NCL bait & switch to cheaper industrial ports?

[mking8288]

2 hours ago, 14ersco said:

Palma Friday June 14.  The ocean cruise dock was empty all day, NCL put us out where semis unload.  NCL was charging $15 p/p for their shuttle, but didn't ... 

 

On our last Spring 2023's Epic TA, we docked at Motril and NCL provided free shuttle into downtown/city centre, which was easily a 15+ minutes one-way bus ride and several miles away, definitely not walkable ... nice.  Then, for the next 2 ports including Ibiza followed by Palma, no free shuttle services for a shorter ride, but still a very long 15 to 20+ minutes walk for those prepared for the bright sun in fairly warm weather, charged a similar amount like yours.  No, we're told shorex credit for pax #1 cannot be used or not valid.  

[lizinvan]

On 6/11/2024 at 9:10 AM, Catchum said:

Ooh that is the most fun, trains to Athens, Florence and Pisa, public bus in Croatia - though at Laem Chabang and Port Klang I arranged a local driver to pick us up at the port.

Wise moves in SE Asia and not pricey  Good research!:)

[Panhandle Couple]

On 6/14/2024 at 12:17 PM, kitkat343 said:

Thank you for posting this.  Because the OP's original post was lacking specific details, it was hard to know whether this is a problem or just their lack of familiarity with cruising.   I'm not familiar with the options for docking at Palma, but hopefully someone who knows more can respond since you provided enough detail for us to understand the situation. 

There is no "bait and switch" at Palma.

The supplied picture shows a dock set up for a Roll On Roll Off (RORO) ship, generally a ferry, although they seem to have 3 sizes.  Whether it was "empty all day" is immaterial, it is very likely that it is not large enough for the Escape of Epic, and requires maneuvering to get into it.

 

Notice the 90 degree angle in the dock.  The red area is a ramp system for the RORO.

It would handle a ship similar to this.

 

The Grimaldi Line ships were in every port on our Escape cruise, sometime 2 or 3 at a time.  We noticed one unloaded and loaded in about 90 minutes in Ibiza, whose port area is similar to Palma.

 

For viewing the port, here is a map view.  Zoom in and I think it is Icon of the Seas at the cruise port area.

 

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=palma+de+mallorca&t=chromentp&iaxm=maps&source=about

 

 

 

[Wayward Son]

59 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

There is no "bait and switch" at Palma.

 

There is no "bait and switch" ever on NCL.

 

Just once, I wish someone would post the actual definition of "bait and switch". Ok, I will:

 

a method of selling in which a product is advertised at a very low price to attract customers, who are then persuaded to buy a different product at a higher price:

 

Google is your friend.