Booking Excursions

[Runfold]

Can someone tell me - which I'm sure you can :)

are the prices the same on board as they are on their website if you book before you go?

Also when on board are the excursions the same or do they offer different ones - like more choice?

[kruzseeka]

Can someone tell me - which I'm sure you can :)

are the prices the same on board as they are on their website if you book before you go?

Also when on board are the excursions the same or do they offer different ones - like more choice?

 

Ha! Well I would have given you one answer before they started doing bookings on-line but it may just be a bit different now.

 

Before the on-line booking was possible, they always advertised excursions on their site and stated that prices may vary once on board - also that the excursions offered may not be all that would be on offer (i.e. could be others available) or may not be available (i.e. not running) once you get on board and that the Destinations Guide which is in your cabin on arrival was the definitive list of excursions on offer.

 

In practice I found prices were pretty well the same but there were usually more in the Dest Guide than were advertised on the website. (Since some excursions could be described on line a year or more before your cruise I guess they had to reserve the right to alter pricing a bit or make changes as they couldn't be absolutely sure that far ahead.)

 

Anyway, now you can book on-line they don't let you do that too far ahead of the sailing date and you pay up front so I don't expect the prices would change. Also I would expect them to be the same on board and I would imagine they are offering you the complete range now. But this is only my opinions.

 

Has anyone got home since the on-line booking system came in and are my assumptions correct?

[Essexlass2]

I'd be interested to know too how far in advance the excursions appear on-line and also whether the numbers accepted are limitless or do they close any excursion if there are already enough booked. Hopefully someone will enlighten us here, they usually do as they're all such a happy and helpful crew on this forum :)

[Runfold]

I'd be interested to know too how far in advance the excursions appear on-line and also whether the numbers accepted are limitless or do they close any excursion if there are already enough booked. Hopefully someone will enlighten us here, they usually do as they're all such a happy and helpful crew on this forum :)

 

 

oops :confused: Hadn't thought about being over booked

 

Hope some one can enlighten us !!

[topsey130]

Perhaps with being able to book on line, fully booked excursions may be a thing of the past, especially if they know numbers well ahead, this will enable Thomson to book enough coaches etc.,to meet demand.:confused:

 

Bearing in mind not everyone uses the internet they will have to leave capacity for those who wish to book on board, it may be trail and error first year with numbers until they get the ratio of advance v on board bookings balanced.

 

Be interesting to see how this plays out.

[she153]

We booked two excursions on line prior to our cruise on the destiny last week. The prices are the same as you would pay on board, there was still availability on ship - we booked to ensure we got a place and also less money added to our bill at the end!! Did not notice extra excursions offered on ship - appeared exactly as the same as on line.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

I didn't know you could book on line! I tried and it said, chose from the list below and there was nothing there, so I thought it hadn't started yet!

 

Just tried again and it says you cannot book within 3 days of your holiday, so just have to book on board. Does anyone know what the trip round Margarita Island is like?

 

All packed! Anyone else off tomorrow!

[etrav]

We did a trip around Margarita in an open top bus several years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it - very laid back island.

[kruzseeka]

I also think within reason, they will put on as many coaches as necessary depending on demand. They usually close bookings and say they are full once they get close to the excursion date and they have completely filled the coaches and it's unlikely they are going to get many more booking i.e. not enough to warrant putting on an extra coach. If they have coaches with space you can even walk up to the Destination staff and ask just prior to the trip leaving. We've done it several times (sometimes when a destination hasn't looked very promising once we got there!).

 

The only exception is trips with 'Limited Availability' e.g. when we went to St Petersburg the 'Hermitage with the Gold Room' was only for 30 people (2 groups of 15 which is the size of groups they let through into the Gold Room which are at timed intervals). Other trips which might have limited space could perhaps be something like a submarine trip. When the limit is reached, they can't take any more. In this instance clearly booking ahead on-line would be a good idea. (We used to put our booking in as soon as we boareded for any trips like that but obviously on-line bookings would now beat you to it!)

 

We did the round Margarita Island trip but unfortunately our bus broke down so we didn't have the full experience. We stopped at some view points and at a craft-type village (good free bacardi and cokes here - mind that may have been to sweeten us up because of the wasted time waiting for a replacement bus - it did the trick! :D ) It was ok but my impressions perhaps aren't representative. It's true to say though that there isn't much around the port area except a small beach and since we went on the Thomson trip I can't remember if there were any taxis dock-side.

 

Anyway, have a wonderful time Linda - I'll be tracking your progress - and hope to get a full blow by blow account when you get back!!! :D Bon Voyage, and enjoy every minute! ;)

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Thanks Kruzseeka, Just off to bed, Got to catch the 4am coach to Gatwick:(

[ekco]

After they changed the itinerary from La Spezia to Livorno last year without notice I would be very wary about booking any excursion prior to sailing, particularly excursions independent of Thomson.:):)

 

Jan

[Calomax]

Perhaps with being able to book on line, fully booked excursions may be a thing of the past, especially if they know numbers well ahead, this will enable Thomson to book enough coaches etc.,to meet demand.:confused:

 

Bearing in mind not everyone uses the internet they will have to leave capacity for those who wish to book on board, it may be trail and error first year with numbers until they get the ratio of advance v on board bookings balanced.

 

Be interesting to see how this plays out.

Any excursions with limited availability are identified online for example the overnight Jerusalem one which we've booked. That's probably because of a limit on hotel rooms. But quite a few of our excursions for 26th April are not available to book online, not yet at least. But they aren't limited availabiloity ones.

[infoqueen]

We booked two for last week (la palma and morocco) and the tickets were delivered to our cabin we then booked an additional one for lanzarote and i am sure the prices were the same as on line. it was all very efficient and the on line bookings were easy to do. Got to say we found all three trips very good and excellant value for money.

[Runfold]

Oo infoqueen what Morroco trip did you do.

We're due to go to Tangier and Casablanca so would be interested in which one and what you thought of it

 

Thanks

:):)