Couple Questions for first time cruiser

[CrusingFamily4]

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

 

Question #1- We are currently booked with the bonus of $50/port credit. Does this give us $50 for each excursion, or is it pooled together? ie- is it $50 for our Oslo stop, $50 for our Helsinki stop, etc... or would they just place $650 in our onboard spending account. I suspect we will be a mix of ship excursions and also private.

 

Question #2- If we book the dining promo, we are able to book a few speciality dinners, but it is only for 2. We will be traveling with our children. I thought I read that they are able to join and order off a kids menu? (Is this the case?) We will be on the spirit. If so, do you know the cost to add children?

 

Question #3- When do the excursions become available to view/book?

 

Thanks for your assistance!

[Takoyaki]

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

 

Question #1- We are currently booked with the bonus of $50/port credit. Does this give us $50 for each excursion, or is it pooled together? ie- is it $50 for our Oslo stop, $50 for our Helsinki stop, etc... or would they just place $650 in our onboard spending account. I suspect we will be a mix of ship excursions and also private.

 

Question #2- If we book the dining promo, we are able to book a few speciality dinners, but it is only for 2. We will be traveling with our children. I thought I read that they are able to join and order off a kids menu? (Is this the case?) We will be on the spirit. If so, do you know the cost to add children?

 

Question #3- When do the excursions become available to view/book?

 

Thanks for your assistance!

 

Question 1- how are you getting $650? It is $50 total per port per room, not per person. We got the credits each day at port. even though we only booked 2 excursions we got it for all 3 days.

 

3- I am pretty sure it is about 120 days out.

[KeithJenner]

I have never used the excursion credits, but my understanding is that you get the $50 credit applied to your account for each port, as long as you booked an excursion in that port. Therefore, to get the full credit you need to go on an NCL excursion everywhere. On this itinerary, that would almost certainly end up costing you more than just booking privately (or doing it yourself, which is quite easy in many of these ports).

 

The kids eat free from the kids menu, even in the speciality restaurants. The only one which would be a problem is Teppenyaki which has very limited seating, and you would very likely be charged the full price even if they don't eat much. If you want the kids to order off the main menu then they pay the full price, which is a la carte everywhere except Teppenyaki. You should find sample menus posted online (they are very similar between ships) so those should give an idea.

 

Excursions are available to book when they become available. On some cruises that can be over a year in advance, on others it can be just a few months out. Sometimes the excursions appear at different times for different ports. On the itinerary you are booked on, there are some ports which NCL rarely visits whilst others are on the standard Baltic route. Therefore, I wouldn't be surprised if they are listed at different times. My guess (and it's just a guess) is that they will start appearing online towards the end of the year.

[CrusingFamily4]

Question 1- how are you getting $650? It is $50 total per port per room, not per person. We got the credits each day at port. even though we only booked 2 excursions we got it for all 3 days.

 

3- I am pretty sure it is about 120 days out.

 

Takoyaki, we have 13 port days. (15 day cruise). In theory, does this mean we could book 2 excursions from the ship and only pay the difference?

 

Thanks!!

[KeithJenner]

Question 1- how are you getting $650? It is $50 total per port per room, not per person. We got the credits each day at port. even though we only booked 2 excursions we got it for all 3 days.

 

3- I am pretty sure it is about 120 days out.

 

There are a lot of ports on this itinerary. About 15 day cruise with just one sea day, from memory.

 

120 days is for restaurants, not excursions.

[kitkat343]

Your children can order off the children's menu for free in specialty restaurants. The one possible exception might be Teppanyaki, where since the venue is so small one cruise critic poster stated that he was told to order off the main menu since his children were going to be charged full price irregardless of what they ate. Other cruisers have reported that the children were not charged at Teppanyaki, so you might want to try to clarify this prior to sailing. If they order off the main menu at specialty restaurants, they will be charged a full price.

 

The NCL website states: "Kids 12 and under eat free from the complimentary kids' menu at all specialty restaurants. Excludes dinner and a show dining events." I don't know if by dinner and a show they mean Cirque Dreams/Illusionarium or if this applies to Teppanyaki.

