Cruises can certainly cost a pretty penny – so when cruisers pay for a certain kind of stateroom, they expect to get what they booked.
But, a recent guest of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jade was left feeling disappointed and angry when she boarded the 2,402-guest ship to find her cabin’s balcony didn’t have the view she was expecting.
Instead, it would be obstructed by a large, circular maintenance apparatus for a portion of her voyage through the Panama Canal.
“When we arrived in our cabin, we had a letter advising that due to regulations during Panama Transit crossings a maintenance apparatus has to be secured against the ship…Essentially this blocked our view until we arrived in Colombia,” the cruiser shared.
As the Panama Canal becomes extremely narrow, it’s possible that the normal storage of maintenance items like these would have made the 93,558-gross ton vessel too wide.
It’s not clear which sailing the recent guest was onboard for, but the Jewel-class ship just completed two one-way Panama Canal Cruises.
The first 11-night sailing embarked from Tampa, Florida, on January 29, 2025, while the 11-night return voyage embarked from Panama City on February 9, 2025.
If the guest was on the first cruise, her view would have been obstructed for more than half of the sailing – as the ship did not call on Cartagena, Colombia, until Day 8.
But if she was onboard for the subsequent sailing, Cartagena was the first port call on the itinerary, so she would have only had to live with the unsatisfactory view for a couple of days.
The second sailing brought the 2006-launched vessel to Miami, Florida, which will be her homeport through the end of March.
Did Norwegian Cruise Line Respond Appropriately?
While the cruise guest was disappointed with her private balcony, what really upset her was the lack of communication from Norwegian Cruise Line – which made her feel like the brand had “deceived” her.
Had she received prior notice, she would have tried to secure alternate accommodations ahead of setting sail.
“They knew the cabin view was impacted well in advance and did not advise us. I asked for a refund of the difference between an obstructed and non obstructed cabin but was basically told ‘too bad so sad,’” she said.
“It is not even the money, it is the principle. I should have been told. The whole purpose of the balcony was to enjoy the canal from our stateroom. Feeling so ripped off,” she continued.
However, while the cruise line didn’t refund the passenger in cash, she was provided with a $500 onboard credit that could be used for things like spa treatments and specialty dining.
Cruise Hive Boards: Panama Canal Cruise Weather
Even though her sailing ended at least a week ago, the jilted cruiser still felt she deserved further compensation.
However, the cruising community largely felt that the matter reached its resolution when she accepted the $500 onboard credit.
“I would also be annoyed but I think once you took the $500 it was settled,” one person replied.
“This is like the story you hear about people who are in a car accident, and then quickly accept money from the other party’s insurance company, only to then find out that doing so prevents you from any other course of action. The moment you accepted that $500, you shot yourself in both feet,” another cruise fan confirmed.
That said, the recent guest’s disappointment is certainly valid – and many cruisers do take their balcony views very seriously.
Last year, one cruiser even went viral after complaining that the safety railing on her private balcony obstructed her view too much – which resulted in a lot of online ridicule.
