RCCL web question

[usateg]

Good morning all,

I have a quick RCCL website question. I am booked on the Splendour in Nov & wanted to reserve my shore excursions beforehand. (I am old school & like to use the cruise line even though they are more expensive). I see that they have the new vacation planner. Has anybody used this? Reason I am asking is because it is asking for payment after I reserve my excursions. Do they have to be paid up front or can I reserve & pay at the end of my cruise as I have in the past on many RCCL cruises? I once did a cruise where I did not reserve the excursion beforehand & found out once on the cruise that they were all booked & had to scramble to find new ones.

 

Any help or advise on this from anybody that has used the new Vacation Planner would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you!:)

[FLACRUISER99]

Yes you must pay in advance. However it is refundable until 24hrs(I think)before you take the excursion.

Edited June 19, 2014 by FLACRUISER99

[delacruz]

We don't often book ship excursions but any time we have we've had to pay beforehand for at least the past several years.

 

My advice for using the new Vacation Planner is to have something else to do at the same time... Reading, researching, watching TV, etc. For me, that makes it less frustrating while waiting for each page to load!

 

Also, I don't know if anything bookable on the Splendour is free, but on our Quantum sailing, even if it's a free reservation ( like a dinner or show) it has a button for payment information. We don't enter anything there, just click next and it's done after it spins a while. 😕

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[megr1125]

All excursions must be paid at time of booking, same with specialty dining..

 

I've been cruising for 10 years...any time I booked something with a charge ahead, I had to pay at that time...hence, I don't book anything ahead...

[usateg]

We don't often book ship excursions but any time we have we've had to pay beforehand for at least the past several years.

 

My advice for using the new Vacation Planner is to have something else to do at the same time... Reading, researching, watching TV, etc. For me, that makes it less frustrating while waiting for each page to load!

 

Also, I don't know if anything bookable on the Splendour is free, but on our Quantum sailing, even if it's a free reservation ( like a dinner or show) it has a button for payment information. We don't enter anything there, just click next and it's done after it spins a while.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

Thanks for the information. This must be new because I have never had to pay in the past on RCCL. In addition, I went on the new Royal Princess in Nov '13 & reserved the shore excursions on Princess website & did not have to pay. Also I just got off the Divina in May & the same thing (no payment & the tickets were waiting for me in the cabin). RCCL must be wanting to "nickel & dime" the customers beforehand.

[Clarea]

Thanks for the information. This must be new because I have never had to pay in the past on RCCL. In addition, I went on the new Royal Princess in Nov '13 & reserved the shore excursions on Princess website & did not have to pay. Also I just got off the Divina in May & the same thing (no payment & the tickets were waiting for me in the cabin). RCCL must be wanting to "nickel & dime" the customers beforehand.

Depends what you mean by "new". The policy whereby Royal requires payment up front for excursions has been in force for at least 7 years.

[voyager70]

Depends what you mean by "new". The policy whereby Royal requires payment up front for excursions has been in force for at least 7 years.

 

Agree, I've been cruising Royal for over 10 years and have always had to pay up front. I like it as it cuts down on the final bill at the end of the cruise. Now as for the new vacation planner - that's another story ;)

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Depends what you mean by "new". The policy whereby Royal requires payment up front for excursions has been in force for at least 7 years.

Agree - nothing new - we've also seen if for at least the past 6 years too.

[usateg]

Depends what you mean by "new". The policy whereby Royal requires payment up front for excursions has been in force for at least 7 years.

 

That is so weird because I have NEVER had to pay up front for the shore excursions. I have booked them ahead of time to reserve my space, the tickets have been waiting in our cabin & then they were tacked on to the final bill at the time of the cruise. I have done this with RCCL, Princess, NCL & MSC.

 

Huh:rolleyes:

[Clarea]

That is so weird because I have NEVER had to pay up front for the shore excursions. I have booked them ahead of time to reserve my space, the tickets have been waiting in our cabin & then they were tacked on to the final bill at the time of the cruise. I have done this with RCCL, Princess, NCL & MSC.

 

Huh:rolleyes:

I think you must be getting Royal confused with the other lines.

[usateg]

I think you must be getting Royal confused with the other lines.

 

 

I wish I were but as you can see I cruise mostly with Royal. Also, I keep all of my paperwork from my cruises & see that I paid at the end. There was one cruise that I waited until I got on & all of the shore excursions were booked & I had to scramble to find others at the last minute & I said I would never let that happen again. Either I have been getting lucky or I do not know.... :rolleyes:

 

Thank you for all for your input. I guess I will have to call RCCL & see what has happened in the past. :rolleyes:

[usateg]

We don't often book ship excursions but any time we have we've had to pay beforehand for at least the past several years.

 

My advice for using the new Vacation Planner is to have something else to do at the same time... Reading, researching, watching TV, etc. For me, that makes it less frustrating while waiting for each page to load!

 

Also, I don't know if anything bookable on the Splendour is free, but on our Quantum sailing, even if it's a free reservation ( like a dinner or show) it has a button for payment information. We don't enter anything there, just click next and it's done after it spins a while.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

Was wondering if anybody has used the new vacation planner. Can I reserve the excursions & not pay until I get very close to the cruise. The website states you can make changes up to 4 days before your cruise.

 

I am still perplexed because I have not had to pay for shore excursions before on RCCL (I triple checked my old paperwork). Thank you for any help that I can receive :rolleyes:

[TravelerThom]

...Can I reserve the excursions & not pay until I get very close to the cruise. The website states you can make changes up to 4 days before your cruise...

I'm pretty sure that you have to pay in order to reserve. At 4 days before the booking engine is turned off, and you may neither reserve or cancel until you get on the ship (where cancellations become refundable sums on your ship account). Up until 4 days before you can cancel and get a refund directly back to your credit card.

 

Thom

[Ourusualbeach]

Was wondering if anybody has used the new vacation planner. Can I reserve the excursions & not pay until I get very close to the cruise. The website states you can make changes up to 4 days before your cruise.

 

I am still perplexed because I have not had to pay for shore excursions before on RCCL (I triple checked my old paperwork). Thank you for any help that I can receive :rolleyes:

 

You must pay at the time you book. If you don't want to pay until close to the cruise then you will have to wait until then to book and take your chances that he excursions that you want are not sold out.

[JetsFanCruiser]

All excursions paid up front for me on last 4 cruises on RCCL...since 2008...

[MichaelCMTX]

I like it as it cuts down on the final bill at the end of the cruise. Now as for the new vacation planner - that's another story ;)

 

Regarding #1: completely agree. In my eyes anything we can have paid off before leaving the house makes the cruise that much happier.

 

Regarding #2 : the first time I worked with it I was ready to fling the computer across the room. "What is this, dial up?" It got better, so I'm thinking there may simply be a lot of stuff that is best loaded into the cache for faster browsing.