Flight the day before?

[Mommyof9]

We picked the option to include the airfare for our trip that we booked on NCL.  We would like to arrive at our port city the day before rather than panicking that our flight(s) might be delayed.  How do we arrange it with NCL to fly us down the day before?  The cruise is in 2022.  

[PelicanBill]

You must call and ask that that be noted in your booking.  You have lots of time 🙂  Realize that when you get flights with NCL they choose the carrier, times, connections etc.  If you are coming from Atlanta then chances are good you won't have a connecting flight. There will be angst as you wait for your flights to be assigned and sent to you and it will seem like they are taking too long (I see this so often) and you have to be ready to travel in a wide window of time. 

 

As noted in your other post you will need to take charge of transportation. Taxi, Uber, local car service.  See the departures board for your port (East, Gulf, etc) if you need suggestions on that or on Hotels.

[Budget Queen]

You have to pay the deviation fee and make the request.     This needs you to contact your booking agent by phone. 

[Mommyof9]

 

Thanks for all of your help!  Since you seem to be well versed in cruising, can you explain this to me?  “$50 Shore Excursion Credit per tour for first Guest on cruise reservation.”  We have 5 ports that we’re docking at.  Will we receive $50 for each one?  I’m assuming “tour” means port, but NCL’s language can be a little tricky sometimes.

[Mommyof9]

Is there a set amount for the diviation fee?

Edited July 22, 2020 by Mommyof9

[ColeThornton]

2 minutes ago, Mommyof9 said:

 

Thanks for all of your help!  Since you seem to be well versed in cruising, can you explain this to me?  “$50 Shore Excursion Credit per tour for first Guest on cruise reservation.”  We have 5 ports that we’re docking at.  Will we receive $50 for each one?  I’m assuming “tour” means port, but NCL’s language can be a little tricky sometimes.

 

 

Click on the promo  on NCL.com.     On the next page scroll to the bottom and click on Terms and Conditions.  That will have all the information you need about excursions, dining/drinking packages, etc.

[PelicanBill]

Your $50 benefit applies to a tour booked by the first person on your reservation for each port of call. It can be applied when you book in advance, and you will have to pay for the tour less the $50 credit. 

[PelicanBill]

On my last cruise, some people had to pay a fee to fly the day before and some did not.  We could not figure out what made the difference.

 

[PelicanBill]

p.s. it's "Deviation" fee

[Budget Queen]

7 minutes ago, Mommyof9 said:

 

Thanks for all of your help!  Since you seem to be well versed in cruising, can you explain this to me?  “$50 Shore Excursion Credit per tour for first Guest on cruise reservation.”  We have 5 ports that we’re docking at.  Will we receive $50 for each one?  I’m assuming “tour” means port, but NCL’s language can be a little tricky sometimes.

It depends on the terms of the specific promotion you booked.    It is for each port.    But do your homework-  independent vs ship excursions -  sometimes there isn’t any savings over independent or tours aren’t as good.  

[Budget Queen]

5 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

p.s. it's "Deviation" fee

Yokes.  Auto correct.    Thanks for the notice.   I’m on my small screen phone.      

[DCGuy64]

5 minutes ago, Budget Queen said:

Yokes.  Auto correct.    Thanks for the notice.   I’m on my small screen phone.      

I wondered about that, too. Divination refers to predictions, and my first thought was that NCL expected you to pay a fee so someone could predict when your flight would depart. LOL.

[PelicanBill]

6 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

I wondered about that, too. Divination refers to predictions, and my first thought was that NCL expected you to pay a fee so someone could predict when your flight would depart. LOL.

 

LOL I think we are all paying divination fees if we have a cruise booked at all in the next 6 months!

 

@Budget Queen makes a good point that only for NCL excursions. And you can delay making your choices until on board to pay later and still get your $50 off.  But if person #1 does not book a tour in a port you won't get the credit, unfortunately.

