Do you confirm private excursions before your cruise?

[Karysa]

I booked and paid for private excursions through known and reputable companies months ago for a cruise later this month. My question is this....Do you reach out and verify pre booked private excursions before you sail or do you just hope for the best?

[Flatbush Flyer]

8 minutes ago, Karysa said:

I booked and paid for private excursions through known and reputable companies months ago for a cruise later this month. My question is this....Do you reach out and verify pre booked private excursions before you sail or do you just hope for the best?

We always reconfirm arrangements before embarkation and make sure we have correct contact info (both cell and e-mail) to provide/receive any necessary plan updates.

[Karysa]

Thanks for your reply.

 

I actually just did a search for one of the companies so that I could send a confirmation and I noticed that they had sent a confirmation for both of my excursions this week. They were in my junk mail. 

 

I will email the other company and confirm. 

[GeezerCouple]

48 minutes ago, Karysa said:

I booked and paid for private excursions through known and reputable companies months ago for a cruise later this month. My question is this....Do you reach out and verify pre booked private excursions before you sail or do you just hope for the best?

 

Absolutely.  Always! 

 

GC

[zqvol]

We never do once we get an original confirmation back from them.

[LHT28]

I usually confirm  with the guide just to be sure  we are still on their  tour for the date

[14Terry]

Yes, we always confirm prior to arriving at the destination. Happy cruising!

[cb at sea]

I confirm dinner reservations(on land , or anywhere)  if I make them more than a day ahead...your choice!

 

[Karysa]

True. I thought it was a little needy but perhaps not. 

[cruisemom42]

I like to reconfirm about 2-4 weeks before the tour, just as a reminder and to give me time to make alternative arrangements in case something has gone awry.

[MicCanberra]

5 hours ago, Karysa said:

I booked and paid for private excursions through known and reputable companies months ago for a cruise later this month. My question is this....Do you reach out and verify pre booked private excursions before you sail or do you just hope for the best?

Yes always, confirm the details, like the time, date, the number of pax and the price.

[Flatbush Flyer]

23 minutes ago, Karysa said:

True. I thought it was a little needy but perhaps not. 

For dinner reservations at better restaurants, they'll call you😎

In any case, lining up the best drivers and/or guides months (to a year) in advance. And those arrangements are far more multi-faceted than a simple dinner reservation.

[Karysa]

3 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

For dinner reservations at better restaurants, they'll call you😎

In any case, lining up the best drivers and/or guides months (to a year) in advance. And those arrangements are far more multi-faceted than a simple dinner reservation.

Well it does make me feel better that the one company has reconfirmed as these excursions cost between $250 and $350 each for the two of us and they have been paid in advance.

[MicCanberra]

If you had COD arranged, perhaps you are not necessarily concerned but for paid any money out (or paid in full) I would be making sure they are going to turn up.

[MicCanberra]

2 minutes ago, Karysa said:

Well it does make me feel better that the one company has reconfirmed as these excursions cost between $250 and $350 each for the two of us and they have been paid in advance.

Good work, good companies will also be confirming with the client especially if COD. They will want to be paid.

[Heidi13]

We have all tours & reservations confirmed before departing and print them out for reference.

[iancal]

Yes.  And we re confirm again at the port before the one where we have a private tour.

[GottaKnowWhen]

1 hour ago, Karysa said:

Well it does make me feel better that the one company has reconfirmed as these excursions cost between $250 and $350 each for the two of us and they have been paid in advance.

I like to have fairly recent contact with the company or designated guide, but I use reputable companies whose business includes many cruisers. So I don’t get too anxious about it. If they don’t show, I WILL get a refund, ( or their reputation will take a big hit) and I can always find something interesting to do in any port...

Stan

[Karysa]

13 minutes ago, iancal said:

Yes.  And we re confirm again at the port before the one where we have a private tour.

Wow. Never in my 20 cruises have I ever reconfirmed twice. Have you been stood up by a tour guide or tour company in the past? 

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

I like to have fairly recent contact with the company or designated guide, but I use reputable companies whose business includes many cruisers. So I don’t get too anxious about it. If they don’t show, I WILL get a refund, ( or their reputation will take a big hit) and I can always find something interesting to do in any port...

Stan

There is that.

[donaldsc]

Yes.  If I have organized a private tour, I also confirm w the tour participants.

 

DON

[capriccio]

8 hours ago, Karysa said:

I booked and paid for private excursions through known and reputable companies months ago for a cruise later this month. My question is this....Do you reach out and verify pre booked private excursions before you sail or do you just hope for the best?

Always because I make private excursion reservations 10 months or more in advance (13 months for Patrick Watts in the Falkland Islands).  About 3 or 4 weeks before the cruise I send an email just stating that we are looking forward to our excursion on X date at Y time.  I have always received a 'can't wait to see you' response.

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, donaldsc said:

Yes.  If I have organized a private tour, I also confirm w the tour participants.

 

DON

Very wise, have been let down a few times, they pulled out last minute. I told them to pay anyway and claim off their insurance. It got awkward real fast.

[cruisemom42]

11 hours ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

I like to have fairly recent contact with the company or designated guide, but I use reputable companies whose business includes many cruisers. So I don’t get too anxious about it. If they don’t show, I WILL get a refund, ( or their reputation will take a big hit) and I can always find something interesting to do in any port...

Stan

 

If I book a private tour it's generally because whatever it is I'll see on the tour isn't easily done on one's own. And I will have spent a long time researching the site(s) visited. So I would really be unhappy should the tour fail to materialize. 

 

In other words, getting a refund (via the company or from my trip insurance) would only be a small compensation for missing the tour, and it would be unlikely I could duplicate it at the last minute. Plus, it may be years [or never] before I get back to try again....

Edited January 13, 2019 by cruisemom42

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

If I book a private tour it's generally because whatever it is I'll see on the tour isn't easily done on one's own. And I will have spent a long time researching the site(s) visited. So I would really be unhappy should the tour fail to materialize. 

 

In other words, getting a refund (via the company or from my trip insurance) would only be a small compensation for missing the tour, and it would be unlikely I could duplicate it at the last minute. Plus, it may be years [or never] before I get back to try again....

 

This ^^ exactly!

 

GC