Think I made a HUGE mistake

[njhorseman]

Shore Excursioneer is showing that they offer private excursions from Harvest Caye. If you click on the information about the excursion, it says that you will be tendered from Harvest Caye to the mainland.

 

https://www.shoreexcursioneer.com/harvest-caye/monkey-river-wildlife.html

 

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you'll see that in reality they are not accepting reservations for any excursions. It's pretty obvious why. NCL is not allowing any private excursion company access to Harvest Caye.

 

Harvest Caye Excursion Availability

 

Important: Reservations for the following dates are currently suspended, for more information please contact us.

 

FromToDeparturesReasonApr/01/2017Apr/30/2017All departuresNot available

[AliceIn]

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you'll see that in reality they are not accepting reservations for any excursions. It's pretty obvious why. NCL is not allowing any private excursion company access to Harvest Caye.

 

Harvest Caye Excursion Availability

 

Important: Reservations for the following dates are currently suspended, for more information please contact us.

 

FromToDeparturesReasonApr/01/2017Apr/30/2017All departuresNot available

 

It's available for my cruise, however. If you try for May or after, you can book it. Perhaps that private excursions were not previously allowed, but will be for future dates?

[Barb Nahoumi]

I am so sorry for your loss, and I hope that you can get to see your son.

 

You absolutely can book shore excursions on board, and hopefully your son can arrange to meet you.

[njhorseman]

It's available for my cruise, however. If you try for May or after, you can book it. Perhaps that private excursions were not previously allowed, but will be for future dates?

 

They might have reached an agreement with NCL to offer it starting May 1, or they might be just hoping to be able to start offering the excursion by May. I have no idea, but given that there has been no indication NCL will start allowing private excursions I wouldn't want to count on it actually being offered.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Not everyone is comfortable as a solo traveler. It's great that you're able to travel alone and be completely independent but we're not all that way.

 

I've traveled alone for work but pleasure trips have always been with family. The day may come that I'll be looking at traveling solo and when that happens, I doubt very much that I'll be comfortable enough to book private excursions (at least initially). I was never very outgoing and as I've gotten older, I've definitely become less so. There's a comfort level associated with booking through the cruise line that's worth more than the higher cost.......

 

 

 

I wasn't saying every solo traveler is completely independent (although I think you've got to have a bit of an independent spirit to travel solo). My comment was related to the idea that someone who's solo is so often advised to book excursions through the cruise line. I don't understand how that provides a higher comfort level than a private tour other than for people who fear missing the ship and that has nothing to do with being solo. All I'm saying is that just because someone is traveling solo it doesn't mean they have anymore reason to book through the cruise line than anyone else. I don't understand the reasoning behind that advice. I've never seen a post where the poster explains that--they just say something like "Since you're solo, you'll be more comfortable booking through the ship." Why?? How is that more "comfortable" than participating in private tours setup through the roll call with reputable vendors?

[rfendt]

You don't have to "take an excursion" to get off the ship in Harvest Caye any more than you have to take an excursion to get off the ship in Great Stirrup Cay. You just get off the ship...and in Harvest Caye you don't have to tender in as you do in GSC or Belize City. There's a dock for the ship.

You have to take an excursion to get off Harvest cay and get to the mainland of Belize. That is what people are saying. Yes, you can walk off the ship and onto the ISLAND of Harvest Cay, but you can not go from HC into Belize without an excursion. The OP has family in Belize and right now the only way to get off HC is through an NCL excursion.

[Demonyte]

Not quite true. Only a fraction of the bookings can be made online, and the rest onboard.

 

 

Restaurant reservations yes, excursions no.

 

For example the Cabanas on GSC do sell out sometimes months before the cruise on popular cruise times with big ships. (At least they did when the prices were more reasonable, there has been at least two major price bumps since my last booking of one.)

