Confused about booking and prices for NCL shore excursions

[Stuart Suss]

In the past, I never paid attention to shore excursion booking or prices.  I always booked shore excursions with private entrepreneurs at the destination.  Now, with $50 shore excursion credits, the situation has changed.

 

I am aware that the $50 shore excursion credit is a marketing ploy.  It is similar to cruise lines which raise the cost of a beverage package from $150 to $200 one week, than offer it on "sale" the next week for 25% off of the new $200 price (which is also $150).   I understand that the cruise line may increase the price of a shore excursion by $50, then offer me $50 off the higher price.

 

The following questions arise from my recently completed New England/Canada cruise.

 

1. When booking shore excursions online, prior to departure, some stated prices did not show the $50 discount until you had almost completed the booking process.  For other excursions, the stated, online price already reflected a $50 discount.  Why the difference?  Was this merely a poorly coded web page?

 

2. Very few shore excursions were available for booking online, prior to departure.  My booking was at the last minute, so I assumed that the other excursions had already sold out.  Yet, after boarding, the shore excursion desk booking form offered many more options than those offered online.  Does NCL hold back shore excursion space for those who book after boarding the ship?  When should a passenger book a shore excursion in advance of departure and when should a passenger wait until boarding the ship, when all of the options are known?

 

3. I noticed that some excursions were priced at less than $50. With the $50 credit, those excursions were free.  Does NCL assume that there are two persons in every stateroom?  Therefore, with the $50 credit limited to one passenger per stateroom, this becomes, for a couple, a buy one shore excursion at full price and receive the second excursion free.  As a solo passenger, did I stumble into a windfall benefit?

 

4. Boston offers a "Duck Tour" which enables you to travel one time around Boston in an amphibious vehicle.  If I booked the tour directly with the tour company, online, the senior citizen price would be $40 plus another $4 in taxes and fees.  If you were not a senior citizen, the price would be approximately $10 higher.  NCL offered the tour for the list price of $89!!  After applying the $50 credit the price was reduced to $39.  For those at a certain level of Latitude points, there was another 10% credit for a total cost of $35.10.  So there was either a $9 or $19 savings for booking the Duck Tour through NCL.  However, NCL's offer was limited to one, morning departure time, even though the Duck Tour departs on several occasions each day.   Who was actually offering the discount, the Duck Tour company or NCL?  Why was it limited to one specific departure time?

 

5. Similar questions for the Hop On Hop Off Trolley tour.  If booked directly with the company, the price was $60 with a 10% discount for booking online, in advance. NCL offered the Trolley for the list price of $55.  After applying the $50 credit the price was reduced to $5.  The $5 price was only available for the 9:30 am departure time which was sold out despite three trolleys being at the port, ready for passengers.  On the date of our visit to Boston, it was pouring rain at 9:30 am.  The trolleys run all day.  I wanted to take the trolley tour later in the day when the weather forecast predicted dry weather.  NCL refused to sell me a departure at any other time than 9:30 am.  The trolley company was happy to sell me a different departure time, but I would have to book directly with them and forfeit any $50 shore excursion credit.  Who was actually offering the discount, the trolley company or NCL?  Why was it limited to one specific departure time?

 

Thank you for your advice and assistance as I look forward to planning future cruises.

 

 

 

 

 

[Portia!]

1. I've had that experience too - sometimes the initial price they show online reflects the $50 credit, sometimes it doesn't. Buggy, but booking it works the same once you select it.

2. I expect that NCL holds back some tours or time slots from pre-cruise booking for the same reason they hold back some dining reservation times - so that people who like to plan can book early and those who prefer to wait until they board still have good options available. I've also observed that NCL deals with tour companies change and some passengers cancel bookings - so tours or time slots are added or removed. If you wait until you board, you risk losing the tour, but may have more options available. For me, if it's a 'must do' tour I book in advance, otherwise I lock in once I'm on board.

3. As a solo traveler I often end up with 'free' excursions on NCL, due to the $50 credit. NCL treats solo travelers well, intentionally, as part of their business model - you didn't find a loophole in the system. I think of these as 'tip only tours', which are common in Europe.

4 & 5. You may find cheaper options or better tour times or more interesting tours on your own. Lots of cruisers connect here on CC and set up private tours. The tour companies that work with NCL are independent and their contracts with NCL likely only allow certain times. The main reasons for touring through NCL are convenience and the confidence that the ship will wait for you if something happens on one of their tours that delays the return to the ship.

Enjoy the experience.