What time of day do the shore excursions open for purchase?

My apologies if this has been asked before and I did do a search but I've found conflicting answers.

On your booking day, what time do they open? Someone mentioned 12 AM Pacific and someone else mentioned getting up at 3AM. I know exactly what I want and one is already sold out optional excursion is already sold out.

Is it worth checking out each one in order of importance? Another poster mentioned by the time they checked out some had already sold out.

Yes, 12:01 AM pacific, so if you are on the east coast, 3 AM. I have read all kinds of advice, like book your top 2 then check out and book the next few, and check out, and then book the included ones to fit around the optional times, so that they don't sell out your top choices while you are filling your cart. That might be good advice, depending on your cabin level. I didn't find it necessary.

Thank you! That was exactly the information I need.

I had the exact same question! I am 5 days away, so I'm glad to have the answer! Guess I'll put my laptop next to my bed and set my alarm :)

Are you able to see the excursions with prices before your date to purchase? My trip is 96 days away but I can’t reserve until 67 days. It would be nice to plan before I have to book. I have looked through the tours on Vikings web site but can’t see anything in my Viking yet. Pricing makes a difference in planning

Yes, price is important in choosing. And yes, the prices appear before you book. But how long before remains something of a mystery. There have been some questions about this recently. Promises of 150 days, 120 days, 100 days before. Last I read on CC 100 days before the cruise seemed to be the norm. The Explorer Suite people can book at 97 days so your excursions and prices should be there. Go to your trip on My Viking Journey and look there. You won't be able to buy yet, but you can see times and prices.

Thanks for the info. It is not in My Viking yet. I will watch for it.

I got up at 2am here in the Midwest, and booked all 4 of the excursions I wanted one at a time. Did the same for my dining. A few of the days or times I would have liked were already booked, but I did get one at each.

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Are you able to see the excursions with prices before your date to purchase? My trip is 96 days away but I can’t reserve until 67 days. It would be nice to plan before I have to book. I have looked through the tours on Vikings web site but can’t see anything in my Viking yet. Pricing makes a difference in planning

My experience as a PV was that the pricing and excursion times appeared in MVJ about 14 days before our booking window opened.

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Are you able to see the excursions with prices before your date to purchase? My trip is 96 days away but I can’t reserve until 67 days. It would be nice to plan before I have to book. I have looked through the tours on Vikings web site but can’t see anything in my Viking yet. Pricing makes a difference in planning

I’m 5 days away from being able to book. We are in a DV and I think the excursions showed up about 2 months ago.

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The prices showed up around the 100 day mark and one was Sold Out before I even saw the price. All the prices seemed quite reasonable to me.

I hadn't though about dining but there is not a single Kitchen Table excursion the whole cruise which is very disappointing to me.

We are booked on a 15 day segment, which is part of a much longer voyage. Are the passengers who booked the longer voyage able to book excursions for their entire trip all at one time? I guess I am wondering if the excursions I want to book will already be taken by those who are also on the previous 15 segment. I hope this questions make sense to someone. :)

We are booked on a 15 day segment, which is part of a much longer voyage. Are the passengers who booked the longer voyage able to book excursions for their entire trip all at one time? I guess I am wondering if the excursions I want to book will already be taken by those who are also on the previous 15 segment. I hope this questions make sense to someone. :)

Everyone on the ship will book all of their excursions based on their sail date. If you aren't sailing on day 1, there is a chance that some excursions will be sold out already.

If excursions are sold out, my suggestion is to email Viking and urge them to open more space on that excursion. In the meantime, check back daily in case space opens.

If the excursion you want is sold out check back occasionally. One I wanted was sold out when I tried to book it but a month later it was available.

I have booked a cruise with Viking for April 14, 2018. The shore excursions were supposed to have been available for viewing December 17 and could be booked January 7 with an Explorer Suite. So far no excursions are available to review AND even though it says book now for shore excursions, none are available as yet. I have placed three phone calls to Viking with no resolution. They responded with a "we're a little behind on up-loading the shore excursions." This is my first cruise with Viking and so far am not impressed. Someone is supposed to call me tomorrow.

At the least, most cruise lines let you know what the available shore excursions might be. When you put this much money into a cruise you expect a superior level of service.

I have booked a cruise with Viking for April 14, 2018. The shore excursions were supposed to have been available for viewing December 17 and could be booked January 7 with an Explorer Suite. So far no excursions are available to review AND even though it says book now for shore excursions, none are available as yet. I have placed three phone calls to Viking with no resolution. They responded with a "we're a little behind on up-loading the shore excursions." This is my first cruise with Viking and so far am not impressed. Someone is supposed to call me tomorrow.

 

At the least, most cruise lines let you know what the available shore excursions might be. When you put this much money into a cruise you expect a superior level of service.

What sailing will you be on?

If it has been done before, you can view the excursions on the main web page of Viking Ocean without prices. They should be available for booking on your MVJ with the price for all the optional ones. I would call customer relations first thing on Monday. As they said, there seems to be a problem on the MVJ with thier loading or they are loading new ones.Their number appears under one of the drop downs on you MVJ under travel updates or notifications.

BTW, welcome to Cruise Critic and the Viking Forum.

Thank you to everyone for your replies. An hour after my booking window opened the winery tour I was interested in sold out so if I hadn’t looked right at opening I wouldn’t of gotten it!