[kitkat343]

If you are still in the cancellation period for your cruise, have you considered Carnival's trip that is similar? Carnival has 7 day cruises that visit Belize, Roatan, Cozumel and the Grand Cayman Island. https://www.carnival.com/itinerary/7-day-western-caribbean-cruise/miami/glory/7-days/zw0?Military=N&PastGuest=N&Senior=N&evsel=z&numGuests=2&roomType=IS&sailDate=12012018

leaving from various Florida ports. We did this a number of years ago, and it was a great cruise (Carnival isn't the greatest cruise line, but all the ports were amazing). In Roatan, Bodden adventures can take you all over the island, and there is great snorkeling, plus if you like animals there are a lot of places to interact with them. In the Grand Cayman Island, there is an amazing stingray city plus a nice turtle farm. That might be a nice cruise, and it would be much easier to meet your stepson since you'd be docking on the mainland in Belize.

[Bra_BE2014]

I wasn't saying every solo traveler is completely independent (although I think you've got to have a bit of an independent spirit to travel solo). My comment was related to the idea that someone who's solo is so often advised to book excursions through the cruise line. I don't understand how that provides a higher comfort level than a private tour other than for people who fear missing the ship and that has nothing to do with being solo. All I'm saying is that just because someone is traveling solo it doesn't mean they have anymore reason to book through the cruise line than anyone else. I don't understand the reasoning behind that advice. I've never seen a post where the poster explains that--they just say something like "Since you're solo, you'll be more comfortable booking through the ship." Why?? How is that more "comfortable" than participating in private tours setup through the roll call with reputable vendors?

 

 

I travel solo and only book with the ship for piece of mind. My reasoning is:

 

- if something goes wrong, will the ship wait for my party of 1? What are the odds compared to a family or group? (No need to worry at al on a ship excursion)

 

-I don't speak the language of most of the countries I visit. Getting lost or accidentally in unsafe neighbourhood by myself would really suck. At least with the ship you have the guides endorsed by ncl in case of trouble.

 

If its in a country i've been before and know my way around, I'd go alone or in a private excursion.

 

Happy cruising!

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Brangwen]

OP, I wonder if your family would be able to make their way to Harvest Cay? It's a semi-private island that NCL and the government of Belize own. It's all a la carte, so you could spend your day together, go to the restaurants and beach and then you go back on board, and they head home? That would be my suggestion, they wouldn't be on such a tight time restriction as you.

 

Perhaps they could reach out to one of the private shore excursion companies who are going there to pick people up and would have an empty boat on the way there and back?

 

This was my thought as well... the amenities are all staffed by local persons... although there may be a possibility that they only allow people with work permits/id's onto the island? Your family may be able to find out more by asking around locally than we can speculate remotely. :D

[Froggitt]

Hire a jetski and outrun them......

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I travel solo and only book with the ship for piece of mind. My reasoning is:

 

- if something goes wrong, will the ship wait for my party of 1? What are the odds compared to a family or group? (No need to worry at al on a ship excursion)

 

-I don't speak the language of most of the countries I visit. Getting lost or accidentally in unsafe neighbourhood by myself would really suck. At least with the ship you have the guides endorsed by ncl in case of trouble.

 

If its in a country i've been before and know my way around, I'd go alone or in a private excursion.

 

Happy cruising!

 

 

Thank you for explaining your reasoning. I do think most of it has to do with personal style rather than whether the traveler is solo or in a couple or group. Some people swear by the ship's excursions and want the security of the ship's waiting or the cruise line handling the arrangements to get them to the next port of call. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I just don't personally worry about that.

 

Just for clarification, I wasn't talking about wandering off on your own; I asked how it's more comfortable going on a ship's excursion compared to a private tour set up on your roll call and booked with a reputable vendor. I don't know if NCL has a vetting process for the vendors they outsource to, but through reviews, I can vet an independent s operator before choosing them (between the ports of call section here and trip advisor, I get a very good idea what to expect). My experiences on ship excursions have not been anywhere near as good as the experiences I've had on private tours. As far as the ship waiting for ship's excursions, I know people feel comfort and security in that. I do understand that, but I don't take private excursions that go significant distances from the port or take up the vast majority of the time we're in port, and I've never come anywhere near missing the ship. I don't want to go on what I consider as lower quality excursion when I can go with a smaller group and have a higher-quality excursion. I just weigh my options and don't put myself in a position that I'm stressing about missing the ship.

