Shore excursions "rip off"

A group of 8 are going on the Eclipse to Norway in August and stopping in Flam. When I did this itinerary a couple of years ago I missed out on getting on the Flam Railway. This time I was ready to book it (independently) early. I tried yesterday to find it fully booked. I can only think that Celebrity have taken all the tickets for their Shore Excursions. The cost, had I been able to book, is approximately £50 return each. Enough I think for an hour (each way) train journey. However as I was unable to get tickets I looked at the shore excursions. Celebrity want £89 for a straight up and down on the train, or £114 for a short stop for a waffle and hot chocolate. How can this be justified. Unfortunately this means I won't get to go on the train again. If you haven't been to Flam the ship docks right across from the station, a less than 5 min walk. Whilst I expect to pay more via Celebrity they have priced us out of this trip. I think the cost of excursions generally is high which is why I try and do them myself.

Rip off? Perhaps that has a different meaning to you? To us it means something like theft or deception. Advertising that something does a certain function when it doesn't. That sort of thing. Buying up all the tickets (if in fact that's what Celebrity did, are you sure it's the only cruise line in port that day? Are you sure there aren't any large bus tour groups there that day? ) isn't a ripoff

All the Ship tours are booked thru 3rd party vendors just as you were trying to do. Celebrity/RCCL does not buy any up any in advance. It is all sub contracted thru locals.

Our cruse in November we have 2 diff tours that filled and sold out over 15 months out.

I guess it is always easy to blame the cruise line for haveing a big bad plan to put the screws to us tho.:rolleyes:

Or.....are you sure it is truly "not" sold out? I tried booking two separate excursions and both are sold out also. Many people on my roll call have them booked already. Guess I just waited too long. (8 months out) :(

just had a look, if you are there on the 15th or 29th all morning trips do look fully booked

https://booking.visitflam.com/en/to-do/a585205/the-fl%C3%A5m-railway/showdetails

you could always try the station on the day to see if they sell tickets

FWIW

i did not think the railway was that spectacular, and definitely not worth the money

If you want spectacular mountain railways you need to go to Switzerland.

a few years ago we purchased a visitor rail pass for 14 days from Geneva airport, it cost around £130 and allowed us to travel on all trains, buses and boats free of charge.

you only pay for private railways up to the top of the mountains and cable cars, then you get 50 % discount.

i know the above is not related to Flam , buy may interest someone

It's more expensive to book a shore excursion through the cruise like, but it's NOT a rip-off. You may not agree with the higher price but not only are they making a profit, but they do offer some valuable guarantees...

1. All ship-offered tours are vetted by the cruise line to meet certain standards of quality and safety, so the quality of the tour is guaranteed to be as offered. If it is sub-par, then you can go to the Excursions desk and put in a complaint. If it is deemed genuine, then you may get a full or partial refund.

2. The operation of the tour is guaranteed. If for any reason, the tour can't take place, you get a refund. This could be due to bad weather, the ship being diverted or just time constraints due to arriving too late. You will automatically have it removed from your account.

3. If the tour is late returning, the ship will wait for it, no questions asked (well, maybe a LOT of questions, but none that would worry you!). If a private tour is late, it's up to you to catch up with the ship at the next port, which could be very expensive.

4. If you get hurt on an excursion, then the ship will take care of you for free when you return.I have first-hand experience of this when I took an 'Introduction To Scuba Diving' trip in Cozumel. I scraped my leg on some coral (and didn't even feel it at the time!), leaving a 10" graze on my leg. I was treated by the dive people as best they could and, on my return to the ship, they asked if I was on a ship's excursion. When I said I was, they took me straight down to medical for treatment!!

There is, of course, a price for all this. As you already know, the cruise line is geared to making money. They have to supply space on the ship for an excursions desk, plus staff for the desk and in port on the day. Of course it's cheaper to book directly as I think the line takes around 40%. So if a tour would cost around $60 directly, you'd probably pay $99 through the ship.

So, just like you would expect to pay more for drinks or anything else on the ship, you pay more for a tour. This may not be fair, but it's a fact, just like $20 photos, inch of gold and art auctions!

