spot to dump 2,000 cruise passengers. As far I'm concerned, it's better in the Bahamas.

[LOWTYD]

I fail to see the attraction of Key West as a cruise port? It is too small, congested with traffic, has few cultural sights and limited beaches. Not an ideal spot to dump 2,000 cruise passengers. As far I'm concerned, it's better in the Bahamas.

 

 

Actually Key West has a lot to offer if you know where to look. We are actually going in Janaury next year on our own because NCL blew it off. It's not everyones cup of tea and you really need 3 or 4 days to see everythings that is good! It has never been known as good beach community although is a huge beach heading out towards the airport. Understood that in 5 or 6 hours you can only do one or things before you have to leave.

 

Nassau was getting old for me (3 times in the past 5 years). I jumped at the change to do KW again when it was on the orignal GEM itinerary.

 

I deffinately would take KW over Freeport anyday!:D

[Sandyrella]

I fail to see the attraction of Key West as a cruise port? It is too small, congested with traffic, has few cultural sights and limited beaches. Not an ideal spot to dump 2,000 cruise passengers. As far I'm concerned, it's better in the Bahamas.

 

 

Thank-you for you opinion but it doesn't answer the question...:confused: I don't think anyone said it was a GREAT cruise port but this itinerary is already mediocre at best. Key West in my opinion, would be a better stop than Port Canaveral.

 

No matter what the itinerary, it is still an option if we want to save on airfare south...we'll just make the ship our destination and the ports out little bonus'.

[negc]

Thanks everyone for the responses and sorry to those that booked this itinerary for Key West only to have it taken away. That really is disappointing!

 

If the above explanation is the situation, could NCL have avoided this problem by going to GSC and Nassau first or would they have had the same problem in reverse, going from Key West straight back to NY?

 

Again, I'm just curious...trying to understand it.:)

 

 

 

There could be any number of reasons for the change, but I am pretty sure that the Hawaii situation and NCL is not one of them. The NCL ships docking in Key West are not US flagged and have the same status as those of all the other lines docking there. Celebrity Century is going to Key West in April after it sails from Miami and before it goes to Grand Cayman. More likely things like docking fees, distances between ports of call, availability of space in Key West versus space in Freeport, are the reason.:)

[Tinwoman]

I don't know why they would change, but having to been to Key West it is full of street people, and very crowded. It was a huge disappointed to us. Very Very commercial. I would never go back.

I can remember going as a child and it was sooooooooo different, very beautiful then, but now to congested.

[runner15km]

and when?? I'm just curious. We had originally looked to sail on the Gem this March but changed it to the Dawn, however when we were looking at the Gem, part of the reason for me was the stop in Key West. Never been, always wanted to. I would have been disappointed booking this cruise with the intention of going there and having them change it on me.

 

Any chance of them changing back next year? (Wishful thinking....)

 

Thanks,

Sandy

 

REVENUE !!

 

http://cruises.about.com/b/2007/11/22/norwegian-cruise-line-ncl-increases-calls-to-the-bahamas.htm

[WinterSky]

We were on the GEM March 8-15 and we found that Freeport was, without a doubt, a poor choice for a cruise ship stop. The port itself is ugly with huge piles of gypsum and yards of tractor trailers. The excursion that we took offered little more to satisfy the senses apart from turquoise the waters that surround the island. We will not book another cruise that stops at Freeport.

 

WinterSky

[DAGVBSB]

Thanks everyone for the responses and sorry to those that booked this itinerary for Key West only to have it taken away. That really is disappointing!

 

If the above explanation is the situation, could NCL have avoided this problem by going to GSC and Nassau first or would they have had the same problem in reverse, going from Key West straight back to NY?

 

Again, I'm just curious...trying to understand it.:)

 

You might as well just chalk it up to normal NCL operations. Let's see, since the first of the year they have:

 

1.) Pulled the Pride of Aloha out of Alaska moving all of those passengers to the Pride of America. (different departure date)

 

2.) Canceled the Jade Carribean cruises for next winter (Oct. 2008-April 2009) that many people had already been booked on so that the Jade could stay in Europe year round. (people were unhappy.)

 

3.) Switched the Majesty's itinerary all around for next winter... from a Carribean cruise to a Florida & Bahamas cruise. Once again upsetting many customers who had already made plans and were disappointed.

 

4.) Now they have switched the Gem itinerary around, once again upsetting many passengers.

