Why no St. Maarten excursions for Victory?

[mjktg99]

DW and I will be sailing on the Victory in Jan 2010. Victory's 2nd trip the St Maarten since Carnival dropped Antigua. Yet Carnival has not posted any shore excursions for St Maarten.

 

Are we going to have to wait to get on the ship to book excursions? I know that if you are just searching for a cruise, you can see excursions but when trying to book for your cruise, on the excursion portion, St Maarten is not even an option, yet alone have any excursions.

 

Any insight would be appreciated!

[rickcop44]

I had the same question since we're on Victory in February. I called Carnival and inquired and was told they don't have a line up completed yet. As you well know, Antigua was going to be the stop and then it was changed a month or so ago. Carnival is working at setting up excursions with local companies and hopefully, should be posting them soon so people can schedule their tours, etc.

[jimbo5544]

I can only guess that because it was added late, they do not have contracts with any of the vendors. St Marteen is a lovely port, great beaches. You can grab a cab right off the ship or walk to the local beach and shops from the ship. Just some ideas....

[ajagent]

I can understand it for St Maarten, but what is the deal with St Kitts. That has been on the list the entire time and all they have is a golf excursion. We are doing this cruise 1/17 and people are getting ready to book more excursions.

[jimbo5544]

I can understand it for St Maarten, but what is the deal with St Kitts. That has been on the list the entire time and all they have is a golf excursion. We are doing this cruise 1/17 and people are getting ready to book more excursions.

I just looked and saw three pages of excursions for St. Kitts.

[scraphappylady]

I just looked and saw three pages of excursions for St. Kitts.

 

Sure, they'll tease you with those if you pick that particular cruise to look at generically. But if you log into your own account for a particular cruise (mine is Victory on 1/17) and use the "plan activities/book excursions" section, all they have actually available for you to book for St. Kitts is a golf excursion. Bleh! :rolleyes:

 

It would be great if we actually had all the options they show you before you log in! I have no problem booking Carnival excursions, and actually have two set up for this cruise, but waiting until the last minute makes me nervous.

 

It almost seems like Carnival is pushing people away from their excursions, to go book independent of the cruise line. St. Maarten I can understand, as it was a recent addition. But St. Kitts? What's going on people??!??:confused:

[jimbo5544]

Sure, they'll tease you with those if you pick that particular cruise to look at generically. But if you log into your own account for a particular cruise (mine is Victory on 1/17) and use the "plan activities/book excursions" section, all they have actually available for you to book for St. Kitts is a golf excursion. Bleh! :rolleyes:

 

It would be great if we actually had all the options they show you before you log in! I have no problem booking Carnival excursions, and actually have two set up for this cruise, but waiting until the last minute makes me nervous.

 

It almost seems like Carnival is pushing people away from their excursions, to go book independent of the cruise line. St. Maarten I can understand, as it was a recent addition. But St. Kitts? What's going on people??!??:confused:

Sounds like a glitch to me....

[kelz66]

has anyone called Carnival and talk to someone?

 

Sometimes the wbsite is not updated with the current available excursions.

 

:cool:

[scraphappylady]

has anyone called Carnival and talk to someone?

 

Sometimes the wbsite is not updated with the current available excursions.

 

:cool:

 

 

Yep, talked to a "specialist" earlier, who didn't really seem too clued in on what was going on. I know it's hard to keep track of all itineraries, but he was quick to give me the same answer . . might not be updated yet and to check back mid-December (that's only a month before we sail :eek: and remember, I'm a plan-FAR-ahead kind of gal!), what you see offered generically might not actually be offered for your particular cruise, etc, etc. Sigh.

 

Well, I'll give it another week or so and then make other plans. Don't want to have problems getting a seat with an independent excursion if Carnival doesn't come thru. :(

[jimbo5544]

Yep, talked to a "specialist" earlier, who didn't really seem too clued in on what was going on. I know it's hard to keep track of all itineraries, but he was quick to give me the same answer . . might not be updated yet and to check back mid-December (that's only a month before we sail :eek: and remember, I'm a plan-FAR-ahead kind of gal!), what you see offered generically might not actually be offered for your particular cruise, etc, etc. Sigh.

