Bazza Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 Not RCI but a nice reminder to make sure you are back in plenty of time, especially when not using a cruise line's own excursion! Ouch. https://edition.cnn.com/travel/norwegian-cruise-passengers-stranded-africa/index.html foxrunner and Jamesszy94 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeWhoWaits Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 Saw this story a couple days ago. Naturally, it paints Norwegian in a bad light for the Captain being inflexible. As for me, I say "Bravo, Captain!!!" If the all aboard is clearly stated (it always is and in multiple ways) and all excursions purchased through the cruise line are back, it's time to close up and go. Bazza, Neesa, RCIfan1912 and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted April 3 Author Report Share Posted April 3 NCL are actually reimbursing the costs incurred for the last part of the journey where the ship could not dock at the one port and they had to go on to the next port. The latecomers are obviously having to cover the initial costs and rightly so. Whoever was running the excursion has a lot to answer to! Cruise lines should not have to be responsible for people's inability to follow clear instructions. All aboard means ALL aboard! (I am now praying I never get left behind!) WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 It's one thing to take an independent tour with a company reliant on cruise passengers. It's quite another to take a tour where cruise passengers are a rarity and they don't respect the importance to get you back to your ship on time. RCIfan1912, Bazza, Baked Alaska and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27th Lady Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 I agree that the responsibility for this is with the passengers and tour operator. I can’t imagine how stressful this would be for the passengers to be essentially stranded unexpectedly in this part of the world. Many of them don’t have their medications, access to money, etc. RCIfan1912 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCIfan1912 Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 I've been following this story a bit on the regular YouTube cruise channels. It sucks, but it's how it works. You didn't pay extra to be on a cruise excursion then you and the tour operator have to be super duper careful and mindful of the on board time. We are doing our first 3rd party excursions this October but it's on Boston. Not much to worry about and we just have to be extremely responsible. Bazza 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted April 3 Author Report Share Posted April 3 We have done a few (usually through Viator) and it has all been clearly set around the cruise schedule and fact they are 100% reliant on cruise passengers. Reviews and testimonials are critical for us before booking. If this was done with a 3rd party with minimal, or zero, prior cruise experience it is one hell of a risk. You hope they are all ok health wise, but they must have known the gamble they were taking. RCIfan1912 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCIfan1912 Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 36 minutes ago, Bazza said: We have done a few (usually through Viator) and it has all been clearly set around the cruise schedule and fact they are 100% reliant on cruise passengers. Reviews and testimonials are critical for us before booking. If this was done with a 3rd party with minimal, or zero, prior cruise experience it is one hell of a risk. You hope they are all ok health wise, but they must have known the gamble they were taking. Yes, our two 3rd party excursions are through Viator. Boston it's the hop on hop off bus too so not much chance of issues there. We have to keep track of the time, that's all. Bazza 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted April 3 Author Report Share Posted April 3 12 minutes ago, RCIfan1912 said: Yes, our two 3rd party excursions are through Viator. Boston it's the hop on hop off bus too so not much chance of issues there. We have to keep track of the time, that's all. We did hop on hop off in Cartagena. We got straight off the ship without going to the theatre to await a lucky sticker! Got on 'same' bus and had same route. About $30pp cheaper and with hop on hop off you still have to rely on your own time keeping even if booked through RCI as they are not with you anyway!! Sensible choice @RCIfan1912! RCIfan1912 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCIfan1912 Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 4 minutes ago, Bazza said: We did hop on hop off in Cartagena. We got straight off the ship without going to the theatre to await a lucky sticker! Got on 'same' bus and had same route. About $30pp cheaper and with hop on hop off you still have to rely on your own time keeping even if booked through RCI as they are not with you anyway!! Sensible choice @RCIfan1912! Exactly will my reasoning for booking through Viator. Thank you for validating! Bazza 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxrunner Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 In certain ports we overpay for