Times of excursions through the cruise ships?

[Krazy4Kruisin']

Some of the people in our group are totally afraid not to use the ship's tours, for fear of missing the ship before it leaves each port. Personally, if you are in port 10 hours, it would be pretty hard to not get back in time. I guess it can be done, though.
Anyway, my question is to anyone who has done tours through the ship. Are the tours spaced out during the day, so if you want to do more than one in each port, that can be done? I am wondering if we take a tour in the morning, can we still do something like the Salmon Bake in the afternoon? When you sign up for the excursions, do you sign up for specific times?

Thanks to anyone who answers. The hardest part of planning this cruise is planning the tours. There are way too many good choices.

[PEFER33]

Krazy4,

Yes, tour times are specific and are often spread out throughout the day in port. Depends on the length of the tour and the operator's schedule. You will get a list with your ticket package and an order form will be in your stateroom when you board. On some cruises you can book tours before you cruise. Has your group looked into this? We will be on Celebrity and they post their tours on the web site. By entering your confirmation number and credit card, you can pre-book any tour. Please note that Celebrity debits your card at the time you book the tour, not when you are on board. Other cruise lines charge differently.

Phil

[aniedda]

Princess also has a cruise personalizer on thier web site where you can book excursions well before sailing. The tours are spread out throughout the day and you have several times to choose from. Princess doesn't charge for the excursion until sailing, then it gets put on your account.

[Krazy4Kruisin']

We are planning on booking the tours through the RCCL website this week, although our cruise isn't until July 11. We want to be sure we get our 1st choices. But the reason I was asking the question is what if we want to do more than one tour in a port? When we order our tour tickets, do they take that into consideration and give us a morning tour for one and an afternoon tour for the other? Or will they say our tours overlap and therefore, we can choose only one per port? Also, I am wondering if we choose the helicopter glacier tour in Juneau, can we just go to the Salmon Bake at Gold Creek on our own when we get back from the tour? Do you need specific time reservations for the salmon bake?

[Budget Queen]

Yes you can just hop on the Gold Creek "salmon bake" bus right at the dock. Makes frequent loops.

[mstewart]

When you book tours through the RCCL website, it gives you a list of possible times for that tour. You have to choose a time. Sometimes it's difficult, because some of the tours only leave in the morning ... so you have to choose which you want to do.

First cruise on Serenade of the Seas, 5/30/04!
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[JohnQ]

Our only ship tours were in Sitka and we had back to back city bus tours---one was native sights, park, and museum and the other was the Russian sights and dancers. The first was late starting, gave no time at each sight as we always had to be on board and wait for slowest stragler, so by the end we only had a few minutes rather than 1/2hr at stops. Then we rushed back to second tour with no lunch and did basically same sight again except we went to raptor center and then back to see dancers. Same problems with not enough time at each stop to see visitor center and walk around. If you go to Sitka, consider doing all day bus pass and tour on your own. It is really small. For the other ports, I guess that is why we have to go back several times to see everything.