Shore Ex. Pricing - $20 more when try to book it!

[psyllie]

We were thinking of doing the Isla Passion Twister tour in Cozumel. When we check available excursions it shows the price is $66. However, when I actually try to book it, the price is $84.95 per person! Quite a difference. I called Carnival direction and the rep told me that the first price shown is just a "general guideline" ...*****? Has anyone booked this tour recently and paid $66 or is the price really $84.95?

[AdrenalineRush]

We were thinking of doing the Isla Passion Twister tour in Cozumel. When we check available excursions it shows the price is $66. However, when I actually try to book it, the price is $84.95 per person! Quite a difference. I called Carnival direction and the rep told me that the first price shown is just a "general guideline" ...*****? Has anyone booked this tour recently and paid $66 or is the price really $84.95?

What the Carnival rep told you is correct.. on your excursion is says prices from $66, meaning that depending on the port times, the price can vary.

 

Description: Feel the adrenaline rush through your body in this extreme boat ride to Isla Pasión! Full Details

Duration: 5 Hours

Pricing From: Adult: $66 Child: $66

[psyllie]

Frankly, that stinks!

 

We'll just do something else with an independent.

[Julia Goolia]

We were thinking of doing the Isla Passion Twister tour in Cozumel. When we check available excursions it shows the price is $66. However, when I actually try to book it, the price is $84.95 per person! Quite a difference. I called Carnival direction and the rep told me that the first price shown is just a "general guideline" ...*****? Has anyone booked this tour recently and paid $66 or is the price really $84.95?

 

Same thing happened to me when I booked the Bobsled excursion in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Unfortunately no private tours include Mystic Mountain/the Bobsled ride so I had no choice but to buy into Carnival's scheme.

 

It really ticks me off and I think it's rather misleading, but in this instance, my friends all really wanted to do it so I felt like I had to go along with it. Ick!

[psyllie]

It ticks me off, too. I think it's a classic "bait and switch." I wonder if they give anyone the price that shows up on the first page.

 

Well, they baited and switched me right out of their excursion program. I'm not booking one single thing with them now. All independents.

[Justthe2ofUScruisin]

It ticks me off, too. I think it's a classic "bait and switch." I wonder if they give anyone the price that shows up on the first page.

 

Well, they baited and switched me right out of their excursion program. I'm not booking one single thing with them now. All independents.

 

 

I totally agree with you. Carnival needs to come down on there excursion prices.Or at least charge what you quote. We booked all of ours through independant.;)

[Julia Goolia]

I totally agree with you. Carnival needs to come down on there excursion prices.Or at least charge what you quote. We booked all of ours through independant.;)

 

I normally book independent as well. Better tours, more reasonable prices, less people, etc.

 

This will probably be the one and only excursion I book through Carnival and that is like I said, only because there are no independent excursions for this place. As it turns out, we are even more money by booking through Carnival because we aren't even going to use the transportation that is included as part of the excursion. We are simply going to have our private tour guide drop us off at Mystic Mountain and wait while we do what we want to do there and then pick us back up to finish the rest of our private tour.

 

Oh well -- we'll all have a good time and after all, I can't take the money with me when I die, right? :p

[Sargent_Schultz]

I have seen them change prices depending on demand. If more than one tour time is offered, they might be trying to shift people to another time. If you wait until the ship to book, you may well find it selling for the original price.

 

If they are selling above the original price on the internet, the tour may well sell out, however, they always seem to hold some tickets back for on ship sales.

[Bobby_Mac]

We rarely book anything through CCL. We are usually happy going to a beach and hanging out or walking around town. I think the prices are usually ridiculous for most excursions.

[psyllie]

We thought the Twister might be fun, and since it seems to be impossible to book except through the cruise line you are literally a hostage to whatever they choose to charge. We do usually book about 75% independent and try to choose a reasonable ship excursion--since we do try to find rock-bottom cruise prices, we figure the line is entitled to make a buck or two off of us somewhere. Not any more! I am shocked at how much higher Carnival's prices have become. It also seems really over the top that the 14-year-old who can't of course consume any alcohol, would have to pay the same $84.95 as an adult who can partake of the open bar.

 

For me, it's the principle of the thing--if they had just said on the list of excursions that the price was $84.95 then we might have moaned a little but decided to spring for it. But no way are we going to reward the deceptive practice of forcing you to go through almost the whole booking process and then get slapped with almost $20pp more than the price you thought you would be paying. It is also galling to think that Carnival Cruiser A can get the excursion for $66, while Carnival Cruise B has to pay $84.95 for the exact same thing just because of the day or time...it's not like WE have any choice as to what day or time we are able to take the excursion.

 

Julia Goolia--Ouch! But you are kind of stuck since that's what your traveling partners want to do.

 

Boo, hiss, Carnival!

 

No matter. We'll have an awesome, albeit-Twister-free time!