:D

MyVikingJourney showed 1 day until I could book yesterday. I wasn't sure if the 1 day was yesterday or today. Set my alarm for 3am, checked MVJ - and they were open for business! I was able to book all the excursions and time slots we wanted, but when I got up after going back to sleep, I saw that there were some excursions sold out. It was worth losing a bit of sleep, although my cats got all excited thinking they were getting fed!

MyVikingJourney showed 1 day until I could book yesterday. I wasn't sure if the 1 day was yesterday or today. Set my alarm for 3am, checked MVJ - and they were open for business! I was able to book all the excursions and time slots we wanted, but when I got up after going back to sleep, I saw that there were some excursions sold out. It was worth losing a bit of sleep, although my cats got all excited thinking they were getting fed!

That is great news! Glad you got everything you wanted.

My friend who lives in MT time will be booking our excursions for both of us. I will get my sleep and send her a check for th optional tour.:)

A question please. We are looking at taking our first Viking Ocean cruise next year for my husbands birthday. I have read that a shore excursion is included in the price. Can anyone explain what type would this be? All of you that are talking about booking an excursion, is that because you did not like the included one or is this an extra one to do in port?

I am sure i will have more questions once we get a cruise booked. Thanks in advance.

If you have problems with reserving an included excursion contact TellUs@vikingcruises.com, they will assist you. Happy travels

A question please. We are looking at taking our first Viking Ocean cruise next year for my husbands birthday. I have read that a shore excursion is included in the price. Can anyone explain what type would this be? All of you that are talking about booking an excursion, is that because you did not like the included one or is this an extra one to do in port?

 

I am sure i will have more questions once we get a cruise booked. Thanks in advance.

The included can be a walking tour or a bus tour with stops. In June , we did both included and optional tours. It really just depended on what we want to see and do. In two weeks , we’re touring the Caribbean and South America so we chose just included tours because we want to enjoy the ship. In April on our river cruise, we are doing the included and some optional tours. Happy travels.

Our booking window opened this am. Got the times we wanted for all the included excursions and got the optional tour we wanted. My friend booked for both of us. She said it was very easy at 12:00 am PT.:D

A question please. We are looking at taking our first Viking Ocean cruise next year for my husbands birthday. I have read that a shore excursion is included in the price. Can anyone explain what type would this be? All of you that are talking about booking an excursion, is that because you did not like the included one or is this an extra one to do in port?

 

I am sure i will have more questions once we get a cruise booked. Thanks in advance.

Yes - 1 shore excursion is included at every port. The type of excursion depends on the port. In Europe, there is often some particular sight to see. You will walk or bus there, see the sight and then maybe take a walking tour or have some free time. Sometimes you are right in the port city - then it would be a walking tour to see the highlights. Viking generally does a very good job with the included tours. We enjoyed the ones on our river cruise very much.

We are doing the West Indies Explorer on Viking Ocean, so we are going to stop at a different island each day. Most islands don't have the kind of attractions cities in Europe would have, so most of ours are bus rides around the island or a walking tour of the port city. In San Juan, for instance, we get a walking tour of Old San Juan. St Croix is being substituted for Tortola so we are getting a walking tour there as well. St Kitts is a bus tour around the island with stops at some historical buildings and a botanical garden. St Lucia is a bus tour with stops at a mountain for the views, then a private estate tour. And so on.

Each included tour has different time slots to choose from. You have to make a reservation for the time slot you want. 9:30 sold out fast for the included ones on our cruise.

Viking also offers a number of mostly reasonably priced optional excursions. Many of these sell out fast, which is part of the reason we are all getting up early or in the middle of the night! If you want the good times slots for the included excursions and/or you have a particular excursion that you really want to do you need to book fast. You can wait until you are on the ship, but there's a chance you won't get what you want to do - or a good time slot.

We wanted to do the Photo excursion in Barbados because we both love photography. We signed up for the St Kitts Railway tour because we really like trains and it's a bit unique. We are doing 2 Land and Sea tours - in St Lucia & Antigua. We are taking a catamaran sail to St John from St Thomas. Again, the Caribbean is a whole different kind of trip than say a Mediterranean or Baltic cruise. Other than gorgeous scenery and a few historic spots there are not many places to visit on the islands. Beaches and shopping are what most people go there for.

Viking river is a different experience, altogether. We did reserve our included tours, but we mostly only took the included ones. Schedules on river cruises are subject to change and do change, so Viking assigns the slots, but mostly everyone leaves at the same time - just on different buses.

This is our first Viking Ocean and Viking does things quite a bit differently from other lines we've cruised with. Do go on the My Viking Journey as soon as you book. You add your booking number and everything will be there for you - when you can book excursions, reservations for the specialty restaurants, etc.

When you are booking your cruise, you will see the different levels of cabins (all have verandas). You get to pick the excursion slots and book the optionals on a time schedule that allows the upper priced levels earlier pick. Suites first, then Penthouse Veranda, then Deluxe Veranda (what we have), then the regular Veranda rooms. You also get rooms ready earlier in the higher levels. Everyone can board at 11am. They hold your luggage and you can explore the ship or have lunch or explore the port. Hope that all makes sense.

I'm looking forward to a great cruise!

Our booking window opened this am. Got the times we wanted for all the included excursions and got the optional tour we wanted. My friend booked for both of us. She said it was very easy at 12:00 am PT.:D

Awesome! I'm glad that worked out for you! We'll take good care of the ship for you! Maybe we can stow away in your closet for the TA :)