Cancelled Excursions

[donaldsc]

We are doing a Spain and Portugal Atlas cruise.  This will be my 1st Atlas cruise.  I have read complaints that Atlas is not good at managing excursions and that excursions are sometimes or often cancelled.  Any thoughts on this.

 

DON

[YoHoHo]

I don't know what you are referring to by "Atlas is not good at managing excursions". If you are referring to the possibility of an excursion being cancelled then yes, in my experience excursions are cancelled but was always from insufficient participation.

 

Last year 21 days Adriatic / Med we took many more shorex than usual for us. Normally independent or hire local guides or tour companies but so many small (and lovely) ports there are few options so used Atlas. We did have several cancelled on us due to lack of participation. 

 

As for managing that, they did a good job. On board the Excursion Manager would promote upcoming tours that may be in jeopardy of cancellation trying to fill to the threshold. And I had a feeling she tried to negotiate with the provider, possibly not directly, when numbers were close. Also she did send the notice with alternative suggestions. And if those did not suit she would suggest ideas for independent touring. Cancellations are not processed on board, only requested so it takes a few days for the credit, IIRC after the cruise is completed, to be issued and if you want a replacement must pay on the spot. Not a big deal.

 

I felt for the Excursion Manager as it was a lot of work for her to cancel, rebook, process requests and try to get the numbers up or tour providers to carry on. 

 

We had several cancelled; seems our tastes did not match the majority of shorex buyers. The Excursion Manager likely braced herself a little as I walked by in the mornings having received the cancellation notices yet again. I never blamed her, in fact praised her efforts. There were only a few of us on one excursion that clearly could have taken many more and I suspected that she managed to get this one to go ahead so as to not disappoint us and some others once again.

 

One area I did think Atlas (corporate) badly managed was with excursion cancellations for the first day following embarkation. We were on back to back cruises and this happened to us twice. Being as purchases close seven days prior to sailing and the cancelation due to low numbers notice was in our cabin on embarkation day, they clearly knew seven days prior that the excursion would not happen and yet never told us. So when we learned of the cancellation it is too late for us to make other arrangements or have to scramble on embarkation day after boarding to even map directions to sites. I did express THAT to her the second time this happened. 

 

Bottom line is:
1. Definitely: if booking a shorex for the first day have a plan B ready.
2. Have some plans / ideas even not for day 1 just in case. Makes it easy to carry on.
3. Book early. Remember you can cancel within terms. But if you don't book until late then it might already be cancelled. 

 

Certainly Atlas handled the cancellations better than Oceania last Dec when 5/8 were cancelled, mostly, but not all, weather related. The issue there was indeed the management of the cancellations, getting proper credit, getting replacement excursions at the discounted price due to the number of excursions booked, questions (with differing answers) if the credits would be in cash (back to credit card) or to OBC now unusable as not on account perhaps until last night, etc.

 

Other than the cancellations I thought the excursions were well managed and good product. 
 

[donaldsc]

3 hours ago, YoHoHo said:

I don't know what you are referring to by "Atlas is not good at managing excursions". If you are referring to the possibility of an excursion being cancelled then yes, in my experience excursions are cancelled but was always from insufficient participation.

 

Last year 21 days Adriatic / Med we took many more shorex than usual for us. Normally independent or hire local guides or tour companies but so many small (and lovely) ports there are few options so used Atlas. We did have several cancelled on us due to lack of participation. 

 

As for managing that, they did a good job. On board the Excursion Manager would promote upcoming tours that may be in jeopardy of cancellation trying to fill to the threshold. And I had a feeling she tried to negotiate with the provider, possibly not directly, when numbers were close. Also she did send the notice with alternative suggestions. And if those did not suit she would suggest ideas for independent touring. Cancellations are not processed on board, only requested so it takes a few days for the credit, IIRC after the cruise is completed, to be issued and if you want a replacement must pay on the spot. Not a big deal.

 

I felt for the Excursion Manager as it was a lot of work for her to cancel, rebook, process requests and try to get the numbers up or tour providers to carry on. 

 

We had several cancelled; seems our tastes did not match the majority of shorex buyers. The Excursion Manager likely braced herself a little as I walked by in the mornings having received the cancellation notices yet again. I never blamed her, in fact praised her efforts. There were only a few of us on one excursion that clearly could have taken many more and I suspected that she managed to get this one to go ahead so as to not disappoint us and some others once again.

