Drydock reposition gone wrong (NCL)

[xlxo]

A reposition cruise to drydock goes wrong on NCL.

• https://globalnews.ca/video/4119229/b-c-travelers-share-stories-of-hellish-cruise
• http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2018/0...orwegian-sun-ncls-panama-canal-fiasco-cruise/
• https://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1361496

 

[terramei]

just checked out the photos on the fb group. I'm usually pretty understanding. But I'd be livid if I were on that cruise. The whole ship looks like a job site, not a vacation destination.

 

[Pens Fan]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/just-returned-from-magic-disappointed.3667086/

https://www.disboards.com/threads/just-returned-from-magic-disappointed.3667086/#post-588725Cruise line need to stop subjecting their passengers to this stuff.

Not sure what the OP's agenda is, but this seems to be the norm for ALL cruise lines these days (yes, even Disney). And yeah - it stinks. But no cruise line is exempt from this.

But all that being said, this needs to stop. I would not be happy spending my vacation in a construction zone.

 

[MelSpees]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/just-returned-from-magic-disappointed.3667086/

https://www.disboards.com/threads/just-returned-from-magic-disappointed.3667086/#post-588725Cruise line need to stop subjecting their passengers to this stuff.

Not sure what the OP's agenda is, but this seems to be the norm for ALL cruise lines these days (yes, even Disney). And yeah - it stinks. But no cruise line is exempt from this.

But all that being said, this needs to stop. I would not be happy spending my vacation in a construction zone.

I think this is definitely beyond the norm. What DCL did with the Magic, having a dining room closed, isn't in any way close to this. I would definitely want at least a partial refund.

 

[starvenger]

Pretty brutal. I thought Royal's eleventh hour cancellation of a Radiance cruise was bad. This is much, much worse.

 

[Dug720]

Pretty brutal. I thought Royal's eleventh hour cancellation of a Radiance cruise was bad. This is much, much worse.

Though the Radiance cancellation was not due to a scheduled dry dock but due to a mechanical issue with the azipods that could not be repaired in the turn-around time.

 

[starvenger]

It was. And they appear to have given out some heavy compensation for it. It's a gut punch for those cruisers for sure. But I admit, the comparison sucked.

My point was really that NCL should've bit the bullet and cancelled the cruise instead of subjecting cruisers to things like refinishing decks and such.

 

[JPTexan82]

Real simple solution, don’t book the before or following two cruises of a dry dock. Problem solved.

The cruise lines bring on crew to start some work before hand, and some stay. It happens every time.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I have never cruised NCL, but enjoy cruising the PC. I am so happy I am not on that cruise, because it sounds like a terrible experience.

 

[arlopop]

This is similar (tho much worse) to our EBPC, 2016, on Wonder right before its drydock. The cruise was without a lot of problems (there were workers taking over passenger areas, leaving bottle caps and beer bottles everywhere, and construction materials loaded in various areas), but the last three days were a mess. Sewage systems becoming fouled and leaking into corridors because they were rerouting some of the pipes. Areas completely shut down (arcade, sports deck). Plywood being screwed down to the deck areas at 10pm or later to place cargo containers on for the drydock. Pools closed. AC lost aft to the point that Palo had its doors open to alleviate the condensation dripping from the ceiling. The ship making serious speed in order to have time to onload cargo containers in the middle of the night before we disembarked (making for gale force winds on deck with lounge cushions flying - at least the ones that weren’t already stacked and shrink wrapped.)
Up to that point it had been great, but as another passenger said to me as he and I searched for a working elevator, “This was the best 3/4 of a cruise we ever had.”

At least we didn’t deal with hazardous materials scattered over the ship.

 

[starvenger]

I have never cruised NCL, but enjoy cruising the PC. I am so happy I am not on that cruise, because it sounds like a terrible experience.

Have done PC once, pre-kids. Would love to do it again sometime with them. Hopefully without any renovations happening on board.

 

[DCSWO]

25% off on a future cruise?!? That's pathetic. That means I have to come back and risk being exposed to your poor decision making and planning again? I don't think so - they would never see me (or my money) again. At least have the decency to notify the people booked on the cruise that work would be going on - and detail what will not be available. Not that Disney did it perfectly with the most recent Magic industrial work, but at least they notified people in advance.

Bottom line - do your homework and stay away from cruises on ships coming into or coming out of an industrial/shipyard period. I would say at least 2 cruises away on either side. Kind of like the advice to never buy the first model year of a new car - give them a year to work out the inevitable bugs.

 

[anricat]

Real simple solution, don’t book the before or following two cruises of a dry dock. Problem solved.

The cruise lines bring on crew to start some work before hand, and some stay. It happens every time.

As long as the cruise line specifically informs cruisers when booking that their cruise fits this bill, then that's fine. As a new cruiser, someone who didn't participate in forums like this, I literally didn't know what a dry dock even was.

 

[mmmears]

I'm glad they are getting some bad publicity for this. I read here that DCL tried this (not that it impacted the passengers to this extent) on the last PC trip and frankly, I'd want to know in advance and pay according (or more likely I wouldn't book that cruise). If customers push back this kind of thing is less likely to happen.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

They definitely need to tell passengers in advance that construction will be happening. Nobody wants to hear construction workers on their vacation- it's even worse on a ship because there's only so many place you can go to escape the noise.

Anyone else see where the woman said she spent 70k on the cruise for her family? Now that's a bit spendy. You could probably rent a private yacht for that price LOL.

 

[xlxo]

Not sure what the OP's agenda is, but this seems to be the norm for ALL cruise lines these days (yes, even Disney). And yeah - it stinks. But no cruise line is exempt from this.

But all that being said, this needs to stop.

I posted this as it was making my local news. I'm someone who is chemically sensitive, so when I hear there was chemical odours and poorly stored chemicals--It upset me, especially on a multi-day trip. Yes, I'm aware there is minor paint and maintenance on cruises. I've seen it on my trips.

But when have cruise operators crossed the line? What is acceptable for experienced cruisers? From this discussion, I have the answer.

More media coverage...

• http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/norwegian-cruise-passengers-angry-1.4603237
• https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/04/03/norwegian-sun-cruise-ship-construction_a_23402124/

 

[Pens Fan]

I posted this as it was making my local news. I'm someone who is chemically sensitive, so when I hear there was chemical odours and poorly stored chemicals--It upset me, especially on a multi-day trip. Yes, I'm aware there is minor paint and maintenance on cruises. I've seen it on my trips.

But when have cruise operators crossed the line? What is acceptable for experienced cruisers? From this discussion, I have the answer.

More media coverage...

• http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/norwegian-cruise-passengers-angry-1.4603237
• https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/04/03/norwegian-sun-cruise-ship-construction_a_23402124/

Gotcha

I totally agree that this was unacceptable and the "compensation" was laughable. I was just hoping this wouldn't turn into yet another tiresome "bash other cruise lines and praise Mickey" thread. Unfortunately this seems to be an accepted practice in the industry these days and it's frustrating. One thing I always appreciate about booking a hotel is that they often warn you of construction on the booking website so you can make your decision accordingly. Most cruisers don't participate on these types of forums and have no clue when a ship is going out of service for renovations, or that they should avoid cruises just before or after.

I agree with the above poster that hopefully the bad press NCL is receiving will make all cruise lines rethink this practice. (Yeah, I know - not going to happen but a girl can dream!)

 

[mevelandry]

I posted this as it was making my local news. I'm someone who is chemically sensitive, so when I hear there was chemical odours and poorly stored chemicals--It upset me, especially on a multi-day trip. Yes, I'm aware there is minor paint and maintenance on cruises. I've seen it on my trips.

But when have cruise operators crossed the line? What is acceptable for experienced cruisers? From this discussion, I have the answer.

More media coverage...

• http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/norwegian-cruise-passengers-angry-1.4603237
• https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/04/03/norwegian-sun-cruise-ship-construction_a_23402124/

My husband has asthma and we put months in between every renovation we do on the house because he is very sensitive to dust. I can't imagine having to go through this during a vacation.

 

[Sunshine2U]

Real simple solution, don’t book the before or following two cruises of a dry dock. Problem solved.

The cruise lines bring on crew to start some work before hand, and some stay. It happens every time.

Nope. Can't buy this one. The cruises in question - whether NCL, DCL, etc- are marketed the same as other cruises and are not being discounted. Even if a cruiser were aware they booked just before/after dry dock, only a very small percentage would consider that a red flag. And most cruisers would not know anyway. Shame on cruise lines for engaging in this practice. It is in absolutely not the responsibility of the passenger to beware.

 

[JPTexan82]

Nope. Can't buy this one. The cruises in question - whether NCL, DCL, etc- are marketed the same as other cruises and are not being discounted. Even if a cruiser were aware they booked just before/after dry dock, only a very small percentage would consider that a red flag. And most cruisers would not know anyway. Shame on cruise lines for engaging in this practice. It is in absolutely not the responsibility of the passenger to beware.

I'm not asking you to agree in the practice, but it happens. Just as construction delays happen on land, they do at sea as well. You as a consumer should be aware of your surroundings. Do you really expect a cruise line has a "pre dry dock sale."