We are booked on Norweigian Jewel that departs out of New York City on Oct 1st, 2010, and heads to New England, and Canada. We booked several months ago, and now we are fully paid for the cruise. Last week, we received an email stating that this ship has mechanical malfunction, and will have to travel at a reduced speed, therefore, they changed the itenerary of the cruise, they called the change as "a small change", it included cutting down on the port time from 7 hours to 5 hours in avarage for some ports, they also changed the dates of some stops, but, they will still stop at all planned ports, when you call them and tell them, hey, we were palnning to rent a car and go somewhere, and 5 hours are not enough to do so, we want our money back, they are all trained to tell you that they have good news for you, and that you can buy their shore excrusions if you want to get away from the ship. When you tell them that you don't want to go on their over priced sedentary shore excursions, they just tell you that thet can't help you then because the small print in the contract you signed at teh time of booking allow them to change or cancel ports and stops as they please, and you have no recourse.
Now, HERE IS THE BIG SCAM, we found out that this mechanical malfunction has been diagnosed for a while now, they have been announcing the problem about a month before each sailing, if you looked at the ship's planned itenerary, they have scheduled sailings till April 2012, they have no plans to take it off the route for repairs anytime prior to April 2012, hell, our cruise doesn't take off till October 1st, and I am writing this post on August, they have ample chance to fix the problem if they wanted to, but, instead, they decided to remain quiet, take reservations for non realestic iteneraries, that are not compatible with their limited speed abilities, and notify the passengers a month or so prior to the cruise about the change, they don't offer refunds, or compensations of any kind, the only thing they offer you is to talk to the shore excursions desk so that they can plan something for you, since the new iteneraries now offers such a short port time that doesn't allow you to do anything on your own, this mechanical malfunction weather it exists or not, will end up boosting their shore excursions sales way up, sounds like a good deal (for them of course, only them), . If they have good intentions, why don't they fix the problem now? Or, at least, why can't they announce that the ship will be travelling at a reduced speed for the next two years, and just change the iteneraries now, instead of a month prior to the future cruises taking off?
NCL, NEVER AGAIN, if you are like us, and don't like to dress up for dinners, no problem, go with another cruise line,and eat upstairs, or order room service.
I do stand by my statement, and will be happy to answer individual emails if you have any doubts
Norwegian Jewel, BIG HUGE SCAM, read on before u book
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If you want people to send you e-mails, you must provide the address, either in this post, or in your profile.
Have you tried to get your money back contacting BBB, attorney general, TV station?
Why do you think you don't have to dress up for dinners on NCL? They have formal nights like any other ship!
We were on the same ship in January of this year. I wonder, when was that malfunction discovered, as we haven't heard anything.
They are talking about this on CruiseCritic...dreaded Azipod system problem. I read NCL will let you cancel without a penalty and are also offering a small OBC if you still sail.
I understand your disappointment but if you read the terms and conditions NCL and other lines in fact have the right to change the itinerary. That is the bottom line so I imagine they can still sell sailing on this ship no matter what the speed. I don't think it says anywhere when they have have to notify you...would be nice tho, wouldn't it?
I think if you want to cruise you have to be flexible and understand stuff happens. We went to Alaska with NCL and lost Sitka all together because of the slow engine problem and another port was shortened by a few hours.
We were scheduled for the 10/1 cruise but had to cancel earlier this month. I am sorry we are not going even with the itinerary changes it is still a great cruise. Next year NCL is offering only 7 day cruises so I would still be very happy with this sailing.
You do have to be flexible I've been on cruises many times when ports were cancelled etc etc BUT to know about a problem for so long and not notify prospective customers is just not right. So I can understand why hayhoot is so upset.
Exactly right traveller69, I would understand if a mechanical problem happened last minute, or if the weather didn't cooperate, but, NCL is currently selling cruises with imaginary iteneraries that they know they cannot keep, we did ask for a refund, and they refused, they said that we have no recourse.
They actually scheduled a dry docking for May 2011 to fix the problem, but, untill then, all cruisers on this ship will be notified of the problem shortly before departure.
Dayenu, my email is heidi1044@yahoo.com, and no, NCL doesn't demand any dress code, they have two dining rooms, one for people who want to dress up, and the other is for people who are not willing to follow a dress code, this is why they advertise themselves as a "free style cruise line"
I am not a big fan of NCL for a number of reasons, but SCAM is such a strong word.
Lack of disclosure, unfair trade practices, dishonest comes to mind. It's too bad that they are getting away with it.
My first question is were you told when you book that the port stays are shorter? I would try some consumer advocacy group (Consumer reports), letters to the editors to major travel magazines or even compliant to the BBB where their head office is located. Call a national TV netowrk program (60 minutes, 20/20) and see if they want to do a short story on it. Mayeb a little bad press may change their attitide.