 

One area I did think Atlas (corporate) badly managed was with excursion cancellations for the first day following embarkation. We were on back to back cruises and this happened to us twice. Being as purchases close seven days prior to sailing and the cancelation due to low numbers notice was in our cabin on embarkation day, they clearly knew seven days prior that the excursion would not happen and yet never told us. So when we learned of the cancellation it is too late for us to make other arrangements or have to scramble on embarkation day after boarding to even map directions to sites. I did express THAT to her the second time this happened. 

 

Bottom line is:
1. Definitely: if booking a shorex for the first day have a plan B ready.
2. Have some plans / ideas even not for day 1 just in case. Makes it easy to carry on.
3. Book early. Remember you can cancel within terms. But if you don't book until late then it might already be cancelled. 

 

Certainly Atlas handled the cancellations better than Oceania last Dec when 5/8 were cancelled, mostly, but not all, weather related. The issue there was indeed the management of the cancellations, getting proper credit, getting replacement excursions at the discounted price due to the number of excursions booked, questions (with differing answers) if the credits would be in cash (back to credit card) or to OBC now unusable as not on account perhaps until last night, etc.

 

Other than the cancellations I thought the excursions were well managed and good product. 
 

 

Thanks for all the information.  I had read somewhere that Atlas tended to cancellation shore excursions.  This is my first Atlas cruise and my TA said that her clients who went w Atlas had a positive experience.  

 

One more question.  What are the group sizes on most of the tours.  When I cruise I usually do private tours and I keep my group size to 8 people maximum and often less.  I don't like big bus tours.

 

Again - thanks a lot.  I am looking forward to my 1st Atlas cruise.

 

DON

[YoHoHo]

On 8/4/2024 at 12:53 AM, donaldsc said:

 

Thanks for all the information.  I had read somewhere that Atlas tended to cancellation shore excursions.  This is my first Atlas cruise and my TA said that her clients who went w Atlas had a positive experience.  

 

One more question.  What are the group sizes on most of the tours.  When I cruise I usually do private tours and I keep my group size to 8 people maximum and often less.  I don't like big bus tours.

 

Again - thanks a lot.  I am looking forward to my 1st Atlas cruise.

 

DON

We were as small as 6 or 8 and as many as 30 or so on one.

 

What is your dislikes with big bus tours? Assuming you'll be taken shopping? Never happened.

 

That there will be a lot of mobility impaired fellow pax slow to load a big bus? Seemed the nature of Atlas cruise appeal is toward more active folks, regardless of age, so we did not run into that. That said the one with the larger bus load (30 or so) WAS slower to load and leave because a large group is slower to assemble and slower to load and more likely to include one or two of those who do want to shop and shop and dawdle so hold up the re-boarding ( yes we did have one of those)

 

Lousy guides? We had some excellent, excellent guides. And yes, the guide on the big bus, "scenic" tour was the poorest but in fairness, her tasks was to get us to point B and back, give overview on the bus (done well), walk to a 'your on your own point' and that is all. So while was not hand holding or personalized she met the expected mandate and did that better than others I have had on similar, and more expensive, tours.

 

We also prefer to hire guides for small groups, preferably 6 and customize the tour. But some small ports there are limited options. So we took tours we otherwise would likely have passed on but still enjoyed - some thoroughly.

 

I encourage you to go with an open mind and roll with the circumstances. If you are adamant going in that you will not enjoy a big bus tour you might very well not enjoy the included "cultural expedition" they could be providing  for your cruise. it will take all who want to go, which in our case was 95%, to a nearby town on several big buses, a larger venue etc. For us both of them were extremely well organized, loading and unloading and reloading well handle and very enjoyable. But it will be in effect, a big bus tour. But bear in mind, still just max 150-200 pax.

 

Hope your enjoy your cruise

[donaldsc]

I am going to do a mixture of private, smaller group Viator type and Atlas tours.  It would be nice if I could access other people on the ship as some of the private tours are pricy.  Hopefully I might meet some people on the ship who want to share.  Looking forward to the cruise.

 

DON

Edited August 9 by donaldsc

[Mrs f.]

On 8/9/2024 at 1:33 AM, donaldsc said:

I am going to do a mixture of private, smaller group Viator type and Atlas tours.  It would be nice if I could access other people on the ship as some of the private tours are pricy.  Hopefully I might meet some people on the ship who want to share.  Looking forward to the cruise.

 

DON

Is there a Rollcall for your cruise? If not start one. Great way to meet people