 

I would strongly encourage you to not take ship excursions, especially with small children. We've done a lot of cruises with our children and the most important thing has been to book private excursions for just our family in which we were able to control the itinerary and stop and feed our kids whenever they started to get tired and whiny. I think from your question you might be traveling the Baltics - that's a great itinerary for children. If you click on the review in my signature line, you'll see suggestions for what we did with our 3.5 year old, who absolutely loved this trip. Thanks to the amazing public transportation system, we were able to easily visit all of the cities except St. Petersburg on our own. If your family can afford it, you really might want to consider a private tour of St. Petersburg for just your family so you can control the itinerary and stay longer at things that interest your kids and skip through other locations. We were able to see all the major landmarks in 2 days, and our son thinks St. Petersburg is one of his 3 favorite cities. If you are traveling to Berlin or are not docking directly in Stockholm, you might also need to consider a tour or at least transport in those cities.

[CrusingFamily4]

I have never used the excursion credits, but my understanding is that you get the $50 credit applied to your account for each port, as long as you booked an excursion in that port. Therefore, to get the full credit you need to go on an NCL excursion everywhere. On this itinerary, that would almost certainly end up costing you more than just booking privately (or doing it yourself, which is quite easy in many of these ports).

This is what I was thinking. A few of the excursions are available now, but are over 900/adult. It would be over 2k to head into Berlin with the kids being a bit cheaper. Yikes. It for tours like this that we would book a private tour.

The kids eat free from the kids menu, even in the speciality restaurants. The only one which would be a problem is Teppenyaki which has very limited seating, and you would very likely be charged the full price even if they don't eat much. If you want the kids to order off the main menu then they pay the full price, which is a la carte everywhere except Teppenyaki. You should find sample menus posted online (they are very similar between ships) so those should give an idea.

Thanks! I think I will switch to this promo given that the girls will be able to eat with us.

[RD29P5]

You only get the credit for excursions booked through NCL Only after you complete the excursion, is what most people have reported.

[CrusingFamily4]

Your children can order off the children's menu for free in specialty restaurants. The one possible exception might be Teppanyaki, where since the venue is so small one cruise critic poster stated that he was told to order off the main menu since his children were going to be charged full price irregardless of what they ate. Other cruisers have reported that the children were not charged at Teppanyaki, so you might want to try to clarify this prior to sailing. If they order off the main menu at specialty restaurants, they will be charged a full price.

Thank you! I will spend some time researching the menus :) I do not mind paying for the kids if this is the case. With 15 days, it might be nice to mix things up a bit.

 

I would strongly encourage you to not take ship excursions, especially with small children. We've done a lot of cruises with our children and the most important thing has been to book private excursions for just our family in which we were able to control the itinerary and stop and feed our kids whenever they started to get tired and whiny. I think from your question you might be traveling the Baltics - that's a great itinerary for children. If you click on the review in my signature line, you'll see suggestions for what we did with our 3.5 year old, who absolutely loved this trip. Thanks to the amazing public transportation system, we were able to easily visit all of the cities except St. Petersburg on our own. If your family can afford it, you really might want to consider a private tour of St. Petersburg for just your family so you can control the itinerary and stay longer at things that interest your kids and skip through other locations. We were able to see all the major landmarks in 2 days, and our son thinks St. Petersburg is one of his 3 favorite cities. If you are traveling to Berlin or are not docking directly in Stockholm, you might also need to consider a tour or at least transport in those cities.

You are correct! We have booked the 15 day Baltics Tour. The private tour of St.Petersburg is certainly on my radar. I will check out your review. Thank you!! This board has proved to be so helpful!! Thank you.

[PelicanBill]

There is more to consider booking tours on your own. As a first timer, ship excursions are simple and lower risk. If you book on your own:

- research reputation and read reviews

- understand payment policy and what happens if ship does not make the port and any other ability to cancel

- understand realistic timing to get off ship and when you must be back, and local time if you are changing time zones

- know it is your risk to get back to the ship on time. Ship excursions have a guarantee, other arrangements do not

- carry your passports in case you get left behind

 

Experienced cruisers like me and others here don't blink about doing this... But first timers should be careful.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[BirdTravels]

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

 

 

 

Question #1- We are currently booked with the bonus of $50/port credit. Does this give us $50 for each excursion, or is it pooled together? ie- is it $50 for our Oslo stop, $50 for our Helsinki stop, etc... or would they just place $650 in our onboard spending account. I suspect we will be a mix of ship excursions and also private.

 

 

 

Question #2- If we book the dining promo, we are able to book a few speciality dinners, but it is only for 2. We will be traveling with our children. I thought I read that they are able to join and order off a kids menu? (Is this the case?) We will be on the spirit. If so, do you know the cost to add children?

 

 

 

Question #3- When do the excursions become available to view/book?

 

 

 

Thanks for your assistance!

