excursion (not booked from RCI) -- will we be reimbursed if ports of call changed?

[rainbow08]

This is my very first post here, but I have got so many great information here after I sign up tonight. Wish I did it earlier!

 

OK, here is the deal. My family will be on our first cruise in a week (all excited!), and we'll stop at Cozumel. By reading the previous posts, sometimes the ports of the call can be changed for whatever reason, and Cozumel was listed as one of the ports that could have this happen. My question is -- If I book the excursion with a local company (i.e. not through RCI), will I get any money back in case our port of call gets changed? What if for other reasons we have to cancel the excursion (like not feeling well etc)?

 

Any information is greatly appreciated!

[Coralc]

That is something you need to take up with and be very clear with your independent tour operator. Oviously the ship is not going to reimburse you for anything. :)

[MellieInWI]

I'm a newbie at this too, but I've booked two excursions for my upcoming cruise outside of RCCL. In both cases, their policy states that if the ship does not come to port for whatever reason, we will be refunded our money. (I'm guessing we will need to provide some sort of documentation to them.)

 

As far as being sick, etc., I would have to guess that will depend on the particular company you book the excursion through.

[leoandhugh]

I don't understand why you should have any money to lose under those circumstances unless you paid for it up front. We have never had to do that; they have just taken our reservation and we have paid on or after the excursion. Obviously, from your ? you have either given a deposit or paid in full with a credit card. I say this, knowing not all independent operators work the same way - maybe we have just lucked out.

[mckinna]

Not sure which companies you booked with, but on our upcoming two cruises, we haven't had to pay anything up front, and we are doing all but 1 excursion outside RCI. I would be wary of booking with a private company that requires prepayment. There are plenty of good tour companies out there that let you pay at the pier when you arrive.

[banderboo]

Rainbow,

 

It really depends on who you are booked through. The cancellation policy is generally one of the first things I look at. I personally wouldn't book with a company that did not allow refunds if the ship didn't pull into port. Depending on the activity I would also ask about weather cancellations (i.e. if you are diving there are certain weather conditions in which you would not want to be diving)

[katiel53]

Please check the info from the tour company. Personally, I don't book trips where we have to pay upfront. Having said that, I doubt that the tour companies would/could stay in business if you paid up front and the ship didn't go to the port, if they wouldn't refund your money.

 

I don't know what their positions would be though if you were ill. The tour company would have your space(s) saved, so they might not give a total refund.

 

I think you need to re-read the policy of the tour company you plan to use. Good luck and enjoy your cruise.

[rainbow08]

Thanks for all the great information! Looks like it's ok for us not to pay up front (although they prefer that way), so we won't lose anything if for any reason, we don't end up going.

 

But cross my fingers that everything is perfect and we'll get to enjoy what we planned for!

[lvtotrvl1]

One other thing to think about is depending on which tours you have booked independently...If they are tours that you will be taking the ferry to playa del carmen and doing tours from there...you may have to worry about getting back to the ship on time. If you are not back, the ship will leave..and the ferry only runs at certain times.

[michigan tim]

Trip insurance may cover loses if ports are cancelled.