Shore Excursion prices — AZ has finally gone over the edge

[AllisonJames]

So, amazingly I can now see most of the shore excursions for our Scotland Intensive 8/17/23…although it still says we are on a 16 night Norway Intensive! Several months ago I happened to print out from the PDF the summary pages by location with names of excursions, prices, times and length. Started looking these up online and OMG AZ may have    finally gone over the edge. The vast majority of the prices are 60-80% more than the prices from the original PDF.  There’s barely an excursion under $100…some examples-Cawdor Castle and Gardens, (4 hrs, 15) was $99, now $164; Scenery of Western Shetland (3 hours) was $79, now $129; Nevis Range Gondolas (4 hrs, 45) was $129, now $204.  Then in the Glasgow section it actually gets to the point where I want to believe the prices are just completely in error….Stirling Castle (4 hrs, 30) was $99, now $249; Glasgow & Pollok House, (5 hrs 45), was $169, now $324!!! And WAIT FOR IT - Glasgow on Your Own, which I took on my last AZ cruise and is merely bus transportation from Greenock to Glasgow - was $79, now $174!!!!!  On the smaller Islands they really have us over a barrel as there aren’t many private tour providers, however…Stirling Castle (very common tour) and Glasgow???? And can I just say I miss the days we had Bonnie monitoring this board and would answer questions and get us info? Because at this point a tin can and string would be as effective as trying to get them on the phone right now.

[Baynanno1]

Talk about over the top!

It is about 20 miles (32 kilometres) between the two and takes around 45 minutes.

 

Taxi  US$61.99 to US$80.58

Bus  US$8.68 to US$13.64

Train  US$3 to US$4 may be found if lucky, otherwise a few dollars more.

 

Above figures from the internet and using currency converter, pounds to dollars.

 

Two couples in a cab would work out at most a fraction over US$40 per person - a little better than US$174 per person I think!

[john1970]

I guess they keep having 'special offers' of 500 and 1000 USD OBC. They just up the prices to absorb that. Or am I being cynical.

[crzrr]

This got me checking the excursions for my next 3 cruises.  I had purchased them all pre-conversion so was interested in whether or not they had increased in price.  Basically, I found that all are at the same price as before or, in one case, has gone down in price.  So, maybe it's location dependent?  From what I can tell, it does not seem to be across the board so maybe not all AZ's fault.  The OP's pricing is crazy but, given what I've read about the craziness of summer travel, that could be what the tours are now costing.  

[alfredo1]

GREENOCK (GLASGOW) CRUISE VISIT.

 

With a new terminal now opened, Greenock Central train station is 5/7 minutes walk away, safe and very easy. There is a regular direct train service to Glasgow, 3 trains an hour, with fares below $15 per person. This terminates at Glasgow Central Staion, and the name illustrates the location.

 

The current taxi rate from the pier is around £45 per hour, with also fixed rate tour prices. Capacity 4 persons and up.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

[ECCruise]

Wonder if there is a glitch here. 

Just checked all of our 5 sailings and no change in price to any excursion pricing. 

Edited May 19, 2023 by ECCruise

[AllisonJames]

Well, I am hoping for a glitch! My husband is always on the Perry Golf package on AZ and so I do tend to join a number of AZ excursions on my own. I know there are some complaints about the quality but the vast majority of the ones I have been on were pretty good. We just booked a Viking River Cruise and these AZ excursion prices are giving me a new appreciation for the cruises that include them.  Our roll call has not been very active for putting together private tours but I am certainly going to explore that more before booking anything through AZ.

[tango9]

Hi!  I am on the Scotland Intensive July 10 on Pursuit and the shore excursions you referenced as increasing in price happened exactly the same on this sailing!  I had booked five prior to the website mess and the prices are now all dramatically increased . I have been researching private excursions but have found them to be booked up already. Maybe I will be walking around town or taking a taxi for some ports.   Some of the excursions say that the cost is a million dollars!   I can't understand what is taking months for Azamara to get their website and our accounts straightened out either.  I know that when I get on the ship, I will still enjoy my time . 

