Superstar Cruises has begun reaching out to company booked aboard numerous sailings on Superstar Apex about itinerary adjustments for upcoming voyages. A number of cruises are impacted with adjustments equivalent to adjusted port instances, altered crusing routes, and altered ports of name.
Whereas nearly all of the adjusted cruises are in northern Europe, some Caribbean itineraries are additionally being altered and all company booked on Superstar Apex must be ready for attainable adjustments.
Itinerary Adjustments for Superstar Apex
Visitors booked on a wide range of sailings for Superstar Apex have been knowledgeable of itinerary adjustments for his or her upcoming cruises. The character of the adjustments varies for various departure dates, however contains such alterations as adjusted instances in port and various ports of name that end in completely different crusing routes.
For instance, the ship’s July 8, 2024 departure – a 12-night “Norwegian Fjord Arctic Circle” crusing – has three port time adjustments, in addition to a change in departure from Southampton, UK. Now, the ship will depart Southampton at 5 p.m. as an alternative of at 4 p.m. as initially deliberate.
Three Norwegian ports on the itinerary have been adjusted with completely different instances. Now, the decision to Flam might be from 7 a.m. to three p.m. (initially 8 a.m. to six p.m.); Tromso might be from 1-8 p.m. (initially 9 a.m. to eight p.m.); and Honningsvag from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (initially 12-9 p.m.).
In whole, these adjustments quantity to a lack of seven hours in ports of name. The opposite port visits – Stavanger, Olden, and Kristiansand – should not affected, and the cruise will nonetheless be crusing above the Arctic Circle as deliberate.
Pre-booked shore excursions organized via Superstar Cruises are being robotically adjusted to the brand new port instances as wanted. Vacationers who’ve made unbiased preparations might want to contact their tour operators for cancellation or rescheduling as applicable.
Why So Many Adjustments?
Whereas the impacted sailings are a number of months away, Superstar Cruises shouldn’t be providing particulars concerning the want for the adjustments.
“Resulting from crusing pace restrictions, we’ve adjusted a few of our arrival and departure instances,” the notification e mail learn.
The character of the “crusing pace restrictions” has not been defined, however it’s attainable that new rules in Norway are inflicting the changes. Many areas, significantly the place delicate marine environments might be put in danger with elevated cruise journey, are imposing such restrictions to safeguard native habitats and wildlife.
Learn Additionally: Protests in Norway Over Environmental Injury Brought on by Cruise Ships
Booked company are additionally noting related adjustments to sailings departing in each Might and June, with some sailings swapping port visits in addition to adjusting general port instances.
What’s extra regarding, nonetheless, is that some vacationers have additionally famous related adjustments for Caribbean itineraries as soon as Superstar Apex repositions to Fort Lauderdale in November.
Pace restrictions to guard environments are much less frequent within the Caribbean, although they aren’t remarkable. It is usually attainable there could also be some technical problem with Superstar Apex that requires slower crusing for max effectivity, although this has not been confirmed.
The 130,818-gross-ton, Edge-class Superstar Apex is at present homeported from Fort Lauderdale, providing a wide range of 7-night Caribbean itineraries. In early Might, the ship will depart on a transatlantic cruise to maneuver to Southampton for a season crusing Scandinavia, Norway, and northern Europe cruises, earlier than returning to Fort Lauderdale in November.
Superstar Apex is scheduled for dry dock in March 2025, and it’s probably that any technical updates might be made at the moment. Hopefully, if there is a matter with the ship, the small changes being made now might be adequate so she doesn’t should be faraway from service for emergency repairs.
Whereas some vacationers are positive to be upset in these minor port adjustments, a last-minute full cruise cancellation can be way more of a disappointment!
