EXCURSIONS

[smarks]

Hi fellow cruisers, could someone tell me if when cruising with Cunard you have to wait to book your excursions after boarding the ship or does Cunard put the excursions on their web page before the cruise?  We board May 21.  Thanks for all replies.

 

Sandra

 

[LittleFish1976]

24 minutes ago, smarks said:

Hi fellow cruisers, could someone tell me if when cruising with Cunard you have to wait to book your excursions after boarding the ship or does Cunard put the excursions on their web page before the cruise?  We board May 21.  Thanks for all replies.

 

Sandra

 

Hi smarks. You can book from about three months out (I think would be the correct time frame) via your 'My Cunard' page; log in with your booking reference and personal details. Get to the log in page via the 'manage my booking' link at top of the Cunard general pages. Cunard are doing a lot of work to the My Cunard area so don't be surprised if you have trouble logging in!

[newjoisey]

6 hours ago, LittleFish1976 said:

Hi smarks. You can book from about three months out (I think would be the correct time frame) via your 'My Cunard' page; log in with your booking reference and personal details. Get to the log in page via the 'manage my booking' link at top of the Cunard general pages. Cunard are doing a lot of work to the My Cunard area so don't be surprised if you have trouble logging in!

as stated above. It can be better to sign up for excursions pre -boarding because the popular ones fill up fast  

[Underwatr]

Some lines permit using available onboard credit toward excursions booked before embarkation but be aware that Cunard is not among them. You'll need to provide a credit card if you book the excursion online. Onboard credit may be used for excursions that are booked once onboard.

[exlondoner]

I know people are always concerned about the excursions selling out, but this has never happened to us in over twenty years.  A couple of times it looked like excursions were sold out, but, when I enquired, they had laid on another trip or something. So, unless you want to go on things like helicopter trips or such like, I wouldn't bother with booking in advance. Hang on to your money, and wait till you see what you feel like doing, once you are on board. Also you won't have to deal with that ghastly VP.

[Victoria2]

37 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I know people are always concerned about the excursions selling out, but this has never happened to us in over twenty years.  A couple of times it looked like excursions were sold out, but, when I enquired, they had laid on another trip or something. So, unless you want to go on things like helicopter trips or such like, I wouldn't bother with booking in advance. Hang on to your money, and wait till you see what you feel like doing, once you are on board. Also you won't have to deal with that ghastly VP.

I have been on a few Cunard tours which have restricted numbers and were sold out prior to boarding but luckily, we pre booked.

Some tours which take in museums which have timed entry for instance, can have restricted numbers. All the tickets for a Faberge museum tour we went on were sold out prior to boarding and the wait list was long due to no more availability.

 

[exlondoner]

7 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

I have been on a few Cunard tours which have restricted numbers and were sold out prior to boarding but luckily, we pre booked.

Some tours which take in museums which have timed entry for instance, can have restricted numbers. All the tickets for a Faberge museum tour we went on were sold out prior to boarding and the wait list was long due to no more availability.

 

 

Yes, the Fabergé trip was one of the ones I was thinking of. Waitlisted (sorry, horrid verb) long before boarding. Miraculously, I went and enquired on the day we boarded as to whether there was any hope, in case I needed to arrange something else, and she said we were on the trip.

[LittleFish1976]

Some excursions do fill up pre-boarding. I've had that experience - fortunately I had pre-booked.  Things like small boat trips; canoeing and so on spring to mind.

[oskidunker]

Mainly I have cruised Princess am in the habit of booking way in advance and using on board credit to do so. Princess uses dynamic pricing if an excursion is close to selling out, so the  price goes up. Usually you can book 6 months in advance. 
 

since Cunard is different, I booked the first few days with private companies. Loss for Cunard. 

[smarks]

19 hours ago, LittleFish1976 said:

Hi smarks. You can book from about three months out (I think would be the correct time frame) via your 'My Cunard' page; log in with your booking reference and personal details. Get to the log in page via the 'manage my booking' link at top of the Cunard general pages. Cunard are doing a lot of work to the My Cunard area so don't be surprised if you have trouble logging in!

