Shore excursions price aboard ship

[mrandmrsdd]

Hi, 

we still have 4 months to our trip. Looking at shore excursions from princess, many are very reasonable. 

Does princess generally increase the price of excursions after you have boarded, even when there are still openings, i realize they may have sold out when i board. 

 

Thank you diane

[beg3yrs]

Prices will increase even before boarding. It's typical that your lowest prices are available when excursions are initially released for booking. Some don't increase at all but many do.

[paul929207]

If you find a "reasonably" priced excursion with princess, grab it. It is the only one offered this millirem. 

[IECalCruiser]

I agree with beg3yrs that excursion prices will be the lowest when initially released.  As it gets closer to the cruise date prices may increase $10-$20 on many excursions while some stay unchanged.  When Princess didn't require payment when booking excursions we would book any excursions we were interested in taking as soon as they were released.  We take more private tours and DIY it more now but still book, and pay for, Princess excursions as soon as they are available.

[satxdiver]

Sometimes but not often we have seen excursion prices increase.  Booking early can in some instances lock the price in at the cheaper rate.  The bigger issue is that some excursions will sell out long before boarding so booking early assures a place on the excursion.  All excursions have a cancelation date usually one or two days before the excursion so that you can always change your mind and cancel.  The money is refundable if you decide to cancel by the cancelation date.  

[c-boy]

we have booked and paid for excursions months in advance. We have also cancelled day's in advance and have been dinged with cancellation charges. 

[OCruisers]

4 hours ago, c-boy said:

we have booked and paid for excursions months in advance. We have also cancelled day's in advance and have been dinged with cancellation charges. 

On Princess we've never been charged a cancellation fee ....  Always has been a full refund.  

[beg3yrs]

43 minutes ago, OCruisers said:

On Princess we've never been charged a cancellation fee ....  Always has been a full refund.  

 

Cancellation fees can apply if excursions involve things like overnights which require a hotel. There are other reasons for cancellation fees to apply as well. The tour description will clearly describe if the cancellation policy is different from most.

[riclop]

They stay the same.

[miss prairie girl]

If there is an excursion you are interested in, and the price is right, book it now. The price may/will increase closer to sailing date if it is a popular excursion, and there is always the possibility the excursion may sell out. We noticed both of those things happening when we were choosing our excursions for our Panama Canal Cruise last April/May.

 

[dfields1814]

On the cruise we will be taking in February two excursions already went up by $20 pp and we still have 90 days to go. We saved $40 by booking early. .... So far.  We book the day they are posted or shortly thereafter. Once on an Alaska cruise we saved close to a $75 pp booking early. You can always cancel if you change you mind.

[Wishing on a star]

We have paid for an excursion,  one which is a smaller group excursion, thru a private vendor....

The thing is,  there is NO information as to when the final cancellation date is.

And, on this kind of private vendor excursion, it can be even before boarding.

THAT INFO NEEDS TO MADE CLEAR, RIGHT UP-FRONT.

I see this as a real problem, that several attempts to contact Princess about has not gotten any answers.

 

We would want to make other plans, and possibly. cancel this one to avoid forfeiting of payment, if the excursion does not meet mimimum number of guest....  Princess can cancel on us, leaving us hanging 24 hours prior.   But we have to be locked in days or even more than a week prior.    

 

And, they don't even disclose that specific date!

[CruisinFinsUp]

Prices definitely increase as time gets closer to the cruise and then increase again on the ship.  

I've noted prices for excursions we were interested in and saw the prices increase when I checked availability.  

And yes as OP mentioned, some do sell out - they don't "hold back"seats for on board sales anymore.  

[Wishing on a star]

Me again,   

After seeing this thread and posting above, I went to check the status on the excursion we have booked, and to see if it is meeting the min. number of guests required.

It errors out?

And, our booking now shows NO excursions booked and confirmed.

It has been showing this way all day.

 

Not sure what is going on. 

But, we will be checking on alternate plans right away!!!

 

Edited November 1, 2018 by Wishing on a star

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, Wishing on a star said:

Me again,   

After seeing this thread and posting above, I went to check the status on the excursion we have booked, and to see if it is meeting the min. number of guests required.

It errors out?

And, our booking now shows NO excursions booked and confirmed.

It has been showing this way all day.

 

Not sure what is going on. 

But, we will be checking on alternate plans right away!!!

 

 

The Princess site does have issues from time to time. If your excursions aren't showing on your personalizer you can simply call Princess to confirm they are still in place. You can also take a look at the Travel Summary online to see if it's showing your excursions.

[caribill]

13 hours ago, Wishing on a star said:

Me again,   

After seeing this thread and posting above, I went to check the status on the excursion we have booked, and to see if it is meeting the min. number of guests required.

It errors out?

And, our booking now shows NO excursions booked and confirmed.

It has been showing this way all day.

 

Not sure what is going on. 

But, we will be checking on alternate plans right away!!!

 

And I assume checking on getting a refund for those missing Princess excursions you have paid for.

[caribill]

18 hours ago, Wishing on a star said:

We have paid for an excursion,  one which is a smaller group excursion, thru a private vendor....

The thing is,  there is NO information as to when the final cancellation date is.

And, on this kind of private vendor excursion, it can be even before boarding.

THAT INFO NEEDS TO MADE CLEAR, RIGHT UP-FRONT.

I see this as a real problem, that several attempts to contact Princess about has not gotten any answers.

 

We would want to make other plans, and possibly. cancel this one to avoid forfeiting of payment, if the excursion does not meet mimimum number of guest....  Princess can cancel on us, leaving us hanging 24 hours prior.   But we have to be locked in days or even more than a week prior.    

 

And, they don't even disclose that specific date!

If you booked an excursion through a private vendor, why would you expect Princess to answer any questions about an excursion that is not theirs?

[Wishing on a star]

I am bummed, as Princess (perhaps at the request of the vendor) did cancel our excursion!!!

It was the one I was most looking forward to on our cruise.

 

It no longer shows up anywhere on the web-site.

We still have not received any notice, but Princess should be issuing a refund.