The unfortunate part of this is the attitude from NCL senior management. THis attitide will filter down to the individual ship management level where profits trumps everything, including strong morals and honesty.
I checked Jewel's schedule for 2011, and it looks the ship is not in circulation from May 1 to May 17, 2011.
Well, we booked few months ago, I don't beleive the problem was there when we booked, however, the issue is: they are now selling cruises for Nov 2010 through April 2011 with omaginary iteneraries that are not compatible with teh ship's mechanical abilities, and you know what? My post was immidiately removed from cruise critics after I posted it, I really wonder why.
UPDATE: NCL called us, and allowed us to cancel without penalty after we raised hell, however, this deal is NOT available to other customers on our sailing
Sometimes it takes just that. I'm glad you got what you wanted but really its too bad you had to go to such measures.
Interesting that cruise critics deleted your post there and your fodor post is intact. I guess it tells the story about "independence" too.
Eschew, it happens. CC deleted my post too, when I asked about that travel agency. They sent me a private message - it's against their policy to mention agencies.
While I don't see any harm in mentioning agencies, and it looks strange they wouldn't allow it while people recommend local tourist agencies for local tours instead of the ship tours, I didn't argue with them - there are other websites.
Stranger things happen sometimes
On cruise critic you can only recommend local tour agencies when someone specifically asks for recommendations, and only in the roll-call area. The mention of TA's is a serious offense, and over time I've come to agree with this--the forum would be completely taken over by TA's and their cheerleaders and detractors.
Not sure why they would remove posts on this particular subject, altho I haven't read them (not a NCL cruiser.)
But if NCL are in fact not changing future itinerary schedules to reflect their damaged pod, then I agree that the BBB or some government agency should be alerted, this sounds like terrible business practice.
I like the no commercial policy, you hate to see a forum over run bu TA's and advertisings.
However, I don't understand the removal of a post that is critical of a cruise line's business practcies.
I think CC is at times quite arbitrary about how posts are edited. And thats the best I can say.
Yes I agree, but I didn't read the posts, so who knows?
taking this cruise week of sept. 17,2011. any updates as to whether they are still having this problem?
CruiseCritic runs primarily on ad revenue from cruise lines and travel agencies. They are EXTREMELY sensitive to criticism of either. They also don't want praise for agencies that aren't advertisers as those who are paying to advertise complain.
They're not evil, just a business looking after their bottom line. Where their readers' best interests conflict with their own financial interests--well, you know the rest.
Lots of heresay on your post why mods deleted it
It is defamatory sounds like you got your money back
but this defamatory post remains harming NCL.
do you have any DIRECT evidence of
a deep plot directly to "scam" You by NCL?.
This kind of stuff happens have trip insurance
always wise mechanical problems do arise with older
ships that need drydock.
CC and many others will delete defamatory "grudge" posts.
You even got your money back...
The Guest Ticket Contract contains information that ... provided or offered in addition to the ship's cruise. NCL also reserves the right to change its itinerary ...
www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/...pageId=IndivTermsConditions
You failed to read your contract there is no "big huge scam"
AT ALL...
You bet it's a scam! Contract or not, these cruise companies lure you in with cheap prices and then systematically extract more cash out of your pocket while using calculated methods to reduce costs. Last year on NCL, one of the ports on our itinerary was Acapulco. this was the most distant port and the prime selling feature of this particular cruise. No other ship went there from the west coast. As we boarded the ship, we were told that there was a problem with propulsion and we wouldn't be able to make it to Acapulco. Sound familiar? There went two weeks of planning, dinner reservations and excursions down the tube. Many people were very upset like me, but the vast majority of cruisers are happy playing cards in the salon and hitting the buffet. the cruise line knows this ans so they get away with this kind of BS. I mean its all covered in the contract and there really is nothing you can do. I mean you are already there and you are not ever going to get your money back once they have it in there greedy hands. Meanwhile, the cruiseline just saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in fuel costs.
Friday, we are heading out on the Carnival Sensation for a Bahama cruise out of Port Canaveral. Any guesses as to what I received in my email this morning? You guessed it, an Itinerary change! Of coarse they were savvy enough to wait until the cruise was completely sold out. That way, no one could cancel or get their money back. They shortened the length of time in both ports. With the new shorter itinerary, there is no time for previously made plans.
This is the only industry that I know of where the merchant can change the product after you buy it. Truly a form of false advertising that should be illegal and not tolerated! How would you feel if you bought a brand new car with leather seats. When you picked up the car you were told that they had to substitute cloth seat because the were out of leather. Additionally, you were told you cant have your money back and that you just need to deal with it.....You would be mad as hell! Don't be in the 90 percentile that just bends over and takes it. Don't be naive in thinking that the cruise lines have your best interest at heart. It's a business operating on a shoestring margin. Join me in exposing these scamming cruise lines!