[acruisergirl]

2 hours ago, tango9 said:

Hi!  I am on the Scotland Intensive July 10 on Pursuit and the shore excursions you referenced as increasing in price happened exactly the same on this sailing!  I had booked five prior to the website mess and the prices are now all dramatically increased . I have been researching private excursions but have found them to be booked up already. Maybe I will be walking around town or taking a taxi for some ports.   Some of the excursions say that the cost is a million dollars!   I can't understand what is taking months for Azamara to get their website and our accounts straightened out either.  I know that when I get on the ship, I will still enjoy my time . 

Hi, my husband and I are also on the July 10th cruise and feel your pain.  I have tried to book excursions on the new website for this cruise without much success.  We were recently on an Azamara cruise in February and had plan to book tours for this cruise in order to take advantage of a 10% discount for booking future excursions.  Unfortunately that option was not available because of the website migration issues. 

I totally agree that the prices have gone up dramatically.  There are some that were raised on average $50 to $75 per excursion but one in particular increased by $150 per excursion.   I understand that mistakes are made and prices increase closer to sailing but these increases are ridiculous.☹️

Edited May 19, 2023 by acruisergirl

[goldiemom]

Glad some of you can look up your booked cruise.  I am on the Scotland Intensive August 17 cruise and my account still shows I have no upcoming cruises.  I have requested assistance several times, but no response.  Luckily I booked several excursions using OBC prior to the new web site roll out. When final payment was due, Azamara charged the additional cost of the excursions to our credit card (over $700).  It took our TA almost a month to get it sorted out.

 

As for excursions, I am all set for all the ports (booked some private ones) except for the second day in Greenock.  I think my husband and I will take the train to Ayr and visit the Robert Burns Museum.

 

This is our first cruise on Azamara, so I am a bit anxious about this whole experience.  That said, I have booked the Croatia Intensive for Sept. 2024.   

[acruisergirl]

1 hour ago, goldiemom said:

Glad some of you can look up your booked cruise.  I am on the Scotland Intensive August 17 cruise and my account still shows I have no upcoming cruises.  I have requested assistance several times, but no response.  Luckily I booked several excursions using OBC prior to the new web site roll out. When final payment was due, Azamara charged the additional cost of the excursions to our credit card (over $700).  It took our TA almost a month to get it sorted out.

 

As for excursions, I am all set for all the ports (booked some private ones) except for the second day in Greenock.  I think my husband and I will take the train to Ayr and visit the Robert Burns Museum.

 

This is our first cruise on Azamara, so I am a bit anxious about this whole experience.  That said, I have booked the Croatia Intensive for Sept. 2024.   

Not to worry about your on board experience, you will thoroughly enjoy the cruise.

[govanguy]

This his useful and in most cases , reliable

 

https://www.travelinescotland.com/

[govanguy]

1 hour ago, goldiemom said:

Glad some of you can look up your booked cruise.  I am on the Scotland Intensive August 17 cruise and my account still shows I have no upcoming cruises.  I have requested assistance several times, but no response.  Luckily I booked several excursions using OBC prior to the new web site roll out. When final payment was due, Azamara charged the additional cost of the excursions to our credit card (over $700).  It took our TA almost a month to get it sorted out.

 

As for excursions, I am all set for all the ports (booked some private ones) except for the second day in Greenock.  I think my husband and I will take the train to Ayr and visit the Robert Burns Museum.

 

This is our first cruise on Azamara, so I am a bit anxious about this whole experience.  That said, I have booked the Croatia Intensive for Sept. 2024.   

Greenock to Ayr could be possible. Train to Glasgow Central, change platforms for Ayr train then bus to Alloway for Burns cottage and museum. The Alloway bus stop is just outside the rail station.Bus numbers, 97 or 361 Alternatively, a taxi from Ayr station. Plenty taxis outside station.

[AllisonJames]

2 hours ago, goldiemom said:

Glad some of you can look up your booked cruise.  I am on the Scotland Intensive August 17 cruise and my account still shows I have no upcoming cruises.  I have requested assistance several times, but no response.  Luckily I booked several excursions using OBC prior to the new web site roll out. When final payment was due, Azamara charged the additional cost of the excursions to our credit card (over $700).  It took our TA almost a month to get it sorted out.

