Free Cayo Levancato beach from NCL info

[tbmrt]

Just got this from NCL's Excursion Dept. re: Cayo Beach in Samana......Right now we are offering Cayo Levantado free to all our guests.This is on a trial basis in an effort to raise guest satisfaction in the port of Samana. As it is a trial period and could be terminated at any time we are operating on a CRUISE BY CRUISE BASIS.

 

NCL also said this:Tender tickets are never handed out the night before on any of our ships. We arrive at 10am into Samana and tender ticket distribution starts around that time. (I didn't think this was the case)

 

I guess the best thing to do is to check with NCL right before your cruise date.

 

Barbara

[jdvmd]

Just got this from NCL's Excursion Dept. re: Cayo Beach in Samana......Right now we are offering Cayo Levantado free to all our guests.This is on a trial basis in an effort to raise guest satisfaction in the port of Samana. As it is a trial period and could be terminated at any time we are operating on a CRUISE BY CRUISE BASIS.

 

NCL also said this:Tender tickets are never handed out the night before on any of our ships. We arrive at 10am into Samana and tender ticket distribution starts around that time. (I didn't think this was the case)

 

I guess the best thing to do is to check with NCL right before your cruise date.

 

Barbara

 

Wow! I am impressed that they are trying to do something like this.

[BikerAl]

I was happy payingfor it, so this is a nice bonus.

 

Al

[Beaver1975]

I was happy payingfor it, so this is a nice bonus.

 

Al

 

Hopefully they limit the number of people allowed on the island. It is a great place to hang out for the day, but too many people could really tarnish a great experience.

[cherylroslyn]

Hopefully they limit the number of people allowed on the island. It is a great place to hang out for the day, but too many people could really tarnish a great experience.

I'm thinking the same thing. I was already signed up and I was on the fist tender which was 10:30a.m......now I just lost my place grrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

But it is a nice gesture........

[swedish weave]

If it is free, it will be bombarded with people !!!!

[tbmrt]

What bothers me is that if they aren't giving tender tickets out til 10am when the ship arrives, I can't imagine the lines and wait to get a ticket and get onto the tender.

 

Barbara

[kjbetz]

So, is it free for the December 14th sailing or is this still to be determined?

 

Thanks!

[tbmrt]

So, is it free for the December 14th sailing or is this still to be determined?

 

Thanks!

 

They are pretty non-committal, saying right now the plan is to give free Cayo beach trips for forthcoming cruises, but said THIS CAN BE CHANGED AT ANY TIME. I asked if they still are selling the $49 excursions in the meantime and they said yes. (cruisers would be given an OBC if they paid this)

 

Guess we'll have to wait to hear more.

BArbara

[swedish weave]

What bothers me is that if they aren't giving tender tickets out til 10am when the ship arrives, I can't imagine the lines and wait to get a ticket and get onto the tender.

 

Barbara

 

You can beat the lines by getting to the ticket distribution point about 30 minutes before the announced time. It is your choice if you want to wait in line before the tickets are distributed, or get there late and wait until the high numbers are called.

[che5904]

They are pretty non-committal, saying right now the plan is to give free Cayo beach trips for forthcoming cruises, but said THIS CAN BE CHANGED AT ANY TIME. I asked if they still are selling the $49 excursions in the meantime and they said yes. (cruisers would be given an OBC if they paid this)

 

Guess we'll have to wait to hear more.

BArbara

 

It would seem to me that if other posters are correct and this could prove to be basically craziness for a number of reasons and if this is something new NCL is trying to improve the feeling of this port. Of course they don't want to be committed to it for a set amount of time, not really knowing the outcome. Therefore, if they do it on a ship to ship basis and it doesn' work out well, they can pull it immediately before enraging further customers. Makes sense to me.

[nikimouse]

Id be thinking about canceling the excursion if Id paid for it, get the refund, and then wait and see if its offered for free on dec sailings ;) if not, just rebook whilst onboard . its a great offer, although I cant help but think sales of other excursions will suffer, and they will then have to go back to chargeing a fee for the excursion, so enjoy it while it lasts!

[tbmrt]

Just got this from NCL's Excursion Dept. re: Cayo Beach in Samana......Right now we are offering Cayo Levantado free to all our guests.This is on a trial basis in an effort to raise guest satisfaction in the port of Samana. As it is a trial period and could be terminated at any time we are operating on a CRUISE BY CRUISE BASIS.

 

NCL also said this:Tender tickets are never handed out the night before on any of our ships. We arrive at 10am into Samana and tender ticket distribution starts around that time. (I didn't think this was the case)

 

I guess the best thing to do is to check with NCL right before your cruise date.