 

I don't care one way or the other if someone books with the cruise line--to each their own. I just don't see the logic in advising solo travelers that they'll feel safer or more comfortable on a ship's excursion vs. a well-chosen private one.

[LrgPizza]

OP, I wonder if your family would be able to make their way to Harvest Cay? It's a semi-private island that NCL and the government of Belize own. It's all a la carte, so you could spend your day together, go to the restaurants and beach and then you go back on board, and they head home? That would be my suggestion, they wouldn't be on such a tight time restriction as you.

 

Perhaps they could reach out to one of the private shore excursion companies who are going there to pick people up and would have an empty boat on the way there and back?

I've never known of a cruise line's private island where people not on the cruise could just make their way there to hang out. I have no first hand knowledge of Harvest Cay, but I can't imagine this would be permitted, or that there would be any legitimate way to get there. I don't think HC is a vacation destination where anyone can go on their own. I think you must get off the ship to enjoy the island.

[SuiteCruiser]

I've never known of a cruise line's private island where people not on the cruise could just make their way there to hang out. I have no first hand knowledge of Harvest Cay, but I can't imagine this would be permitted, or that there would be any legitimate way to get there. I don't think HC is a vacation destination where anyone can go on their own. I think you must get off the ship to enjoy the island.

 

They're building a hotel and villas on it, so there must be some plan in the future if not already.

 

It's not a private island like GSC. Still may not be able to do it, but might be worth asking

[norway olin]

They're building a hotel and villas on it, so there must be some plan in the future if not already.

 

I am curious where that info came from, I am interested in reading about it.:confused:

[SNJCruisers]

First of all...here is the link to the roll call for your cruise. Talk it up with your fellow cruisers and see where they are going in each port of call. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2332300

 

Since you mentioned in your OP that you wanted to have good options for beach days...here are two of the best recommended on the ports of call boards. I'm positive people from your roll call will be going to these places.

 

When in Costa Maya....Go to Maya Chan...if you can still get a reservation. http://costamayabeachresort.com/

 

When in Cozumel go to Nachi Cocum. http://www.cozumelnachicocom.com/

[BEACHED_laval]

Just a little background. I booked a May 13 cruise aboard the Escape. First of all' date=' I will admit that this was done without much investigation! My bad! I was recently widowed (February 21) and felt this would be a good way for me to get away after almost 4 years of constant caregiving. I also felt that a cruise was a good way for an older single woman to get back into traveling. My cruise history will show that most of our previous cruises were on HAL, and only 1 NCL in Hawaii.

 

I was excited about the studio cabins, and the itinerary because of the port stop in Belize. My late husband's middle son lives in Belize (quite close to Harvest Caye), so thought this would be a great opportunity to see him and his new wife. No one in the family has seen him since he moved there several years ago.

 

Now, it seems that getting off Harvest Caye to meet with him is going to be next to impossible. From the questions I have asked no one is giving me any good points about being able to accomplish this. What next??

 

Also, when I booked, it seemed that there were some good options for beach days as shore excursions at the other ports. Thought this would be a good way to get off the ship, and get to sort out some of my thinking. Now, looks like most of those excursions are gobbled up. Since I am a relative newby to NCL, I didn't realize that I couldn't book shore excursions after boarding the ship.

 

At this point, looking at everything, looks like I have made a big mistake, and I am thinking that I would be better to cancel since this cruise will not meet my expectations.[/quote']

 

 

you can book excursions once you have boarded. not sure where you got this information. but you can book excursions anytime.

[cruzn single]

Thanks to everyone for the kind responses. No, I am not wanting to cancel the cruise. I will figure out the shore excursion deal, particularly if there are things I can find that suit me that are still available after boarding the ship. Partly I was confused because of my unfamiliarity with NCL.

 

The Harvest Caye portion is still the unknown. Yes, my step-son will be coming to the location, and me getting to the mainland is still the question. I wish someone who has been recently could share info. If need be, I will book an excursion just to get off the island and then "dump" the excursion after I get to the mainland.

 

I have signed up with my roll call so who knows what will come of meeting others. This is just a big first traveling step for me, and I am sure that once over the first hurdle, I will be fine.

 

Thank you everyone