Booking Shore Excursions - Questions

[LFM]

We're trying to decide on a RCCL cruise for January, 2011. Questions: how far in advance can shore excursions be booked and do we pay for them when they are booked?

[Verde Man]

You should be able to book now for your excursions on the RCI web site. They will charge your credit card for the excursions when you book. You can also book now with other providers. It would depend on their policy when their payment is due.

 

We have booked our own many times and it has varied as to when we pay them, about half waited until we met before payment the others I paid at time of booking. I have never had trouble getting my money back if weather canceled the excursion.

 

Gary

[Bakincakes]

My granddaughter is sailing on the 1-9-11 FOS Western...all of her excursions are booked except Falmouth.

 

2 are with RCI..the Grand Cayman is a private one.

[illi]

I hear people say that when going to the Carribean it's much cheaper to book the excursions while on shore..and you'll find practically all the excursions provided on deck...Is this true? any help will be much appreciated cause we're gonna be a party of 8 so some money saving will be appreciated!!! :)

[cruise pup]

I hear people say that when going to the Carribean it's much cheaper to book the excursions while on shore..and you'll find practically all the excursions provided on deck...Is this true? any help will be much appreciated cause we're gonna be a party of 8 so some money saving will be appreciated!!! :)

 

I think with a group of 8 you would be able to negotiate the price. Some independents will offer a group rate. As far as booking ahead go, most independents will ask you for a deposit at the time of booking and then you pay them the balance when you take the tour. But a lot will only accept cash for the balance, so be prepared.

 

I never book in advance with the cruise lines that want full payment like Royal Caribbean. Princess and NCL reserve your spot and put the charge on your onboard account. I would only book and pay ahead if I knew for sure the excursion would be sold out before the cruise. This can happen with some of the more popular Alaska tours but I don't think there are many tours in the Caribbean like that.

[illi]

Thanks for your reply

 

maybe i didnt explain myself but what i meant was that when you disembark at a port you will find agents that sells the tours there and they turn out to be much cheaper...is it true?

[Summer_Baby]

Thanks for your reply

 

maybe i didnt explain myself but what i meant was that when you disembark at a port you will find agents that sells the tours there and they turn out to be much cheaper...is it true?

 

It is true, but booking with the cruise line offers a safety net that these agents cannot. If your excursion runs late (and they will) the ship will wait for you as long as you booked through them. If you book with this pier agent, you could find yourself watching your ship sail off from the pier. I don't know that I'd go without that insurance in a foreign country. Is it really worth it to risk that?

 

I'd go with cruise pup on this one and see if you could negotiate a large group rate.

[Len3]

We usually book our own and many times with other CC members on our "roll calls" - but for the Brilliance of the Seas, we're sticking with the ship's

excursions as this is the "Suez Canal" with Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. We feel that we need the "umbrella" of RCCL, even though it costs more - the ship won't leave without us.

[cruise pup]

It is true, but booking with the cruise line offers a safety net that these agents cannot. If your excursion runs late (and they will) the ship will wait for you as long as you booked through them. If you book with this pier agent, you could find yourself watching your ship sail off from the pier. I don't know that I'd go without that insurance in a foreign country. Is it really worth it to risk that?

 

I think it all depends on where you are taking the excursion, how far you will be from the ship and how easy it will be to return to the ship. But remember if you do go off on your own take the information with the local phone numbers in case you need to contact the ship and let them know you ran into trouble.

[NorbertsNiece]

This thread is interesting in that it pulled in a comment which intrigued me. The USA is a foreign country for me and yet I didn't hesitate to book all my land excursions during the cruise portion of my Alaska itinerary independently.

Independent traders would soon go out of business if they failed to return their passengers on time; I wonder how many times this has happened..... for whatever reason.....

[cruise pup]

Thanks for your reply

 

maybe i didnt explain myself but what i meant was that when you disembark at a port you will find agents that sells the tours there and they turn out to be much cheaper...is it true?

 

In certain ports you will find this. But I prefer to find names of reliable operators by checking the ports of call section on this board. I don't want to just rely on someone walking up to me and handing me a flyer. Also, I want to know the variety of tours available so I can select exactly what I want to see and do.