 

Barbara

 

UPDATE Tuesday/ 12/6 ...from an excursion operator in Samana:

 

I got an email a couple days ago from someone who just got on the Dawn yesterday and who will be here tomorrow. She was told by NCL that they would not be offering Cayo Levantado for free as they had done on the previous 2 visits to Samana. We’ll have to wait it out and see how it goes tomorrow.

 

Looks like we'll have to wait til we're actually onboard to see what NCL will do. In the meantime, NCL is still selling the $49 excursions to Cayo (verified this w/NCL last night)

[kjbetz]

Thanks for filling us in. I might just book the excursion. If it ends up included then we'll just get the credit.

 

Let us know what you find out!

[tbmrt]

You can beat the lines by getting to the ticket distribution point about 30 minutes before the announced time. It is your choice if you want to wait in line before the tickets are distributed, or get there late and wait until the high numbers are called.

 

So if we go early to get our ticket, do we then leave the ship immediately afterward? (wondering if I should go wait for ticket, leave DH in the cabin and go retrieve him to depart the ship.)

Barbara

[European_CruiseGirl]

I'm hoping that they do not have the free Cayo Leventado excursion when we sail next year. Sure it would be great to have an excursion for free. But...

 

I would be (and am) more than happy to pay the $49/pp for the pleasure of getting the excursion tickets delivered straight to my cabin and being able to select the tender time (10:30AM/11:00AM/11:30AM if I remember correctly) instead of standing in a long line waiting for tender tickets and after that spending my time at a completely congested beach. :o

 

I think NCL's intention is fantastic in trying to enhance the stay of passengers in Samana. However I do not believe this will work (and perhaps NCL has noticed it too if the next Dawn visit will not offer this).

 

1. The persons who booked the excursion will of course receive a credit. Thats nice. However they miss their relaxing excursion (the tickets already in their cabin, pre-scheduled departure time, not the whole ship trying to get to the beach at the same time) which they had been looking forward to. They had already decided that the $49/pp is worth paying for this excursion so does the fact that the excursion is now free but you have to wait in a long line to get the tender tickets enhance their experience? Not in my opinion. Others may of course disagree. :D

 

2. The persons who booked another excursion and were excited about those would face a dilemma. Should we cancel our previously hand picked excursion and just go to the beach? Very many would probably do so. So instead of another excursion they are spending their time in a tender ticket line and spending their time on a hugely congested beach (really - a free beach excursion - how many are not going?). Does this enhance their experience? And if they go to their other excursion and it sucks they are thinking "we should have taken the free tender to the beach". Does this enhance their experience?

 

3. The persons who had decided that they will just stay onboard while at Samana also would be now thinking "should we go to the free beach excursion". If they go they miss their relaxing day onboard and stand in the huge tender ticket line and spend their time at a hugely concested beach. Would their experience of this port be enhanced?

 

All in all I think this was a great idea by NCL but to be implemented so that it would truly enhanace the passengers experience they should consider how to get rid of the 10AM tender ticket line. Perhaps make everyone interested prebook the tender timeslot they want. First come first serve. If you book your cruise well in advance you get to pick first. Of course this would mean they should make these decicions well in advance.

 

Oh well - I'll stop now before receiving too much flaming. :D :rolleyes: :D

[che5904]

I'm hoping that they do not have the free Cayo Leventado excursion when we sail next year. Sure it would be great to have an excursion for free. But...

 

I would be (and am) more than happy to pay the $49/pp for the pleasure of getting the excursion tickets delivered straight to my cabin and being able to select the tender time (10:30AM/11:00AM/11:30AM if I remember correctly) instead of standing in a long line waiting for tender tickets and after that spending my time at a completely congested beach. :o

 

I think NCL's intention is fantastic in trying to enhance the stay of passengers in Samana. However I do not believe this will work (and perhaps NCL has noticed it too if the next Dawn visit will not offer this).

 

1. The persons who booked the excursion will of course receive a credit. Thats nice. However they miss their relaxing excursion (the tickets already in their cabin, pre-scheduled departure time, not the whole ship trying to get to the beach at the same time) which they had been looking forward to. They had already decided that the $49/pp is worth paying for this excursion so does the fact that the excursion is now free but you have to wait in a long line to get the tender tickets enhance their experience? Not in my opinion. Others may of course disagree. :D

 

2. The persons who booked another excursion and were excited about those would face a dilemma. Should we cancel our previously hand picked excursion and just go to the beach? Very many would probably do so. So instead of another excursion they are spending their time in a tender ticket line and spending their time on a hugely congested beach (really - a free beach excursion - how many are not going?). Does this enhance their experience? And if they go to their other excursion and it sucks they are thinking "we should have taken the free tender to the beach". Does this enhance their experience?

