Passengers fuming over Norwegian changing cruise route during trip: ‘They secretly changed the name’
A woman on board a Norwegian Cruise Line ship gave the company an icy review after they changed the route of the trip and didn’t tell passengers until after the cruise began, she claimed.
Helen Midler, who posted a video detailing the ordeal to TikTok, said that her cruise onboard the Norwegian Star was meant to go from South America to Antarctica, but that they changed the trip description to “round-trip of South America.”
The Post reached out to Midler for comment.
“Our ship is not going to Antarctica,” she said in a video that has garnered over 3 million views since being posted five days ago.
“They secretly changed the name of this cruise yesterday on the app,” she continued in the video as she showed a screenshot of the trip’s new description.
She said she spoke to someone at the customer service desk who told her that the cruise’s head office in Miami made the decision before the cruise departed. She said customer service told her the change was due to “operational reasons.”
“They refused to explain what those operational reasons are. We know it’s not weather,” she exclaimed.
She said everyone on board the ship was “angry” and that a crowd of people showed up to complain to customer service but that the service desk refused to acknowledge them.
“They sent a security officer out to calm us down but we just refuse to be told, ‘Sorry we’re not going and we’re not gonna give you reasons.’”
She said that she and others feel as though they are being “cheated and scammed.“
She said that people on board the cruise “paid a lot of money” to go to Antarctica, not to cruise around South America. She told people not to take a Norwegian Cruise because she and others are being treated with “disdain.”
A spokesperson from Norwegian Cruise Lines provided The Post with the following statement: “We are committed to providing exceptional vacation experiences, both aboard our ships and by taking our guests to some of the most sought-out destinations around the world.”
“While we try to maintain original itineraries as much as possible, at times modifications are made to optimize the itinerary or to accommodate certain circumstances. To enhance the guest experience, the ship’s current itinerary was revised to allow more time for guests to explore Stanley, Falkland Islands. As such, the cruise by Paradise Bay, Antarctica was replaced with a cruise by Admiralty Bay, Antarctica,” their statement continued.
Admiralty Bay is 200 miles north of Paradise Bay near the mainland where the ship was originally trying to go.
“In addition, due to a recent regulatory requirement in the area, the ship is operating at a reduced speed, also impacting its original itinerary,” a rep from the cruise line told ABC.
Midler posted a series of video updates to her TikTok page. One day ago, she posted a video from Elephant Island, an Antarctic Island, that was on the original itinerary. She said the stop is being made more of a focal point on their trip than it was originally supposed to be because “we did not get to go to the Antarctica Mainland area which is what probably 2 and a half thousand people on this ship have paid to do.”
“We are all still devastated,” she added.
Some commenters below her video supported her outrage.
“I’m so sorry. That isn’t right at all. I would try your bank or credit card company for monetary adjustment. Absolutely different cruise you received,” one person said.
“I would be furious. Antartica is a dream of mine,” said another.
Other commenters said that these things happen and she should try to make the best of the situation.
“Cruise lines litterally have the disclaimer that the itinerary can be changed. just enjoy what you get, the rest of the world is starving or being bombed and dying. perspective,” someone wrote.
“Cruise Lines have the right to change destinations for various reasons! Read what you signed!!! Be grateful they are looking out for you!” another added.
