Excursion policy

[susan0000]

can anyone find in writing the excursion policy in which if you take one with NCL and are late returning they hold the ship for you? We have heard this and have asked for in writting but no one has been able to provide this including the excursion desk?? Is this because they don't always stick to it and don't want to put it out there in writting? Because I have heard mixed comments on if this is true or not but the excursion desk and NCL personnel all say it is true but won't give it to us in writting?

[punkincc]

I don't think you will find this written in stone anywhere. I'm sure it is up to the discretion of the Captain depending on the circumstances. I'm sure the ship is notified by the tour of any mishap or delay which would involve you getting back to the ship late. For a short delay, I'm sure it would not be a problem. If the delay is going to be significant, maybe you are hours away, obviously the ship is not going to wait. In general, for short tours in the general vicinity, you are probably safe. I would think twice about booking something like a day trip into another area which is to drop you off close to reboarding time.

[travelhound]

I've never seen it in writing, but have been on several ships (not just NCL) where they have waited. In fact, when we were in Egypt on a Holland America tour we were hours late coming back from the pyramids. The ship waited. It's probably at the Captain's discretion and I'm guessing the tour companies may either lose their contract or pay a penalty, depending on why they were late.

[MeHeartCruising]

I also agree that I have never seen it in writing. I have also been on cruises where the ship did indeed wait for returning excursion busses. Once we waited about an hour. However, I would imagine there are circumstances where the ship will depart without people from a late excursion. If the ship is in danger due to weather, for example, they will most certainly leave the dock. This has happened recently (it wasn't NCL, if I recall) and was discussed on cruise critic in great detail. But in most normal situations, the ship is going to wait for you if you are on an excursion purchased thru the cruise line. Most trips I've been on, the tour guides have clearly been talking with their management or ship crew via cell phone throughout the day to inform them of their status/timing on visiting the sights. The ship will know as soon as there might be an issue and start taking corrective action one way or the other. They don't wait until a bus doesn't return to know there is a problem.

[lamchops]

I've never seen it in writing but we have been late from a NCL excursion. The tour guide was freaking out as he said that there would be additional port charges and fees to be paid by NCL. I'm sure there's some cushion to the "all aboard" time but the captain makes the call.

He must decide whether to pay the fees or get the excursion to the next port.

 

We (35 passengers) were 30 minutes late from out Puntarenas excursion but there were also 3 other buses returning after us so they waited.

[bean24]

I was on an NCL excursion and fell and had to go to the hospital. They kept assuring me the ship would wait until a decision was made if I could go on the ship or had to stay in the hospital. We got back to the ship about 45 minutes after the ship was supposed to leave, the asst HD and medical staff were waiting for me and as soon as we got back they left.

[rvsullivan]

I don't think you will find it in writing because I don't think they will always wait. It seems the policy is, if on a ships excursion, they will get you back to the ship, it might be at another port, or fly you home.

[jdvmd]

Never have seen it in writing on any of the 49 cruises I have taken.