There are three options... Take it, leave it or book direct and take a chance. Bear in mind that I have been on the exact same tour booked directly and saved a lot of money and I have also booked directly and got some awesome tours (and some bad ones!).

Your choice.

It's more expensive to book a shore excursion through the cruise like, but it's NOT a rip-off. You may not agree with the higher price but not only are they making a profit, but they do offer some valuable guarantees...

 

 

 

1. All ship-offered tours are vetted by the cruise line to meet certain standards of quality and safety, so the quality of the tour is guaranteed to be as offered. If it is sub-par, then you can go to the Excursions desk and put in a complaint. If it is deemed genuine, then you may get a full or partial refund.

 

 

 

2. The operation of the tour is guaranteed. If for any reason, the tour can't take place, you get a refund. This could be due to bad weather, the ship being diverted or just time constraints due to arriving too late. You will automatically have it removed from your account.

 

 

 

3. If the tour is late returning, the ship will wait for it, no questions asked (well, maybe a LOT of questions, but none that would worry you!). If a private tour is late, it's up to you to catch up with the ship at the next port, which could be very expensive.

 

 

 

4. If you get hurt on an excursion, then the ship will take care of you for free when you return.I have first-hand experience of this when I took an 'Introduction To Scuba Diving' trip in Cozumel. I scraped my leg on some coral (and didn't even feel it at the time!), leaving a 10" graze on my leg. I was treated by the dive people as best they could and, on my return to the ship, they asked if I was on a ship's excursion. When I said I was, they took me straight down to medical for treatment!!

 

 

 

There is, of course, a price for all this. As you already know, the cruise line is geared to making money. They have to supply space on the ship for an excursions desk, plus staff for the desk and in port on the day. Of course it's cheaper to book directly as I think the line takes around 40%. So if a tour would cost around $60 directly, you'd probably pay $99 through the ship.

 

 

 

So, just like you would expect to pay more for drinks or anything else on the ship, you pay more for a tour. This may not be fair, but it's a fact, just like $20 photos, inch of gold and art auctions!

 

 

 

There are three options... Take it, leave it or book direct and take a chance. Bear in mind that I have been on the exact same tour booked directly and saved a lot of money and I have also booked directly and got some awesome tours (and some bad ones!).

 

 

 

Your choice.

Guindalf, all you say is true, however the Flam railway is a bit different. No buses needed, the station is on the dock. The train is a local public train, not just a tourist train. Tickets are available to the public but not sufficient with cruise lines, or their agents, buying up bulk tickets then marking them up. The ships tour add nothing to the experience of those lucky enough to just turn up or prebook then get on the train, they don't even need a guide. So in this case the cruise line are effectively charging double the actual ticket price, a bit like ticket touts for other events. I agree with the OP on this one.

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A group of 8 are going on the Eclipse to Norway in August and stopping in Flam. When I did this itinerary a couple of years ago I missed out on getting on the Flam Railway. This time I was ready to book it (independently) early. I tried yesterday to find it fully booked. I can only think that Celebrity have taken all the tickets for their Shore Excursions. The cost, had I been able to book, is approximately £50 return each. Enough I think for an hour (each way) train journey. However as I was unable to get tickets I looked at the shore excursions. Celebrity want £89 for a straight up and down on the train, or £114 for a short stop for a waffle and hot chocolate. How can this be justified. Unfortunately this means I won't get to go on the train again. If you haven't been to Flam the ship docks right across from the station, a less than 5 min walk. Whilst I expect to pay more via Celebrity they have priced us out of this trip. I think the cost of excursions generally is high which is why I try and do them myself.

We did the Flam train on the same cruise on a Celebrity excursion last year. I cannot recall how much we paid but it was packed with people.

