How far out to book excursions?

[OnTheUpside]

Hi! We've booked an 8 night Caribbean cruise for December. When is it best to book shore excursions? (I'm not sure if 7 mos out is too early. Are all of the options in place or is it typical for others to be added a bit later?) 

 

Appreciate any insight from those with more cruising experience. 🙂

 

 

[UKWLDCruise]

They do add excursions but you are not that far out anyway.

 

Excursions do book up as well so if there is something that you really want to do you might want to get a marker down, you can always cancel later on.  Things like cabanas will book up as soon as they are offered.

 

You can also think of booking an independent excursion, you can often find offers on your roll call if you are not confident enough to go solo. 

[cruiseguy1016]

Base on their popularity, some excursions will sell out in advance of the sail date. If there is an excursion that you definitely want to do, book it when it becomes available. Have you considered booking through an independant tour operator? If not, you should consider it. You can usually find an independant operator that will provide the same tour the cruise line offers but it will be cheaper and more enjoyable. With a cruisline tour you will be herded like cattle onto a bus with 50 other people. With an independant, you will be in a private van/bus with maybe 4 or 6 other people.

[Peachestravels]

We for some reason were able to book excursions for a sailing 500 days away. And I'm glad I check often because the one excursion we wanted to do only had 6 slots left. You should check often and book as soon as you can so you don't lose that spot. 

[LeeW]

Coco Cay cabanas and water park prices tend to go up the later you book.  Everything else seems to go up and down.  Book and watch prices - if you see a better price cancel and rebook.  Will take 7-10 days after cancelling for refund to show up on your credit card.

 

We see few excursions fully booked in Caribbean, although for the last year the tour operators have been having problems getting staff and can't increase the number of people they can handle even when they want to.  Lots of the company owners are now driving buses and boats for their company.

[OnTheUpside]

Thanks for these replies and suggestions. They're super helpful! I'll definitely keep an eye on prices and also check out independent tour operators- more options that way for sure.

[cruiseguy1016]

1 hour ago, OnTheUpside said:

Thanks for these replies and suggestions. They're super helpful! I'll definitely keep an eye on prices and also check out independent tour operators- more options that way for sure.

 

Go to the Ports of Call boards and look for the port you are searching. You'll find lots of preferred vendors to provide you a tour.

[jean87510]

17 hours ago, OnTheUpside said:

Hi! We've booked an 8 night Caribbean cruise for December. When is it best to book shore excursions? (I'm not sure if 7 mos out is too early. Are all of the options in place or is it typical for others to be added a bit later?) 

 

Appreciate any insight from those with more cruising experience. 🙂

 

 

I agree with going to the port of call for suggestions as opposed to taking a ship excursion.  I would go further and suggest researching each countries tourism board not necessarily for specific tour companies but for ideas on how you want to spend your day.  If you just want to hang at a beach, you do not need a ship excursion for that (ie Orient Bay in St. Martin, Carambola beach in St. Kitts).  St. Thomas you do not need the ship excursion for any beaches on St. Thomas.  So before you choose, just read about each place and decide what looks good that day and go to the Cruise Critic caribbean boards and post a question about if anyone has ever done this (zip line in Antigua, land sailing in Bonaire...) and people will share with you.  

[Mum2Mercury]

Random thoughts:

- Go ahead and book as soon as you know what you want.  You can always cancel, but the best excursions /best time slots may fill up.  

- If the price of your excursion goes down (check every now and then, especially on holidays), you can ask for a price match -- but if it goes up and you're not booked, you're screwed.  

- If you're going with independent tours (far superior to the ship's offerings), they usually don't require any money up front -- or they require only a percentage to hold your spot -- so losing money isn't a big concern.  

- When tours or cabanas or whatever say (waaaaay in advance) "only six left", I never believe that.  

[gluecksbaer]

That's about when I started looking.  Since I booked early, my parents booked early too.  My sister thought she would go with us.  We're now not quite 4 months away and she just downloaded the app on Sunday.  One of the excursions she wanted to join us on was sold out.

Edited March 14, 2023 by gluecksbaer
clarity

[ONECRUISER]

3 hours ago, gluecksbaer said:

That's about when I started looking.  Since I booked early, my parents booked early too.  My sister thought she would go with us.  We're now not quite 4 months away and she just downloaded the app on Sunday.  One of the excursions she wanted to join us on was sold out.

No guarantees but Royal is known to hold some back for Booking onboard. Check after getting on. Also keep eye out maybe few slots will open before Sailing.

[shof515]

i have a cruise in 300 days, no shore excursions is appearing for that cruise

[jean87510]

Also if taking snorkeling trips in the Caribbean Royal is enforcing all participants must use a snorkeling vest and/or life jackets.  Although the guides don't wear them.  So IF you are an experienced snorkeler and good swimmer with your own gear, and hate life jackets and 50 other people when you snorkel, do yourself a favor and save money.  Don't book.  We are finding this on a lot of ship and Viator/shoreexcursioneer excursions especially in Mexico and Belize.  Which is why if snorkeling is something you do a lot and the main reason you cruise the Caribbean, do your research if you don't want an experience of 50 people and life jackets.  We have found alternatives.  Funny story.  We were in waist deep water in Curacao and the guides for an excursion we weren't on (Thank God) were actually yelling at people to blow up their life vest in 3 ft of water standing in the sand looking at tiny fish.

Edited March 14, 2023 by jean87510