Can't reserve excursions in advance & then pay on board?

[Shidah]

45 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

I am most certainly not suggesting that anyone calls to argue with someone.

 

One feature of the NCL call centres, which is obvious to anyone who reads these boards, is that two different calls can result in two different answers.

 

All I am saying is that it won't hurt to phone back to ask in case they get another answer. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

Yes, and please don’t take offense I didn’t mean anything derogatory, but this is something that is a clear and consistent policy of NCL.  Calling back to see if an upgrade is allowed and available etc has wiggle room.  This does not.  Giving the OP hope that calling back to get a different person will not change the outcome here.  For those of us who have waited on hold times with NCL for 30 minutes, I often wonder how many reps are tied up with people calling back over and over thinking they will get the answer they want to hear if they call back enough.  

[casofilia]

@Shidah

 

 I often wonder how many reps are tied up with people calling back over and over thinking they will get the answer they want to hear if they call back enough.  

 

Even worse is when they tie up the rep by arguing which stops others getting through.

 

[KeithJenner]

1 hour ago, Shidah said:

Yes, and please don’t take offense I didn’t mean anything derogatory, but this is something that is a clear and consistent policy of NCL.  Calling back to see if an upgrade is allowed and available etc has wiggle room.  This does not.  Giving the OP hope that calling back to get a different person will not change the outcome here.  For those of us who have waited on hold times with NCL for 30 minutes, I often wonder how many reps are tied up with people calling back over and over thinking they will get the answer they want to hear if they call back enough.  

No offence taken, but just clarifying what I was saying.

 

I don't actually have any opinion on this at all. I posted my suggestion earlier about using the OBC for restaurants (as the OP seemed to suggest that was an option if they could do so). Unlike shore excursions, I know something about that. I very rarely use shore excursions and the few I have prebooked were done online, paying for them at the time. I was just replying to the message from someone else who suggested that they should phone back and I mentioned that others had said that won't work. Not wanting to totally rule it out, I just happened to mention that "I'm sure it won't hurt to try".

[HOSKI]

So if once you book an excursion for a port they no longer show up in your planner do all the excursions show up at the same time?  None added later?  How far before the cruise do they show up?  Right now it shows 5 choices for November.

[casofilia]

@HOSKI

 

So if once you book an excursion for a port they no longer show up in your planner    If you have booked an excursion that is the only one that will show in your planner for that port.

do all the excursions show up at the same time?  Usually most for one port may well appear at the same time when Miami have finished the arrangements for that port. 

None added later?  For that one port not usually. 

How far before the cruise do they show up?  That depends on the cruise.  If it is a cruise that has happened frequently over the years it is likely they could appear a year before the cruise.   It will depend if Miami and the operator can easily agree terms.  For a new cruise route it will depend on Miami being able to find new operators and then agreeing terms; that could be as late as weeks before the cruise.   If you are looking for shorex at a debark port when doing a B2B I have known them appear only when on board. 

Right now it shows 5 choices for November.   You are 9 months out so lucky there are 5; start "worrying' in June or July!!

 

[tokidoki]

has anyone been able to pre-reserve Cuba excursions with the shorex dept, since these trips can't be booked on board.    My cruise page says I must secure shorex's 3 days prior.

[snever]

When you get the excursion credit of $50 per port can you use $150 in one port and $0 in two others.

[KeithJenner]

6 minutes ago, snever said:

When you get the excursion credit of $50 per port can you use $150 in one port and $0 in two others.

No. Each $50 has to be used in each port. If you don't use it at a port then you lose it.

[snever]

Bummer. Thanks for the information. Now I can plan better..

[BirdTravels]

On 2/22/2019 at 3:44 PM, yankees111 said:

Only a percentage of excursions are sold in advance.

Ahhhh no. They sell until sold out. Sold out is sold out. No seats on the bus. 

