HOUSTON -- Norwegian Cruise Line canceled the New Year's cruise
of its Norwegian Star from Houston, disrupting the vacations of 960
passengers. The line cited a recurrence of electrical and
air-conditioning problems during its Christmas cruise.
NCL president Hans Golteus said the Star would sail as scheduled
on Jan. 4. He said repairs to the vessel were proceeding
satisfactorily, adding that he was "confident" the ship would
operate on Jan. 4 with a "full passenger load."
The ship's mechanical breakdown was its fourth in three months,
following similar problems on the Thanksgiving cruise and two
others in October. The latest mishap, affecting the Dec. 28 New
Year's cruise, set off a new round of bad publicity about the
ship's seven-night Houston program, launched in May.
NCL offered passengers on the canceled New Year's cruise a full
refund as well as a future cruise-only ticket, not including port
charges and taxes. Agents who assist with the future booking will
receive a $100 per cabin handling fee, he said.
NCL reported that more than 600 of the stranded air-sea
passengers due to depart Dec. 28 were invited to spend the night
aboard the ship and were provided with meals and entertainment
while the line booked return flights. Line president Hans Golteus
said that travel agent commissions on the canceled cruise will be
fully protected.
Golteus said the cruise was canceled at 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 28
after an examination by a senior technical team determined that the
ship must remain in Houston throughout the week for additional
repairs.
NCL said that during the Star's previous Christmas cruise, which
left port here on Dec. 21 with 950 passengers, the ship's air
conditioning was at a level of reduced output for 36 hours. The
ship also failed to make its first stop at Calica, Mexico, because
of an engine problem, the line said. According to NCL, many
passengers slept on open decks on Christmas eve because of
unbearable heat in the cabins and public rooms.
The line said that 28 passengers left the ship on Christmas day
during its call at Roatan Island, Honduras.
NCL said it was offering to compensate more than 900 passengers
on the Christmas cruise with a free cruise-only ticket, not
including port charges and taxes, on a future seven-night Caribbean
cruise. The offer was similar to that made to compensate passengers
on the Thanksgiving cruise, but the Houston-based Chaffin Law Firm
later filed a suit to obtain a full refund and punitive damages for
the passengers on that and two earlier cruises.
Houston agents were hopeful the company would fix the problems,
which spurred a lead story in the Houston Chronicle on Dec. 29 with
the headline, "Voyage of the damned: the sequel." A headline
documenting the ship's problems on the Thanksgiving cruise labeled
that sailing, "The cruise from hell."
"NCL surely realizes it needs to take decisive action to fix the
problems," said Joseph Galloway, ASTA's vice president and
secretary and owner of Houston's Trans-Continental Travel.
Bettie Harding, owner of Woodlake Travel Services here, said, "I
think they should have done a better job of repairing it. If they
had done an ample job it wouldn't have broken down again so
soon."
Added Helen Wester of the same agency, "If they have another
problem, they'd better cash it in."
Reported Gary Ashorn, owner of A & A Cruises & Travel
here, "Some passengers have called in to cancel. After the
Thanksgiving cruise, I told them NCL would fix it. Now I feel like
an idiot. It's terribly unfortunate because so many people have
been waiting for something good to happen in Houston."
Nancy Canady, another Woodlake agent, reported that a group of
12 passengers booked on the New Year's cruise decided to cancel.
Instead, the group booked land packages to Puerto Vallarta. In
spite of the cancellations, Canady said the NCL program could be
salvaged if there are no further mechanical problems with the ship.
Noting that the innovative NCL Houston program has been highly
popular with clients, she added, "People are forgiving and still
very excited about having the ship in our market. But they need to
address the problems on the ship."
The Norwegian Star was launched in 1973 as the Royal Viking Sea
of Royal Viking Line, becoming the Royal Odyssey of Royal Cruise
Line in 1991. NCL said the ship completed a $20 million renovation
in 1995 and underwent more refurbishment this spring.
The Port of Houston granted the line $1 million in incentives to
launch the innovative program and built a $2.5 million terminal for
the vessel.