We enjoyed the trip but having done the White Pass scenic railway in Alaska the year before we found ourselves comparing the two trips and Alaska won hands down! The train stopped part way up for a photo opportunity and then on to the hotel. No way is the extra payment of £25 for waffles justified ( it was included in our trip ) and if you do take the excursion I definitely wouldn't bother with this. There is a small gift shop there and nothing else. We ended up standing on the platform for a good twenty minutes waiting for the train to return as it goes from the hotel to another stop then returns. It was quite mild when we got on the train but freezing cold and several inches of snow at the hotel, even though it was early May! Sometimes you just have to accept the high prices for the experience. Hope you enjoy your trip.

We had a lot of OBC and booked our shore excursions through X to use it.

The prices on board were more than online which meant our $300 obc was worth less than $200.

Our first in Cozumel was fun but the snorkel and masks leaked. One woman complained about her snorkel--the part you put in your mouth to breathe--and the worker traded his with her. YUCKY!!!!

Our snorkel trip in Grand Cayman was to a spot we have swam to from shore and there was a group there with us that has swam out. Paying to ride a boat 5 minutes when it's an easy swim is not great. AND--we were told to meet in theater but it changed to dock and no announcement was made. Who knows how many missed it with the tendering.

We were not impressed with Celebrity Shore Excursions.

Guindalf, all you say is true, however the Flam railway is a bit different. No buses needed, the station is on the dock. The train is a local public train, not just a tourist train. Tickets are available to the public but not sufficient with cruise lines, or their agents, buying up bulk tickets then marking them up. The ships tour add nothing to the experience of those lucky enough to just turn up or prebook then get on the train, they don't even need a guide. So in this case the cruise line are effectively charging double the actual ticket price, a bit like ticket touts for other events. I agree with the OP on this one.

 

 

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No it isn't at all different. You are still getting the benefit of being able to book on board which many non-computer savvy people can't do. Plus the guarantee that if there's a problem and the group is stuck somewhere (no matter how unlikely) due to leaves on the line (oh wait, that doesn't happen outside the UK! ;) or any other reason, you will be guaranteed that the ship will wait for you. If it's a self-guided trip, then all bets are off, though.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending the higher charges and I book direct wherever I can. I'm just pointing out some of the reasons they charge more. Profit really is the only reason they need, but there IS more to it.

Calling it a ripoff is saying there's a deliberate attempt to deceive, which I don't think there is. Like everyone else, there is always the option to book directly if you know how.

For example: I work in the IT business, so I know I can get free anti-virus online, but McAfee, Norton and the rest have deals with the PC manufacturers to have their software pre-installed and charge a hefty annual fee for AV and updates. Are THEY ripping people off? I think so, but so many people buy a PC off the shelf and don't have a clue about AV or any other protection, so they happily send off their $50 annual renewal believing it's what they HAVE to do!

Horses for courses. Before we did a couple of excellent self-booked excursions and saved a bunch, my SO wouldn't even let me think about booking direct!

 

 

Calling it a ripoff is saying there's a deliberate attempt to deceive, which I don't think there is. Like everyone else, there is always the option to book directly if you know how.

 

 

 

But in the case of Flam, it's easy to find out how to book direct and get the exact excursion that Celebrity provide but unless you book really early the cruise ships buy the spaces on the train.

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The Flam RR is the reason most want to stop there. And certainly you have to include the thousands of people that tour/camp their way thru Norway all summer. Not just cruisers from mainstream cruiselines. No, X doesn't have all the train cars reserved and full.

Seeing you were there before and if you were disappointed, with a little research you would have known that people book the train more than a few months in advance. Most a year or more ahead. We did not use a ship excursion. We got our tickets direct on line with a group from the roll call board. Have you checked there? Someone might have booked a group that has a couple spare tickets. But your problem indeed is timing and size of your group.

Norway isn't a place with tons of tour guides and companies, as it's a very limited seasonal job. So the earlier the better for booking any tours there. They book up and that's it. We HAD to book ship excursions at two of the stops, due to lack of choices. The companies will contract with the cruiseline to guarantee they have full schedules and vans when ships are docked for the day.

Check when you board the ship and get yourself on the waitlist. Then when you arrive be off the ship and in line at the train station to buy any remaining seats. But again, with the size of your group.... Good luck. I feel your pain.

