Excursion Sold Out

[scoochy12]

Excursion is sold out on app. Is it likely that we will be able to book this on board? Does anyone have prior experience with this?TIA

[OlsSalt]

Don't give up hope - if there is enough interest sometimes they can add extra tours, depending on the local situation. Often people who sign up early decide at the last minute not to go, or they find something else they would rather do, or join a group of other passengers they just met on board and want to do something else.  

 

Keep checking in with the shore excursion desk and get on any waiting list. We even got added once at the very last minute at the port, after learned the expected metro connection was not running that day and they "signed us up" right at the departing bus.

 

But be sure to have other plans too, because you never really know if something will open up or not. We find the shore excursion staff to be hard working and often late into the night to make things work as best they can,........ if they can. 

[Tampa Girl]

9 minutes ago, scoochy12 said:

Excursion is sold out on app. Is it likely that we will be able to book this on board? Does anyone have prior experience with this?TIA

 

Can you be a little more specific:  What cruise, what date, what ship?  Not being an expert on ship excursions, I suggest that you wait list  yourself?  If this is a particular excursion that you really, really want, look for an 3rd party one.  And, yes, let the front desk know at the time of boarding, that you want any cancelled seats.  Those frequently occur.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

17 minutes ago, scoochy12 said:

Excursion is sold out on app. Is it likely that we will be able to book this on board? Does anyone have prior experience with this?TIA

They don't hold back any slots for onboard bookings.   If it's sold out now, it will be sold out onboard.   Jump on the waitlist if offered.

[kwb101]

Re: waitlist. They may schedule another section/bus right before the excursion runs. We were on a waitlist on an Alaska voyage, and were notified after dinner the night before that another bus had been added. We'd already decided to do something at that port, and hadn't taken our names of the waitlist. It turned out to be the worst excursion we've had, a waste of time and money.

Anyway, the bottom line is that you may get a chance to go, thanks to the waitlist at the last minute. Good luck!

[FOPMan]

What excursion/date/ship/port? There are often other ways to do something similar. 

[Mary229]

The waitlist is the way the cruise line determines interest.    Before Covid I never missed an excursion through waitlist but now many tour operators are either out of business or have limited staff.  It is hard to say if there will be another excursion 

[DaveOKC]

10 hours ago, kwb101 said:

Re: waitlist. They may schedule another section/bus right before the excursion runs. We were on a waitlist on an Alaska voyage, and were notified after dinner the night before that another bus had been added. We'd already decided to do something at that port, and hadn't taken our names of the waitlist. It turned out to be the worst excursion we've had, a waste of time and money.

Anyway, the bottom line is that you may get a chance to go, thanks to the waitlist at the last minute. Good luck!

Last minute waitlists do happen.  Several years ago I was feeling ill the night before an excursion and had to cancel a 10 am excursion the next day.  Even though I cancelled at 8 am, I still received full credit for it since someone on the waitlist took my place!  I was shocked, as I fully expected to lose the money.

 

[CruiserBruce]

I would waitlist.

 

There are so many variables on the question of "will the cruise line add another excursion". The big ones have to do with the available resources...limited capacity excursions like helicopter rides are just that, very limited capacity. Particularly if other ships are in port.

[Roz]

On my recent Rotterdam cruise, my sister and I wanted to take the post-cruise Everglades tour with an airport transfer.  It was sold out online and on the app.  We went to the Shorex desk our first day onboard and had no trouble booking it.  It doesn't hurt to ask.  As others have said, it depends on the excursion and how easily extra slots can be made available.

[ilv4cruising]

I agree with others that say to jump on the waitlist.  I've done that before and managed to book it.  Worth a try. 

[TiogaCruiser]

We booked our cruise about a month out, and 3 excursions we wanted allowed waitlisting online. We did not have to pay, and were able to also book an open shorex. The second day onboard we were charged for the waitlisted tours, and went to the front desk to find out what was happening. We had cleared the waitlist for 2 tours. The front desk was able to cancel us out of the other conflicting tours and refund us, without us having to go to Shorex the next day. (I did notice Shorex had very limited hours.)