 

She is also right that ship tours are sometimes a "bad deal" and cost more than equivalent tours you can book independently, or just shop the providers on shore when you arrive.  The board for each port can provide advice and experiences.  There is risk going on your own - you have to make sure you get back on time. That means tracking local time vs. Ship time, if different, and choosing someone reliable who will get you back even if their bus or car or boat breaks down.  Going independent is usually for experienced cruisers.  I carry my passport and am ready to book air travel and all the costs of delay if something happens.  When you book with NCL, the ship won't leave (is not supposed to leave) until all their tours return. 

 

[G-DawgMN]

41 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

On my last cruise, some people had to pay a fee to fly the day before and some did not.  We could not figure out what made the difference.

 

 

 I do know that the travel agent I use has an agreement with NCL and they are able to waive the deviation fees. If I would have booked direct, it would have been $25 a person.

[DCGuy64]

14 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

 

LOL I think we are all paying divination fees if we have a cruise booked at all in the next 6 months!

 

@Budget Queen makes a good point that only for NCL excursions. And you can delay making your choices until on board to pay later and still get your $50 off.  But if person #1 does not book a tour in a port you won't get the credit, unfortunately.

 

She is also right that ship tours are sometimes a "bad deal" and cost more than equivalent tours you can book independently, or just shop the providers on shore when you arrive.  The board for each port can provide advice and experiences.  There is risk going on your own - you have to make sure you get back on time. That means tracking local time vs. Ship time, if different, and choosing someone reliable who will get you back even if their bus or car or boat breaks down.  Going independent is usually for experienced cruisers.  I carry my passport and am ready to book air travel and all the costs of delay if something happens.  When you book with NCL, the ship won't leave (is not supposed to leave) until all their tours return. 

 

"LOL I think we are all paying divination fees if we have a cruise booked at all in the next 6 months!"

Ain't that the truth! LOL 😄😄😄

 

 

[BonnieJeanne]

We picked the option to include the airfare for our trip that we booked on NCL.  We would like to arrive at our port city the day before rather than panicking that our flight(s) might be delayed.  How do we arrange it with NCL to fly us down the day before?  The cruise is in 2022.  

We did it to Vancouver. Just call. It was an extra $25. We got non stop from Chicago and the times were good. Didn’t get them until about a month before.


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[BirdTravels]

10 hours ago, Mommyof9 said:

 

Thanks for all of your help!  Since you seem to be well versed in cruising, can you explain this to me?  “$50 Shore Excursion Credit per tour for first Guest on cruise reservation.”  We have 5 ports that we’re docking at.  Will we receive $50 for each one?  I’m assuming “tour” means port, but NCL’s language can be a little tricky sometimes.

You get a $50 per stateroom credit for each port (including your destination port - from ship to airport). They can not be combined. Use or lose - if you do not take an NCL shore excursion at a port, you will not get the credit. 

[seaman11]

11 hours ago, PelicanBill said:

p.s. it's "Deviation" fee

[PelicanBill]

11 minutes ago, seaman11 said:

 

So the OP is new to this and asking how to do it.  I could not in good conscious send her to calling NCL and asking what her divination fee would be to fly the day before!

[don't-use-real-name]

If you did the airline booking yourself look at what would be offered departure city to destination port city -

no non-stops then what kind of connections are available - you don't want a hell-bent on a rat-race

running to the next gate and worrying about your luggage also making the connection.

 

Using NCL - NCL is apt to use a budget bargain airline while at times NCL has been noted to book with one of

the big legacy carriers that has all sorts of ways to get you to the port city - lucky you being in Atlanta with

Delta covering all the port cities - the only fault with this you won't know the routing until xx days before port call.

If you are in a potential area forecasted for winter storms summer hurricanes spring monsoons take

note about getting to that port city a day or two early as a wise travel insurance investment.

Between now and when cruises resume there is ample time to plan alternatives for the most relaxing

glitch free way to travel.

 

Above all "Get Yourself to the Ship On Time" ! (when that time resumes)

 

About that $50 shore excursion credit -

Only applicable to NCL shore excursions (not your own)

You get the $50 credit applied on your On Board account after the excursion -

Only one $50 credit for each port (on one excursion) use it or it has zero value.

If the excursion cost is less than $50 i.e. $35 - only receive credit for the $35. 

[DCGuy64]

12 hours ago, seaman11 said:

I"m a card-carrying member!