Question about booking excursions

[Mare10]

I have booked private excursions in the past and also through Princess. For an upcoming cruise to Alaska the zip line excursion that we're interested could be booked either way. Am I better off booking through Princess? Appreciate the help!

[paul929207]

I always book private tours unless there is a strong reason to do Princess.

[Husky61]

I have booked private excursions in the past and also through Princess. For an upcoming cruise to Alaska the zip line excursion that we're interested could be booked either way. Am I better off booking through Princess? Appreciate the help!

 

Why would you be better off booking it through Princess? Unless you want to spend extra money.:)

[AKman2495]

Why would you be better off booking it through Princess? Unless you want to spend extra money.:)

 

Well, because they guarantee that you will not be left behind. Now, normally, for most ports and excursions, that is not a problem. But last November we went to Cozumel and took a ferry (40 minutes) to the main land for a Maya ruins tour. We had just left the ship when another cruise ship pulled in. They closed the gangway for about 15 minutes until the other ship was tied up. That put everyone back. So, we were delayed getting to the mainland.

 

The tour was great and we had a full day ashore. We then took the ferry back (another 40 minutes) by that time, we were about 1 hour late. In other words the ship should have left one hour before we got there. They were there waiting for us. There were no cold towels only an eager security staff trying to get us aboard ASAP!

 

We made it and the ship left port late - but we were on it.

 

If you have booked a private tour and got back to Cozumel an hour late the ship would have been long gone....

[OCruisers]

Booking through Princess is EASY & CONVENIENT! :D

LuLu

[caribill]

I have booked private excursions in the past and also through Princess. For an upcoming cruise to Alaska the zip line excursion that we're interested could be booked either way. Am I better off booking through Princess? Appreciate the help!

 

 

If you have booked a private tour and got back to Cozumel an hour late the ship would have been long gone....

 

The Cozumel experience is an unlikely scenario for the selected excursion in an Alaska port.

 

I also would not take an independent excursion from Cozumel to the mainland. I would have no worries about taking an independent excursion that remains on the island of Cozumel.

Edited October 19, 2014 by caribill

[nukesubsailor]

I have booked private excursions in the past and also through Princess. For an upcoming cruise to Alaska the zip line excursion that we're interested could be booked either way. Am I better off booking through Princess? Appreciate the help!

 

Last month we were on a cruise with a port visit in San Francisco. We had booked the Princess excursion to Alcatraz that began at 9:30 am. While sailing from Victoria we encountered a bad storm that delayed our arrival in San Francisco until noon. Princess did not charge us for the excursion we missed. People who had booked independent excursions for that morning were not so fortunate.

[joeyancho]

Well, because they guarantee that you will not be left behind. Now, normally, for most ports and excursions, that is not a problem. But last November we went to Cozumel and took a ferry (40 minutes) to the main land for a Maya ruins tour. We had just left the ship when another cruise ship pulled in. They closed the gangway for about 15 minutes until the other ship was tied up. That put everyone back. So, we were delayed getting to the mainland.

 

The tour was great and we had a full day ashore. We then took the ferry back (another 40 minutes) by that time, we were about 1 hour late. In other words the ship should have left one hour before we got there. They were there waiting for us. There were no cold towels only an eager security staff trying to get us aboard ASAP!

 

We made it and the ship left port late - but we were on it.

 

If you have booked a private tour and got back to Cozumel an hour late the ship would have been long gone....

 

 

There is no private tour to Tulum. The only way to go there is thru a ship sponsored tour. That tour always gets back at the last minute. Don't be afraid to book a private excursion. They know what time the ship leaves. They don't want you staying at their house.

Edited October 19, 2014 by joeyancho

[Mare10]

Thank you all for the advice!

[EddieCruzer]

A couple of years ago in Alaska, we booked the Bearing Sea Crab Fisherman Tour through Princess. There were 23 Princess passengers on the excursion. We got back more than 45 mins late. We all ran to the dock, boarded, and we were gone.

 

I do remember when we were in Helsinki, the captain left 4 people who were running toward the dock after we had already departed.

[AKman2495]

The Cozumel experience is an unlikely scenario for the selected excursion in an Alaska port.

 

really? I live in Alaska and can assure you that there are times the weather can close up on you in a hurry. If you are taking a flight seeing tour, for example, you could easily run into time trouble.

 

I also would not take an independent excursion from Cozumel to the mainland. I would have no worries about taking an independent excursion that remains on the island of Cozumel.

 

As I said, most excursions will not be a problem. I was responding to this comment: "Why would you be better off booking it through Princess? Unless you want to spend extra money." Made by Husky61.

 

Obviously, there are other considerations besides the price of an excursion. That was the point I was trying to make.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We were on an excursion in Skagway that got back to the ship after the scheduled sailaway time (even past the on board time) due to weather conditions. It was an excursion booked through Princess so the guide stayed in touch with the ship, which waited for us to get back.

 

Most of the time we just go out in port on our own (but we usually don't go beyond say 15 miles from the port and always plan to be back on the ship an hour early). But of our excursions we have booked, we prefer the Princess ones (yes, really). And when I compared the costs with a comparable independent one, I've found not a major difference.

[24639]

When I am booking excursions privately or with Princess I always factor in how much it would cost to get myself and my family to the next port should something go horribly wrong and we miss the ship. It gives me peace of mind to book through Princess.

[canadarocks]

I always find it amusing how people use Princess excursions that arrive back to the ship late... as an excuse to book Princess excursions. ;):D

[cb at sea]

IF your ship's excursion is too late, they WILL leave you...but they will get you to the next port. We know how to tell time, and really don't worry about getting left behind...

 

That said, ship's excursions are totally fool-proof...you do nothing but show up when and where they tell you, and have fun from that point on.