This stinks

[scubacruiserx2]

We booked 3 private tours in Greenland with a down payment and all 3 have canceled . HAL has bought out all of the tours and doubled the prices . Worse , 2 of the tours are sold out at the inflated prices .

 

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tourHQ Support (TourHQ) Mar 3, 22:49 CST Dear Mr.Scubacruiserx2 , Greetings from tourHQ! I am writing to you regarding your tour in Nanortalik during August 2020. Here is the quick access link -   https://www.tourhq.com/tiny/euYEpRCQLN Please note that unfortunately, we won't be able to assist you with this tour as the cruise ships have a monopoly in Greenland. All the tours have to be routed via them if the client is their passenger.  However, in case you fly to Greenland - Those interested in hiking the Arctic Circle Trail should fly into Kangerlussuaq, which can be reached by plane from Copenhagen, Denmark., then I can arrange the private tour services for you. We can also make the tour itinerary let's say for example: Copenhagen ->Iceland -> Greenland.  Please let me know your feedback regarding the same. Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Best Regards, XXXXXXX Community Manager, Europe, tourHQ

[canadianbear]

That does suck big time 😒

[janmcn]

Nanortalik is a "do on your own" port anyway...don't miss going to their display of the old houses and shops...they charge about $5 a person for it, but it's worthwhile. They have multiple buildings for you to walk through, see how they used to live, etc. We really enjoyed it. Beware...not many public bathrooms in this port. Qorqatog is also a do-on your own...Here are some photos from last year's trip to Nanortalik...https://quiltingjan.smugmug.com/Travel/2019-Travel/Viking-Cruise/Nanortalik-Greenland/

 

[kazu]

That really is aggravating.  Tour operators like this should either not offer their services or live up to their commitments they made with those that booked with them first.

[Homosassa]

The condition that tour operator only offers its services through the cruise line as a condition of the contract between the cruise line and tour operators is one that can be found in many ports.

 

I have found this to be true in Bermuda and other ports.

 

If the tour was already one that was offered by the cruise line at the time of your booking, then the contract condition already existed between the tour operator and the cruise line.

 

It sounds like the operator caught the mistake when reviewing online reservations. 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by Homosassa

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry that happened to you.

 

Agree with what Kazu said.

[Cruising-along]

I hope you got your $$ back.  It took a month to get ours back from a private tour company in Italy  (that port was missed due to rough seas). 

[scubacruiserx2]

11 minutes ago, janmcn said:

Nanortalik is a "do on your own" port anyway...don't miss going to their display of the old houses and shops...they charge about $5 a person for it, but it's worthwhile. They have multiple buildings for you to walk through, see how they used to live, etc. We really enjoyed it. Beware...not many public bathrooms in this port. Qorqatog is also a do-on your own...Here are some photos from last year's trip to Nanortalik...https://quiltingjan.smugmug.com/Travel/2019-Travel/Viking-Cruise/Nanortalik-Greenland/

 

 

Thanks for the tips and photos . Nanortalik was the one that hurt because the boat was supposed to take us to the icecap to walk on and closeups with the icebergs . The HAL tour that is sold out is a 1 hour boat tour among the icebergs  instead of a several hour tour to the icecap .

[scubacruiserx2]

2 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

I hope you got your $$ back.  It took a month to get ours back from a private tour company in Italy  (that port was missed due to rough seas). 

 

 We hope so too as it was a $ 600 deposit for the helicopter . Sorry that you missed the port .

[janmcn]

You'll be cruising through the icebergs as you arrive in Nanortalik and around your other stops, too...just won't walk on the icecap. When we went through Prince Cristian Sound one time, the ice sheet around Greenland was melting and was incredible...the captain had permission to "go to but not through" the ice, but he ended up going through...took us 8 hours to go about 2 miles through all kinds of ice...pretty much used only his thrusters to maneuver. He said in 25 years of sailing it was his best day ever. (When we returned the same way 2 weeks later, it was all gone.)

https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-NpqNWG/i-NK6Rq73/A

(Sorry, you'll have to skim down to see the Greenland photos.)

Edited March 3, 2020 by janmcn

[ski ww]

That would be disappointing, I agree ship excursions are way too expensive. Not much you can do, hope you enjoy your stop there anyway.

[scubacruiserx2]

20 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

The condition that tour operator only offers its services through the cruise line as a condition of the contract between the cruise line and tour operators is one that can be found in many ports.

 

I have found this to be true in Bermuda and other ports.

 

If the tour was already one that was offered by the cruise line at the time of your booking, then the contract condition already existed between the tour operator and the cruise line.

 

It sounds like the operator caught the mistake when reviewing online reservations. 

 

 

 

 

 

None of the tours should make and agreement and take money if they can't deliver the tour . We know that a couple of them didn't get bought out until after we had booked . At least in Bermuda we used the public transportation for everywhere we went and bought tickets at the point of purchase . But in the Greenland areas HAL has a monopoly on the boat and helicopter tours when they are in port .

[puppycanducruise]

You're right - it stinks.

Sorry it happened to you.

[scubacruiserx2]

1 hour ago, ski ww said:

That would be disappointing, I agree ship excursions are way too expensive. Not much you can do, hope you enjoy your stop there anyway.

 

Thanks , we will .

Edited March 3, 2020 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

1 hour ago, janmcn said:

You'll be cruising through the icebergs as you arrive in Nanortalik and around your other stops, too...just won't walk on the icecap. When we went through Prince Cristian Sound one time, the ice sheet around Greenland was melting and was incredible...the captain had permission to "go to but not through" the ice, but he ended up going through...took us 8 hours to go about 2 miles through all kinds of ice...pretty much used only his thrusters to maneuver. He said in 25 years of sailing it was his best day ever. (When we returned the same way 2 weeks later, it was all gone.)

https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-NpqNWG/i-NK6Rq73/A

(Sorry, you'll have to skim down to see the Greenland photos.)

 

Some really nice photos . Which Canons are you shooting ? Some of the Greenland photos remind us of Patagonia and Antarctica .

 

 

 

 

On  a glacier cruise that we booked  ( without HAL ) the boats could get very close to icebergs and glaciers .

 

 

 

 

 

All of these photos were in SA before we boarded the Zaandam to Antarctica .

 

 

[sevenseasnomad]

Yes, we've run into this problem in other ports.  Very aggravating, especially since we were already booked too.   I sympathize.  Hope you have a wonderful day in port despite this disappointment.  

[sansterre]

The best tour in Greenland will be your trip through the fiords.  I hope you have great weather for that day, it is truly amazing.  What a beautiful world this is!