New to NCL

[Want2cruiseMore1000]

We have our first cruise with ncl coming up in December. We’re starting to look at shore excursions and spa items. We’ve cruised RCCL before and the rule of thumb on RCCL was book as soon as possible, and rebook shore excursions etc if price falls. Is this the same on NCL? Does NCL have sales on shore excursions, etc on Black Friday/cyber Monday or is it just new cruises.

 

Oh and finally, when does NCL finish loading shore excursions? Currently, there is nothing up for Harvest Caye. We saw a couple excursions to the mainland that looked interesting

Thanks!

[MyTMo777]

I've been on 3 NCL cruises since 2013, with another booked for November of this year. I've never seen sales on excursions. You'll hear plenty of people encouraging you to book excursions as soon as possible because the best ones sell out, but we've booked all of our excursions so far within 3 weeks of sailing or on board, and we've never missed out on one we really wanted.

 

As for when they post them, it tends to vary a lot. They are still changing ports and therefore changing excursion offerings for our November cruise.

[BirdTravels]

We have our first cruise with ncl coming up in December. We’re starting to look at shore excursions and spa items. We’ve cruised RCCL before and the rule of thumb on RCCL was book as soon as possible, and rebook shore excursions etc if price falls. Is this the same on NCL? Does NCL have sales on shore excursions, etc on Black Friday/cyber Monday or is it just new cruises.

 

Oh and finally, when does NCL finish loading shore excursions? Currently, there is nothing up for Harvest Caye. We saw a couple excursions to the mainland that looked interesting

Thanks!

NCL prices never change. Unlike RCCL who sends out a ad email every 16 hours, no sales on NCL. Book soon to avoid sell out.

[Trimone]

Research the ports and book privately, you will save a fortune, NCL shore excursions are vastly overpriced.

[newmexicoNita]

Research the ports and book privately, you will save a fortune, NCL shore excursions are vastly overpriced.

yes, the tours are over priced like all cruise lines I will add, but there are still advantages, in some cases for booking via the cruise line. If one has the $50 tour perk is one. A long tour which only allows for an hour of so to return to the ship or for those who are not familiar with the process at all.We booked via the ship when we first started cruising 30 plus years ago: then we went strictly private and now we split it up. Only another time it is wise to book through the cruise line is in countries that are not terrible safe.

[4774Papa]

Look on your roll call for the cruise for private tours, you can save lots.

[dcruiser50]

Usually don't book until I am on the cruise, that way I got a better idea of weather, never really had a problem getting one I want

[PelicanBill]

Although many say ship tours are overpriced, it is also true that some are only available through the ship, and some are not overpriced. I priced several tours last year and even had a conversation with one about their pricing. They wholesaled their price to NCL because the ship fills them up, without the ship they only get 50-75% so the price ends up being the same. There are some really nice catamarans and such with very limited capacity - these sell out before sailing. Larger capacity excursions won't sell out. A local tour may not pick you up at the pier so you must add taxi fare. If there is a problem on a local tour (flat tire for instance) the ship won't wait for you. But you can also find a fantasic local person and a day spend with them can be perfect.

 

So go with your style, and level of risk tolerance. Book early if there is something you really want.

[Trimone]

Have you ever witnessed a cruise leaving without a passenger? Same as airlines, doesn’t happen, just a threat to pay overpriced tours

[casofilia]

No price drops, price rises have been known between a very early booking and booking on board. One thing to watch though is that the length of tour may decrease significantly between the first appearance on the website and the actual tour.

[kirsty_r]

Have you ever witnessed a cruise leaving without a passenger? Same as airlines, doesn’t happen, just a threat to pay overpriced tours

 

 

 

Yes I have seen this on many occasions! Family groups running down the pier as the boat pulls away... oooops! (And the million loudspeaker messages asking if x, y and a are onboard to go to guest services) the ship may wait at captains discretion a short period of time but will not wait over an hour.

 

 

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[psac]

Have you ever witnessed a cruise leaving without a passenger? Same as airlines, doesn’t happen, just a threat to pay overpriced tours

 

Yup, we’ve seen it, too. It absolutely does happen.

 

And actually, I’ve seen MANY, MANY airlines leave without passengers once the doors have closed, even if the plane was still there. At least with airlines, there is generally another plane leaving in another few hours. With a cruise ship, not so much.

