Need help with online shore exc.prices

[alexandra cruiser]

when looking at them,I see 2 prices listed. Is there a package or discount for booking more?

 

Am first timer on Celebrity and trying to get all the info I need.

 

Do these exc.book up fairly quickly, does PH guest get first date to book,like some lines?

 

Have you been mostly happy with those you took?Any help would be appreciated.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Celebrity does bundle excursions from several ports into one price that is a bit lower than booking them separately. The only time I see 2 prices is if there is a lower child's price.

 

Some excursions book up fairly fast, especially if they are of limited availabity such as flight seeing in Alaska.

 

It would help to know what ship and destination you are on.

[cruzzzinma]

The two prices are adult and child (12 and under).

 

Once the shore excursions are open for booking, anyone may book. Suite guests do not have an early booking opportunity. However, once onboard, the suite concierge in Michael's Club has magical powers. He or she can book excursions from his/her desk, can often get seats in "sold out" excursions and do whatever else is necessary.

 

If there is something you absolutely have to do, I'd book it in advance. However, I have never booked a ship shore excursion before boarding.

[nojoke]

The two prices are adult and child (12 and under).

 

Once the shore excursions are open for booking, anyone may book. Suite guests do not have an early booking opportunity. However, once onboard, the suite concierge in Michael's Club has magical powers. He or she can book excursions from his/her desk, can often get seats in "sold out" excursions and do whatever else is necessary.

 

If there is something you absolutely have to do, I'd book it in advance. However, I have never booked a ship shore excursion before boarding.

I, also, never book Celebrity shore excursions before boarding the ship. That being said, In April I noticed the prices onboard were a bit higher than I had seen several weeks earlier. So, it may be possible to save a little bit booking ahead of time.

It’s pretty easy to go to Shore Excursions on your first day and book all your excursions at that time. I have not had luck doing it on the cabin TV.

[cheeseheads4ever]

For those of you experienced cruisers. Have you ever booked any excursions not thru Celebrity. They put the fear of God in you that thaey wont wait for you. But if you book theu Celebrity they will wait.

Any worrys about not booking thru cruise line? I know common sense prevails meaning dont book a cruise and cut yourself short on time.

Just wondering?

[cheeseheads4ever]

For those of you experienced cruisers. Have you ever booked any excursions not thru Celebrity. They put the fear of God in you that thaey wont wait for you. But if you book theu Celebrity they will wait.

Any worrys about not booking thru cruise line? I know common sense prevails meaning dont book a cruise and cut yourself short on time.

Just wondering?

[mom says]

For those of you experienced cruisers. Have you ever booked any excursions not thru Celebrity. They put the fear of God in you that thaey wont wait for you. But if you book theu Celebrity they will wait.

Any worrys about not booking thru cruise line? I know common sense prevails meaning dont book a cruise and cut yourself short on time.

Just wondering?

 

I'll ask the same question someone up thread asked. Where are you cruising to? Which ports?

 

Our cruises have been mostly Caribbean. On our very first cruise, the cruise line's warnings intimidated us into taking only their excursions. But since then, we have either done private excursions that I found by researching the POC forum and TripAdvisor ; or we get a taxi and DIY. Almost always cheaper. And we avoid the big bus and the big crowd.

 

Private tour operators depend very heavily on good reviews by their guests. They wouldn't stay in business long if their customers missed their ship's sailing. When we DIY, we keep our eye on our watches and allow LOTS of time to get back before sail away.

 

Now, there are some cruises that have ports that are quite a distance to the nearest city. Or that are in areas where it's just not smart to go out on your own (unless you know the area well). For these, a cruise line excursion can provide the needed peace of mind.

[cheeseheads4ever]

Sorry i should have mentioned itinerary, St Thomas,St Martin,St Kitts , Barbados.

[alexandra cruiser]

for possible booking.

Decided to just go on own in Key West and Nassua,as we have been on most of exc.listed .

 

Re. going on own. We have booked privately and luckily had no probs. THat being said, had 2 cruises where some people were very late and missed the boat, literally.Had to meet up at next port. Would depend on country,city,nearness to port from city,etc.. Now we ALWAYS take our passport,or copy, just in case. And copy of itinerary. Hope we Never have to do that.

[NAGooner]

alexander cruiser & cheeseheads4ever,

 

Whilst we have visited all of the islands you listed, including Key West, generally all of our port excursions have been booked independent of the ship (usually over the internet) and we have never had a problem with them. We find that the ship's excursions (we have taken a few in the past) whilst they were OK, have tended to be more expensive and more crowded than the independent operators.

 

We find that the independent operators usually provide very similar offerings within the catagory they serve, whether it be sightseeing or day sails, etc. The majority of these operators provide an excellent product most of the time, regardles of their ranking on Trip Advisor (they need a high % of "excellent" and "very good" reviews to make our short list - you do, however, need to look at some of the tour reports on TA carefully before accepting them at face value, check the location reviews and forums on CC and the companys' web sites). They usually dealt with us in a vey courteous manner and were quick to respond to our requests for information.

 

Some of these operators do encounter glitches now and again, for various reasons, some self inflicted (taking on more customers than they can reasonably handle), some due to unreasonable expectations by their customers (we are after all visiting a small Caribbean island - a little more laid back, operating on island time, internet service only so-so, the Owner both working at and manging the operation) both of which can result in less than stellar reviews.

 

It is generally true that the ship will wait for the ship's excursions to arrive before sailing and that you are on your own if an independent operator is late back. With the independents' they won't be getting many more cruise customers if they are late.

 

We always make sure that we return in good time to the ship, like an hour or so before we need to be there (if we sail at 5:00 pm and last boarding is at 4:30 pm we like to be back at the port no later than 3:00 to 3:30 pm; we can always look around the port shops or have a drink if we are that early). We take copies of our documents and the telephone number of the Cruise line's port agent with us, just in case. Most people who are late tend to spent too much time at Senor Frogs!!!

 

When would we use a ships excursions - if we are new to cruising, if we are new to the port or the country we are visiting; if we can't speak the language and there are not many people who can speak our language (eg. Central America); if we are uncomfortable in the locaton we are visiting; if there is a great distance between our port and the excursion location, involving long bus or train journey's (eg. Central America - Cancun to Tulum archiological site, Germany - port of Warnemunde to Berlin); if the tour is lengthy, longer than 6 hours, as any delays can add up (eg. Central America - Cancun to Tulum, Panama Canal, Germany - port of Warnemunde to Berlin).

 

NAGooner