DREAM CRUISE TO ALASKA TURNS INTO A NIGHTMARE

I was on this cruise and spoke with the grandmother at our airport gate. She had been planning this family reunion trip for over a year. The shuttle situation in Ketchikan was the worst! Ward Cove is 7 miles from town. There weren’t enough shuttles. We were only at this port 7am-1:15. It took us nearly an hour to town and an hour back with all the waiting for shuttles. They absolutely were on a Norwegian sponsored excursion, where transport and waiting is supposedly guaranteed. Bus drivers there say Norwegian has this port location because it’s cheaper for them, despite the terrible inconvenience.

I have seen this story elsewhere. It has been reported that NCL kinda gave this family the brushoff until news media got involved. If that's the case, shame on NCL. Either way, they failed big time. Instead of strictly relying on the word of the vendor, one of NCL's reps should've been taking their own headcount. Those passengers are NCL's responsibility, especially since they booked that excursion through the cruise line. I would like to have ALL of the details on this story clarified.

No. NCL did not take responsibility until after the family returned home and they contacted the advocacy team at their local television station. Before that they denied any responsibility and refused to negotiate with the family.

Should have been 100% future cruise credit. The stress and aggravation of having no clothing, no medication etc... Some people can only afford to cruise once in a lifetime and this was a total cluster f**k!

I thought one of the reasons for taking a cruise bought excursion is that the cruise ship will wait for you.

This almost happened to us. Same excursion on the NCL Bliss. After the show there wasn’t any more shuttles and we had to call. Luckily we got back just in time. We also came home with COVID…

The cruise credit should have been for 100 percent

We had a similar experience in Ketchikan on NCl. It was their shuttle bus to the town, not an excursion. It was very disorganized while waiting to return to the ship. Fortunately, they had a representative there. He asked a van driver to take us to the ship so the group of us piled in. I don't recommend NCl for Alaska since they don't dock near the ports😂in several locations.

Sad that the media has to get involved before NCL would do what they should have.

The shuttle from Ketchikan to Ward Cove is free. There are no tickets involved. Because of the mention of the bus ticket, it sounds like the bus was being run by the tour operator, and they allowed people on the bus without verifying they were on the tour.

I am outraged. What angers me is NCL refusing assistance until this story reached the public domain. A 20% future cruise credit does not begin to compensate their pain and suffering. One practice I always do is get the cruise line’s port agent contact number before leaving ship. That being said, there is a guarantee the ship will wait or get you to the next port.

The one reason I book ship sponsored shore excursions is to not have things like this happen. Norwegian can not separate the tour operator from themself in this case in my mind. Cover costs plus a 100% future cruise credit.

What a major nightmare vacation.

This was an excursion through the cruise ship and Ncl left them? How awful.

I’m sorry but for someone who has cruised NCL, I have read and heard enough to not book with them anymore. If this was an NCL sponsored excursion, the cruise line knows how many passengers need to get back before departure. What a nightmare for this family, they deserve 100% future cruise, that is, if they want to take NCL again. This is not the NCL I originally knew and loved.

The problem here is not that there was a problem with the agent. The problem is is, how Ncl reacted to the problem , they left them, had someone else help them and then charged the 9k for Ncl’s decision to leave them. They could of sent a bus, they could of made arrangements because they had the passport, and they knew exactly what they were doing when they charged them and knew to charge them before they even got home. Piss poor customer service is why we never cruised with NCL after own problems that NCL caused. 20% off is a slap in the face.

My traveling companion went to the lumberjack show when we were in Ketchikan last Monday. Someone in the audience became ill, and the program ran over as a result. Several cruise ships had to wait for their people (including our ship waiting for my travel companion).

BAsed on this being a cruise purchased tour this one is on NCL 100%. THE person that told them to wait for next bus should be fired. Sorry but if I were the lead person on this booking I would want a full refund on the cruise...not some cruise credit as doubt they want to go again.

Horse feathers!! Just confirmed my decision 20+ years ago to NEVER sail with NCL. The entire group of 16 (?) should be refunded for the whole cruise. I’m wondering how the 9 got their belongings off the ship?

I have heard so many bad things with Norwegian Cruise Line. I have been avoiding sailing with them.