HAL Shore Excursion on Public Holiday

[ourcruise777]

Has anyone taken a HAL shore excursion during a public holiday? Our ship is docking in Athens on 5th & 6th May (Greece Easter Sunday / Monday). The Greek tour operators I liaised with said that ALL major sites would be closed on Sunday but open on Monday. However, HAL’s email response is that ‘we have talked directly with our tour operators in Greece, and have been informed that we expect all of our tours to run in full capacity on Easter weekend.’ I’m confused by the differing answers, concerning Sunday’s operation. Anyone can shed light on this? Thanks.

[Kenato]

I have also noted this and received the same reply from HAL. I sent them a further email attaching a number of web site addresses which indicate all sites and museums are closed. I indicated that unless they could send me proof that sites will be open for the tours, I intend to publish on all cruise forums that they should not book most Athens Tours on May 5. So far I have not heard back.

If is closed it is not fair to passengers who will not get the tour they expect and to the staff on the boats who will be over run with complaints for something that is not their responsibility.

I recommend any one else on this cruise to contact HAL inquiring about the tours on Easter Sunday, May 5.

[RuthC]

Sometimes HAL is able to work out an arrangement to have sites that would otherwise be closed, open for their guests only. I have been on a couple of such excursions where this was the case.

I don't know if that is true in this particular instance, but I do know it's a possibility.

[cruisemom42]

Things that cruise lines can generally work around, in my experience, are regular closings, not holiday closings. For example: Istanbul, where Haghia Sophia and Topkapi Palace are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, respectively. Or in St. Petersburg, they can work around the regular closings of the Hermitage.

 

However, there are some places they cannot work around. The Vatican Museum comes to mind. If you are in Rome on a Sunday when it is closed, you are just out of luck, unless you are there on the last Sunday of the month when it is open, free, and absolutely packed.

 

I would definitely not count on the closed sites being open on Orthodox Easter, especially if their own official websites (or other reputable sources) indicate closures.

 

Cruise line reps who answer the phones are often clueless about destination-specific questions -- fair enough, they can't be expected to know everything. But they should answer HONESTLY when they don't know something, rather than give out misleading information. (This isn't specific to HAL, all lines seem to have this same problem.)

 

I've worked with a good driver in Greece on a couple of occasions, and he seems to know his stuff. He was able to tell me very accurately what sites would be open/closed when I was there in November during a national strike.

[Aruba]

We were on Mykonos on a Monday when the nearby island of Delos is closed...I mean closed in the sense that boat service from Mykonos to Delos does not run on Mondays. But the cruise line must have arranged something with the local powers that be and we were able to go there.

 

Maybe something similiar will be true in your case.

[sail7seas]

To add to the confusion, remember Greek (Orthodox) Easter is not always the same date as the wider celebrated Christian Easter date. They sometimes come on different Sundays so one would think you need to concern yourself with the date of Greek Easter.

 

 

For 2013, Easter Sunday is March 31 however Greek Orthodox Easter is May 5, 2013. It is unusual for them to be so far apart.

 

I wonder if the rep in Seattle who answered your question concerned themselves with 'which' Easter date?

[Krazy Kruizers]

I doubt that HAL reps in Seattle know the difference between the Easter dates for 2013 -- thus may will be giving out wrong information.

Some times we were lucky and the ship's tours did go to the majority of the places. But on one cruise -- different cruise line -- nearly every tour was cancelled as nothing was going to be open.

[sail7seas]

I doubt that HAL reps in Seattle know the difference between the Easter dates for 2013 -- thus may will be giving out wrong information.

 

Some times we were lucky and the ship's tours did go to the majority of the places. But on one cruise -- different cruise line -- nearly every tour was cancelled as nothing was going to be open.

 

 

THAT is my point.

HAL reps are not always giving accurate information.

 

One would think that Greek Orthodox Easter is the one that is celebrated in Greece.

 

I would not expect that every HAL rep would know that yet they are providing information that likely is erroneous.

 

I imagine if you call ten reps, maybe one would even mention Easter could be a different date in Greece that the date the majority of Christians celebrate.

[Typhoon1]

If you are visiting on a holiday, generally, there are no tours, and the shops are closed. However, a few greedy shops may open to cash in on the tourists.

[hoophome]

sorry this is a little bit off topic, a little bit on topic...

 

I will be on the Zuierdam, and we dock in St Thomas on Jan 1 at 8 AM. Does anyone have any experience to what level the city will be shut down or operating normally?

[sail7seas]

Chances are good you'll find lots open.

Business is not good and if there are ships in, they will want the chance to make sales.

 

Sure, some things will remain closed but it will not be 'locked up tight'.

IMO

[ourcruise777]

To add to the confusion, remember Greek (Orthodox) Easter is not always the same date as the wider celebrated Christian Easter date. They sometimes come on different Sundays so one would think you need to concern yourself with the date of Greek Easter.

 

 

For 2013, Easter Sunday is March 31 however Greek Orthodox Easter is May 5, 2013. It is unusual for them to be so far apart.

 

I wonder if the rep in Seattle who answered your question concerned themselves with 'which' Easter date?

 

When I sent the email to HAL, I specifically stated ‘I understand that May 5th is Easter Sunday in Greece and all major sites will be closed. Will HAL shore excursions still operate, and if we join the HAL shore excursions, will be able to enter the sites or do we just view from outside?’

HAL’s reply is ‘We have talked directly with our tour operators in Greece, and have been informed that we expect all of our tours to run in full capacity on Easter weekend.’

But to be on the safe side, we’ve not booked any Athens shore excursion with HAL on the 5th but arranged for a private tour on the 6th.

If major sites are not opened because it is Easter Sunday, I hope that people will not be caught off-guard by signing up for tours on the 5th and be disappointed.

[Typhoon1]

There will always be activity in St. Thomas.

 

The large volume of cruise visitors necessitates some shops to remain open to make some profit.

[Kenato]

I am still trying to get a definitive answer about Easter Sunday in Greece from H-A. I have asked them to provide a response that they will stand behind. I will post an update when I hear from them.

[Kenato]

OK, I just received a response from H-A. To quote: "You are correct in what you have heard. Every archaeological area and museum are closed on Orthodox Easter of May 5th, 2013.......Some of our tours will go to these sights as part of sight seeing tours so there will still be excursions available on these days. However the tours that will be taking you just to the museums or archaeological sites would not be operating and we will add this date among the others to our website. Thanks again for bringing the issue to attention."

 

I am satisfied with this response and will monitor the website to ensure notification is added.

 

Best advice for the Sunday, see if you can find a tour that will take you to a town or village that is celebrating Easter Sunday. We would be happy to join with others on such a trip.