 

3. The persons who had decided that they will just stay onboard while at Samana also would be now thinking "should we go to the free beach excursion". If they go they miss their relaxing day onboard and stand in the huge tender ticket line and spend their time at a hugely concested beach. Would their experience of this port be enhanced?

 

All in all I think this was a great idea by NCL but to be implemented so that it would truly enhanace the passengers experience they should consider how to get rid of the 10AM tender ticket line. Perhaps make everyone interested prebook the tender timeslot they want. First come first serve. If you book your cruise well in advance you get to pick first. Of course this would mean they should make these decicions well in advance.

 

Oh well - I'll stop now before receiving too much flaming. :D :rolleyes: :D

 

No flaming here, I think your thought process is all a very good possibility. I also think NCL may think these things may happen as well. Which is probably, as I said above, why it is on a non-committed time frame and allows them to pull it without notice.

 

The only one I may question is the one "The persons who booked another excursion and were excited about those would face a dilemma. Should we cancel our previously hand picked excursion and just go to the beach?" Unless they knew ahead of time they could not cancel without losing their money from the other excursion depending on amount of notice . Therefore angering those who may have wanted to know the choice ahead of time.

[nikimouse]

perhaps it would make sence to allow people who booked other excursions on the first tender, and the people who took the offer of a free beach excursion could be allocated the later time slots for tendering? I really wouldnt mind getting off the ship a little later if the excursion were free, it could make for a very relaxing beach day. it makes more sence than waiting in a huge line

[tbmrt]

perhaps it would make sence to allow people who booked other excursions on the first tender, and the people who took the offer of a free beach excursion could be allocated the later time slots for tendering? I really wouldnt mind getting off the ship a little later if the excursion were free, it could make for a very relaxing beach day. it makes more sence than waiting in a huge line

 

Would love it if this happened since we booked a private excursion and although we truly want to do this excursion, we're worried that we won't be able to make it without waiting for the hoards of people who will be disembarking first for the free beach trip.

 

However, I think that NCL will be more concerned about keeping the majority (beachgoers) happy, letting them disembark first than worrying about cruisers who booked private excursions. (Wonder how the tenders for their own private excursions will be handled?)

Barbara

[che5904]

Would love it if this happened since we booked a private excursion and although we truly want to do this excursion, we're worried that we won't be able to make it without waiting for the hoards of people who will be disembarking first for the free beach trip.

 

However, I think that NCL will be more concerned about keeping the majority (beachgoers) happy, letting them disembark first than worrying about cruisers who booked private excursions. (Wonder how the tenders for their own private excursions will be handled?)

Barbara

 

I thought someone said on the many posts on this subject that NCL ran 2 sets of different tenders. One for this beach thing and the other for tenders to the dock for shorex excursions and private excursions.

[nikimouse]

I hope you make it to your excursion! I have never tendered but I am worried also about tendering in grand cayman and making it to my excursion on time, I wish the excursion was starting later so that I wouldnt have the worry about what time I may be tendering. I have a back up plan if I dont make it to the excursion so im prepared to have a great day whatever happens , even if it ends up being a day at sea, im still on vacation! ill just go with the flow.

 

I think NCL will allow people who booked other tours through them and suite guests to have first priority on the tenders, if you booked through them you will probably be on time

[johnjovi]

I was on the Dawn 11 day (Nov 23) and we had the beach for free. There were 2 different tenders (NCL operated the one to Cayo and the locals ran the one to the port in town). Because we were Gold Latitudes, we got our VIP tender tickets ahead of time, so I don't know how long the wait was for tender tickets. The beach is very big and there are a lot of chairs. People were going throughout the entire day - some even after lunch.

 

For us, we weren't planning on doing anything in Samana except stay on board - so the free option was wonderful and I really appreciated NCL doing this.

[Beaver1975]

I thought someone said on the many posts on this subject that NCL ran 2 sets of different tenders. One for this beach thing and the other for tenders to the dock for shorex excursions and private excursions.

 

Correct, Cayo Levantado contracts their own "fast" tenders and the ship uses life boats to tender people in to Samana.

[che5904]

Correct, Cayo Levantado contracts their own "fast" tenders and the ship uses life boats to tender people in to Samana.

 

Thanks Beaver, thats what I thought I read.

[cherylroslyn]

perhaps it would make sence to allow people who booked other excursions on the first tender, and the people who took the offer of a free beach excursion could be allocated the later time slots for tendering? I really wouldnt mind getting off the ship a little later if the excursion were free, it could make for a very relaxing beach day. it makes more sence than waiting in a huge line

I vote for that!!!!!!