NCL and excursions

[canadianjovigirl]

We are going on our first cruise next February and i am just starting to have a look at excursions while in port to try to do some reasearch on options we may be interested in. I have gone thru what is listed as options on NCL as well as read the threads on here regarding different activities thru companies other than NCL.

 

I am just a bit confused as our port days are all listed as 9-5 or 8-5 in port, and i know you have to allow time to disembark and be back an hour prior to boat leaving but i cant figure out why the excursions are listed as 4 hours...............is that all we would get at the beaches if we book thru NCL? There are some longer excursions available for other activities listed for 7 hours, but not stuff we are wanting to do. We are mostly wanting to hang out on some nice beaches and spend time in the water. Is there a reason why they only give you 4 hours on the beach with their excursions?

 

I will ask my other questions on the actual threads for those locations but cant figure out the above so not sure if i should only be looking at 4 hour excursions or if we could plan for longer ones.

[Sauer-kraut]

They make half day excursions so people can book another one, or take their own time and look at the port or go shopping.

 

If you want beach trips you might be better off booking something on your own or just getting a taxi (when you find out which beach you want to go to) outside of the terminal and arranging for pick up.

 

Have a great time!

[Carnac767]

NCL requires that you be back onboard 30 minutes before sailing. They offer many excursions that are longer than four hours--it all depends upon the port.

[canadianjovigirl]

NCL requires that you be back onboard 30 minutes before sailing. They offer many excursions that are longer than four hours--it all depends upon the port.

 

 

I saw that, but the beach ones all seem to say 4 hours. For example in Cozumel you can go to xcaret which is a 7 hour excursion yet the beach break ones are 4 hours so i was just wondering why that is. I know Xcaret is quite far but if you have time to do a 7 hour excursion my thinking was that you could have a 7 hour excursion to the beach.

 

I know when we were in Grand Cayman and we were chatting with the crusiers on the beach there they got to choose from a variety of times to catch the shuttle back to the pier or they could cab it back on their own.

[carollois]

We went on our first cruise last year and booked the beach excursions through NCL because we were anxious about doing it on our own when we had never done it before and we wanted time for shopping in the afternoon. For our next cruise, we are just cabbing it to the beach and will skip the shopping. We did the St. Maarten Orient Beach excursion and they had to drag me out of the water kicking and screaming at the end of the four hours. ;). This time, we will stay the whole day and will get back about an hour before sailing.

Have a great cruise! What ship are you sailing on?

 

Carol

[canadianjovigirl]

We went on our first cruise last year and booked the beach excursions through NCL because we were anxious about doing it on our own when we had never done it before and we wanted time for shopping in the afternoon. For our next cruise, we are just cabbing it to the beach and will skip the shopping. We did the St. Maarten Orient Beach excursion and they had to drag me out of the water kicking and screaming at the end of the four hours. ;). This time, we will stay the whole day and will get back about an hour before sailing.

Have a great cruise! What ship are you sailing on?

 

Carol

 

 

We are going on the Dawn out of Tampa, hoping it wont be so overwhelming for our first cruise, but a bit concerned that there may not be enough for the kids to do. Really nervous about trying a cruise, but tired of all inclusives and theme parks etc.

[Twelvevman]

We are going on the Dawn out of Tampa, hoping it wont be so overwhelming for our first cruise, but a bit concerned that there may not be enough for the kids to do. Really nervous about trying a cruise, but tired of all inclusives and theme parks etc.

 

I have done the Dawn out of Tampa. There are a lot of great excursions you can do without booking thru the ship. Just check out the ports of call board for some great ideas. For example:

 

Costa Maya - instead of paying NCL $49 for a 3 hour ride to the beach you can go to Maya Chan for the entire day for $59 per adult and have an all inclusive day with use of kayaks, all your drinks, a great lunch and transportation. http://costamayabeachresort.com/

 

Roatan - Instead of paying NCL $59 for a 4 hour Island Sightseeing and Beach excursion, book Victor Bodden tours. You get the fun and sun package for $30, or set up a private tour the way you want it starting at $40 per person. http://www.boddentours.com/index.htm

 

There are many great tour operators that you can book outside of the ships

[canadianjovigirl]

I have done the Dawn out of Tampa. There are a lot of great excursions you can do without booking thru the ship. Just check out the ports of call board for some great ideas. For example:

 

Costa Maya - instead of paying NCL $49 for a 3 hour ride to the beach you can go to Maya Chan for the entire day for $59 per adult and have an all inclusive day with use of kayaks, all your drinks, a great lunch and transportation. http://costamayabeachresort.com/

 

Roatan - Instead of paying NCL $59 for a 4 hour Island Sightseeing and Beach excursion, book Victor Bodden tours. You get the fun and sun package for $30, or set up a private tour the way you want it starting at $40 per person. http://www.boddentours.com/index.htm

 

There are many great tour operators that you can book outside of the ships

 

 

Thank you..........we are looking into them. I was just curious as to why the beach excursions seemed so short - guess my thinking of they want you back to the pier to shop and then back on the boat to spend money may be correct.

