How early can shore excursions be booked?

[fpat]

I know that you have to wait until they become available on Hals site but how early can that be. I have read and heard everything ranging from 6 to 10 months. For you more experienced Hal cruisers what is the earliest that you have seen shore excursions become available prior to your cruise? I want to know about when I need to start checking every day;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

I always start to check at least 6 months in advance -- specially for tours that I know may sell out quickly.

[DesertDogs]

Our Feb 2010 tours are already available but only one port of our Oct 2009 tours are available - go figure!

[lazey1]

Tours for our March 2010 Mexico cruise are available. Tours for our October 09 Carribean cruise are not. Tours for our October 09 Canada cruise have been availabe since January.

[fpat]

So I can see that there is a definitive system that HAL has in place as to when they open up:rolleyes::)

[fpat]

Our Feb 2010 tours are already available but only one port of our Oct 2009 tours are available - go figure!

How can you see that the one port is open? Do you have to go to each page to see what is open or when you enter your booking number what ever is available comes up?

[cp556]

How can you see that the one port is open? Do you have to go to each page to see what is open or when you enter your booking number what ever is available comes up?

 

 

On the HAL site, go to FOR BOOKED GUESTS, then BOOK SHORE EXCURSIONS. After you enter your name and booking # a full page will appear ... with each port shown separately. If shorex are available for a port there will be a noticeable orange box to click to see and book them.

 

It's not uncommon for a cruise to show only some of the ports' shorexes at first, then add more later. Half Moon Cay cabanas are sometimes added to the list closer to sail date than other offerings.

[lazey1]

If any excursions are available on your cruise when you enter your booking # the entire itinery will show. Each port will be in a box. The ports that have excursions available for booking will have "add tours for this port" in the upper portion of the box. the ports that don't have tours available yet will have nothing.

[fpat]

Thanks for the responses

[serendipity1499]

It probably depends on which cruise you are on & the Tour Operators..

I would imagine that once HAL reaches an agreement with the Tour Operators, they usually will post the available tours ASAP in order to get those bookings in..If they don't, anxious passengers might start booking independent tours..Perhaps the reason some tours are posted earlier than others, is that a Tour Operator might sign an agreement for several years or more...Although with the price of fuel fluctuating so much, that could be a thing of the past..

The above is pure conjecture on my part only because that's how we handled it with our tour operators, years ago, in the Airline Industry...

For our Panama Canal Nov. 13, B2B Cruise only the tours in several Mexican Ports are posted (one being Acapulco) ..On the return portion only the Acapulco tours are posted...

As CP556 stated, After you enter your booking Number & Name, the entire itinerary comes up...Next to each port is an small box in orange print: "show tours"..Click on that & the available tours will come up..

Keep looking, Cheers..:)Betty

[Chelly]

I always start to check at least 6 months in advance -- specially for tours that I know may sell out quickly.

 

 

 

Does this mean that some tours actually sell out before you board the ship?

[cp556]

Does this mean that some tours actually sell out before you board the ship?

 

 

KK's right (as usual). Some tours DO sell out before the cruise starts. It's happened to us more than once ...

[Chelly]

KK's right (as usual). Some tours DO sell out before the cruise starts. It's happened to us more than once ...

 

 

Thanks for your response. There are some ship tours on our Oct 17 TA I am interested in. I don't know whether to book now or wait. Once the tours are booked, can they be cancelled if I find a private tour I prefer? I feel like a newby to cruising again. The last cruises I went on, online booking was not an option. Thanks. C.

[cp556]

Thanks for your response. There are some ship tours on our Oct 17 TA I am interested in. I don't know whether to book now or wait. Once the tours are booked, can they be cancelled if I find a private tour I prefer? I feel like a newby to cruising again. The last cruises I went on, online booking was not an option. Thanks. C.

 

 

Chelly, if you KNOW you want a certain tour, I'd go ahead and book it. They can easily be cancelled before the cruise with no problems and a prompt refund to your credit card. IIRC, they can even be cancelled online without a call to HAL.

 

Read the fine print....it details the cancellation policies. But they're pretty lenient before the cruise begins...

 

Another good thing about pre-booking: your onboard account is lower that way....lol.

[Chelly]

Chelly, if you KNOW you want a certain tour, I'd go ahead and book it. They can easily be cancelled before the cruise with no problems and a prompt refund to your credit card. IIRC, they can even be cancelled online without a call to HAL.

 

Read the fine print....it details the cancellation policies. But they're pretty lenient before the cruise begins...

 

Another good thing about pre-booking: your onboard account is lower that way....lol.

 

 

Okey dokey. This helps to instill confidence.

It seems that most experienced cruisers prefer to book independent tours rather than HAL. I have been trying to weigh the pros and cons of booking shore excursions through HAL. Most likely my concerns are the result of traveling solo.

[Fishfindergirl]

I am new to Holland American. Do you have to have all your passport and credit card stuff filled in before you can book tours and for them to let you see if they are ready to book?

[pms4104]

I am new to Holland American. Do you have to have all your passport and credit card stuff filled in before you can book tours and for them to let you see if they are ready to book?

You will not need your passport info to book and pay for shore excursions. You will, however, need it when you do your on-line checkin and immigration form.

 

All you will need to book excursions is your booking number and a credit card, as tours are billed to your credit card when you pre-book them. As stated above, should you decide to cancel a tour, your card will be credited promptly as long as you are (I think) outside of 10 days of sailing. After that, I think there is a 10% penalty. All is spelled out clearly on the shore excursion booking area of HAL's site.

 

You may book tours as long as you have your booking number and HAL has posted tours for your sailing. It is not necessary that you complete your on-line checkin form before booking tours. Nor is it necessary to have made final payment to pre-reserve tours.