SomewhereGirl

If they say adding DSC took away promos, but then refunded the DSC and charged again for the drink/meal packages, is this whole confusing thread over $52? So confused.

Original and revised, from the roll call:

The next cruise doesn't embark until 9PM on 12/11, unless the website hasn't been updated. The letter that was originally posted on the other thread said sustainability, but also something about port operations. I can believe port operations wouldn't have been available at 12AM.

Posted this in the other thread, didn't the original itinerary have a 12AM disembarkation, that was changed to 4AM? Could that be why the airline change fees are offered? Because people may have originally scheduled an early morning flight? Why would NCL offer to cover flight changes if people had later flights and now a 4AM disembarkation? Can anyone confirm what the original disembarkation time was?

Before the original post was edited, didn't the original itinerary have a 12AM disembarkation, that was changed to 4AM? Could that be why the airline change fees are offered? Because people may have originally scheduled an early morning flight? Why would NCL offer to cover flight changes if people had later flights and now a 4AM disembarkation?

Terms and Conditions | Alaska Railroad Look under Change Fees

I still cringe when I think of the smallish group excursion I took in St Petersburg that included a ride on the subway (to see the fancy stations). We got on and one stop and off at the next, but the subway was packed and I cringe at how easy it would've been to get separated from the group with no way to communicate with guide. Scary.

There's no harm in trying. I was able to pay for a reduced-price upgrade at Guest Services after the Covid restart when ships were sailing at reduced capacity. Years before Covid I was able to switch balconies once onboard but I think that was a Pacific Coastal, not like a sailing in Alaska in the middle of Summer at max capacity. The only other time I inquired was on a Baltics cruise on the Star, when I was at the end of my rope with a snoring cabin mate. GS offered me another cabin for sleeping for $200.

My last four cruises were solo, and I too am a bit introverted and don't crave the socializing. On my last cruise I went solo to the Tepanyaki restaurant where you are seated with a group. Got talking to a nice couple there and after that I would see them at other activities. Another time I met another solo during a behind the scenes tour. After that we bumped into each other in the buffet for breakfast and sit together. When I was out exploring Liverpool solo on a port day, I met a couple from the ship. They ended up on one of my other excursions so we chatted. I've been on excursions where there have been other solos. You'd be surprised at how many solos there are. Now, not everyone is that nice but there are nice people out there.

Which means the OP on this thread was dealing with an incompetent NCL employee and NCL has a degree of responsibility?

OP, what type of excursion are you speaking of?

If the passengers couldn't take a bus down to Skagway, how did the buses get to where they picked up the passengers so promptly to take them to Haines?

^^^This is excellent advice. Know where the shuttle stop is. In 2021 (the first year of Ward Cove), the shuttle bus drop off was at the Lumberjack Show end the pier. Maybe if it was this year, the current story might have been avoided. Back in 2021, I took the Lumberjack Show excursion from Ward Cove, and then was scheduled to take a separate one-way NCL boat excursion from town back to the ship. Couldn't find exactly where the boat excursion dock was. There was no signage and there weren't many people around. There was only 1 other ship in port, weather wasn't great, not many people on the streets. So I hung around where I thought the excursion would meet (instructions were not the best). Time was ticking. Luckily another couple showed up. We got to talking, and finally decided to get on the shuttle, which they knew was right there at the end of the pier that year. So thankful to that couple. I wouldn't have known where the shuttle was otherwise. Luckily the whole paid shuttle thing had ended on an earlier sailing so that was a non-issue. Last year the shuttle drop-off was at the opposite end down at Berth 4. This year? Maybe it's not even the same all season?

I did this 3 years ago. You'll meet in the Ward Cove building just like for any other excursion, and will be loaded onto a bus with your excursion group, not one of the regular shuttles. After the show, I recall being told where to meet the excursion bus back to port, but we were welcome to stay in town and find our own way back to Ward Cove (or take the regular shuttle back, which I did). As for the current story, I wouldn't be surprised if the excursion bus does the shuttle routes while people are at the show. Maybe the driver got confused on which service he/she was doing at the time.

You might be surprised about pool use in AK. When I sailed Encore in AK a few years ago there were people screaming down the slides as we were sailing out of Glacier Bay. In September.