Norwegian Sun’s Troubled Cruise Sees Another Port Dropped for Repairs
Key Aspects:
Another change has been made to Norwegian Sun‘s current sailing, dropping a visit to Kiel.
The ship will head to Copenhagen for a more extended stay to facilitate propulsion system repairs.
Guests are being given a 25% refund of their cruise fare to compensate for yet another dramatic change.
Guests aboard Norwegian Sun are not sailing the cruise they’d originally booked, and the plans keep changing for worse with another port visit dropped and an even earlier arrival to Copenhagen for what will now be two overnight stays before debarkation.
The 78,309-gross-ton ship originally departed Helsinki, Finland on Wednesday, June 24 for a 9-night sailing that was to have enjoyed visits to Estonia, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany before arriving in Denmark on July 3.
Cruise Hive has already reported how, less than 24 hours after boarding, guests were informed of propulsion issues and significant itinerary changes.
The visits to Sweden, Lithuania, and Poland were dropped, while another port visit in Denmark was added, and the timing in both German ports was adjusted. Now, a letter obtained by Cruise Hive has confirmed that the second German port (Kiel on July 1) has also been dropped from the itinerary, and Norwegian Sun will head straight to Copenhagen.
Originally, the ship was to have arrived in Copenhagen at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 2 for an overnight stay before debarkation on July 3. Now, the ship will arrive in Denmark’s capital city at 7 p.m. on July 1 and will remain docked until the planned debarkation.
This will give the up to 2,400 guests (maximum occupancy) more than ample time to explore the city, but some travelers may feel let down due to the extended stay when onboard facilities may be closed due to local regulations.
Compensation Offered
Norwegian Cruise Line has upped the compensation for guests on the dramatically adjusted cruise. After the initial changes, the cruise line offered a $100 onboard credit and a 25% future cruise credit toward another sailing.
Now, a one-quarter refund for the current sailing is also being provided to all guests.
“As a further gesture of appreciation for your understanding, we will now also provide a 25% refund of the voyage fare paid for this cruise,” the cruise line confirmed.
The refund will be processed back to the original form of payment and should be processed within 7-10 business days after the cruise ends. Actual processing times may vary for guests’ different financial institutions.
Shore tours booked through Norwegian Cruise Line for the now-cancelled visit to Kiel will also be automatically cancelled and credited to guests’ onboard accounts to enjoy during the sailing if they so wish.
Repairs Are Underway
While these latest changes are certainly frustrating for guests who are getting a much different vacation experience than they had hoped, there is good news.
“Our technical teams have identified the required repair solution,” the cruise line confirmed.
Because the needed repairs have now been clarified, it is hoped that the extra time in Copenhagen will permit full repairs so the ship’s next sailing will not be impacted.
Norwegian Sun‘s July 3 departure is supposed to be a 9-night one-way trip from Copenhagen to Helsinki, stopping in Norway, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Sweden, and Estonia along the way. At this time, there is no notice of any changes to that itinerary.
Satellite tracking confirms the ship is currently sailing at 11 knots (approximately 12-13 miles per hour), having departed from Riga, Latvia, where she spent Saturday, June 27. The vessel is heading to Ronne, Denmark, but will not arrive until Monday.
The ship’s maximum speed is 23 knots (26 miles per hour). At a reduced speed, some repairs may be possible that will help ensure Norwegian Sun can set sail on her next cruise at the appropriate speeds to reach all her destinations.
Norwegian Sun’s Troubled Cruise Sees Another Port Dropped for Repairs