How long before cruise excursions get listed?

[Southendweather]

We are going to Iceland in August and currently there is no excursions listed for viewing and booking. When should I expect these to be available. The balance for the cruise is automatically taken in May and I was wondering if this had anything to do with it.

 

Keith (Southend)

[GP&LK]

Usually about 3-4 months before I think.

[the english lady]

We are going to Iceland in August and currently there is no excursions listed for viewing and booking. When should I expect these to be available. The balance for the cruise is automatically taken in May and I was wondering if this had anything to do with it.

 

Keith (Southend)

 

No it does have any bearing..Payment.

They will appear approx 12 weeks prior to sailing

[bee-ess]

we are going in Feb on Britannia and has our excursions available last August.

[Southendweather]

Thank you for your many replies. There are few excursions we are keen to do and don't want to miss the once in a lifetime chance. ALso looking forward to sailing on the Oriana once again as she has such character. :)

 

Keith (Southend)

[Cruiserjules]

We are cruising 11 weeks today, Greek Islands on Ventura. Did the similar cruise last year. We are very disappointed that the personaliser is showing only 4 excursions in Athens (all Acropolis-based), 1 excursion in Souda Bay, 1 in Mykanos, 1 in Santorini etc. Not sure if this is the final "choice" - have never known trips be released piece-meal before .......looks like we'll just be booking privately. We normally book a couple of exursions per cruise. The few trips that are there, appeared about two weeks ago, but we paid our final balance before Christmas.

[eddie11]

It was exactly the same for the April Greek Isles cruise last year. The full list of excursions was very late but it came eventually. I think there must be contract issues in Greece

[Cruiserjules]

Thank you. Will just keep checking the personaliser. Hoping to see the Corinth canal excursion added, we regretted not doing it last year.

[Georgina1505]

I booked last weekend for this May, paid in full and I don't have any showing either. A few of the restaurants have come available for booking today and its just under 4 months away, I'm hoping they show soon!

[P&O SUE]

I remember in 2015 for my Canaries cruise in June the excursions were out very early - January, full list as well.

This year I'm going to Iberia in July but no sign yet - I just keep checking my personaliser!

[sogne]

We are cruising 11 weeks today, Greek Islands on Ventura. Did the similar cruise last year. We are very disappointed that the personaliser is showing only 4 excursions in Athens (all Acropolis-based), 1 excursion in Souda Bay, 1 in Mykanos, 1 in Santorini etc. Not sure if this is the final "choice" - have never known trips be released piece-meal before .......looks like we'll just be booking privately. We normally book a couple of exursions per cruise. The few trips that are there, appeared about two weeks ago, but we paid our final balance before Christmas.

 

I can confirm that more shore excursions will be added to the cruise personaliser when they become available.

The reason for the delay is that we are still in talks with the tour operators to decide what excursions will be offered.

I appreciate that this can be frustrating but please keep checking the cruise personaliser when time allows to see if more excursions are available.

 

I hope this information has helped to answer your enquiry and look forward to welcoming you on board soon.

 

received from PO customer services

[Cruiserjules]

Despite the above post, we have today received our Holiday Information Booklet with no more excursions than when I posted previously, with no more showing on the personaliser.

We have the fabulous choice of:

3 excursions in Palma,

1 in Souda Bay to Akrotiri, (got excited thinking it was two trips, but its the same trip, run twice at 1 hour intervals, with 2.5 hours walking)

1 in Mykanos (a walking tour)

4 in Pireus (all Athens based)

2 in Santorini (both with lots of walking)

2 in Katakolon (both to Olympia)

and wait for it .....

13, yes 13 choices for our few hours in Gibraltar!!!!

 

Surely this cruise hasn't come as a complete surprise to P&O (we booked last July), plenty of time to find excursions you might think. We tend to explore independently, but certainly enjoyed both trips we booked on the same(ish) cruise we did last year, where there was loads of choice at every port. None of this will ruin our cruise but we are a bit surprised.

[sogne]

Despite the above post, we have today received our Holiday Information Booklet with no more excursions than when I posted previously, with no more showing on the personaliser.

We have the fabulous choice of:

3 excursions in Palma,

1 in Souda Bay to Akrotiri, (got excited thinking it was two trips, but its the same trip, run twice at 1 hour intervals, with 2.5 hours walking)

1 in Mykanos (a walking tour)

4 in Pireus (all Athens based)

2 in Santorini (both with lots of walking)

2 in Katakolon (both to Olympia)

and wait for it .....

13, yes 13 choices for our few hours in Gibraltar!!!!

 

Surely this cruise hasn't come as a complete surprise to P&O (we booked last July), plenty of time to find excursions you might think. We tend to explore independently, but certainly enjoyed both trips we booked on the same(ish) cruise we did last year, where there was loads of choice at every port. None of this will ruin our cruise but we are a bit surprised.

 

We too received booklet, phoned excursion number in brochure and was assured that more would be put on but no indication of when. We shall see but I agree that if it stays as it is it will cause some annoyance. As far as Katakolon is concerned we went there last year on Cunard, only 4 excursions, 3 of them to Olympia the other to a beach which is the norm for that port

Edited February 1, 2017 by sogne

[eddie11]

Please don't despair. This is exactly as it was for us last year on the same cruise, as it were, A608. The full list came out on 18th February.

 

I wonder if the economic situation in Greece makes things upcontracts more protracted and difficult?

 

Have a wonderful cruise; we thought it was one of the best.

[P&O SUE]

Please don't despair. This is exactly as it was for us last year on the same cruise, as it were, A608. The full list came out on 18th February.

 

I wonder if the economic situation in Greece makes things upcontracts more protracted and difficult?

 

Have a wonderful cruise; we thought it was one of the best.

