Nassau Blue Lagoon - Must book through NCL and not directly...?

[Lovex4]

I know there is a lot of information on this board about Nassau and Blue Lagoon but through a search I was unable to fine specific info regarding my questions. We are a family of four who want to spend the day at Blue Lagoon and my daughter really wants to do Dolphin Encounter

 

There is a price difference between booking Blue Lagoon directly versus Norwegian. I understand that NCL takes a cut on their bookings so I looked into booking direct as I have in many ports and on many tours. This morning I received the following e-mail from Blue Lagoon;

 

"As a Norwegian cruise passenger, we kindly ask that you refer to (Norwegian's website) due to a contractual agreement we have with the Norwegian ship we are unable to book you directly due to the ship has all the spaces allotted to them for the time that they are in port."

 

Has any cruiser had the experience of booking direct? So I can't go to Blue Lagoon's website and book as if I were any other traveler staying in a hotel?

 

Thanks for any help!

[abccruise]

You will have to book through NCL unless you tell a white lie to the booking people at Blue Lagoon.

Remember that through the cruise line, you do not have to take a taxi to the Paradise Island Ferry...you get picked up at the cruise terminal

[dohertm1]

I know there is a lot of information on this board about Nassau and Blue Lagoon but through a search I was unable to fine specific info regarding my questions. We are a family of four who want to spend the day at Blue Lagoon and my daughter really wants to do Dolphin Encounter

 

There is a price difference between booking Blue Lagoon directly versus Norwegian. I understand that NCL takes a cut on their bookings so I looked into booking direct as I have in many ports and on many tours. This morning I received the following e-mail from Blue Lagoon;

 

"As a Norwegian cruise passenger, we kindly ask that you refer to (Norwegian's website) due to a contractual agreement we have with the Norwegian ship we are unable to book you directly due to the ship has all the spaces allotted to them for the time that they are in port."

 

Has any cruiser had the experience of booking direct? So I can't go to Blue Lagoon's website and book as if I were any other traveler staying in a hotel?

 

Thanks for any help!

Boy that doesn't seem fair. I have cruised on Norwegian and Carnival and always booked things on my own to save money. You could simply book a few days before and not mention that you are on a cruise ship and take a taxi to the Dock on a Paradise Island. You could also complain (politely) to NCL about the steep price and get a ship credit. Good luck.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Are you sure BL has availability for direct booking? Apparently, they sometimes sell out the dolphin times to the cruise lines that would work for you. If so, you won't have any other choice but booking through the cruise line.

 

This happened to me, even though Carnival doesn't have BL as an option anymore. They sold out all the 10:00 am times to a Disney ship, and that was the only time I could make.

[6rugrats]

This is just the way it is for many cruise lines and ports. The tour companies have a contract they will only take people who booked through the cruise line when the ship is there. No way around it. You aren't going to be able to book except through the cruise line, and your cruise line is certainly not going to give you a credit because you don't like this.

[wanderlust74]

I also ran in to the same thing with my Royal Caribbean cruise. I have however seen the same excursion available thru other companies. Does anyone have experience booking the Blue Lagoon dolphin swim thru a tour/excursion company? I have seen a few different ones. Thanks!

[tikib]

I also ran in to the same thing with my Royal Caribbean cruise. I have however seen the same excursion available thru other companies. Does anyone have experience booking the Blue Lagoon dolphin swim thru a tour/excursion company? I have seen a few different ones. Thanks!

 

If you can somehow book directly with http://www.dolphinencounters.com, then do so. But we had trouble booking thru a 3rd party last year.

 

3rd Party vendors do not hold tickets. They contact the Dolphin Encounter after they have made the transaction to inquire if there are spots available. If DE doesn't have slots, then the 3rd Party Vendors won't have them either.

Edited March 18, 2014 by tikib