Excursion Question

[Ladypop]

I have bitten the bullet and have started trying to book excursions for our cruise to Fiji in November. The tribe of three have given me their choices, and I thought I'd be smart and try and book directly with the tour people than through Princess, and hopefully save some money in the process. Two of the three outings that we had decided on only deal through the cruise ship, so I feel like I really have no choice. One of the outings was almost fifty percent more expensive with Princess than it was on the tour guide site, and the tour only lasts an hour and a half, where the same tour was considerably longer when booked through the tour site. Is this a common thing?? My boys desperately want to do these activities, but I can't help feeling just a bit cranky about the whole deal. Does this happen when you're staying at a resort or is it just a cruise ship thing??

[-Lew-]

Hello Ladypop...

 

In looking at your past posts, it appears you have not joined your roll call. You may want to check out the Roll Call for your particular cruise where you'll meet others cruising with you. Quite often roll call members organize private tours that you may be able to join.

 

To find the Roll Call for your cruise: click here, then click on the [name of your ship] Roll Calls, then search the list for the embarkation date of your cruise. Click on it for your Roll Call.

 

Enjoy your cruise...

 

Lew

[1025cruise]

Definitely join your roll call to see about tour shares.

 

Also, unfortunately, the cruise lines might require the tour operators to sign a non-compete so that you must book with them. With that being said, there might be other tour operators running similar tours.

[leavingocalaagain]

I have bitten the bullet and have started trying to book excursions for our cruise to Fiji in November. The tribe of three have given me their choices, and I thought I'd be smart and try and book directly with the tour people than through Princess, and hopefully save some money in the process. Two of the three outings that we had decided on only deal through the cruise ship, so I feel like I really have no choice. One of the outings was almost fifty percent more expensive with Princess than it was on the tour guide site, and the tour only lasts an hour and a half, where the same tour was considerably longer when booked through the tour site. Is this a common thing?? My boys desperately want to do these activities, but I can't help feeling just a bit cranky about the whole deal. Does this happen when you're staying at a resort or is it just a cruise ship thing??

 

 

The advice to join the roll call is your best chance to find others that have identified tour operators that are independent. Your also correct in estimating that the Princess tours are about 50% higher.... which is in line for almost all the cruise lines and resorts to take about 1/3 of the cost of the excursion as their fee. As mentioned by a previous post, typically the tour operators that provide service to the particular cruise line will have a non-compete agreement. There will "almost" always be independent tour operators providing similar excursions at less cost.

 

Looks like your on the Sea Princess.... other roll call members may have already done the research for you regarding independent excursions. They will often be looking for others to join on booked excursions to further lower the cost.

 

Good luck and have a great cruise!

[Weluv2cruise2007]

We have almost NEVER booked with the ship for this reason. The roll call is extremely helpful, also go to the port section and go to each individual port of call and do a search for the particular activity you are looking for....I guarantee others have had the same questions or folks who have already done the cruise will post their recommendations for tour guides. We did a Med, British Isles as well as Baltic cruise doing every excursion entirely on our own without incident and saved a TON of money. You just need to be resourceful, proactive and adventurous.

[Times Prince]

I have bitten the bullet and have started trying to book excursions for our cruise to Fiji in November. The tribe of three have given me their choices, and I thought I'd be smart and try and book directly with the tour people than through Princess, and hopefully save some money in the process. Two of the three outings that we had decided on only deal through the cruise ship, so I feel like I really have no choice. One of the outings was almost fifty percent more expensive with Princess than it was on the tour guide site, and the tour only lasts an hour and a half, where the same tour was considerably longer when booked through the tour site. Is this a common thing?? My boys desperately want to do these activities, but I can't help feeling just a bit cranky about the whole deal. Does this happen when you're staying at a resort or is it just a cruise ship thing??

