Customer feels cast aside by Norwegian Cruise Line
Tribune Content Agency
The island of Hydra — less than two hours south of Athens by ferry — offers the ideal Greek island experience, without a long journey across the Aegean Sea.
It has one real town, no real roads, no cars and not even any bikes. Water taxis whisk travelers from the quaint little harbor to isolated beaches and tavernas. Donkeys are the main way to transport things here. These sure-footed beasts of burden, laden with everything from sandbags and bathtubs to bottled water, climb stepped lanes. Behind each mule train toils a human pooper-scooper; I imagine picking up after your beast is required. On Hydra, a traffic jam is three donkeys and a fisherman.
Hydra is hardly undiscovered. In 1956, Sophia Loren came here to play a Hydriot sponge diver in the film “Boy on a Dolphin,” propelling the little island onto the international stage. (A statue honoring the film sits just outside of town along the coastal path.) By the ’60s Hydra had become a favorite retreat for celebrities, well-heeled tourists, and artists and writers, who drew inspiration from the idyllic surroundings.
The late Canadian songwriter Leonard Cohen lived here for a time — and was inspired to compose his beloved song “Bird on the Wire” after observing just that here on Hydra. To honor the expat poet, the town is naming the street in front of his house after him.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Phillip Keene lived in England, Holland and Miami before moving back to California 20 years ago.
The actor is recognizable to television viewers as Buzz Watson, the character he portrays on TNT’s crime procedural, “Major Crimes.” He also played the same role in the longrunning Kyra Sedgwick series, “The Closer.” A fun fact about the actor: He worked as a flight attendant before landing his best-known role. An edited version of our conversation follows.
Q: What was the first trip you took as a child?
A: Thinking back to my first trip on a plane, it was in the ’60s on a trip to Managua, Nicaragua. I lived there when I was very young and came back to the United States not speaking English. I loved it. I still remember teasing the bull on our neighbor’s property and then running away as fast as I could. I would chase after a man who drove a cart with wooden wheels, pulled by a pair of oxen, into the jungle. Thank God I never caught him.
Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?
A: I spent my early career as a flight attendant for Pan Am, which allowed me to visit many cities around the globe. I truly enjoyed nearly every place I went, but I would have to say that my favorite place to go is Paris. As the song says, no matter the time of Not that street names mean much — locals ignore addresses, and few lanes are labeled. Expect to get lost in Hydra ... and enjoy it when you do.
Today visitors only have to count the yachts to figure out that Hydra’s economy is still based on the sea. Tourists wash ashore with the many private and public boats that come and go, but few venture beyond the harborfront. Locals, proud of the extravagant yachts moored for the night, like to tell of movie stars who make regular visits.
Little Hydra — which has produced military heroes, influential aristocrats and political leaders — is packed with history. Rusted old cannons are scattered about town, and black, p itted anchors decorate squares.
Qyear you find yourself in the City of Lights, Paris is dazzling. I keep thinking, “Next time I go away, I’ll try Italy,” which I’ve somehow missed. But I always end up in Paris, discovering new places to visit.
Q: Have you ever traveled to a place that stood out so much you wanted to move there?
A: Many years ago, I went to visit friends in Amsterdam and — after three days — found myself so mesmerized with the city, I moved there. I packed up my things and began commuting from Amsterdam to London for work!
Q: Where have you traveled that most reminded you of home?
A: There’s no place like home, of course, but if you want a laid-back retreat that puts you instantly at ease, going to St. Petersburg (Fla.) in February is an awful lot like California. I loved it. There are a couple Hydra also has a few small museums, including a historical museum and a wealthy shipping magnate’s mansion.
But while the history is somewhat interesting, the beauty of Hydra is in relaxing at a cafe and aimlessly wandering its back lanes. Once, I decided to head uphill from my hotel, and my small detour became a delightful little odyssey. While I had no intention of anything more than a lazy stroll, one inviting lane after another drew me up, up, up to the top of the town. Here, shabby homes enjoyed grand views, tired burros ambled along untethered and island life trudged on, oblivious of tourism.
Although Hydra’s beaches are nothing to get excited about, there’s no of great places to play golf and a beautiful hotel called the Don CeSar that will suddenly make you feel like you’ve wandered back into a refurbished view of early 20th-century grandeur.
Q: What are some good tips for travelers?
