Do shore excursions participants get priority leaving the ship?

[Pens fan]

We recently booked our first NCL cruise on the Sun for Alaska in 2017. I'm wondering about the process of leaving the ship at non-tender ports. We usually do not buy cruise line shore excursions, preferring to book independently. Do passengers on shore excursions have priority on leaving the ship when it docks?

 

We have always sailed Disney in the past and could get off as soon as they opened the doors as long as a tender wasn't required, shore excursion or not.

 

I'm wondering how this works on NCL. Thanks!

[Cruising Golfer]

If you book with NCL, you will meet at a certain place and all leave together.

[Pens fan]

Thanks for the quick reply. I assumed that was the case for passengers participating in NCL shore excursions. What I am wondering is what happens when you do not. Last summer we were on a Disney cruise and stopped in Kirkwall, Scotland. It was the first time a Disney ship had docked at that port. The private guide we had booked (independently) mentioned how surprised she was that we were able to leave the ship so quickly after docking. She said that a lot of cruise lines gave priority to passengers participating in their own shore excursions as far as leaving the ship and her clients often had to wait.

 

I'm wondering if this is the case for NCL. We most likely will book our tours independently, rather than through NCL.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I know you're looking for an answer to your question and since I don't do excursions through the ship, I can't answer it. But, I see you're sailing to Alaska and just wanted to chime in that if there's ever a place to independent tours, that's the place! For example, we were out on a whale watching tour with about 20 other people on our boat, everyone was able to get to the side for a good view and I looked across the pod of Orcas to see the cruise line's excursion in a huge boat with more than 100 people on board jockeying for position to see the whales. That happened time after time as we enjoyed our little six or so person tours compared to the line's 50+ person tours. :p

[Demonyte]

If you book with NCL, you will meet at a certain place and all leave together.

 

 

That depends on the port and excursion - there are ones that have meeting point onboard and ones that have meeting point off the ship and everyone gets off the ship by themselves.

[vicocala]

You can just leave the ship when it is announced.

[SuiteCruiser]

We recently booked our first NCL cruise on the Sun for Alaska in 2017. I'm wondering about the process of leaving the ship at non-tender ports. We usually do not buy cruise line shore excursions, preferring to book independently. Do passengers on shore excursions have priority on leaving the ship when it docks?

 

We have always sailed Disney in the past and could get off as soon as they opened the doors as long as a tender wasn't required, shore excursion or not.

 

I'm wondering how this works on NCL. Thanks!

 

No, they don't, only those who buy the NCL shore excursions. They meet earlier and exit through a different spot normally. Once they give the all clear announcement, everyone is free to leave.

Edited January 27, 2016 by SuiteCruiser

[LrgPizza]

You can just leave the ship when it is announced.

 

You can leave the ship before it's announced. We are usually halfway down the dock, away from the ship when we hear the announcement made. We watch to see when the ship is tied up, then make our way down. Sometimes we have to wait a few minutes, but very quickly we are scanned to exit.

[vince_g]

Perhaps that is DCL's policy, but I have never seen anyone be asked to wait on NCL.

[Pens fan]

Thanks for the replies!

 

We've never had to wait on DCL either, but that one guide led us to believe that many cruise lines held back passengers that had not purchased shore excursions from them to allow the paid excursion folks to leave ahead of them.

 

Glad to know that is not the case on NCL! We are usually one of the first ones off of the ship, eager to start exploring.

[KeithJenner]

I've only ever heard it being a problem in some specific ports. For example, in St Petersburg you have to go through their customs, which can be a bit slow. I have heard stories of NCL tours leaving the ship before others are allowed off in order to get to customs first.

 

In places like Alaska, there are no such issues and people can just leave as soon as the ship is cleared. NCL tours will all still be in the meeting place onboard when you are long gone.

[vicocala]

You can leave the ship before it's announced. We are usually halfway down the dock, away from the ship when we hear the announcement made. We watch to see when the ship is tied up, then make our way down. Sometimes we have to wait a few minutes, but very quickly we are scanned to exit.

 

Well, I was trying to follow protocol. :rolleyes::D

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I've only ever heard it being a problem in some specific ports. For example, in St Petersburg you have to go through their customs, which can be a bit slow. I have heard stories of NCL tours leaving the ship before others are allowed off in order to get to customs first.

 

In places like Alaska, there are no such issues and people can just leave as soon as the ship is cleared. NCL tours will all still be in the meeting place onboard when you are long gone.

 

 

We had the same experience in SPB on Carnival. Fortunately our roll call was aware of it and one of the members of our small group tour had been chatting with some of the crew and one of them led us on an alternate path so we ended up being in the first group to leave the ship. :D Then there was the CD trying to tell us we had to go into the longest customs line. Nope. Don't think so. LOL

[cb at sea]

At non-tendered ports, ship excursions will meet somewhere and leave together. Otherwise, simply walk off when you're ready. Not a big deal.