If the tour operator has a non-compete clause with Princess in order to get the cruise ship business, then it does not matter what they show on the tour site, as that is unavailable. Princess requires extra insurance and safety options, and of course will make some profit on excursions. For many of the smaller islands this could limit the tour options.

 

My advice is if there is an active tour your family is interested in, then book it early via Princess Excursions so you don't miss out. In other areas of the world tours such as zip-line and swim with dolphins will sell out very early.

If you later find a viable less expensive option then you canimmediately cancel the Princess tour online ( no cost here in the USA ) before the cruise so others may have the option to book with Princess.

[Kinkacruiser]

I have bitten the bullet and have started trying to book excursions for our cruise to Fiji in November. The tribe of three have given me their choices, and I thought I'd be smart and try and book directly with the tour people than through Princess, and hopefully save some money in the process. Two of the three outings that we had decided on only deal through the cruise ship, so I feel like I really have no choice. One of the outings was almost fifty percent more expensive with Princess than it was on the tour guide site, and the tour only lasts an hour and a half, where the same tour was considerably longer when booked through the tour site. Is this a common thing?? My boys desperately want to do these activities, but I can't help feeling just a bit cranky about the whole deal. Does this happen when you're staying at a resort or is it just a cruise ship thing??

 

You're paying for the convenience. I have found that the Fijian tourism companies/ operators are not overly enthusiastic about offering tours privately.The few operators that do exist there are most likely contracted to Princess.

Enjoy Fiji and hope your boys enjoy that excursion.

[Ladypop]

Thanks for all the replies. I have checked the roll calls several times but there isn't one for our particular cruise (yet) and I don't know enough about cruising to start one. We have booked the excursions through Princess because there's no way I'm going to let my boys miss out. I just feel a bit peeved, I guess. Time to put on my big girl panties and eat the cost. After all, it's a once in a lifetime deal for us, so gotta look at the big picture.

[MauiLvrs]

One of the outings was almost fifty percent more expensive with Princess than it was on the tour guide site, and the tour only lasts an hour and a half, where the same tour was considerably longer when booked through the tour site. Is this a common thing??

Part of the time difference may be that the tour has to be adjusted to the ships schedule and the operator is responsible to get you back to the ship before it sails.

 

Booking an independent tour, you accept full responsibility to return to the ship before it sails away without you. :eek: Miss it and you are on your own.

 

While Princesses tours typically are more expensive, every single tour we have booked through Princess has been high quality, very well organized, smoothly run. So, while you pay more ... there is a value added.

 

We have booked every one of our SCUBA dives through Princess. Yes it cost more, but it is through their 5 Star PADI shop, organized and briefed by a PADI instructor (that many times escorts the group on the dive).

 

For example ... our dive in Barbados. Tied up concurrently next to RCCL. Our dive group meet in the Wheelhouse bar an half-hour or so prior to or scheduled tour time. We met with our PADI dive instructor and completed all of the paperwork for the dive operator. She briefed the dives in detail. She gathered the group together and escorted us off the ship, bypassing the disembarking lines, to our waiting transportation and off we went directly to our dive boat. The RCI dive group was last seen as we drove off to the dive boat sitting at tables in the sun and wind on the dock filling out paper work. So ... while we're waiting on the dive boat for the folks from RCCL, the dive operator decided that time so sail was up, the boat had adequate number of divers, so off we went. The folks from RCCl were sent out on the backup boat when they finally arrived about a half-hour late. Besides .... every Princess dive we have been on the operator used the Divers Alert Network diver accountability system. The others ... maybe not. Not worth being left as sea for a few bucks.

 

Besides ... it has been said many times here that it is ALWAYS ABOUT THE MONEY .. and increased tour sales increases ship income that allows lower fares. It would follow that decreases tour income would lead to higher cruise fares. Have to pay one way or another.

 

Besides, you're on a Princess vacation and should be treated as a Princess ... Enjoy the smooth running tours and your trip. Hope you feel a little less peeved.