Princess Alaska Excursions sold out?

Hi All,

Embarking on our first cruisetour/ trip to Alaska and first cruise with Princess (Coral) next June 24th-July 8th, 2017. I have booked some excursions independently based on advice from the boards, but I received an email today that excursions are now available on my cruise personalizer. I want to upgrade the NHT in Denali (I have the required 2 night stay for this) to the longer TWT, but that excursion as well as most others state SOLD OUT! I was just on my personalizer yesterday, when it still said excursions were not yet available this far out, so how can they be sold out on the first day they open? Budget Queen, if you are available, can you (or anyone who is knowledgeable) please tell me how I can book an upgraded tour, even if it is not with Princess? Where do I book the park shuttles or the tours that go the farthest (Kantishna) please? I understand that there will likely be no refund from Princess for the NHT, so I am still open to the TWT through them, if they end up un-sold out. Advice please? I am trying to do searches here and on the Alaska board, but I am getting confused on where to look to book these tours!

Thanks for any and all help! I LOVE reading here!!!

Shannon

Just rang our Princess Rep. and she said excursions are not released until 120 days before sailing,just something to consider everyone.

Hi All,

Embarking on our first cruisetour/ trip to Alaska and first cruise with Princess (Coral) next June 24th-July 8th, 2017. I have booked some excursions independently based on advice from the boards, but I received an email today that excursions are now available on my cruise personalizer. I want to upgrade the NHT in Denali (I have the required 2 night stay for this) to the longer TWT, but that excursion as well as most others state SOLD OUT! I was just on my personalizer yesterday, when it still said excursions were not yet available this far out, so how can they be sold out on the first day they open? Budget Queen, if you are available, can you (or anyone who is knowledgeable) please tell me how I can book an upgraded tour, even if it is not with Princess? Where do I book the park shuttles or the tours that go the farthest (Kantishna) please? I understand that there will likely be no refund from Princess for the NHT, so I am still open to the TWT through them, if they end up un-sold out. Advice please? I am trying to do searches here and on the Alaska board, but I am getting confused on where to look to book these tours!

Thanks for any and all help! I LOVE reading here!!!

Shannon

Its too early.

Its too early.

So, Princess sends me a specific email for my booking today that these excursions are available, even though it is too early? Confusing! So, they will actually open up at a later date (120 days out)? I did find the "reservedenali" site, but no dates are available yet there either. Does anyone know when those ones open up? Thanks for the help!!!

Shannon

So, Princess sends me a specific email for my booking today that these excursions are available, even though it is too early? Confusing! So, they will actually open up at a later date (120 days out)? I did find the "reservedenali" site, but no dates are available yet there either. Does anyone know when those ones open up? Thanks for the help!!!

Shannon

We encountered the same issue before with our Alaska cruise tour.

The pre cruise emails are not always accurate.

Did you call Princess?

Just got the same email 1.5 hours ago...refers to my booking number, says your excursions are now available to book.

Got the same email regarding excursions being available for booking. Went into cruise personalizer and there they were with times and duration.

Just a thought --- maybe ship sponsored tours are available now and tours associated with land tours are not available just yet???????

Got the same email regarding excursions being available for booking. Went into cruise personalizer and there they were with times and duration.

 

Just a thought --- maybe ship sponsored tours are available now and tours associated with land tours are not available just yet???????

Ahhh!! Yes! I bet you are right! All the ones that show up as actually available for me are the ship portion, not the land portion! There are some ship ones that say "reserve now", but many others have the same "sold out" listing. Thanks for bringing that up!

Shannon

Going to Alaska in May. Excursions opened yesterday. I've already booked ship excursions and slowly trickling out are the land excursions.

Yes, some are already sold out, including the TWT. They usually go quick.

This site should help you in Denali.

http://www.reservedenali.com/tours-shuttles/the-denali-tour-experience/tundra-wilderness-tour/

To upgrade the NHT I was told it must be done by my TA or if booked through Princess they had to do it. You must insist that all you want to do is UPGRADE your tour. Did that last year for our recent May cruisetour. There are limited seats for the DWT. No tours that go all the wat through.

I don't sail until late September and received the same email, and yes, I can book (and pre-pay) my excursions.

stren003, a couple of months I was able to upgrade my NHT to the longer TWT, all I had to do was call my Princess rep and ask them to upgrade my tour it was not overly expensive for the upgrade so maybe they can upgrade you to the Kantishna Tour. We are traveling Jun 6-17.

Don't forget that if you have a National Park Pass take it along and you will be refunded $20 at the Princess Denali Lodge.

Just wanted to say hi Shannon, we are on the same cruise. :) And we booked our Juneau excursion this week before we even got the email once I saw people talking in the prepaid excursion thread. I couldn't believe they were available so early. Hope you are able to work it out!