Thank you for the reply.  I will keep trying.  Every time I log in I'm told I will have to book excursions when I board.  I was hoping that maybe it was to early.  Thanks again. I feel better.

[smarks]

12 hours ago, newjoisey said:

as stated above. It can be better to sign up for excursions pre -boarding because the popular ones fill up fast  

Thank you newjoisey for the information.  I sure hope I can book my excursion before boarding.  I'm afraid it will be all booked up if I don't.  I will keep trying.  We still have about 3 1/2 months.

 

Sandra

 

[smarks]

11 hours ago, Underwatr said:

Some lines permit using available onboard credit toward excursions booked before embarkation but be aware that Cunard is not among them. You'll need to provide a credit card if you book the excursion online. Onboard credit may be used for excursions that are booked once onboard.

Thank you for that information.  I did add onboard credit, but I have no problem with a credit card.  Just leaves me more to spend on the ship.  Thanks again.

 

Sandra

9 hours ago, exlondoner said:

I know people are always concerned about the excursions selling out, but this has never happened to us in over twenty years.  A couple of times it looked like excursions were sold out, but, when I enquired, they had laid on another trip or something. So, unless you want to go on things like helicopter trips or such like, I wouldn't bother with booking in advance. Hang on to your money, and wait till you see what you feel like doing, once you are on board. Also you won't have to deal with that ghastly VP.

 

3 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Mainly I have cruised Princess am in the habit of booking way in advance and using on board credit to do so. Princess uses dynamic pricing if an excursion is close to selling out, so the  price goes up. Usually you can book 6 months in advance. 
 

since Cunard is different, I booked the first few days with private companies. Loss for Cunard. 

 

9 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

I have been on a few Cunard tours which have restricted numbers and were sold out prior to boarding but luckily, we pre booked.

Some tours which take in museums which have timed entry for instance, can have restricted numbers. All the tickets for a Faberge museum tour we went on were sold out prior to boarding and the wait list was long due to no more availability.

 

Thanks for the information. I missed Paris last year.

I would feel much better if I could just get it set up ahead of time this year.  I think this one could sell out.  

[Host Hattie]

Prices can sometimes be more expensive if booked onboard so if you want to be sure of getting on an excursion I wouldn't leave it.

Have a great trip.

[Underwatr]

12 hours ago, smarks said:

I did add onboard credit, but I have no problem with a credit card.  Just leaves me more to spend on the ship.  Thanks again.

 

In my case I generally have enough credit (for booking while onboard, plus shareholder and veteran credit) that it can be difficult to spend it all so there's extra incentive to pay for as much as I can with OBC.

 

You mentioned that it's still  3 1/2 months before your cruise. In my experience excursions will show up in the Planner about 2 or 3 months out (I'm sure I'm getting confused with the time that luggage tags and e-tickets become available, which I think it about 56 days). Before then you can investigate private excursion sites (it appears that Cruise Critic has an advertising relationship with a shore excursion booking company so I'm not sure I can mention a few others that I'm aware of...). It looks like you have enough experience with cruises to know the pros & cons of booking with the line vs. independently...

 

Where will you be going with Cunard? I didn't see very much price in Alaska difference between HAL and independent excursions, if that's useful to you.

[Bigmike911]

There are currently some excursions (4) offered for my 22 July voyage. I assume (hope) that more will be added in the future. So far I have done all the tours currently on offer. The excursions are for our Southampton day on the Westbound T/A from Hamburg. I may just stay aboard and enjoy the empty ship. 

[exlondoner]

7 hours ago, Bigmike911 said:

There are currently some excursions (4) offered for my 22 July voyage. I assume (hope) that more will be added in the future. So far I have done all the tours currently on offer. The excursions are for our Southampton day on the Westbound T/A from Hamburg. I may just stay aboard and enjoy the empty ship. 

 

They don't usually offer many, because of the fairly much small number of passengers involved. Staying on the nearly empty ship would be lovely. Or you could get a train to somewhere like Salisbury, assuming it's not a strike day.

[Underwatr]

On our two Southampton layover days to and from Hamburg we (a) rented a car and drove to Corfe Castle just down the coast and (b) spent a leisurely day in Southampton, having lunch with friends who live in the area.