Cruiseline excursion question

[screwsmcernst]

We are sailing over Christmas, and we booked a ship excursion in the Cayman Islands because we will be there on Boxing Day.  We booked an 8:45 timeslot because the website would not let us book a 10:15 slot.  But after looking, we discovered that we don't arrive until 10 a.m.   Will X reimburse us for our excursion as an OBC or will we be on the excursion at the first time of the day no matter when we arrive?

 

One other question,  will most shops be closed because of Boxing Day?  Or, is this no big deal and it will be business as usual?

 

 

[the penguins]

3 hours ago, screwsmcernst said:

We are sailing over Christmas, and we booked a ship excursion in the Cayman Islands because we will be there on Boxing Day.  We booked an 8:45 timeslot because the website would not let us book a 10:15 slot.  But after looking, we discovered that we don't arrive until 10 a.m.   Will X reimburse us for our excursion as an OBC or will we be on the excursion at the first time of the day no matter when we arrive?

 

One other question,  will most shops be closed because of Boxing Day?  Or, is this no big deal and it will be business as usual?

 

 

Usually ships excursions will be automatically changed to meet the docking time. Boxing Day is a Bank Holiday - according to the Tourist Authority many businesses will be closed or open for fewer hours.

Edited November 19, 2023 by the penguins
Missed text.

[CNSfromHI]

23 hours ago, screwsmcernst said:

We are sailing over Christmas, and we booked a ship excursion in the Cayman Islands because we will be there on Boxing Day.  We booked an 8:45 timeslot because the website would not let us book a 10:15 slot.  But after looking, we discovered that we don't arrive until 10 a.m.   Will X reimburse us for our excursion as an OBC or will we be on the excursion at the first time of the day no matter when we arrive?

 

Did you book this excursion through Celebrity or independently? And when you say you won't arrive until 10 a.m., does that mean when the ship docks?

 

I ask because if you book an excursion through Celebrity, then those things are typically coordinated, i.e., Celebrity shouldn't offer an excursion booking time before the ship even docks. I'm not saying it's impossible (stuff happens!) but that's been our experience booking excursions through the cruise line. That said, even if your ship arrived at 10:00 a.m., you likely won't disembark quickly enough for a 10:15 excursion.

 

In addition, I would not assume your excursion will automatically be adjusted. Instead, I would check with your excursion provider to clarify your arrival time vs. its departure time and, if necessary, rebook or cancel for a refund.

 

Hope this helps and that you have a fabulous cruise!

 

cjr

[LeeW]

With bookings through the ship you will get tickets in your room when to arrive.  ALWAYS check these.  Sometimes they cancel a tour and they may change the tour time even if the ship isn't docking at a different time than advertised.  We have had morning tours changed to afternoon with the only notice being the printed ticket (and the tour was still the "A" time slot).

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

How far in advance did you book the excursion. I've noticed that sometimes excursions booked far out default to something like 8:00 or 8:15 and then are adjusted. What does your calendar say in your planner for the time?

[screwsmcernst]

On 11/20/2023 at 2:35 PM, CNSfromHI said:

 

Did you book this excursion through Celebrity or independently? And when you say you won't arrive until 10 a.m., does that mean when the ship docks?

 

I ask because if you book an excursion through Celebrity, then those things are typically coordinated, i.e., Celebrity shouldn't offer an excursion booking time before the ship even docks. I'm not saying it's impossible (stuff happens!) but that's been our experience booking excursions through the cruise line. That said, even if your ship arrived at 10:00 a.m., you likely won't disembark quickly enough for a 10:15 excursion.

 

In addition, I would not assume your excursion will automatically be adjusted. Instead, I would check with your excursion provider to clarify your arrival time vs. its departure time and, if necessary, rebook or cancel for a refund.

 

Hope this helps and that you have a fabulous cruise!

 

cjr

 

We booked through Celebrity ship excursions.  That is why I was confused when I saw that the ship doesn't anchor until 10 a.m., but 8:45 and 10:15 excursions were offered. 

 

So we would have to tender and then get our excursion.  Neither of those times work.  We haven't received any correction emails.  

[screwsmcernst]

2 hours ago, LeeW said:

With bookings through the ship you will get tickets in your room when to arrive.  ALWAYS check these.  Sometimes they cancel a tour and they may change the tour time even if the ship isn't docking at a different time than advertised.  We have had morning tours changed to afternoon with the only notice being the printed ticket (and the tour was still the "A" time slot).

 

This is what I was wondering.  We will check our tickets and/or ask at the excursion desk.

 

 

[screwsmcernst]

2 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

How far in advance did you book the excursion. I've noticed that sometimes excursions booked far out default to something like 8:00 or 8:15 and then are adjusted. What does your calendar say in your planner for the time?

We booked the excursion on Nov. 12.  Our calendar on the website shows the excursion at 8:45 on day 4.  The excursion does not show up at all on our calendar on the app.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

7 hours ago, screwsmcernst said:

We booked the excursion on Nov. 12.  Our calendar on the website shows the excursion at 8:45 on day 4.  The excursion does not show up at all on our calendar on the app.

Interesting. No clue.

[LeeW]

The app typically doesn't show your reservations until you connect to the onboard network.

[LB_NJ]

1 hour ago, LeeW said:

The app typically doesn't show your reservations until you connect to the onboard network.

They are showing up on my app.

[zgscl]

98% chance they will automatically adjust the time when you get your tickets onboard. 2% they cancel the tour. I made those numbers up but I wouldn’t worry. 
 

That said can you cancel and rebook the later tour time? Also keep in mind Grand Cayman is a tender port so there needs to be time to get ashore also. If the tour is early they often meet in the theater and then take the whole tour as a group. I decided not to go last time I was there so I can’t recall where it met. 

[Baynanno1]

Occasionally tours and times are copied and pasted from a previous cruise to the new cruise without taking any notice of the actual arrival and departure times of the ship on the new cruise.

There seems to be a lack of "proof readers" before information is printed.

[LB_NJ]

Occasionally they cancel Grand Cayman altogether.