Cruise lines as far as excursions go stiff everybody because they can. Local tour operators if they want the cruise line business have to discount their "retail" price to get the business and then the cruise line whops a huge mark up on it. The can do it because the customer will and does pay. For many people it is too hard to organise a private excursion so they take the ships one. We all have a choice. Caveat Emptor

Or.....are you sure it is truly "not" sold out? I tried booking two separate excursions and both are sold out also. Many people on my roll call have them booked already. Guess I just waited too long. (8 months out) :(

The ships excursions are not sold out. Booking a ticket directly is.

There is, of course, a price for all this. As you already know, the cruise line is geared to making money. They have to supply space on the ship for an excursions desk, plus staff for the desk and in port on the day. Of course it's cheaper to book directly as I think the line takes around 40%. So if a tour would cost around $60 directly, you'd probably pay $99 through the ship.

So, just like you would expect to pay more for drinks or anything else on the ship, you pay more for a tour. This may not be fair, but it's a fact, just like $20 photos, inch of gold and art auctions!

There are three options... Take it, leave it or book direct and take a chance. Bear in mind that I have been on the exact same tour booked directly and saved a lot of money and I have also booked directly and got some awesome tours (and some bad ones!).

Your choice.

Of course I expect to pay more for anything on the ship. Just not double. In this case I now have 2 options, as the third one is not available (booking direct). And I will 'leave it'. My choice.

Guindalf, all you say is true, however the Flam railway is a bit different. No buses needed, the station is on the dock. The train is a local public train, not just a tourist train. Tickets are available to the public but not sufficient with cruise lines, or their agents, buying up bulk tickets then marking them up. The ships tour add nothing to the experience of those lucky enough to just turn up or prebook then get on the train, they don't even need a guide. So in this case the cruise line are effectively charging double the actual ticket price, a bit like ticket touts for other events. I agree with the OP on this one.

 

 

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Thank you.

We got off with 3 stops to go and had the most beautiful walk for 45 minutes to an hour. I'd recommend taking the walk from the dock u and back down if you can't get a trip on the train. When we got to the top there was nothing to do whilst we waited over an hour to come back.

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We got off with 3 stops to go and had the most beautiful walk for 45 minutes to an hour. I'd recommend taking the walk from the dock u and back down if you can't get a trip on the train. When we got to the top there was nothing to do whilst we waited over an hour to come back.

 

 

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Thank you for your help. We will take a walk.

Celebrity is in business to make money....and one of their income sources are excursions. Many of their ports are large cities or have many tour agencies/things to do....but some ports on more exotic cruises have only one or two excursion companies and almost no private guides. Sometimes there is one major attraction and of course Celebrity wants to offer it to their passengers....so they book what they think they can sell. In the case of the railway, they probably can fill a train or trains so they book them in advance....not to prohibit someone from buying their ticket directly, but to insure that they make a profit by having enough seats to sell. You've caught one of those ports.

We will be doing a similar cruise this summer on Princess, but I was able to buy tickets on the railway although two of the trains are fully booked. I guess Princess doesn't buy out the day. However, I was unable to book a crab safari because Princess has booked their ships for the day. It happens....and I understand I was lucky on one and I'll pay the extra price to Princess to take an excursion I want to take.

It's not a rip off....if you view it as such, then all of their excursions are rip offs because all they do is book some local guide/company to do the tour. It's really no different than the cost of drinks/wine on board....

It's not a rip off....if you view it as such, then all of their excursions are rip offs because all they do is book some local guide/company to do the tour. It's really no different than the cost of drinks/wine on board....

If the cruise line's is a rip-off, so is the private guide or tour operator. They also need to make a profit, and will charge you more than their actual expenses. They, like the cruise line, aren't going to sell it to you at a loss.

People who instantly think "rip off" whenever a company wants to make a profit can't be happy people to be around. :rolleyes:

If it is truly a rip-off, people will not book and the prices will go down. Since it is sold out, there are a lot of folks who do not think that it is a rip-off.

DON

I can understand why you don't feel the addition of a waffle is worth the price difference, but I note that Celebrity normally offers several variations on the Flam railway shore excursion. The one we took on Azamara was closest to Norway In A Nutshell (FM18). This is even more expensive than the one you were looking at, but it adds real value and you can't do it on your own: take the Flam railway all the way up, transfer to the main line railway over to Vos for a nice lunch and walk around, then a coach takes you to the Stalheim hotel for a snack [and to see the most famous postcard view of this area and a very impressive waterfall] before your bus driver gets a workout driving down the hairpin turns to sea level. But, having done this tour, I would actually recommend skipping the railway parts and taking Fjord, Valley and Mountain by Land and Sea (FM44) -- you sail up the Naeroyfjord to Gudvangen, which I'm assuming your ship is too big to do [Azamara Quest came up to Gudvangen to pick us up at the end of our tour], the hairpin drive up to the Stalheim Hotel for those great views, and then back to Flam.

I think the "rip-off" statement is extreme. I was there last fall and the railway sells out fast. But I had no interest in the railway given the complete lack of restrooms. Instead I took a FANTASTIC trip down the Fjords!!!

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It's more expensive to book a shore excursion through the cruise like, but it's NOT a rip-off. You may not agree with the higher price but not only are they making a profit, but they do offer some valuable guarantees...

 

1. All ship-offered tours are vetted by the cruise line to meet certain standards of quality and safety, so the quality of the tour is guaranteed to be as offered. If it is sub-par, then you can go to the Excursions desk and put in a complaint. If it is deemed genuine, then you may get a full or partial refund.

 

2. The operation of the tour is guaranteed. If for any reason, the tour can't take place, you get a refund. This could be due to bad weather, the ship being diverted or just time constraints due to arriving too late. You will automatically have it removed from your account.

 

3. If the tour is late returning, the ship will wait for it, no questions asked (well, maybe a LOT of questions, but none that would worry you!). If a private tour is late, it's up to you to catch up with the ship at the next port, which could be very expensive.

 

4. If you get hurt on an excursion, then the ship will take care of you for free when you return.I have first-hand experience of this when I took an 'Introduction To Scuba Diving' trip in Cozumel. I scraped my leg on some coral (and didn't even feel it at the time!), leaving a 10" graze on my leg. I was treated by the dive people as best they could and, on my return to the ship, they asked if I was on a ship's excursion. When I said I was, they took me straight down to medical for treatment!!

 

There is, of course, a price for all this. As you already know, the cruise line is geared to making money. They have to supply space on the ship for an excursions desk, plus staff for the desk and in port on the day. Of course it's cheaper to book directly as I think the line takes around 40%. So if a tour would cost around $60 directly, you'd probably pay $99 through the ship.

 

So, just like you would expect to pay more for drinks or anything else on the ship, you pay more for a tour. This may not be fair, but it's a fact, just like $20 photos, inch of gold and art auctions!

 

There are three options... Take it, leave it or book direct and take a chance. Bear in mind that I have been on the exact same tour booked directly and saved a lot of money and I have also booked directly and got some awesome tours (and some bad ones!).

 

Your choice.

This is an excellent explanation of the benefits one realizes when booking a ship excursion's. I do not agree with the poster right after yours because he ignores the benefits. Even though this is straight-up travel on public transportation, things can still go awry. Further, since tickets are in relatively short supply, Celebrity is doing their job in securing sufficient opportunities to satisfy its passengers. I call that service. Also, needless to say, the OP is making some assumptions that there is little evidence to support,

We stopped in flam last year. As we booked our cruise a year out we booked our train tickets as early as possible (I think 9 months out). We took a gamble on waiting to do a boat excursion and that failed. Every train, bus and boat excursion ended up full very quickly.

We were walking around a little despondent when we noticed these little electric Renault cars - we hired one and drove up to the lookout the bus trip goes to and it was one of the most fun things we did all trip and definitely better than the train trip.

As for train, most book it thru the visit flam website but it was also possible to book thru the Norwegian railway website as well (our friends did that).

If you get on it, sit mid train so you are close to the waterfall. There is no reserved seats. There is very little information.

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