Booking excursions

[lizsims]

If we book and pay for an excursion through NCL and then decide we want to do something different will we be able to cancel and get a refund or switch the booking to a different excursion? Thanks!

[libtrek]

This happened to us. I called and they took care of it. Took a few days for the credit card to adjust.

[complawyer]

while it's probably a good idea to book excursions ahead of time, i dont book them until i get on board. in 10years, i have only had 2 excursions i wanted already filled up

 

with so many options, plus the possibility of just getting off the ship and getting a cab,i wouldnt worry about it

[tafawke]

Has there been an issue with shore excursions - yesterday I went to show husband what was available and the ones we had talked about previously (or at least I had flagged it as being a possible)... and two of the excursions were no longer there - I put it down to booking out... today one of the two is back and available (and I booked it as soon as I saw it) but it is the only tour in Cozumel - strange... I'm guessing just a glitch but hopefully my booking stands as it was probably my fav tour available... 

Edited November 9, 2021 by tafawke
typo

[Middleager]

When looking at excursions, it says

"Flexibility to modify or cancel excursions without penalty up to 48 hours prior to arrival into port. Any exceptions are noted in the tour descriptions."

 

Italy still doesn't allow non-ship excursions (although many of us are arriving earlier and will roam around Rome for 2 days prior to our transatlantic cruise), so for a Florence/Pisa tour, we might have to bite the bullet to book with NCL. Too bad NCL doesn't allow use of OBC when booking ahead.

 

OTOH, we've contacted a 3rd party tour which is less than half of what NCL charges.  In case Italy starts to allow non-ship tours in time, 3rd party tour operators will be ready.

Edited November 9, 2021 by Middleager
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[lizsims]

Thanks for the replies. I was really just thinking if there was one we really wanted to do I'd rather secure a spot BUT there is a tiny risk that we might have to reschedule some of our plans due to things beyond our control so I'd like to think we could get refunded. Thanks again!

[The Traveling Man]

1 hour ago, lizsims said:

If we book and pay for an excursion through NCL and then decide we want to do something different will we be able to cancel and get a refund or switch the booking to a different excursion? Thanks!

You can cancel and/or re-book on board, usually up to 24 hours prior to the meeting time for your excursion.  Check with the Shorex desk on board for any changes or exceptions.  If you cancel once you are on the ship, any money prepaid for a shorex will be credited to your on-board account.

[julig22]

1 hour ago, The Traveling Man said:

You can cancel and/or re-book on board, usually up to 24 hours prior to the meeting time for your excursion.  Check with the Shorex desk on board for any changes or exceptions.  If you cancel once you are on the ship, any money prepaid for a shorex will be credited to your on-board account.

All my tickets from my last cruise say 48hrs but you might be able to swap excursions if you ask.

Some excursions can't be cancelled so read the description carefully.

[Middleager]

2 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

You can cancel and/or re-book on board, usually up to 24 hours prior to the meeting time for your excursion.  Check with the Shorex desk on board for any changes or exceptions.  If you cancel once you are on the ship, any money prepaid for a shorex will be credited to your on-board account.

NCL's description says 48hr.  Where do you get the 24hr, or is that from recent experience?

[The Traveling Man]

1 minute ago, Middleager said:

NCL's description says 48hr.  Where do you get the 24hr, or is that from recent experience?

We have swapped tours on board at late as the day before.  I don't recall if it was because there was some problem with our first choice or if they were just being nice to us, but I do know that it has happened.

[Middleager]

11 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

We have swapped tours on board at late as the day before.  I don't recall if it was because there was some problem with our first choice or if they were just being nice to us, but I do know that it has happened.

Ah, if there was a problem, it is reasonable they'd want to accommodate and allow swapping to another tour.

 

But if people are not swapping, they might not allow cancellation within the 48hr as per written rule.

 

[The Traveling Man]

4 minutes ago, Middleager said:

Ah, if there was a problem, it is reasonable they'd want to accommodate and allow swapping to another tour.

 

But if people are not swapping, they might not allow cancellation within the 48hr as per written rule.

 

That's correct.  On at least one occasion NCL has cancelled our tour at the last minute and they gave us full credit for it, even though they only notified us of the cancellation the night before the tour.  On other occasions we have swapped one tour for another as late as the day before.  I don't think we ever have tried to cancel a tour within 48 hours of its start time without swapping it for a different tour, so I don't have any experience with that.

[Thunderbird19]

So, if you cancel a shore excursion reservation a couple days ahead of time once onboard, the money is not refunded to the credit card you bought it with but put into your onboard account?   If there is money left in your onboard account is it refunded back to you/your credit card at the end of the cruise?  Sorry, am a newbie and read somewhere about people losing on board credit or something - couldn't use it for gratuities or several other things -  and need to better understand "credit" and if it can ever be fully refunded if not used on the cruise.

[Sthrngary]

I always book my excursions ahead of time.  Part of the process is knowing exactly what I want.  Some of the excursions like the Beach Villa have been totally sold out in the past.  However, that is not the reason I book them ahead.  

 

My reason will be different then most but thought it would add to this thread.  I book early to pay early.  I always attempt to make my cruise as all-inclusive as possible so I know what I have spent.  It works out well most of the time and it is fun for me because I love the planning stage.

 

Just another way of looking at it.  

 

Cruise well everyone. 

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, lizsims said:

If we book and pay for an excursion through NCL and then decide we want to do something different will we be able to cancel and get a refund or switch the booking to a different excursion? Thanks!

Yes. You can cancel for a refund. Once a ShoreEx is booked you need to call NCL (pre-cruise) or go to the ShoreEx desk onboard to cancel (note the 48 hour/embarkation day cancellation policy). 

 

Also note that once you book a shore excursion, any excursions that conflict with the times of that excursion are removed from your planner (i.e., you will no longer be able to see all of the shore excursions available). 

[Middleager]

14 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Also note that once you book a shore excursion, any excursions that conflict with the times of that excursion are removed from your planner (i.e., you will no longer be able to see all of the shore excursions available). 

Yap I found out about that, after booking one excursion for Florence.  I wished NCL would still show other excursions, and only when I try to book them then not allow me.   Otherwise if some friends who are not as IT literate and want to know the tours available, I won't be able to see any, or if I may be interested in changing tours, I cant see.