Question About Celebrity Excursions

[Rick&Jeannie]

We are booked for our 2nd X cruise...Feb. 12 Israel, Egypt & Turkey.  We have more experience over on Princess...so not sure how Celebrity handles shore excursions.  I had made a note pertaining to two different excursions in Alexandria and when I went in today they are simply gone.  Others for the cruise are marked "sold out" or "4 seats left"...so it seems that they would give it a "sold out" label if that were the case.  Is it common for the cruise line to just "drop" an excursion this far out?  Any ideas as to what's going on?

[Tierun]

Many reasons to drop an excursion such as a vendor going out of business or not meeting various requirements set by the cruise line. 

[D. B.]

1 minute ago, Tierun said:

Many reasons to drop an excursion such as a vendor going out of business or not meeting various requirements set by the cruise line. 

 

59 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

We are booked for our 2nd X cruise...Feb. 12 Israel, Egypt & Turkey.  We have more experience over on Princess...so not sure how Celebrity handles shore excursions.  I had made a note pertaining to two different excursions in Alexandria and when I went in today they are simply gone.  Others for the cruise are marked "sold out" or "4 seats left"...so it seems that they would give it a "sold out" label if that were the case.  Is it common for the cruise line to just "drop" an excursion this far out?  Any ideas as to what's going on?

We have had excursions we booked and paid for dropped just a few day before they were supposed to take place for to few buyers.

[Rick&Jeannie]

And just like that...one of the excursions in question is BACK being listed!  Strange!

[mom says]

Celebrity? Not strange at all.

[Rick&Jeannie]

Interesting!  I see weirdness like this all the time with Princess...we just haven't done enough with Celebrity to *know* what's usual!

[chemmo]

21 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Interesting!  I see weirdness like this all the time with Princess...we just haven't done enough with Celebrity to *know* what's usual!

In our experience there are excursions that are easy to extend (coach tours). Initially Celebrity will book a set number, then it goes to sold out, then available again. I would assume Celebrity has (owing to demand) added an additional coach.

 

Then there are operation issues (political/safety concerns?) that may result in tours being dropped or taken off sale, modified and then reintroduced.

 

Finally there are the genuine limited places…Sea planes in Alaska and snorkelling trips in Bora Bora are two obvious ones that come to mind…Once they are gone they are genuinely gone unless someone drops out.

Edited August 18, 2023 by chemmo

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 minute ago, chemmo said:

In our experience there are excursions that are easy to extend (coach tours). Initially Celebrity will book a set number, then it goes to sold out, then available again. I would assume Celebrity has (owing to demand) added an additional coach.

 

Then there are operation issues (political?) that may result in tours being dropped or taken off sale, modified and then reintroduced.

 

Finally there are the genuine limited places…Sea planes in Alaska and snorkelling trips in Bora Bora are two obvious ones that come to mind…Once they are gone they are genuinely gone unless someone drops out.

I understand what you're saying...I guess I was just "expecting" too much in that they would list a sold out excursion as sold out...as they did with the previous port where one was actually marked as "Sold Out".  Whatever...I 'm just glad that one of them is back.  It happens to be our "first choice" for that port.

[gfkcruiser]

1 hour ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I understand what you're saying...I guess I was just "expecting" too much in that they would list a sold out excursion as sold out...as they did with the previous port where one was actually marked as "Sold Out".  Whatever...I 'm just glad that one of them is back.  It happens to be our "first choice" for that port.

An excursion I wanted was sold out.  Checked back often and was available.  Booked it then. 

[SoloAlaska]

Also people do cancel or change their minds on excursions. A provider may be able to handle increased capacity and that might reflect in spots becoming available etc.