Waiting to book excursions?

[KingsQueen13]

My trip is in Sept 2022. I am trying to plan everything out now as to how we spend our days in port, with excursions and such. My question is: How often do excursions sell out?

 

We’re looking at the Mendenhall Glacier and Gardens tour in Juneau. Photography in Focus, White Pass and Bordello tours in Skagway, and whales/wildlife/bears search in Icy Strait Point. I would imagine some will have even more limitations as far as capacity due to COVID. My dilemma is I have a substantial amount of on-board credit that I’d like to use towards excursions but obviously that means I have to wait til I’m on the ship to do so. I’m just concerned that they’ll sell out. Does anyone have any tips or words of advice on how to decide which ones I’d be able to wait to book? Thanks for any help!

[donaldsc]

I may be wrong but if you already have the on-board credit, why can't you book in advance with it.  Have you checked w your TA on this question?

 

DON

[CruiserBruce]

17 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

I may be wrong but if you already have the on-board credit, why can't you book in advance with it.  Have you checked w your TA on this question?

 

DON

That will depend on the cruise line, which the OP hasn't specified.

[Ashland]

2 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

That will depend on the cruise line, which the OP hasn't specified.

Yes...perhaps with all the uncertainty excursions haven't been made available yet. Something the OP should keep checking on.

[Italy52]

We are booked on a June 18, 2022 cruise to Alaska on the Majestic Princess.  I have already booked one of our tours using our onboard credit. 

[Coral]

On some lines, excursions get more expensive the closer you get to the cruise or when they start filling up.

 

Some excursions do sell out. I personally would not wait to book them on the ship.

 

As mentioned, some lines allow you to use OBC to book excursions, though it depends on how you got OBC.

[KingsQueen13]

Apologies, we’re sailing on Carnival. When I spoke with the customer service member, she said on-board credit could only be used while ‘on-board’. Quite a few excursions are listed for the cruise already and some of the higher end excursions (most involving helicopters) are already listed as sold out. I was just curious if people have had any luck getting the excursions they want after they’ve already boarded their ship. 

[Ashland]

2 hours ago, KingsQueen13 said:

Apologies, we’re sailing on Carnival. When I spoke with the customer service member, she said on-board credit could only be used while ‘on-board’. Quite a few excursions are listed for the cruise already and some of the higher end excursions (most involving helicopters) are already listed as sold out. I was just curious if people have had any luck getting the excursions they want after they’ve already boarded their ship. 

Thanks for the updated info. Sorry Carnival has this policy...Best of luck with whatever ends up working for you....and enjoy Alaska. We'll be there in Sept 2022 also but onboard RCI Serenade.

[Turangi!]

I have been researching our Alaska cruise in June 2022 and there are lots of private companies offering tours.

 

Perhaps you can look at booking the sold out tours you want directly with another local company. Look carefully at their payment and cancellation policies... I always make sure that if the ship doesn’t dock, we get our money back and some companies have a policy if the tour misses the ship due to the tour company...they will get you to the next port. Not sure for helicopter and flight seeing but land or boat tours usually don’t expect full payment until a few months out... Check Tripadvisor and local sources to find well established credible companies. One of the advantages to being on Cruise Critic is that people will share their experiences!  

[Coral]

16 hours ago, Turangi! said:

I have been researching our Alaska cruise in June 2022 and there are lots of private companies offering tours.

 

Perhaps you can look at booking the sold out tours you want directly with another local company. Look carefully at their payment and cancellation policies... I always make sure that if the ship doesn’t dock, we get our money back and some companies have a policy if the tour misses the ship due to the tour company...they will get you to the next port. Not sure for helicopter and flight seeing but land or boat tours usually don’t expect full payment until a few months out... Check Tripadvisor and local sources to find well established credible companies. One of the advantages to being on Cruise Critic is that people will share their experiences!  

Not all companies followed their written cancellation policies during COVID. Just something to consider.

 

I have no clue if people will need to book excursions through the line to stay in a cruise bubble - I haven't followed this enough and I don't think anyone knows yet.

Edited May 8, 2021 by Coral

[Turangi!]

Coral,

 

Yes, who knows what the rules will be next year... booking with the cruise line to be safe you can always cancel up to a certain time before, but they take your money. We prefer to book excursions direct with local companies but New Rules could change that! 

 

Alaska looks like mostly bus and boat tours, very different than touring Europe...so ship excursions won’t be too bad, especially if they limit group sizes!

 

 

 

[Coral]

5 hours ago, Turangi! said:

Coral,

 

Yes, who knows what the rules will be next year... booking with the cruise line to be safe you can always cancel up to a certain time before, but they take your money. We prefer to book excursions direct with local companies but New Rules could change that! 

 

Alaska looks like mostly bus and boat tours, very different than touring Europe...so ship excursions won’t be too bad, especially if they limit group sizes!

 

 

 

I prefer local tours also. I just would hate for people to lose money.