booking excursions

[Rob & Beckys mom]

If we book excursions through Oceania at the website are we charged or does this go on your onboard account?

 

Any advice for Gibraltar & Porto Grande?

 

Jan

[orchestrapal]

By the time you get off the Oceania site you credit card will have been charged(in Ireland).:(

[spindrift]

Actually, we love the way Oceania does it. We book our tours on line and they are paid for by the time we board. I don't understand the "charged in Ireland" bit, but we have been on Oceania a few times, and each time the cost of the tours has come through on our credit card just as we have booked them (price, I mean). It is great. Not another worry about expenses when you are on the trip.

 

We were on the Beijing to Hong Kong last year and booked all of our tours (and they were paid for before we boarded). When we boarded, we wanted to change a couple, and it was no problem. One was more, the other was less, but the net was a few dollars to our credit, so they credited our onboard account.

 

Then my visa was messed up and I could not take one of the tours. The tour office was wonderful, and I had an immediate credit for mine. My husband was okay, so he was able to go.

 

Again, I can't understand the "charged in Ireland" issue, but I LOVE how they do it. I just booked my tours on HAL the same way for an upcoming trip. Oceania is honest!!! I wouldn't hesitate to book your tours. They fill very rapidly.

[Andee]

I'd rather not give them my money for excursions far in advance of the cruise, so I don't think the system is so wonderful. What bothered me more was that they could charge my cc instantly, but when Libya was cancelled, it took weeks for them to credit our cc for those excusrions.

 

Some people have had the expereince of extra fees because Oceania charged their credit cards through a bank in Ireland.

 

In Gibraltar, I researched what we wanted to see and negotiated with a cab driver when we got off the ship. There is a "standard" 90 minute tour, but we wanted to see more, and the cab driver put the four of us together with another group of four to fill up the van. I believe that I found the longer tour on the Gibraltar tourism website.

[brian_uk]

I think the " charged in Ireland " reference refers to a recent discussion on surcharges on certain credit cards because O seems to receive some payments via Ireland. I think it was about 2%.

 

We prefer to make our arrangements for Ships Tours once on board. We have found that after 2 or 3 full days out we are so exhausted that we need a day of rest and just relax by the Pool.

 

Brian

[serendipity1499]

They will bill your Credit Card as soon as you book them..

 

Many credit Card Companies charge a Foreign Conversion fee of one to three percent when you purchase something in local currency rather than US Dollars..

 

Our Credit Card company normally charges a foreign conversion fee of 3%..However on this Card we also get 1% back on every dollar we spend, which is automatically credited to our account the following month..We like this Card's perks & use it for everything.. Never pay interest as our bank account is auto deducted for the full amount each month..It's a win/win situation for us..

 

We also have a CapitalOne Card which doesn't charge a foreign conversion fee, but also doesn't have an auto deduct of 1%.... We'll use this card when we are out of the country & purchase things in local currency..

 

Because Oceania banks in Ireland, the foreign conversation fee concerned us & we discussed it with our TA..She assured me that this problem had been corrected for most Credit Cards & assured us we would not be charged a conversion fee on our card.. She went on to say " if we were charged, she would see to it that the charge, was refunded"..

 

We therefore took her at her word & paid our final payment for our Amazon Cruise last Monday on our regular Credit Card..Also booked one Oceania excursion on-line (folk show in the Amazon) as the theater only holds 380 Passengers..We had seen the show before & wanted to be sure to see it again...

 

Our closing date for this account was June 28...We're happy to report that, the final bill reads exactly what we paid in US dollars for both the cruise & the excursion, even though it indicates that the charge was put through & billed by Oceania Cruises, Inc. IRL..

 

Can't wait for this cruise..Only 21 weeks to go!

 

Happy cruising everyone..:) Betty

[spindrift]

I'm so anxious to hear about your Amazon cruise w/O. I took it many years ago with my wonderful Mother on the Vistafjord (on which she had sailed 26 times), and I want to book this trip again with my husband for 2008. They haven't released the trip yet, but I am anxious to see what you think of it this year. Have a great trip. I'm soooo jealous. Wish I could do it this year but we already have trips booked over that period of time.

[serendipity1499]

Rob & Beckys mom..We were on a Trans-Atlantic in 2002 & had to make an unscheduled fuel stop in Gibraltar (they closed the Azores due to a storm)...Four of us negotiated with a local CAB driver to take us on a tour...He took us to the top of the Rock first & then on a tour of the town..The Cab driver was great & gave us the history of Gibraltar during WWII...Got to see the Spanish border..It was a fantastic tour...

 

The second time in Gibraltar in 2004 on the Westerdam, we walked the town & took the Cable Car to the top of the rock..On the way back to the ship we stopped in the Botanical Gardens & then walked through the shopping area in town..

 

 

I'm so anxious to hear about your Amazon cruise w/O. I took it many years ago with my wonderful Mother on the Vistafjord (on which she had sailed 26 times), and I want to book this trip again with my husband for 2008. They haven't released the trip yet, but I am anxious to see what you think of it this year. Have a great trip. I'm soooo jealous. Wish I could do it this year but we already have trips booked over that period of time.

 

We're really getting excited about this again..Will let you know how we liked it..See that you are booked again on our favorite ship "Prinsendam"..Did the Amazon on the Prinsendam last year..

 

This is our first Oceania cruise..We've done quite a few on HAL, & the Prinsendam & Amsterdam, so far is my favorite..Looking forward to trying Oceania's Regatta..

 

Have you been on Oceania's cruises before? If so, how do their ships compare to the "Prinsendam"?

 

Happy cruising all..:) Betty

[spindrift]

Yes, we have been on Oceania 3 times before, and we are booked on 3 more. I absolutely fell in love with them. Their service, the size, everything. I was going to book the Prinsendam for the Amazon (& may still do so for November '08), but my first choice for that trip would be on Oceania. I'll be anxious to hear your report for your first on O.

 

We will always sail Prinsendam, but if the two are doing the same--we will do O. Only because of the open seating and service. I find these to be exception to HAL--but HAL on the P is excellent, so there is a fine line.

 

If we are really tired after a full day of port tours, then we can go the Tapas on the Terrace topside and enjoy a wonderful meal of just the foods we feel like eating, and can do it on our schedule. We could be tired and we would have to do the traditional dining on the P--that is the only negative.

 

Either is fabulous compared to my having to cook a dinner in the evening after a hot day in Houston playing golf or running errands--right?? :-OOO

[serendipity1499]

Thanks spindrift..We're anxious to try "O" & will let you know how we like it..

 

We were on the NCL "Crown", another small ship comparable in size to the "Prinsendam" & Oceania's ships, in 2005 to Santiago & really enjoyed our cruise..

 

If you decide to book the "Prinsendam", Hal is going to implement their "Anytime dining" on the "Prinsendam" on 5-23-08..They plan to have fixed seating & "Anytime Dining" together but in different venues..

 

Here is the CC WEB site which has an explanation of the new concept..See Post No. 12 for the full explanation directly from HAL..

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=582072

 

We booked the Boi Bumba Festival in Parintins again for our Nov. trip...Oceania's price was $10 less than HAL's Price (last year) for that same shore excursion..Have not checked out the others though..

 

Happy cruising everyone..:) Betty