When we booked our August Alaska land tour (in February!) I asked our TA to book us on one of the longer tours in Denali. We wanted the 12 hour one... She told me that they were already sold out and on a wait list. Today she managed to get us into the Tundra tour today... but she had to call them up to do so. They book the longer tours up quickly and a LONG way out, according to her. Just an FYI.

We booked all of our excursions for our August trip today... except for Talkeetna. Some we barely made it... they are running out of space quickly.

Just rang our Princess Rep. and she said excursions are not released until 120 days before sailing,just something to consider everyone.

That is a stock answer.

Rarely is it exactly 120 days.

Reality is that excursions could be available earlier than that and sometimes not until later than that.

Thanks so much for all the replies!!! I am freaking out that I missed out on getting one of the longer tours....sad! I sent a message to my TA to try and get a longer one some way. The Reserve Denali link does not show any dates yet, is there a specific date their reservations open? I thought I was doing so good on my own with excursions, booking the Chilkoot tour, Island wings at Misty fjords and the Taku Lodge flight all without going through Princess. I am SO mad I didn't know how to try and upgrade to the longer TWT earlier! If anyone has any other advice or suggestions, I would REALLY appreciate it!

Beechiekeen......I am SO excited to hear of someone on the same cruise! I have checked for a roll call numerous times and never see our cruise! I would love to chat with you or meet up on the ship!!

Everyone here is so wonderful and helpful!

Thanks again!

Shannon

Thanks so much for all the replies!!! I am freaking out that I missed out on getting one of the longer tours....sad! I sent a message to my TA to try and get a longer one some way. The Reserve Denali link does not show any dates yet, is there a specific date their reservations open? I thought I was doing so good on my own with excursions, booking the Chilkoot tour, Island wings at Misty fjords and the Taku Lodge flight all without going through Princess. I am SO mad I didn't know how to try and upgrade to the longer TWT earlier! If anyone has any other advice or suggestions, I would REALLY appreciate it!

 

Beechiekeen......I am SO excited to hear of someone on the same cruise! I have checked for a roll call numerous times and never see our cruise! I would love to chat with you or meet up on the ship!!

 

Everyone here is so wonderful and helpful!

Thanks again!

Shannon

Here is the link to our roll call but not much happening yet: :(

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2402024

We have booked Chilkoot and Taku also. Still deciding about Ketchikan--we are thinking about the Misty Fjords cruise but not sure yet. I would love to do Island Wings but my family said no--I am lucky to get them on the plane to Taku!

We are doing our own land tour after but since we only have 3 days, we aren't doing Denali.

Wow, can't believe that tour books up so fast. I don't know much about it but it seems like you should be able to choose it from the beginning without having to upgrade after the fact. Good luck and hope you get in!

Just rang our Princess Rep. and she said excursions are not released until 120 days before sailing,just something to consider everyone.

Its too early.

I had no problem booking several excursions five days ago for my June 17 Alaska cruise on Grand Princess. That was 231 day in advance! I know they went through because I received a confirmation email from Princess that my excursions have been booked, and the full amount shows on my charge account.

Here is the link to our roll call but not much happening yet: :(

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2402024

 

We have booked Chilkoot and Taku also. Still deciding about Ketchikan--we are thinking about the Misty Fjords cruise but not sure yet. I would love to do Island Wings but my family said no--I am lucky to get them on the plane to Taku!

 

We are doing our own land tour after but since we only have 3 days, we aren't doing Denali.

 

Wow, can't believe that tour books up so fast. I don't know much about it but it seems like you should be able to choose it from the beginning without having to upgrade after the fact. Good luck and hope you get in!

Awww shoot Beachiekeen! We are NOT on the same cruise. I think you are getting off your north bound and I get on my south bound later the same day. My cruise is July 1st-the 8th ending in Vancouver. I have 8 days land tour before the cruise.

In other news.....my TA just called and was able to get me upgraded to the TWT and the Kenai fjords tour and Chena hot springs adventure are on reserve as the Princess rep said they are still working out the details for those two and will open actual reservations soon. I feel SOOOO much better and so thankful that it is working out. This is a special trip of a lifetime for my 15 year old son and myself and I want everything to be perfect!!!

Time to have some wine and read more trip reports! :)

Have a great weekend!

Shannon

I am having problems booking a Keani tour in August. Can't believe it!

Awww shoot Beachiekeen! We are NOT on the same cruise. I think you are getting off your north bound and I get on my south bound later the same day. My cruise is July 1st-the 8th ending in Vancouver. I have 8 days land tour before the cruise.

 

In other news.....my TA just called and was able to get me upgraded to the TWT and the Kenai fjords tour and Chena hot springs adventure are on reserve as the Princess rep said they are still working out the details for those two and will open actual reservations soon. I feel SOOOO much better and so thankful that it is working out. This is a special trip of a lifetime for my 15 year old son and myself and I want everything to be perfect!!!

Time to have some wine and read more trip reports! :)

Have a great weekend!

Shannon

Ohhh ok, well I'll waive to you as I get off! :) Glad it worked out for you!