 

 

It just goes to prove that one should not book NCL for the itinerary, they will simply switch it at will and you will get stuck with something you don't want.

[cruizinwithkids]

It just goes to prove that one should not book NCL for the itinerary, they will simply switch it at will and you will get stuck with something you don't want.

 

Pull the Sun from the Hawaiian itinerary including Fanning Island and then being "stuck" with a glorious 10 day ALL Hawaii itinerary in a Penthouse!!!

 

I may be in the minority, but I was treated MORE than fairly by NCL.

[mbisson]

I may be in the minority, but I was treated MORE than fairly by NCL.

 

Great-another cheerleader heard from! Don't you realize that with folks saying things good about NCL, some might actually want to sail it and you & I will find it harder to book our cruises, and then our prices might be higher!!! ;)

 

You go DAGVBSB! Tell it like it is :D

[cruizinwithkids]

Great-another cheerleader heard from! Don't you realize that with folks saying things good about NCL, some might actually want to sail it and you & I will find it harder to book our cruises, and then our prices might be higher!!! ;)

 

You go DAGVBSB! Tell it like it is :D

 

If you keep this up, you're going to jinx yourself.;)

[mbisson]

If you keep this up, you're going to jinx yourself.;)

 

 

Jinx? I haven't been called that in a while! ROTFL

[coaster]

Freeport is a poor substitute for Key West. Freeport is an ugly industrial port. No way around it. Key West is a nicely developed port with everything in walking distance. Freeport requires you to have transportation to see the very few things that are of interest. NCL continues to alienate more cruisers everyday with these last minute port changes.

[DAGVBSB]

Jinx? I haven't been called that in a while! ROTFL

 

But you still can't win a contest..........(I have to figure out how to get those smiley's on here...)

[mbisson]

But you still can't win a contest..........(I have to figure out how to get those smiley's on here...)

 

LOL-Came close at a $199 cruise out of NY (and used FF miles for Air). And I don't have any of NCLs computer techies telling me I'm doing it all wrong ;)

 

You sound in better spirits today. Don't let that PVSA stuff stress you out! (it's all out of our control now anyhow)

[electricron]

Freeport is a poor substitute for Key West. Freeport is an ugly industrial port. No way around it. Key West is a nicely developed port with everything in walking distance. Freeport requires you to have transportation to see the very few things that are of interest. NCL continues to alienate more cruisers everyday with these last minute port changes.

 

Since when is a 6 months prior notice of a change a last minute change? Assuming 180 days in 6 months, and 1420 minutes in a day, were talking about 255,600 minutes, a far cry from one minute. :eek:

 

If you don't wish to take this cruise because you don't like the ports, pick another. There's still at least another 127,000 minutes before final payment.

[SeattleCruiselover]

But you still can't win a contest..........(I have to figure out how to get those smiley's on here...)

 

The ones they have here are actually pretty lame. I've got some really good, expressive ones on the hard drive at home. Now, if I could just figure out how to get THOSE on here, and get away with it. (None of them are obscene, just ridiculously funny).

[CC Help Michell]

Since when is a 6 months prior notice of a change a last minute change? Assuming 180 days in 6 months, and 1420 minutes in a day, were talking about 255,600 minutes, a far cry from one minute. :eek:

 

If you don't wish to take this cruise because you don't like the ports, pick another. There's still at least another 127,000 minutes before final payment.

 

While I agree with you, Ron, that this isn't a last minute change in ports (and most often I don't know enough whether to agree or disagree with you -- technical stuff isn't my strong suit! ;) ) -- I have to say that I do think this particular change in itineraries is pretty far on the extreme end of the scale.

 

I have no burning desire ever to visit the Bahamas again -- I could probably tolerate it if one port on a cruise I booked was (or was changed to) a Bahamas port... but this kind of extreme itinerary change is pretty extreme. I'd definitely cancel and pick another -- but I'd feel pretty grudging about having to do so, considering how different this itinerary is from what was originally sold.

 

PS Monte! Your Dawn cruise this fall is new!! I expect a FULL report and advice for our April cruise next year!

[mbisson]

PS Monte! Your Dawn cruise this fall is new!! I expect a FULL report and advice for our April cruise next year!

 

You know I will!

 

(BTW-I didn't know it's a new cruise. I'm so whipped someone said, "book this" and like the drooling Pavlovian experiment I am, I obeyed. ;) )

 

I hope (since I just booked our air) that they don't change my cruise ;)