 

I think you may have hit the nail on the head there, especially as Gibraltar has 13 excusions!

[Capnahab]

With regard to excursions getting listed, don't believe the 12 week rubbish. We are booked on Oceana for the Monaco Grand Prix in May and from booking we repeatedly asked when the excursions would be available. We were told by P&O, 12 weeks, Future cruise manager on Azura in the Caribbean, 12 weeks, further questions to P&O when ringing about other queries, 12 weeks. I happened to be on cruise personaliser before Christmas and would you believe it, they were on, some trips were sold out and on wait list! My advice to you is that if its a trip you really want to do they you must keep checking because they don't know there a*** from there elbow. My wife and I love P&O and are 30+ cruises with them but this cruise was booked to celebrate our thirtieth wedding anniversary along with the Monaco Grand Prix and we could so easily have missed out. Keep checking as I say and you won't be disappointed, hopefully!

[sogne]

I think you may have hit the nail on the head there, especially as Gibraltar has 13 excusions!

 

 

the islands live on tourism, falling pound against euro may be an issue

[sogne]

Despite the above post, we have today received our Holiday Information Booklet with no more excursions than when I posted previously, with no more showing on the personaliser.

We have the fabulous choice of:

3 excursions in Palma,

1 in Souda Bay to Akrotiri, (got excited thinking it was two trips, but its the same trip, run twice at 1 hour intervals, with 2.5 hours walking)

1 in Mykanos (a walking tour)

4 in Pireus (all Athens based)

2 in Santorini (both with lots of walking)

2 in Katakolon (both to Olympia)

and wait for it .....

13, yes 13 choices for our few hours in Gibraltar!!!!

 

Surely this cruise hasn't come as a complete surprise to P&O (we booked last July), plenty of time to find excursions you might think. We tend to explore independently, but certainly enjoyed both trips we booked on the same(ish) cruise we did last year, where there was loads of choice at every port. None of this will ruin our cruise but we are a bit surprised.

 

just looked at VP new excursion on from Athens to Delphi depart 0600 9.5 hours but already full, it was not on yesterday evening when I looked, it seems PO may put them on piecemeal!!!

[eddie11]

Yes, they dribbled in over a few days last year.

 

Most appeared 'Waitlist Only' when they first showed but opened properly thereafter. If you're interested I'd register for the wait list and then you'll get an automatic email when bookings open properly. It could be that the Delphi trip actually has no bookings and is caught in this strange pre-booking wilderness.

 

Nil desperandum ( though by all means get cross; I thought last year's confusion was a one off but it seems not)

[sogne]

Yes, they dribbled in over a few days last year.

 

Most appeared 'Waitlist Only' when they first showed but opened properly thereafter. If you're interested I'd register for the wait list and then you'll get an automatic email when bookings open properly. It could be that the Delphi trip actually has no bookings and is caught in this strange pre-booking wilderness.

 

Nil desperandum ( though by all means get cross; I thought last year's confusion was a one off but it seems not)

 

never experienced this with 20+ Cunard cruises and with Celebrity and Princess

[sogne]

Despite the above post, we have today received our Holiday Information Booklet with no more excursions than when I posted previously, with no more showing on the personaliser.

We have the fabulous choice of:

3 excursions in Palma,

1 in Souda Bay to Akrotiri, (got excited thinking it was two trips, but its the same trip, run twice at 1 hour intervals, with 2.5 hours walking)

1 in Mykanos (a walking tour)

4 in Pireus (all Athens based)

2 in Santorini (both with lots of walking)

2 in Katakolon (both to Olympia)

and wait for it .....

13, yes 13 choices for our few hours in Gibraltar!!!!

 

Surely this cruise hasn't come as a complete surprise to P&O (we booked last July), plenty of time to find excursions you might think. We tend to explore independently, but certainly enjoyed both trips we booked on the same(ish) cruise we did last year, where there was loads of choice at every port. None of this will ruin our cruise but we are a bit surprised.

 

there are now 10 yes ten new excursions for Palma all "sold out" but none for any other port

 

check hourly?

[sogne]

Despite the above post, we have today received our Holiday Information Booklet with no more excursions than when I posted previously, with no more showing on the personaliser.

We have the fabulous choice of:

3 excursions in Palma,

1 in Souda Bay to Akrotiri, (got excited thinking it was two trips, but its the same trip, run twice at 1 hour intervals, with 2.5 hours walking)

1 in Mykanos (a walking tour)

4 in Pireus (all Athens based)

2 in Santorini (both with lots of walking)

2 in Katakolon (both to Olympia)

and wait for it .....

13, yes 13 choices for our few hours in Gibraltar!!!!

 

Surely this cruise hasn't come as a complete surprise to P&O (we booked last July), plenty of time to find excursions you might think. We tend to explore independently, but certainly enjoyed both trips we booked on the same(ish) cruise we did last year, where there was loads of choice at every port. None of this will ruin our cruise but we are a bit surprised.

 

more excursions now on VP for Mykonos and Santorini but all apparently sold out, went on between 1200 and 1300 Sunday

[Cruiserjules]

Many thanks for all your replies, much appreciated, sorry to hi-jack the original post. Have been checking the Personaliser daily but tends to be not till late evening, have now found all the new trips.

As I said previously, its really the Piraeus ones we're particularly waiting for, but like to see what else might take our fancy. Think we are going to do Santorini on our own, but we're aware we are one of four cruise ships in port that day. It is good to see one of the Mykonos trips offered by P&O is an evening trip as we enjoy evenings in port.

We already have plans for Katakolon, as last time - a walk through the town to the beach, stroll and paddle, and then back to one of those gorgeous waterside bars for lunch, drinks and people-watching - bliss.