Wait Listed Excursions

[Oztripping]

Any experience with how wait listed excursions end up?  Despite looking at excursions 6 months ahead, 2 of the excursions had to be wait listed.  They were included ones.  It seems like we should be able to get the included excursions or the dollar value if they are not going to be available.  Any experience with someone who has cruised and dealt with this issue is appreciated.

[roaming_kiwi58]

We tried to book a number of included shore excursions as soon as we booked the cruise we are currently on (eastern Canada/USA), which was about 6 months out. We were alarmed at how many of the shore excursions were not available. We ended up with 5 wait listed tours. Close to sail date they added some more tours and rejuggled timings of tours. All of our wait listed tours were eventually confirmed, though not at the times we had requested. 

FYI once on board we ended up cancelling several of our booked tours, as we were somewhat disillusioned with the tours we did early in this 21 day B2B cruise, and preferred to do our own self guided walking tours in some ports.

[Oztripping]

Thanks for the response.  We usually do our own tours but thought we take the included tours and fend for ourselves with the afternoon.  I see you are from Christchurch.  We are stopping there and was wondering about the Canterbury Sheep farm for an afternoon visit.  Any recommendations?  Thanks again,

[Brad1185]

We book a cruise 13 months out in August and 2 tours are waitlisted. One is a walking tour so you would think they could add more people to that tour and one is a tour to a National park. 
 

I was talking with our SS rep and she said more than likely both tours will be worked out and she did not think we will have a problem. 
 

Another cruise we were holding with the same itinerary before we switched to this cruise was 19 months out and one of the included tours was already sold out and you could not book it. This particular tour is not offered on the 13 month out cruise we ended up booking. 

[scottjeanne]

What is the difference between waitlisted and full?  One of our excursions is listed as full.  Does that mean they wont put anyone on a waitlist and add more tours for it?

[Brad1185]

When the excursion said full I was unable to reserve it or do anything with the excursion. On the waitlisted excursions I could still add our name to the waitlist. 

[david63]

15 hours ago, scottjeanne said:

What is the difference between waitlisted and full?  One of our excursions is listed as full.  Does that mean they wont put anyone on a waitlist and add more tours for it?

Full would be an excursion that can only have x number of participants (such as one that only has 20 seats). A wait-listed excursion is one where if there is enough additional interest another coach can be added.