a Royal excursion due to the guarantee. Most of the time we are very comfortable with 3rd party. As for the couple from SC, I have zero sympathy. Their take is that the other thousands of guests should have been inconvenienced because of their issue. Yes stuff happens in life but taking to the Today Show to accuse NCL of an overly strict all aboard policy is entitlement at its best. The couple is threating NCL that they will not board the ship! Ha Ha! please don't throw me in that briar patch. DDaley, Obdave, RCIfan1912 and 1 other 1 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat8635 Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 I have seen a few places where people are defending taking non cruise line tours.. they claim cruise trips too expensive snd not as good. I am fine with that. You be you! I live a fast pace high presure life. I prepay drinks so thst I don't have to stress over it. I get the key because it includes internet snd my bag is always in my room! I get an interior cheap room cause if I'm there I'm sleeping. I take ships tours cause at that point I don't have to worry about time. My brother has another few companies he loves for excursions. He does that and if we go together we take ships trips. I have never felt gyped on a royal excursion, princess another story. If I were ncl, I would refund rest of them money, fly them home and ban them from future cruises. They have lied and misrepresented the facts for their own 15 minutes of fame. I was on a carnival ship (free cruise) and they kept paging this couple and people started chanting LEAVE THEM. People met them at gangway and heckled them. In today's world that would have made them social media darlings. In reality, I bet if they cruised again they were never late. I always wonder first day when people don't get their muster done immediate if they are part of a game on who can get name announced the most. I heard a couple on last cruise say, we needed a nap, we paid just like all you did, we will do it our way. It made me sad. Our world has devolved and the impact our actions have on others, just doesn't matter. That said, if you sign up for a trip with 2 to 6 thousand people, you should be willing to play buy the rules you paid to participate in! Enough preaching! Sorry got carried away! foxrunner 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geezer Of The Seas Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 OTOH, the click bait, "If It Bleeds It Leads" media has done an admirable hatchet job on NCL. My impression is these passengers started with social media posts and/or they or family contacted their local media outlets and gave one side of the story. The latest chapter is the 80 year old woman who suffered a stroke on the excursion with her daughter and son in law on TV uttering legal phrases like "duty to care". After a 24 hour hospitalization and a confirmed stroke diagnosis she was denied reboarding and they don't get why? A ship's medical center isn't an ICU and would be ill suited to provide critical care. Many blanks to fill in, travel insurance, (anyone have it & adequate coverage?) payment methods carried by the passengers that were provided for by the one couple (debit cards or a cc not internationally accepted)? Anyone attempt to call a US Consulate/Embassy to see what assistance they might offer individually or perhaps prod NCL to give a little? Less than complete story, just don't understand how crying to the media/social media is step 1 in problem resolution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat8635 Posted April 3 Report Share Posted April 3 4 minutes ago, Geezer Of The Seas said: OTOH, the click bait, "If It Bleeds It Leads" media has done an admirable hatchet job on NCL. My impression is these passengers started with social media posts and/or they or family contacted their local media outlets and gave one side of the story. The latest chapter is the 80 year old woman who suffered a stroke on the excursion with her daughter and son in law on TV uttering legal phrases like "duty to care". After a 24 hour hospitalization and a confirmed stroke diagnosis she was denied reboarding and they don't get why? A ship's medical center isn't an ICU and would be ill suited to provide critical care. Many blanks to fill in, travel insurance, (anyone have it & adequate coverage?) payment methods carried by the passengers that were provided for by the one couple (debit cards or a cc not internationally accepted)? Anyone attempt to call a US Consulate/Embassy to see what assistance they might offer individually or perhaps prod NCL to give a little? Less than complete story, just don't understand how crying to the media/social media is step 1 in problem resolution. We live in New world. I'm subject, with a few others, of a national social media smear, no basis in truth and lawyers say just let it go. I grew up with 3 news outlets, then 4, 5 and then IMHO it all went south. Good news is most of it is niche oriented and never blows up like this! Next big thing and they are not even a memory. It is just sad! foxrunner and RCIfan1912 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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