Norwegian Cruise Line has notified friends booked for a 14-night crusing aboard Norwegian Breakaway departing November 6, 2022 that common upkeep would require the ship to scale back pace, and because of this, two ports of name are being dropped.
Norwegian Breakaway Itinerary Change
Norwegian Breakaway‘s November 6 crusing is a repositioning cruise from New York to New Orleans, that includes a broad array of port visits together with Aruba, Panama, Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic and extra.
Initially, the ship was scheduled for a complete of seven totally different ports of name, however friends have now been notified that two ports of name are being canceled, with no substitute ports organized.
In an e-mail despatched to booked friends and journey companions, the cruise line has acknowledged the next:
“It’s at all times our intention to keep up authentic itineraries. Nonetheless, at instances, unexpected circumstances require us to make modifications. Because of required upkeep, Norwegian Breakaway will observe decreased speeds.”
The e-mail goes on to stipulate the precise itinerary modifications, which embrace eradicating Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, in addition to Cozumel, Mexico from the schedule fully.
Moreover, the ship may have much less time in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, although that change is minimal – solely arriving half-hour later than initially deliberate, now 8:30 a.m. as an alternative of 8 a.m., however with no change to the ship’s night departure at 6 p.m.
In whole, the ship has now gone from 7 ports of name to five, and elevated the ocean days from the unique 6 to a complete of 8.
Aside from “required upkeep” there was no clarification of why the ship should sail at decreased speeds for this itinerary. The e-mail does make clear that the ship’s security shouldn’t be compromised in any manner.
Resort operations in addition to eating companies and leisure can even not be affected, and friends may have loads to get pleasure from aboard the 145,655-gross-ton cruise ship throughout such a novel crusing.
Norwegian Breakaway measures 1,068 ft (326 meters) lengthy, with 18 decks. The ship has the brand new Syd Norman’s Pour Home rock lounge venue, in addition to The Waterfront, a quarter-mile oceanfront promenade for unimpeded sea views.
Visitors also can benefit from the ship’s Aqua Park and Sports activities Advanced, that includes the thrills of zip traces, water slides, and The Plank, extending eight ft (2.4 meters) out over the ship’s edge.
Different visitor favorites onboard embrace the on line casino, spa, thermal suite, a number of specialty eating places, swimming pools, and far more. Norwegian Breakaway can welcome 3,959 friends at double occupancy, with 1,657 worldwide crew members providing superior service.
Compensation Provided, However Not Cancelation
As compensation for the now canceled ports of name, Norwegian Cruise Line is providing friends onboard credit score. Whereas the precise quantities might differ relying on the staterooms booked and what number of friends are in every stateroom, most passengers are receiving $150 per individual.
It ought to be famous that cruise traces have full authority to alter, reschedule, or cancel ports of name at anytime, with no requirement to supply any compensation past refunding port charges and taxes in addition to associated pre-paid companies, similar to pre-booked excursions organized via the cruise line.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s visitor ticket contract, Part 7(c), Itinerary Deviation, clearly states that the ship might “deviate from the bought voyage or the traditional course for any function” which incorporates the appropriate to “cancel any scheduled name at any port for any motive and at any time.”
For the modifications to Norwegian Breakaway‘s crusing, the cruise line is providing the onboard credit score, however shouldn’t be providing friends the chance to cancel the crusing or the choice to switch to a unique crusing with out stiff penalties.
These kinds of choices had been provided free of charge by many cruise traces throughout the early days of the cruise business’s post-pandemic restart, when vaccination and testing necessities, in addition to ongoing modifications in COVID-19 variants, remained widespread.
Now, many cruise traces are tightening their insurance policies as soon as once more, even whereas cruisers should still be accustomed to the extra forgiving insurance policies that had helped entice vacationers again to crusing.
Due to this, all cruise vacationers ought to rigorously take into account whether or not or not journey insurance coverage could also be an excellent addition to their reserving, which may allow them better flexibility if a ship’s itinerary modifications.
