Included Excursions

[Gourmet Gal]

Will be on London-Lisbon next year and usually book private tours where needed but this cruise is all-inclusive and there is a selection of a few tours in each port.  For those who have taken SS included tours, I have a few questions.  What is the usual type of vehicle - big bus or smaller busses or vans?  How many people in each group?  Where additional tours are offered for a fee are smaller vehicles used and smaller groups?  Are the included tours even worth taking or should I just proceed as usual and book privately?

[CJANDH]

Included excursions are a new feature for Silversea from next year. So probably not much that can be said to answer your questions. The included excursions are priced into the cruise fare in the same way that Regent Seven Seas has been doing for years. The jury is out as to whether we will get good value from them. In my case I like to explore on my own at several ports of call. If I do that in future, I will be paying for a tour that I didn't take. Not sure I like that as much as the old "pay as you go" excursions. 

[Gourmet Gal]

2 hours ago, CJANDH said:

Included excursions are a new feature for Silversea from next year. So probably not much that can be said to answer your questions. The included excursions are priced into the cruise fare in the same way that Regent Seven Seas has been doing for years. The jury is out as to whether we will get good value from them. In my case I like to explore on my own at several ports of call. If I do that in future, I will be paying for a tour that I didn't take. Not sure I like that as much as the old "pay as you go" excursions. 

Understand that everyone has an opinion regarding SS making this change but I’m not really asking about that.  I’m just trying to get a handle on the quality of these tours so I can better plan.  I don’t  really care if I’ve already paid for them or not - I want to make the most of my port time and have fun.  I think bigger groups and bigger busses tend to waste my time.  I believe on the expedition cruises the excursions have been included for awhile so perhaps some of those cruisers can comment and of course anyone who has had a cruise under the new shore ex plan…I thought excursions were included on the Moon sailings so far?

[drron29]

Expedition cruises are very different.They visit out of the way places for a specific reason.That is why the passengers are on that cruise so you take those excursions.

I imagine that the included excursions will be like the previous excursions where there is the big bus  with 20+ passengers.They certainly wouldn't be any better.

[TheRampantSnail]

Our last cruise (discounting the subsequent cancelled cruises) was on the Silver Muse round Japan in April 2019. This cruise included an excursion in each port. Whether this was just a special promotion or a test run for the new policy on included excursions I don't know.

However, we found that there was a good choice of available excursions in each port and every one we went on was very good. The guides were very good - as good as the private guide we hired for our post-cruise stay in Tokyo.

I cannot recall if there were any additional cost tours available. Coaches held about 40 people from recollection, but this was pre-Covid of course. However, at most of the locations there was plenty of opportunity to wander around on our own and we never felt herded in any way.

We have two cruises on Silver Moon booked for next year - Southampton to Lisbon in September and Barbados to Barbados in November. We shall have no concerns about using the included excursions again.

[Gourmet Gal]

Thanks for the replies.  Rampant Snail, we will be on your cruise Southampton to Lisbon next Sept.. Now, I do recall that pre-Covid there were some all-inclusive SS cruises.  Question, do you recall if there was only one guide per bus or was the group broken up with multiple guides?

[TheRampantSnail]

There was only one guide on each bus but on many of the trips were were broken into two or three groups with a guide from the location. As I said, on others we were able to do more or less our own thing after being giving information from the guide.

Clearly, however, that is no indication as to what will happen in the future. I am sure when the included excursions start in full there will be reports about how they are organised.

No doubt or paths will cross on the cruise!

We are very much looking forward to sailing on the Moon - Muse like with added features sounds wonderful.

[Gourmet Gal]

Thanks for the deets.  The tours sound tolerable enough.  I’m beginning to research each port and deciding if I want to go w the SS offerings.  My TA is also including a private tour so I have to figure out where best to utilize it.  Since we’ll have almost 2 full days in Bordeaux I’m thinking that could be a good location for a full day tour (wine oriented).

 

And the Moon sounds lovely!

[MBP&O2/O]

We have just had a couple of days in Bordeaux on the Spirit, We did several ‘Wine Related’ tours which were ‘interesting’. One was very good, one was a waste of money, and one was indifferent at best……made even more annoying that this was waitlisted quite early on and we managed to get on it which was surprising.

Excursions on all inclusive? Not for me. I was looking at one cruise and in one port there was one ‘free’ excursion … snorkelling!! Handy if you are a none swimmer as is Mrs B.
We have a Dawn cruise in April and at the moment we are undecided as to whether we will cancel as a lot of the excursions are not to our taste.

[docmark]

1 hour ago, MBP&O2/O said:

We have just had a couple of days in Bordeaux on the Spirit, We did several ‘Wine Related’ tours which were ‘interesting’. One was very good, one was a waste of money, and one was indifferent at best……made even more annoying that this was waitlisted quite early on and we managed to get on it which was surprising.

Excursions on all inclusive? Not for me. I was looking at one cruise and in one port there was one ‘free’ excursion … snorkelling!! Handy if you are a none swimmer as is Mrs B.
We have a Dawn cruise in April and at the moment we are undecided as to whether we will cancel as a lot of the excursions are not to our taste.

Can you please tell me how far ahead of cruise start excursion list becomes available. 

Looking into booking our first Silversea cruise and your comments above are 'worrisome' , so want to make sure there will be enough time for cancellation if the "list" is disappointing (the planned cruise is 28 days)

[Observer]

34 minutes ago, docmark said:

Can you please tell me how far ahead of cruise start excursion list becomes available. 

Looking into booking our first Silversea cruise and your comments above are 'worrisome' , so want to make sure there will be enough time for cancellation if the "list" is disappointing (the planned cruise is 28 days)

 

Lists are available long in advance. I was able to find excursions for late 2023.  If you look for the itinerary on the Silversea webpage, you will see next to each day's port a little arrow. If you click on that, you are taken to a discussion of the destination and then lists of "included excursions" (for which there is no charge) and "select excursions" (for which there is a charge.)  Obviously, there can be changes in the two-year interim.  But the lists excursions offered in each port should be helpful.

[Lois R]

Hi😀....I just put a deposit down for a cruise in Nov 2022 and the timing for excursions says

"Bookings available from 210 days to 2 days before sailing".  

They do have the offerings on the website for you to see but the actual booking starts at 210 days.

 

Hope this helps.

[docmark]

Thanks Observer and Lois

210 DAYS is more than time enough . Hoping there are "enough" suitable/worthwhile "included" excursions on MOST  of  PORT DAYS during our 28 day cruise. Would not mind doing a small number of "select' excursions. 

The cruise of interest starts late October 2022

[Gourmet Gal]

If you are considering paying for the ship’s excursions it is well worth researching private options.  They are usually less expensive, or the similar cost but private and very flexible.  With a little planning you can even recruit another couple right here on the roll call to share the cost. 

[Observer]

44 minutes ago, Gourmet Gal said:

If you are considering paying for the ship’s excursions it is well worth researching private options.  They are usually less expensive, or the similar cost but private and very flexible.  With a little planning you can even recruit another couple right here on the roll call to share the cost. 

 

There are potentially many advantages to private arrangement. The one huge disadvantage is that the ship they may leave without you if the vehicle in which you are riding is disabled or you are delayed for any other significant reason.  I have on a couple of occasions gathered together a group of fellow travelers to hire a Privato car or van through the ship.  Even with a group, it may be somewhat more expensive than a privately arranged tour. But at least the ship will wait for you if for some reason you are delayed.