HAL shore tour questions

[mountainmare]

I have searched for answers and just want to double check--

We have not and do not intend to take ship tours---but we are traveling with friends who like the ease of ship tours. We are all happily going on the Oosterdam March transatlantic. DH and I have traveled to Europe before--both on land and on cruises. We are very fit and active--our friends not so much. Our friends do not have a computer--so I tend to be the planner.

SO--is it the case that if they book shore excursions in advance they will have their credit card charged right away? And is it also the case that they can cancel the tour once they are on the ship and the money will go on their shipboard account? Do they 24 hours before the port day to cancel--or is it more like 3 days --or longer?

I have potential plans for each day using public transportation (many of the ports are repeats for us) but our friends asked me to check the ship tours. The tours are posted for most ports--but seem somewhat limited--specifically for Mallorca there is no Soller Train tour. Do additional tours get added? If you go to the general shore tour page on the website the list of tours is almost the same. Is this general list (the list without the prices) pretty much the standard for what is offered in each port?

 

I am a regular poster on the Europe board, so I know what kind of private tours are available, but would anyone mind giving their impressions of any HAL tours they have taken (the good, the bad and the easy). Specifically I would like to know about Funchal, Lisbon, Mallorca, Monte Carlo and Livorno.

 

I don't want to sound like I'm ditching our friends--I really want this trip of a lifetime to be filled with joy, and not filled with memories of running for trains and climbing up too many cobblestone streets.

[DMorris]

Yes their CC will be charged when they book online immediately... here is what HAL says about cancelling... hope this helps.

 

Online Reservations:

Excursions listed for a port may not be available for every cruise. The deadline for making online reservations is 5 days prior to sailing. Online requests made after the deadline cannot be fulfilled. All rates are quoted in U.S. funds. Prices are subject to change without notice and descriptions may vary slightly from the actual tour provided.

Timing of Payment

At time of booking, we will advise you whether or not your booking is confirmed or whether you have been waitlisted. Your credit card will be charged immediately for all confirmed reservations. Should space become available for a waitlisted shore excursion request, we will e-mail you at that time and either immediately charge your credit card if you have already given us your credit card information or ask you to provide us with that information for immediate charge processing. Bookings are subject to cancellation by us at any time prior to the credit card charge being accepted by your bank. In any event, please familiarize yourself with the shore excursion cancellation policy and the cancellation fees which may be assessed once a booking has been confirmed.

Cancellations and Refunds:

While no cancellation fee will be charged for bookings that are cancelled online, you need to keep in mind that online cancellations will not be accepted during the 5-day period prior to cruise departure. Instead, you will need to cancel once you board the ship. All onboard cancellations are subject to at least a 10% cancellation fee. If you cancel a Signature of Excellence shore excursion within 5 days of sailing, a 100% cancellation fee will apply since transportation and services will have already been arranged. If the onboard cancellation occurs after the cancellation deadline for the specific shore excursion, a 100% cancellation fee will apply. The ship's Shore Excursion Office will be able to advise you of the cancellation deadline applicable to each shore excursion. Passengers who wish to cancel should go the Shore Excursion Officer upon embarkation.

Crediting Policy:

In the case of online cancellations made by you (which cannot be made during the 5-day period prior to cruise departure) or cancellations made by us more than 5 days prior to cruise departure, we will issue a credit on the credit card that you used to pay for the booking. For all other cancellations (whether by you, Holland America Line or the shore excursion operator), a credit will not be given on your credit card. Instead, we will apply an ONBOARD CREDIT ONLY policy under which the refund (less any cancellation fee) will show up as a credit to the shipboard account of the person who was to take the shore excursion. If the credit is not fully utilized during the cruise, the balance will be paid to that passenger by the ship's Purser.

[RuthC]

In practice, if you book a HAL shore excursion on-line, then cancel the first day aboard, there is no cancellation charge. The refund does go to the on-board account.

If you wait until after the first day, but before the cancellation deadline, there is a charge, but most of the cost is refunded. If you wait until after the deadline, there is no refund.

There's no reason you and your friends should feel the need to be tied at the hip. If you want to do one thing, and they another, then do that. It's more likely you will all enjoy your cruise much better that way. And there will be adventures to share over cocktails and dinner.

[Stevesan]

I've enjoyed a number of HAL sponsored European shore tours. The guides have always been well educated (Mostly college grads) and very knowledgeable about the area(s) involved.

Similar to UK Blue Badge guides, European tour guides are nearly always licensed. They spend months of training and testing before certification.

[Cruising-along]

 

I am a regular poster on the Europe board, so I know what kind of private tours are available, but would anyone mind giving their impressions of any HAL tours they have taken (the good, the bad and the easy). Specifically I would like to know about Funchal, Lisbon, Mallorca, Monte Carlo and Livorno.

 

We have done a number of HAL tours in Europe, but only Lisbon from your list. IMO it was one of the better HAL tours we've had! We went to Sintra, Cascais, and a palace whose name escapes me right now :o . We had a well-educated and informative guide, loved the whole day! We were wined and dined in Sintra, and had a good mix of tour time plus on our own time to wander around, which is important IMO.

[Willsot]

Out of Monte Carlo we took the HAL excursion to Nice and Eze (4 hrs.) and enjoyed it. Beautiful drive. Eze was very nice but alot of walking up and down the hill. Tablemates took the Jewels of the Cote d' Azur to Nice and Eze + Monaco with lunch (8 1/2 hrs.). They saw the royal palace - we missed that.

 

We did Lisbon on our own with no problems, lots of walking. Tablemates raved about their HAL excursion to Sintra.

[crazy4cruisn]

I have searched for answers and just want to double check--

We have not and do not intend to take ship tours---but we are traveling with friends who like the ease of ship tours. We are all happily going on the Oosterdam March transatlantic. DH and I have traveled to Europe before--both on land and on cruises. We are very fit and active--our friends not so much. Our friends do not have a computer--so I tend to be the planner.

SO--is it the case that if they book shore excursions in advance they will have their credit card charged right away? And is it also the case that they can cancel the tour once they are on the ship and the money will go on their shipboard account? Do they 24 hours before the port day to cancel--or is it more like 3 days --or longer?

I have potential plans for each day using public transportation (many of the ports are repeats for us) but our friends asked me to check the ship tours. The tours are posted for most ports--but seem somewhat limited--specifically for Mallorca there is no Soller Train tour. Do additional tours get added? If you go to the general shore tour page on the website the list of tours is almost the same. Is this general list (the list without the prices) pretty much the standard for what is offered in each port?

 

I am a regular poster on the Europe board, so I know what kind of private tours are available, but would anyone mind giving their impressions of any HAL tours they have taken (the good, the bad and the easy). Specifically I would like to know about Funchal, Lisbon, Mallorca, Monte Carlo and Livorno.

 

I don't want to sound like I'm ditching our friends--I really want this trip of a lifetime to be filled with joy, and not filled with memories of running for trains and climbing up too many cobblestone streets.

 

Check on the destinations board for more info on private tours in these areas. YOu will find some good ones. Click on Europe then on Mediterranean area. Pull down the tools box on the top right and put in the name of the city.

[Cruising-along]

Check on the destinations board for more info on private tours in these areas. YOu will find some good ones. Click on Europe then on Mediterranean area. Pull down the tools box on the top right and put in the name of the city.

 

I think the OP has taken the trip already, this thread is over 3 years old. :eek: