Advice we leave Saturday

Hi,

We leave Saturday. At the last moment our eldest son was able to go due to a professor changing a final exam. So we added him last Sunday.

Question. We booked an excursion for Tortola and there is no availability for him. Online it says we have until tomorrow November 30 then online bookings etc. closes.

If we change to another excursion that is very similar it's $200 more. That's quite a bit for adding one person. I reached out to all the similar independent excursion operators but at this late date everyone is full.

So if we leave it as it is are we locked in to this excursion? Obviously we will check onboard to see if there is a rare opening. But if there isn't can we switch to another excursion?

Considering we are booked on a very popular one I'm sure they would easily replace our 3 spots.

Any advice.

Also when they say November 30th. Do we have until tonight at midnight or tomorrow until 11:59 pm?

Thank you in advance for your advice and help.

If you wait until 3 days before cruising, you are locked into the excursion UNLESS they are able to resell it.

Suggestion--as soon as you board, go to "Port Adventures" desk and ask about adding one more person. If they say no, you need to make a decision. 3 of you could go, leaving number 4 out. You could give up the 3 spots you hold and hope they can resell them. If no resale, you could still go. Or you can hang on to what you have hoping for a single opening.

There's no right or wrong answer here....it really depends on how much you want to risk getting "stuck" with an excursion that you don't want.

My suggestion, IF you are willing to accept that one of you may be unable to participate, would be to keep the 3 spots and hope to add a 4th. On the other hand, if leaving a college age offspring on the ship alone is something that you can't even consider, I'd give up my 3 spots before the "no cancel" date. That way, you are sure to not get stuck.

Switching to another excursion is totally at the discretion of the Port Adventures desk worker. The policy is that you can't change, but we've seen them work it out for us. It just depends on who is at the desk and how much they want to help you.

And YOU may be sure that they can resell your 3 spots....that may or may not actually happen.

He would be on the ship with my parents his grandparents. They are in the connecting cabin. And it's a early excursion 7:15 am. I know he understands. He has said as much. But I feel bad.

But he's getting a cruise that he thought he wouldn't get.

If I'm reading your feelings right, I'd keep the excursion for 3 and try to add the 4th on board. If you can't add one, you can decide whether you skip it and send the kids with dad or if college kid misses it. Missing one excursion but gaining an entire cruise doesn't sound like a bad trade off and beats the rest of the family missing it. You just need to deal with your feelings and decide what's best for you emotionally.

You are correct. And my guilt is alleviated a bit because I took him on 2 back to back cruises this summer (east then west) and we had 14 days of excursions. But this cruise is a surprise for our late in life gift who will turn 6 next week during the cruise. And to spend some much needed quality time with my parents and the boys grandparents. Unfortunate due to my husbands job he can't join us but he's excited for us to go and to have a little breather to knock out his to do list at home.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. Tbh I have a feeling we will get back and he will have slept in and probably eating lunch with his grandparents which honestly is a better "excursion" in the long run. One that you can't put a price on. He is the eldest with two younger brothers (15 and 5) and rarely has that one on one time. Especially now that he's away at college.

And yes he's glad to be going. My mother is disabled and she will be taking advantage of everything the Fantasy has to offer. Her handicap accessible veranda cabin happened to have the connecting cabin open. Even though at the time there were only 3 of us and the cabin sleeps 5 we really wanted to be close. And it worked out perfect when the professor changed the final and our son is able to join us as both cabins had plenty of room

So again thank you for helping me work through my mothers guilt.

You are most welcome. Enjoy the cruise and the family time. And your son will be fine with the grands!

It sounds like he is college age? If so, he will find something to do and enjoy in Tortola.

Good news, today was the last day to make changes and I checked and they had an opening. It will be an early morning (7:15 am excursion) and be done by 11:45 am.

I don't think I mentioned that my sweet mother had a massive stroke 14.5 years ago and can't use one arm or hand and can drag her leg for very very short distances. So she uses a electric wheelchair.

We will be done in time to meet up and even if they area isn't safe for her electric wheelchair to shop etc. we can just spend time off the ship together. And then hurry back on board and enjoy the Fantasy.

Say yeah it worked out.

Good news, today was the last day to make changes and I checked and they had an opening. It will be an early morning (7:15 am excursion) and be done by 11:45 am.

 

I don't think I mentioned that my sweet mother had a massive stroke 14.5 years ago and can't use one arm or hand and can drag her leg for very very short distances. So she uses a electric wheelchair.

 

We will be done in time to meet up and even if they area isn't safe for her electric wheelchair to shop etc. we can just spend time off the ship together.

 

Say yeah it worked out.

Did you call and let DCL know of her limitations and she will be using a power chair.

That way your dining table will be setup with a spot for her and ask be easy to get to.

She will also have special instructions for the drill.

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Yes we did and even though they have her medical documentation on file my father had it updated and we sent them a copy as did our TA. Of course she's in a access like veranda cabin which always is great on DCL. It gives her a bit of independence.

I will double check with DCL and have our TA double check with them about the table location. Thank you so much for the reminder.

I've only been to Tortola twice and can't recall much about the port. She's happy to scoot off and enjoy the pier.

St. Thomas makes it easier for her to shop.

Again thank you for your reply!!!

We've never had issues with the table location (on an aisle)...never asked in advance. DCL was always on top of it. But it never hurts to check.

As to the safety drill, the easiest thing is to leave for the drill about 10 minutes early. There will be CMs at the elevators allowing the person needing a chair or scooter and one family member to ride to the floor for the drill. Able bodied people are required to use the stairs. There will be a special area at the muster station for the entire family to be together. Toward the end of the drill, mobility impaired people will be released a few minutes before the masses--again, CMs will have the elevators held for you. Just make arrangements for the "gang" to meet you at the muster station and again back in the cabins (or wherever you choose) after the drill.

They have special devices to transport people on the stairs in the event of a true emergency (supposedly). I have only read about these. But they are irrelevant where the drill is concerned.

I would suggest he look into the 18-20 group onboard. My grand daughter has joined a couple of times. They seem to get have a lot of fun and a good way to meet young people his own age.

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I would suggest he look into the 18-20 group onboard. My grand daughter has joined a couple of times. They seem to get have a lot of fun and a good way to meet young people his own age.

 

 

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Daughter had good and less good experiences with the "post Vibe" age group (I phrase it that way because the title changed thru the years.) It really depends on how many kids show up, but the staff is very willing to arrange anything they want to do. Not such a good thing if your kid is the only one who shows up 2 nights in a row.