[BirdTravels]

On 2/23/2019 at 8:02 PM, HOSKI said:

So if once you book an excursion for a port they no longer show up in your planner do all the excursions show up at the same time?  None added later?  How far before the cruise do they show up?  Right now it shows 5 choices for November.

Once you book a shore excursion, it blocks the time on your schedule. The system will not display any excursions that are at the same time (I.e., it won’t let you double book). 

 

NCL does not run any excursions themselves. They are all run by independent tour operators. They show up when a local tour operator signs their contract with NCL. Sometimes way in advance. Sometimes the operators hold out “for a better deal”. Sometimes the operators are unwilling or unable to commit to the volume required by NCL and they both compromise. 

[bluesea777]

2 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Ahhhh no. They sell until sold out. Sold out is sold out. No seats on the bus. 

 

Really? Let's say, you do not have a computer or your computer has broken down so you were not able to book excursions online. Then you board the ship and find all excursions have been sold out and you are SOL just because you don't have a computer?

 

Nay, this isn't right or fair. So only a percentage of excursions are sold online in advance. The rest are sold onboard.

 

Cheers.

 

 

[shanley]

33 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

 

Really? Let's say, you do not have a computer or your computer has broken down so you were not able to book excursions online. Then you board the ship and find all excursions have been sold out and you are SOL just because you don't have a computer?

 

Nay, this isn't right or fair. So only a percentage of excursions are sold online in advance. The rest are sold onboard.

 

Cheers.

 

 

I do hope this is the case.  I will test this in two weeks, when I cruise.  The excursion I wanted is gone, so I assume sold out.  I didn't book in advance because I needed to clarify an issue first.

 

[Minoushka]

We just got off Dawn ...prior to boarding I called shoreex to reserve excursionsbut to pay on board .We are platinum plus and platinum so we get a discount plus I had the 50$ perk to boot .....until I got hurt we really enjoyed all excursions .I did have to cancel the ladt 3 as I pulled my calfmuscle ...such is life 

call shoreex see what they can do 

good luck 

[yankees111]

5 hours ago, bluesea777 said:

 

Really? Let's say, you do not have a computer or your computer has broken down so you were not able to book excursions online. Then you board the ship and find all excursions have been sold out and you are SOL just because you don't have a computer?

 

Nay, this isn't right or fair. So only a percentage of excursions are sold online in advance. The rest are sold onboard.

 

Cheers.

 

 

Exactly. Shore excursions are like dining reservations. You can pre-book if you wish but only a certain percentage are sold in advance. 

[Gampy1967]

7 minutes ago, yankees111 said:

Exactly. Shore excursions are like dining reservations. You can pre-book if you wish but only a certain percentage are sold in advance. 

Um no.  They are not like dining reservations.  It even clearly states when looking at the excursions that popular ones will sell out prior to sailing.  

[KeithJenner]

40 minutes ago, Gampy1967 said:

Um no.  They are not like dining reservations.  It even clearly states when looking at the excursions that popular ones will sell out prior to sailing.  

Maybe it says something different on the US site, but this is what I see:

 

"Our most popular tours sell out quickly so we recommend that you book early to avoid disappointment."

 

That is fairly ambiguous. It doesn't in itself state that there are no spaces kept for onboard booking. It can mean that the percentage that they make available can sell out quickly.

 

The dining package is shown as "limited availability", but I've never met anyone who was unable to purchase it. These things are worded to encourage people to make their purchases early.

 

To be clear, I don't have an opinion either way as to whether they are held back. Just saying that the wording I see doesn't  confirm one way or the other.

[Shidah]

They will sell them out ahead of time.  I have been shut out of excursions, got on board, still sold out.  Even in the Haven.  But you can go on a waiting list if anyone cancels.  You don’t need a computer to book an excursion, only a phone.  But everyone can believe what they want, and either book or wait, totally up to you and how badly you want a particular excursion.  If you are flexible, and any excursion will do, then by all means wait.

[bonvoyagie]

I too have arrived onboard to find the shore ex sheet with tours marked sold out on day one hour one.