 

As for excursions, I am all set for all the ports (booked some private ones) except for the second day in Greenock.  I think my husband and I will take the train to Ayr and visit the Robert Burns Museum.

 

This is our first cruise on Azamara, so I am a bit anxious about this whole experience.  That said, I have booked the Croatia Intensive for Sept. 2024.   

Hi Goldie I saw your posts on the Roll Call. My husband and I are going to Troon/Ayr the second day in Greenock…we looked into private tours but they were very expensive and he is going to play golf in Troon and I was planning to walk some of the Coastal Path and explore Ayr a bit so we don’t need an actual tour. We are thinking of taking an Uber or a taxi let me know if you might be interested in sharing transportation … we also looked into the train but it seemed like it would be too many changes and walking with golf clubs.

 

[alfredo1]

Re Goldiemom enquiry re Burns Museum.

 

Greenock Burns Club (The Mother Club), oldest in the world, have a Burns Exhibition within the historic Customhouse Building in Greenock which is on the quayside almost adjacent to the cruise terminal.

Entry is free and exhibition is open when cruise ships are berthed. Much Burns history in Greenock, and the burial place of 'Highland Mary' Campbell, who was a lover of Burns.

 

www.greenockburnsclub.com

https://discoverinverclyde.com/

 

[nonrev1]

Azamara should honor the original tour prices.  It is their fault most people have been unable to book,  frustrating. 

[laurieb]

4 hours ago, nonrev1 said:

Azamara should honor the original tour prices.  It is their fault most people have been unable to book,  frustrating. 

Excursions always go up in price the closer you get to your sail date, on all cruise lines, especially for tours that are popular.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

37 minutes ago, laurieb said:

Excursions always go up in price the closer you get to your sail date, on all cruise lines, especially for tours that are popular.  

Yes, but Azamara does seem to have some moral obligation because people were unable to book ahead at the lower prices.  I'm not asking them to lose money, if the operators have raised the wholesale price – but they shouldn't be making the increased margin of late-booked excursions, in this case.

[cruisemom42]

Yep, I would definitely have to agree that the current pricing is over the edge -- see below:

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

46 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Yep, I would definitely have to agree that the current pricing is over the edge -- see below:

 

They do mention Croatian pirates...

[Huntingdon1701]

6 hours ago, laurieb said:

Excursions always go up in price the closer you get to your sail date, on all cruise lines, especially for tours that are popular.  

 

They don't actually. The other two lines I mainly use always have them fixed until you get on board. They may sell out of course. 

 

There's high inflation in the UK at the moment so a lot of costs have gone up in an eye watering fashion, but that still wouldn't justify the levels of increases that AllisonJames is seeing.

[uktog]

7 hours ago, laurieb said:

Excursions always go up in price the closer you get to your sail date, on all cruise lines, especially for tours that are popular.  

But given my and others first hand knowledge of what’s involved in the tours in Scotland the prices are unreasonable. I think the example of Glasgow on your own says it all. There is no real added value other than transport $174 for something you can do for $25 

I see very unreasonable prices or a computer glitch. 

Edited May 20, 2023 by uktog

[chucknmarilyn]

9 hours ago, laurieb said:

Excursions always go up in price the closer you get to your sail date, on all cruise lines, especially for tours that are popular.  

I have rarely found that to be the case on any cruiselines. We do often take advantage of some sales that are a better price earlier but the base price rarely changes. Even then the difference is minimal.

[fruitmachine]

2 hours ago, chucknmarilyn said:

I have rarely found that to be the case on any cruiselines. We do often take advantage of some sales that are a better price earlier but the base price rarely changes. Even then the difference is minimal.

I beg to differ and have the data to back that up.

Using a generous £ to $ rate of 1.25 (we could only see £ price pre cruise, and only $ price onboard) Azamara increase excursion prices by between 10% and 123% for a cruise last month.

[chucknmarilyn]

23 minutes ago, fruitmachine said:

I beg to differ and have the data to back that up.

Using a generous £ to $ rate of 1.25 (we could only see £ price pre cruise, and only $ price onboard) Azamara increase excursion prices by between 10% and 123% for a cruise last month.

I meant to say on any other cruiselines. My experiences are mostly Celebrity, Royal, and HAL. Did Azamara have these large increases before the ownership change?