Ho ho shore excursion tours by NCL? Anyone tried them?

[honeymoon cruiser 614]

Booked on a Baltic cruise on NCL in July. Noticed that on their shore excursions webpage they have a hop on hop off tour listed (looking at Helsinki and Stockholm). It looks like it is all on your own and just he bus is provided but my questions are 1) If I booked this 'hoho' through the ship, are they responsible for getting me to the bus? 2) is this a legit shore excursion where if something happened the ship would wait?

 

I would appreciate any thoughts on if people thought this would be work it or not for $39.

[Sauer-kraut]

Have a look at what Viator.com offers for ho ho buses. I booked my parents on a day tour in Barcelona through them. You might find some tours that are better/cheaper than NCL. I wouldn't really worry about not making it back to the ship, they know what they're doing.

[fabnfortysomething]

we used several HOHO buses in the Baltics a few years ago-booked on our own

 

Helsinki was the most disappointing-the bus stop was round the corner from the ship so cant see NCL providing transport to get you there

 

If you do decide to do it take your own earphones-whereas on most tours of this type you are given a plastic bag with clean earphones on this tour they were already plugged in and for communal use!

[Desdichado62]

Booked on a Baltic cruise on NCL in July. Noticed that on their shore excursions webpage they have a hop on hop off tour listed (looking at Helsinki and Stockholm). It looks like it is all on your own and just he bus is provided but my questions are 1) If I booked this 'hoho' through the ship, are they responsible for getting me to the bus? 2) is this a legit shore excursion where if something happened the ship would wait?

 

I would appreciate any thoughts on if people thought this would be work it or not for $39.

 

As for Stockholm regardless if your ship docks at Frihamnen or Stadsgårdskajen, regular transport is very close.

At Frihamnen the bus stop for the regular bus is just a few hundred meters away and for Stadsgårdskajen there is both regular bus and HoHo boats available.

 

So there is no need to use the HoHo bus as a method of transport in Stockholm.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Desdichado62

[LocardsChild]

Having booked an NCL Baltics cruise out of Copenhagen that sails in May, I also noticed this pre-purchase of HOHO bus tour tickets show up. However, it was not listed before the last few weeks (I have been aggressively researching this cruise for a year) so I doubt you'll find anyone who has already done it with NCL.

 

HOHO is probably the Open Top Tours company - it's their green bus in the picture if I'm remembering my HOHO companies correctly. Also, the amount charged is almost exactly their price converted to dollars.

 

Though, I am willing to bet, you're responsible for getting yourself back to the ship on time. It seems more like a purchase of tickets for the HOHO company and less like an actual excursion.

 

(Since I was planning to do the same company's HOHO bus in Helsinki, I did prepay it with NCL... But I'm super big on having as many cruise costs paid before I go as possible. I could tell you more about how it went, but you'd have to wait until the end of May!)

 

Happy Cruising!

B

[honeymoon cruiser 614]

Thanks everyone! B - I'm not going until July so I would love to hear back about your experiences! Thanks!

[LondonTowner]

We did the HOHO bus in Copenhagen and the bus stopped right in front of the ship. You can buy your ticket as you get on the bus. I can't remember how much it was, but you can check on their website. NCL will be getting commission.

 

In Stockholm our ship docked at Frihammen. As we were there overnight we bought a 24 hour ticket for use on public transport. We used bus, tram and ferry, but didn't have time to try the Metro. The bus stop at the port has a machine where you can buy your ticket with CC.

[LocardsChild]

Okay, have now experienced this in both Stockholm and Helsinki.

 

The green bus comes directly to the ship and you show your excursion ticket to them. The company Stromma operates the green bus and in our cities they were also allowing NCL passengers to use their City Sightseeing red buses as well. However, the tickets do not include the HOHO boats, which are an extra (normal) cost straight to the company.

 

This is not a standard excursion - if they wait for you it's at the discretion of the ship's officers. In Helsinki, there was about ten minutes where the crews had a loud (not clear, but loud) discussion on the ground and then made impatient gestures at the people running from the bus dropoff point. In Stockholm, I didn't see it but I heard someone missed the ship from the bus.

 

I would say, if you want to do the HOHO with the boats - not worth it. If the exchange rate is running in our favor - buy your ticket when you get there. They were selling to people who just walked up to them. If the exchange rate is running against you - prepay it with NCL.

[Giantfan13]

As for Stockholm regardless if your ship docks at Frihamnen or Stadsgårdskajen, regular transport is very close.

At Frihamnen the bus stop for the regular bus is just a few hundred meters away and for Stadsgårdskajen there is both regular bus and HoHo boats available.

 

So there is no need to use the HoHo bus as a method of transport in Stockholm.

 

Ah, my friend, we had to, as we arrived on a Sunday and the public buses weren't running. Is this still the same?

 

Cheers

 

Len

[Desdichado62]

Ah, my friend, we had to, as we arrived on a Sunday and the public buses weren't running. Is this still the same?

 

Cheers

 

Len

 

Buses run from early morning to late in evenings all days of the week, including public holidays. On Sundays the first bus departs at 05.51 in the morning.

However there was a strike last summer so maybe that is why there weren't any buses?

However bus #76 first departure in the morning on Saturdays+Sundays isn't until 09.06 in the morning so if you want to go earlier then that you have use another method of transport.

 

http://sl.se/#/Travel/SearchTravelById/Frihamnen%20%28Stockholm%29/Djurg%C3%A5rdsbron%20%28Stockholm%29/1170/1100/2014-06-08%252005_00/depart/sv/null/null/null/null/null/null/null/null/false/null/0

[Essexlass2]

Okay, have now experienced this in both Stockholm.

 

I would say, if you want to do the HOHO with the boats - not worth it.

 

 

Why do you think its not worth it please? Or do you mean its not worth booking in advance?

[Giantfan13]

Buses run from early morning to late in evenings all days of the week, including public holidays. On Sundays the first bus departs at 05.51 in the morning.

However there was a strike last summer so maybe that is why there weren't any buses?

However bus #76 first departure in the morning on Saturdays+Sundays isn't until 09.06 in the morning so if you want to go earlier then that you have use another method of transport.

 

http://sl.se/#/Travel/SearchTravelById/Frihamnen%20%28Stockholm%29/Djurg%C3%A5rdsbron%20%28Stockholm%29/1170/1100/2014-06-08%252005_00/depart/sv/null/null/null/null/null/null/null/null/false/null/0

 

Thanks for the update

 

Cheers

 

Len

[LocardsChild]

Why do you think its not worth it please? Or do you mean its not worth booking in advance?

 

Sorry for the confusing turn of phrase. Not worth it to pre-book through NCL... The pricing ends up being better, if you have your heart set on bus and boat combo, to pay directly to the operating company and get the combo discount. Rather than paying full price for the bus portion to NCL and then full price for the boat portion to the operating company.