A: All of my credit cards are attached to airline mileage rewards, so the first thing I do is try to leverage my way into business class, or even first, for free! I once flew first class to London for $5! I’m insanely proud of how little I pay to fly. Also, I have a credit card that gets me free upgrades, if available, at great hotels. So you rent a smaller room and, in the off season, you almost always end up in a suite! And then I tend to make dinner reservations a month in advance, if possible. Some restaurants actually require it! For more from the reporter, visit www.jaehakim.com. shortage of places to swim. There’s one swimming spot in Hydra town — steps that lead down to a series of small concrete platforms with ladders into the sea. There are also a few decent beaches within a pleasant, easy walk of town: Mandraki Bay, Kaminia Castello and Vlychos. Distant beaches on the southwestern tip of the island (Bisti and Agios Nikolaos) really get you away from it all, but are best reached by boat.
As sunset nears, I head for the rustic and picturesque village of Kaminia, which hides behind the headland from Hydra, about a 15-minute walk along the coastal path. Kaminia’s pocket-sized harbor shelters the community’s fishing boats, and its taverna, perched on a bluff above, boasts my favorite,
A: I’m sorry to hear about your schedule changes. It’s a little-known fact that when you’re rerouted, the cruise line owes you virtually nothing. You may get a refund for the port tax, but that’s about it.
Don’t believe me? Check out Norwegian Cruise Line’s Guest Ticket Contract (www.ncl.com/sites/ default/files/GuestTicket-Contract-112015.pdf), the agreement between you and the cruise line. Scroll down to Section 6 for the details. Told you!
In your case, Norwegian offered a vague reason for the change, noting that irresistible dinner views on Hydra. Sitting on the porch with a glass of ouzo and some munchies, I watch the sun dip gently into the Saronic Gulf.
At twilight, I walk back to town along the lamp-lit coastal lane, under a ridge lined with derelict windmills. Back in town, I settle on a ferry cleat the size of a stool, scanning the scene. Big flat-screen TVs flicker from every other yacht. All the high rollers seem to be back on board watching movies. I observe the pleasant evening routine of strolling and socializing. Dice clatter on backgammon boards, entrepreneurial cats seem busy, children chase soccer balls and a tethered goat chews on something inedible in its low-profile corner. From the other end of town
My wife and I recently took an 11-day Southeast Asia cruise onboard the Norwegian Star departing from Singapore. Shortly before our vacation, we were advised that the cruise itinerary had changed due to a technical issue with the ship. This was an extreme disappointment, since we had made plans for my wife’s 50th birthday in Thailand as the main part of our vacation.
Since our new itinerary allowed us an extra two days in Singapore, we planned our time carefully. We made arrangements for activities on the days that had been added to our itinerary and confirmed to us by Norwegian. We also changed extra currency to Singapore dollars on the evening prior to embarking on the ship to cover the cost of our extra time in Singapore.
When we embarked, we were informed that there was another change to our itinerary and that we would not be spending the extra time in Singapore as previously advised by Norwegian. Instead, we were setting sail on that day. This was a complete surprise to us, although other passengers had been informed of this change.
Norwegian had offered a 20 percent refund on the cruise prior to boarding because of problems it was experiencing before we even set off. We rejected this, as it was not acceptable or appropriate. After the cruise, we were offered a full refund for the cruise only, not including hotel and flights, to be taken as a voucher for a future cruise with Norwegian plus a $1,000 credit that could have been taken as either cash or onboard credit. We accepted this in writing.
Norwegian subsequently retracted this offer, after acceptance, returning to a standard 20 percent, cruise-only refund.
I have tried contacting Norwegian, but nobody is returning my emails or assisting in any way. This has been going on since December 2016. I do not understand how Norwegian can retract its offer. Can you help? “there are malfunctions that affect the vessel’s speed and, therefore, our ability to deliver the itinerary as scheduled.” It probably shouldn’t have said anything; it didn’t have to.
But this isn’t really a case about ticket contracts. No, this is about Norwegian extending an offer and rescinding it — and I can’t think of a good reason for that. If a business offers you something and you accept it in writing, it’s case closed.
You could have appealed to a Norwegian executive. I list their names, numbers and email addresses on my comes the happy music of a christening party. Dancing women fill the building, while their children mimic them in the street.
Succumbing to the lure of a pastry shop, I order some honey-soaked baklava. I tell the baker I’m American. “Oh,” he says, shaking his head with sadness and pity, “You work too hard.”
I answer, “Right, but not today.”
Hydra’s the kind of place that makes you want to buy a bottle of ouzo and toss your itinerary into the sea. Rick Steves (ricksteves .com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at and follow his blog on Facebook. | consumeradvocacy site: elliott.org/companycontacts/norwegiancruise-line-ncl. When I checked with you, I learned that you already had, but to no avail.
I contacted Norwegian on your behalf, and it agreed to honor its offer. Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the author of “How to Be the World’s Smartest Traveler.” You can read more travel tips on his blog, , or email him at elliott.org.