[FlaMariner]

Check out an independent tour?

 

Perhaps others on your roll call have found a similar tour you could join?

 

It would be great to know what tour and where.....folks on here might have better advice. 

[Fouremco]

We very seldom book ship excursions. They aren't unique in what they offer, and a similar or identical independent tour can be booked easily. In my experience, independent tours are usually smaller and less expensive.

[OlsSalt]

2 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

.........(I did notice Shorex had very limited hours.)

 

The desk hours may be limited but they have a drop box for after hours. We have used that even at the 11th hour, only to find our tickets at our cabin door the next morning.

 

I would never recommend doing this as routine, but we were pleasantly surprised when it worked out that one time.  I picture the Shorex people working late into the night to get as many passengers accommodated as possible. 

[fusion927]

I was waitlisted for a tour last year, and made it off of the list and onto the tour about 10 minutes before the tour meeting time, so there's always hope!

 

I found the excursion staff extremely helpful and will do all they can to get you on a tour it at all possible.  They were the ones that suggested I go to the tour meeting spot just in case.

 

Edited April 16, 2022 by fusion927

[FlaMariner]

2 hours ago, Fouremco said:

We very seldom book ship excursions. They aren't unique in what they offer, and a similar or identical independent tour can be booked easily. In my experience, independent tours are usually smaller and less expensive.

 

That's the way we roll also......

 

Smaller group....smaller price......no waiting for the last person out of 48 on a bus to finish in the bathroom before we can go....Oh my. 

[OlsSalt]

In defense of HAL shore excursions, and we take them almost exclusively for years now, we like their one-stop shopping and worry-free part of the equation.

 

We also like the variety of options -some very active, others passive and the generally good quality of guides and even meals. They have also been offering smaller group size tours as well.  We like the fact HAL tour members are courteous and watch their times, so I have to protest the often common comments about the few tardy ones ruining it for the many.  YMMV. Yes, they do build in bathroom breaks, which are a good time to break up longer trips and stretch legs. 

 

Yes, they are more expensive and yes you do surrender your independence  to the group, but over all we have been very pleased and do love the convenience, variety and quality  HAL shore excursions offer, including no need to make contacts and changes when/if the ship itinerary changes at the last minute. Or the tour gets back late.

 

Both of us were highly independent world travelers in the past, so we do appreciate what travel freedom and travails can offer for a more in-depth experiences. But of late and with four score years, we do find HAL shore excursions are often the best choices for us now that our travel visits become only one day port stops. 

 

To wit, we never would have been able to arrange the timing of buses and ferries to get from Stavanger Norway to the top of Pulpit Rock without our excellent HAL tour guide who was every mindful of the departure connections we would have to make to get back to the ship on time.

 

That said, independent tours and even just hiring a taxi at the port for a day can also bring special memories as well, which we also do from time to time. But let's not just gratuitously bash HAL shore excursions because they too meet many peoples  needs. We are glad there are there.

[Fouremco]

5 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

That said, independent tours and even just hiring a taxi at the port for a day can also bring special memories as well, which we also do from time to time. But let's not just gratuitously bash HAL shore excursions because they too meet many peoples  needs. We are glad there are there.

I don't think that anyone is bashing HAL excursions. Instead, people are pointing out to the OP that there are always options to taking ship excursions, be they HAL's or those of any other line, and that they are generally less crowded and less expensive. For example, in 2019 we did the 14-night Voyage of the Midnight Sun cruise on the Nieuw Statendam and found a number of good alternatives to visit Pulpit Rock from Stavanger.

 

That said, I enjoy the extensive research I conduct before choosing and booking an excursion, and I have the time to do it. I fully recognize that others may not have the time or inclination to do so, and picking a ship's excursion is a quick and easy way to book.

[scoochy12]

Thanks everyone! I called HAL and we are on the waitlist 😊