 

Do you have any recommondations for Belize? We are really struggling with that one as there are a couple in our party not strong or confident swimmers so not sure about the cave tubing and i havent found any beach ones there yet.

I am hesitant about maya chan only because of the cloudy water/seaweed issue so we may go somewhere else there.

 

Still reading thru all the ports of call threads and making notes to reasearch further.

[Twelvevman]

Thank you..........we are looking into them. I was just curious as to why the beach excursions seemed so short - guess my thinking of they want you back to the pier to shop and then back on the boat to spend money may be correct.

 

Do you have any recommondations for Belize? We are really struggling with that one as there are a couple in our party not strong or confident swimmers so not sure about the cave tubing and i havent found any beach ones there yet.

I am hesitant about maya chan only because of the cloudy water/seaweed issue so we may go somewhere else there.

 

Still reading thru all the ports of call threads and making notes to reasearch further.

 

We did the cave tubing with VIV. Highly reccomend it. The river is not very deep. I did not feel like I was going to fall out of the tube at any point.

 

At maya chan the sea grass was a non issue when we were there. It was there...but nothing we noticed. I am not sure, but I believe it will be the same at any beach in Costa Maya.

[hladygirl]

In Cozumel you might want to book a day at nachi cocum. Food and drinks included for I think $40pp. They only take 100 people per day. You need to make a reservation ahead of time.

[dispachcops]

Thank you..........we are looking into them. I was just curious as to why the beach excursions seemed so short - guess my thinking of they want you back to the pier to shop and then back on the boat to spend money may be correct.

 

Do you have any recommondations for Belize? We are really struggling with that one as there are a couple in our party not strong or confident swimmers so not sure about the cave tubing and i havent found any beach ones there yet.

I am hesitant about maya chan only because of the cloudy water/seaweed issue so we may go somewhere else there.

 

Still reading thru all the ports of call threads and making notes to reasearch further.

 

As far as beaching it, just catch a cab. Much cheaper. do a google search for butts up cave tubing and you will find an awesome experience.

[jdvmd]

Thank you..........we are looking into them. I was just curious as to why the beach excursions seemed so short - guess my thinking of they want you back to the pier to shop and then back on the boat to spend money may be correct.

 

Do you have any recommondations for Belize? We are really struggling with that one as there are a couple in our party not strong or confident swimmers so not sure about the cave tubing and i havent found any beach ones there yet.

I am hesitant about maya chan only because of the cloudy water/seaweed issue so we may go somewhere else there.

 

Still reading thru all the ports of call threads and making notes to reasearch further.

Sometimes they will offer morning excursions as well as afternoon ones. Another reason for being shorter in duration. Bottom line: If you are wanting more than a 4-hour excursion (need to figure in your transportation time), you are better off doing it independently.

[delily]

We are going on our first cruise next February and i am just starting to have a look at excursions while in port to try to do some reasearch on options we may be interested in. I have gone thru what is listed as options on NCL as well as read the threads on here regarding different activities thru companies other than NCL.

 

I am just a bit confused as our port days are all listed as 9-5 or 8-5 in port, and i know you have to allow time to disembark and be back an hour prior to boat leaving but i cant figure out why the excursions are listed as 4 hours...............is that all we would get at the beaches if we book thru NCL? There are some longer excursions available for other activities listed for 7 hours, but not stuff we are wanting to do. We are mostly wanting to hang out on some nice beaches and spend time in the water. Is there a reason why they only give you 4 hours on the beach with their excursions?

 

I will ask my other questions on the actual threads for those locations but cant figure out the above so not sure if i should only be looking at 4 hour excursions or if we could plan for longer ones.

I'm with you on this one. I don't understand it either. There are excursions that last 7+ hours on my upcoming trip that might take you to 4 different places. But if you book an excursion that only goes to two of those places they cut the time to 4 hours. WHY? Everyone says that the shore excursions are rushed. You are hurried through one place in order to see the next. So why not allow me to choose the tour that only does two sites instead of four but allow me twice as much time to actually enjoy them fully??? And why, if there are 3 and 4 hour tours not have the start time of some of them later in the day instead of starting them all first thing in the morning?