 

1. It is $50 per port per room. If you take an excursion in a port, you get a $50 credit to your on board account. If you do not take an NCL excursion, you get nothing for that port (can’t be combined).

 

2. Kids can eat free off the kids menu at any restaurant. Or you can buy them a dining package (pretty cheap).

 

3. Excursions will be available as soon as you book. They may add more over time. But popular tours will sell out.

 

[KeithJenner]

A few of the excursions are available now, but are over 900/adult. It would be over 2k to head into Berlin with the kids being a bit cheaper. Yikes. It for tours like this that we would book a private tour.

 

The Berlin tours are difficult. Due to the long journey this isn't one that is easy to do yourself. I believe that the ship tours use a special train to get into Berlin and back. I'm not sure on the options for private tours (I'm sure that the information is available from some of the recent Baltics reviews). However you do it, be prepared for a Berlin trip to be pricey.

 

We didn't bother going to Berlin when we last did a Baltics cruise, as it would have ended up costing not much less than flying there for a weekend would cost if we do it separately. Obviously your circumstances may be different, coming from further away. Given the number of ports and how busy the cruise is likely to be, I would suggest that you consider how important getting to Berlin is for you. It would be a long, expensive day and if you have kids then they may not thank you for it. It's important to save some energy for the rest of the cruise.

[Takoyaki]

Takoyaki, we have 13 port days. (15 day cruise). In theory, does this mean we could book 2 excursions from the ship and only pay the difference?

 

Thanks!!

 

Wow so jealous!!

when we cruised the credit was applied on the port day as OBC, on the site though it does say

"Shore Excursion Credit can be redeemed by calling 1-866-625-1167 or booking onboard." so maybe you can call and use it in advance. sorry I cant help more

[Sauer-kraut]

For help with what to do at the ports there is the PORTS OF CALL board for Europe. There is a dedicated sub-forum for Northern Europe and Baltic States. I try to dissuade people from doing the Berlin excursion, there is so much to see and do right around Warnemunde. Public transportation is easy and quite inexpensive. Warnemunde has a lovely beach and you have such an intensive cruise that you do need to schedule down time or something that has a slower vibe.

[cruisegal415]

You only get the credit for excursions booked through NCL Only after you complete the excursion, is what most people have reported.

 

So if we don't do an NCL excursion, we don't get the credit, right? It's not like we can request it as OBC instead?

[RD29P5]

So if we don't do an NCL excursion, we don't get the credit, right? It's not like we can request it as OBC instead?

 

Right no credit for non NCL excursions.

 

Straight from NCL's terms and conditions.

$50 Per Port Shore Excursion Credit:

$50 USD per port shore excursion credit is per stateroom.

Credit has no monetary value and is nonrefundable.

In the event a port of call or excursion is missed, for any reason, no refund or credit will be issued.

Shore excursion credit is applicable for each port, including debarkation port, and is not transferable to other ports. Use the credit or lose it.

Does not include embarkation ports. Overnight stays count as one port, except Bermuda sailings which can receive up to 3 individual days of shore excursion credit.

Shore excursion credit can only be redeemed by calling 1-866-625-1167 or booking onboard.

For the guests that book their excursions online; they are charged full retail for the excursions and the discount will be applied onboard in the form of a credit to their onboard account.

[ElaineKeagy]

Check to see if your cruise is listed as a “Distinctive Voyage”. If it is that will get you an additional $50 per cabin per port for a total of $100 per port. Our last cruise Seattle to Canaveral, five excursions cost us a total of $79 out of pocket.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[newmexicoNita]

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

 

Question #1- We are currently booked with the bonus of $50/port credit. Does this give us $50 for each excursion, or is it pooled together? ie- is it $50 for our Oslo stop, $50 for our Helsinki stop, etc... or would they just place $650 in our onboard spending account. I suspect we will be a mix of ship excursions and also private.

 

Question #2- If we book the dining promo, we are able to book a few speciality dinners, but it is only for 2. We will be traveling with our children. I thought I read that they are able to join and order off a kids menu? (Is this the case?) We will be on the spirit. If so, do you know the cost to add children?

 

Question #3- When do the excursions become available to view/book?

 

Thanks for your assistance!

excursions are 1 per cabin and only applies to one per port.

 

Kids can eat off the kids menu in any dinning room including the specialty dining rooms or at least most, but I don't think this applies to Teppanakis because of limited seating

 

Excursions choice and descriptions can show up at anytime. Our cruise to the Caribbean in Feb had only 2 listed a month or so ago and now have close to 50.