how to find out if excursions are filled before you reserve your cruise

[sunshine340]

We are looking at the Alaska cruise (Seattle to Seattle) and it's practically filled. I want to know how I can find out if certain excursions are already filled before we even reserve our cruise. For example....my family really wants to do a dogsled excursion. How can I find out if there is availability for the dogsled activity on the cruise I'm interested in?.......BEFORE i sign up for the cruise. I mean this is Alaska....and if all of the good excursions are full...then I'll wait and go to Alaska another time.

 

THANKS!!

[Kamloops50]

We are looking at the Alaska cruise (Seattle to Seattle) and it's practically filled. I want to know how I can find out if certain excursions are already filled before we even reserve our cruise. For example....my family really wants to do a dogsled excursion. How can I find out if there is availability for the dogsled activity on the cruise I'm interested in?.......BEFORE i sign up for the cruise. I mean this is Alaska....and if all of the good excursions are full...then I'll wait and go to Alaska another time.

 

THANKS!!

You can't find out unless you have a confirmed booking.

[spookwife]

short answer: you do not.

 

you cannot access the excursions/ reserve them until after you have booked and paid in full.

[Kamloops50]

Depending on the cruise line they can be ordered before final payment.

On Princess and Holland America you can book and reserve tours as soon as they are open. Both don't charge you until you board the ship.

[Hlitner]

As others have said, you have to really book before you can access that kind of info. And many times they do not even open up bookings for all the excursions are in advance.

 

I will mention that a few years ago we decided to take a helicopter/dog sled excursion in Juneau. Normally, DW and I do not do excursions (we are very independent travelers) but this one came highly recommended. It was also the most expensive excursion we have ever taken ( I think it cost $399 a person..and this was years ago). It was such a perfect day/excursion we would have paid double. When we got to Juneau we lucked out and had a warm gorgeous day (temps were in the 60s) without a cloud in the sky. Our helicopter ride was just breathtaking as our pilot flew us up Juneau glacier and pointed out all the landmarks. We landed high up on the glacier at a summer dog sled camp where many of the Iditerod dogs go for training. We all got to drive dogsleds for quite a distance outside the camp and it was just amazing. The lead dog on our sled (our dogs pulled 2 sleds (chained together) had actually been a lead dog on one of the top 10 finishers in the Iditerod. Anyone who thinks that dogsleds are a cruel way to treat dogs would think differently once they actually see how it all works. These dogs live to run (and pull sleds) and they are cared for better then most people.

 

We also happened to meat Ray Reddington Jr, whose Great Grandfather was the co founder of the Iditerod (these guys saved lives). Because of your post we just looked at the current Iditerod standings (the race is ongoing at this moment) and saw that Ray was currently in 8th Place :). Ray was signing autographs (and raising money) in a camping store in Ketchian when we met, and had a puppy (from his lead dog) that was just so darn cute.

 

Hank

Edited March 15, 2014 by Hlitner

[janetjulie]

We are looking at the Alaska cruise (Seattle to Seattle) and it's practically filled. I want to know how I can find out if certain excursions are already filled before we even reserve our cruise. For example....my family really wants to do a dogsled excursion. How can I find out if there is availability for the dogsled activity on the cruise I'm interested in?.......BEFORE i sign up for the cruise. I mean this is Alaska....and if all of the good excursions are full...then I'll wait and go to Alaska another time.

 

THANKS!!

My suggestion would be to go to the roll call for the cruise your interested in taking and ask there. Someone who is already booked on the cruise could look it up for you. I hope it works out for you. We loved our Alaska cruise (also did Seattle to Seattle) and hope to go again.

[paul929207]

Maybe you or your TA could get an answer from the cruise line.

 

Maybe someone on the roll call for the cruise could check for you, but that would not guarantee availability.

[dsrdsrdsr]

Ring the cruise line, tell them you're thinking of booking but only if that particular excursion is available. I doubt they'd refuse to tell you.