 

If you really don’t believe it, you can try it yourself sometime. ;p:cool:

[Trimone]

What with luggage on board? Doesn’t happen any luggage in hold must have passenger on board... all luggage belonging to passengers that fail to turn up is removed from any aircraft

[kirsty_r]

What with luggage on board? Doesn’t happen any luggage in hold must have passenger on board... all luggage belonging to passengers that fail to turn up is removed from any aircraft

 

 

 

Correct. The aircraft offloads the luggage and leaves... seen it enough on airline/airport tv shows. Once doors close on aircraft passengers are not allowed on. It happens very frequently. Airlines won’t keep holding up the planes for passengers to get out of the bar. there is often a big enough wait for the runway as it is.

 

On a cruise I’ve seen luggage been packed and left on pier previously...

 

 

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[Want2cruiseMore1000]

We have a shore excursion credit — in retrospect, not a wise perk choice — so I wanted to use ncl. So far, we’ve picked three independent excursions. I saw Harvest Caye had a mayan ruin excursion before I booked this cruise. So far, nothing from Harvest Caye showing up. If Mayans an option, we probably will go with that so as not to deal with the ferry (assuming ncl has own ferry or prebooks our seats).

 

Anyway, thanks for all the input!

[casofilia]

We have a shore excursion credit — in retrospect, not a wise perk choice —

Then phone NCL and change it.

[BirdTravels]

What with luggage on board? Doesn’t happen any luggage in hold must have passenger on board... all luggage belonging to passengers that fail to turn up is removed from any aircraft

Mostly for international flights. Domestic flights fly with unaccompanied luggage all the time. They don’t bother pulling luggage of the owner does not board.

[Want2cruiseMore1000]

We have a shore excursion credit — in retrospect, not a wise perk choice —

 

Then phone NCL and change it.

We are past final payment. Is it still possible to change. Good to know you can change for future reference!

[casofilia]

Is it still possible to change

I believe so; right up to about 2 days from departure.

[peteukmcr]

What with luggage on board? Doesn’t happen any luggage in hold must have passenger on board... all luggage belonging to passengers that fail to turn up is removed from any aircraft

It does happen, happened to me and others when due to delay on incoming sector, we couldn’t make a connection and had to take a later flight, but the bags carried on the original flight and were waiting for us at the destination which was not a domestic airport.

[newmexicoNita]

Have you ever witnessed a cruise leaving without a passenger? Same as airlines, doesn’t happen, just a threat to pay overpriced tours

It came close to happening to us once. We knew we were cutting it close. Or tour ran way over, and we got stuck in rush hour traffic, Yes, even the Caribbean has rush hours. We could see our ship and just knew we would ot make it. As it turned our we had about 1/2 hour to spare, but it taught us, unless you are sure of the time involved you might be better off to use the ships excursions.

[JMB1969]

What with luggage on board? Doesn’t happen any luggage in hold must have passenger on board... all luggage belonging to passengers that fail to turn up is removed from any aircraft

Yes. Happens all the time. Our flight leaving Costa Rica was delayed 2 hours. Once we landed in charlotte, we were RUSHING through immigration and running to our connecting flight to Detroit. Plane was still at the gate, but the door was closed. They refused to let us board. I looked out the window and saw our luggage being put on the plane...know it was ours because bright purple luggage is hard to miss. Luggage was waiting for us in Detroit when we landed on the next flight in.

 

It happens on flights, happens on cruises. All the time.

 

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[SubSmithy]

Have you ever witnessed a cruise leaving without a passenger? Same as airlines, doesn’t happen, just a threat to pay overpriced tours

 

Here is a video of the NCL Breakaway leaving someone behind. I can personally attest to getting left by an airline. It happens.

[Bahama Mike]

Research the ports and book privately, you will save a fortune, NCL shore excursions are vastly overpriced.

This is a great idea.

 

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[BirdTravels]

Have you ever witnessed a cruise leaving without a passenger? Same as airlines, doesn’t happen, just a threat to pay overpriced tours

Yup. All the time. People left on the pier.

 

Last year on a Mexican riviera cruise, at a tender port, there were at least 4 water taxis approaching the ship as we were maneuvering to leave, with passengers asking permission to board.

 

Airlines leave people behind all the time. We’re top tier flyers and have had airlines refuse boarding, even when the jet bridge was still docked to the plane.