Excurions sold out 215 days before cruise???

[rjp50]

We are cruising cross-Atlantic on the Nieuw Statendam next April.  We have the package that gives us $200 each for excursion credits.  I just checked the web site and was shocked to see virtually every excursion completely booked up.  There are only excursions in Bermuda and the ultra expensive tours still available.  Does HAL usually open more excursions closer to sailing date?  If not, I feel ripped off in that I am paying for a package that I can't take advantage of.  We have cruised quite a bit and have never seen excursions sold out so far in advanced.

[Mary229]

Sign up for the waitlist, you will be notified if it reopens.  Note if another section opens at a different time you will not be notified so keep checking.  
That far in advance it is usually a matter of getting commitments though some very popular limited excursions do indeed sell out. Join your roll call as more eyes are watching for new excursions to drop and will notify the group. 

[MaxThrusters]

I feel your pain. Good news though! 1) The excursions possibly aren't really available to book yet, so they list them as 'unavailable' and 2) People do sometimes book cruises with a refundable deposit, and then book all the excursions they think they want, and then whoops CANCEL everything before final payment date. Odd, well to me anyway, but it apparently happens. Get wait-listed when that is possible!

[Lido deck main]

1 hour ago, rjp50 said:

We are cruising cross-Atlantic on the Nieuw Statendam next April.  We have the package that gives us $200 each for excursion credits.  I just checked the web site and was shocked to see virtually every excursion completely booked up.  There are only excursions in Bermuda and the ultra expensive tours still available.  Does HAL usually open more excursions closer to sailing date?  If not, I feel ripped off in that I am paying for a package that I can't take advantage of.  We have cruised quite a bit and have never seen excursions sold out so far in advanced.

That cruise came up over a year ago, I booked right away as soon as the cruise came out, I am booked on some back to backs, I did buy have it all and booked my excursions back then.  I also have 4 back to back cruises in summer 2026 and I already have my excursions done for that one on my HIA, and some I purchased outright.  Put your name on the waitlist, people come and go on cruises, also the ship might be able to get a second or third tour going. 

[PROCRUISE]

Another option might be, through your roll call for the cruise, to get a few people to join you on private tours. They are usually less expensive, many fewer people to contend with and after many private tours, we've never even come close to missing the ship upon return.

[rjp50]

3 hours ago, PROCRUISE said:

Another option might be, through your roll call for the cruise, to get a few people to join you on private tours. They are usually less expensive, many fewer people to contend with and after many private tours, we've never even come close to missing the ship upon return.

Yes, that is what we usually do.  However, in this case we would be leaving $400 on the table if we can't/don't book ship excursions.  If HAL adds excursions then all is well.  If not, shame on them for selling packages with credits that can only be used on excursions but not providing sufficient reasonable excursions to take.

[Ottawa traveller]

I am booked on the June 15, 2025 Arctic Circle Crossing.  I had to waitlist 5 shore excursions but as of last week, I had confirmations for all of them.  I don't know if they had cancellations or added extra capacity. I have always had good luck with waitlisting tours.

[FlaMariner]

22 hours ago, rjp50 said:

We are cruising cross-Atlantic on the Nieuw Statendam next April.

 

Her Majesty and I are on that cruise also....

 

We never book HAL tours (unless it's the only game in town and something we want to see/do) and was surprised that there are only a couple of seats left for an independent tour (not a HAL excursion) from Dover port to Canterbury. 

 

It seems us TA cruisers are big into planning.....early planning....and it's quite an active roll call.  

 

I did see something about a private tour trying to get arranged for Bermuda but did not pay much attention to it.  

 

You may want to jump on the roll call if you have not already.

 

You will be able to easily spend your $400 excursion credit on that cruise.....I am certain.

 

See you onboard.....

 

Edited September 3 by FlaMariner

[FlaMariner]

22 hours ago, rjp50 said:

I just checked the web site and was shocked to see virtually every excursion completely booked up. 

 

Are you on the 4/5/25 crossing?

 

Go log in again....I can see 15 Bermuda tours and none sold out and most are less than a hundred bucks.....Perhaps they added more capacity.

[rjp50]

9 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Are you on the 4/5/25 crossing?

 

Go log in again....I can see 15 Bermuda tours and none sold out and most are less than a hundred bucks.....Perhaps they added more capacity.

Yes, I had seen that the Bermuda stop had tours available but that none of the other ports did except for the very expensive ones.  While I haven't looked into Bermuda yet, I figured that this might be one that is easy to do on your own.  That's why I discounted them.  I'll check out the roll call.

[FlaMariner]

7 minutes ago, rjp50 said:

While I haven't looked into Bermuda yet, I figured that this might be one that is easy to do on your own. 

 

That's our plan....DIY in Bermuda....taking the public bus.

[D Lee]

I have a Mediterranean cruise on Volendam October, 2025 and have to pay shore excursions as they are booked. Anyone else run into that?

[0106]

11 hours ago, D Lee said:

have to pay shore excursions as they are booked.

Do you have excursion credit through HIA?  You can use that to book excursions.  After you have used up your credit, you must pay for excursions in advance of the cruise.

[POA1]

Sometimes the waitlist acts a pre-release placeholder. If you want something far in advance and it's on a waitlist, definitely sign up. Make sure you check out. It's a $0 cost but you must check out to be on the list.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

It's happening more and more.

[swin26]

It is crazy- we are booked on a Spring 2026 TA cruise and excursions are available for booking.  Over 575 days in advance.