Shore Excursion Changed without permission or notification

[terrymtex01]

I do have to say we have booked almost all of our excursions through the cruiseline we have sailed on and never had any issue. However I do think the OP should have been notified. And I do think the shore excursion people at the 800 number are as bad as NCL's other land based customer service.

 

Count me as another person who would never book through the cruise line, no matter how much they try to "scare" passengers with stories about groups not getting back to the ship on time, etc. Not only do they not always know what they're doing, as the OP found out, but they charge way too much and the reimbursements to the tour operators is not nearly enough.*

 

(*We were at the Seattle Travel Show two weeks ago and heard this firsthand from a couple who run a tour on the Big Island. They contract with NCL - and maybe other lines, but I'm not sure - and have not had a good experience. If we do their tour when we're there in May, we'll book directly through them.)

 

 

I just had to reply to your posting and say that NCL has never scared us to book their excursions, but posters on CC have that actually missed the ship by doing private excursions.. 8-)

[billie5]

Thanks, SeaShark. I was in awe of how many people did not seem to get that only the time of OP's excursion was changed, not the excursion.

 

Of course he should have been notified, and the conflicting tours was certainly an obvious error. However, it would have been helpful if we knew how many days before departure the change was made. We have had the times changed for excursions (but not the conflict) and were grateful the cruise line did this for us. I believe we found out once we checked in. Not a big deal for us, but I can imagine scenarios where it could matter. On the other hand, were this a last minute change, I would consider that the cruiseline was making the best of an unfortunate situation.

 

Bill

[logicandsin]

we are travelling on the jade in march and had our itinery changed, not by much, but by enough to make me think about booking excursions through NCL. at least that way we have the guarantee that the ship will wait for us in case of delays. private tours do not get the same guarantee.

 

we were notified by ncl of the change, in fact twice, so perhaps this is maybe something that ncl was not under obligation to do under the t&c because the excursion was not changed just the times, imo.

 

you would need to check the conditions that are applicable to your booking as mentioned by others here.

 

but nonetheless, don't let it spoil your vacation ... life's too short and so are cruises :)

[sailincajunns]

Thanks to all for the comments and feedback. The intent of the post was more to just try to encourage everyone that did book excursions via NCL to check the details from time to time to simply assure that no changes were made that are not 'workable'. I am very clear on the 'terms of sale' on all common carriers, but I still always hold out hope that a company will do more than the 'required minimum'. I did double check my 'junk mail', but there was no notification there either. In any case, all is well that ends well, and we certainly never allow any technicality interfere with the good times we have on every cruise. We are looking forward to our trip to Hawaii, and I hope the post might help someone else from having a more serious issue/conflict with their plans. Thanks again, Bon Voyage, Aloha, and oh, yes, Geaux Saints :)

[Down-Unders]

yes, it would have been nice and should have been done. Don't let this influence your cruise too much. Shoe excursion dept are not always the best, regardless of the line. At least you were able to straighten it out. Have a great cruise and look at the bright side, you are going to be enjoying time away from work, responsibilities and whatever else..

 

Nita

 

 

 

What evidence have you about Shore Excursion Depts on other lines?

 

 

 

:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:

[Gatorney]

Shore Excursions Terms & Conditions

 

General Information

Tour Descriptions, Durations and Departure Times

The information provided on this website is designed to help you select the excursions most suited to your interests. The tour descriptions are as current and accurate as possible. Please note that occasionally changes in the descriptions do occur. Some tours will operate in an order that is different from that presented in the tour descriptions. This helps to alleviate crowding at local venues. The individual tour descriptions include approximate durations and can be found under each tour name. Please note that departure times are subject to change.

 

Prices

All prices are in U.S. dollars, capacity controlled and subject to change without notice. Prices for Hawaii only, DO NOT INCLUDE the additional Hawaiian State Tax that is assessed on all Shore Excursions. Prices include meals, refreshments as indicated in the tour description (including gratuities for these services), plus guide and entrance fees, unless otherwise noted. There is no charge for children under the age of 2 (at the time of sailing) who do not occupy a separate seat on most tours. Children's prices are only available as indicated at time of booking. Participants under the age of 13 pay child prices and participants 13 years of age and older pay adult prices (unless otherwise noted). An adult must accompany participants under the age of 18 on all tours. Due to weight and balance limitations as well as passenger safety and comfort, guests weighing 250 lbs. (113kg) or more (fully dressed) will be required to pay a surcharge to reserve extra space on the helicopter and all flightseeing tours.

 

Cancellation or Modification

Cruise schedules are subject to change at the discretion of the Captain, and may occasionally be affected by variations in arrival or departure times, inclement weather, and mechanical or equipment difficulties. NCL reserves the right to change Shore Excursion prices, itineraries and departure times without notice. Excursions are subject to cancellation or modification depending on the number of guests participating. NCL reserves the right to cancel a Shore Excursion for any reason, including inclement weather, and shall not be liable for any loss to participants. Participants holding tickets for canceled Shore Excursions will receive a full refund. Should it be necessary to abandon a Shore Excursion due to difficulties en route, NCL will arrange the best possible refund for participants according to the circumstances.

 

Refunds and Cancellation Fees

All tours cancelled within 48 hours prior to arrival in the port where the tour is scheduled to operate are non-refundable. Certain tours, such as overland tours, customized tours and tours with theater performances or special events may be subject to different cancellation fees. Check with the Shore Excursion Desk for details. If a flight departure is cancelled due to weather by the flight company in conjunction with the Shore Excursion Manager, a full credit is given. You can cancel a tour by returning the tour ticket to the Shore Excursion Desk and advising the staff of the cancellation. Refunds will be credited to the guest's onboard account.

 

Guests with Disabilities

While NCL strives to make its Shore Excursion program available to all its guests, inherent tour venue limitations and/or tour operator limitations exist that are beyond NCL's control that limit the ability of guests with special needs to participate in certain Shore Excursions. We urge such guests to advise the Shore Excursion department of disabilities when requesting tours and to further meet with the Shore Excursion staff on board to discuss their disabilities as they relate to the unique characteristics of each Shore Excursion. We typically recommend independent transportation for the comfort and convenience of guests with disabilities.

 

Important Considerations

We want you to have a great time, but we also want you to be safe. With that in mind, we ask you to be careful if you purchase tours or guide services from anyone not affiliated with NCL. As you might imagine, many are not licensed, even fewer are insured, and getting you back to the ship on time is probably not their main concern. Here at NCL, we only use insured, fully licensed tour operators for our Shore Excursion program.

 

 

 

 

 

FWIW...I believe that anytime you enter into an agreement with another party, that you should understand the terms of that agreement. It goes a long way toward avoiding confusion later.

 

These terms do not cover what OP is saying happened. NCL completely booked her for another excursion all together - that is not the same as changes to times, prices, itineraries, or complete cancellation. I think OP was fine with the fact the original was changed or cancelled - but annoyed that NCL chose a substitute, completely different excursion for her. OP didn't object to the terms included in this agreement at all.