 

Well, I'll give it another week or so and then make other plans. Don't want to have problems getting a seat with an independent excursion if Carnival doesn't come thru. :(

I can understand your worry. If after a week, I would call again if still not resolved, ask for a manager/supervisor and tell them your problems. Let us know how it works out and enjoy your cruise!

[scraphappylady]

I can understand your worry. If after a week, I would call again if still not resolved, ask for a manager/supervisor and tell them your problems. Let us know how it works out and enjoy your cruise!

 

Thanks! I hate the chain of command thing, but it sounds like that might be what I'll need to do. I'm not going to let it stop me from having a great time, that's for sure, but everyone now and then I get that little niggling feeling that I haven't quite finished all my planning . . . . :p

[kelz66]

Yep, talked to a "specialist" earlier, who didn't really seem too clued in on what was going on. I know it's hard to keep track of all itineraries, but he was quick to give me the same answer . . might not be updated yet and to check back mid-December (that's only a month before we sail :eek: and remember, I'm a plan-FAR-ahead kind of gal!), what you see offered generically might not actually be offered for your particular cruise, etc, etc. Sigh.

 

Well, I'll give it another week or so and then make other plans. Don't want to have problems getting a seat with an independent excursion if Carnival doesn't come thru. :(

 

that is odd... You can book excursions over the phone and this is not a new port for them. Was the specialist part of the excursion booking department?

 

If you look at the port excursions without logging in they list 29 that are available...yes they may differ from date to date, but you should be able to book via phone.

[ajagent]

Scraphappy....WE are in the same boat and ON the same boat. We are on the Victory on the 17th too!!!! 45 days and counting!!! Have you settled on any other excursions?

[scraphappylady]

Scraphappy....WE are in the same boat and ON the same boat. We are on the Victory on the 17th too!!!! 45 days and counting!!! Have you settled on any other excursions?

 

Hi AJ-

 

(Sorry, OP, Not to steal the thread, but . . . ) Yeah, I remember seeing you on roll call!! One diver in the group, right? Took me awhile to join, but I was lurking there for a long time:p. Right now, we have booked the Carnival champagne catamaran/St. John snorkel for St. Thomas, the Carnival Caribe Indian tour for Dominica (only 'cause it sounded good and I was more worried about an independent excursion with the traffic on that island), Silver Moon in Barbados, Cosul in St. Lucia, either Carnival's Fan-ta-Sea (if they get their butts in gear) or Thenford Grey in St. Kitts, and just a beach day by ourselves at Orient for St. Maarten.

 

See you around roll call and then hopefully at a m&g in 45 more LOOONNNNNGGG days!:D

 

-Cathy

 

Now back to your regularly scheduled thread!

[boowaaccaa]

We were on the Victory last week and Carnival had options for excursions in St. Maarten.

 

We booked, however, with a local company--Bernard's tours--and we couldn't have been happier. $35 pp tours the island, shopping spots, beach spots and Maho beach (which is the one that the planes fly over--it was a really neat experience). The tour is all day and included beverages.

[cruisinchick71]

We are booked on the Valor in January and we have exactly 2 excursions listed on the Carnival site. Not sure what's up with that....

[sunseeker09]

I wondered about all this too, but (being new) figured that was the way it was. For months all I could only see a couple of Dominica excursions. I asked my PVP and he said it was too early. Finally others started to appear, but when the itineary changed I noticed no St. Maarten excursions.

I didn't mind as we've booked private excursions recommended here on CC (a private tour on Dominica and on St. Maarten we're doing a 3 island snorkel tour). We only booked 1 tour through Carnival (because I couldn't find anything comparable privately)

It is strange though. We are now only 18 days from our cruise and there are only 2 St. Maarten tours listed as available to buy. There are also only 2 listed for St. Kitts. Quite a few for the other 4 ports though. I would guess it is to do with the recent itinerary change since those are the 2 ports affected.

[jer_l]

It appears that the Shore Excursions Department is Carnivals "weakest link". We leave on the Elation in 19 days and they have only 5 shore excursions for one of our ports. I've e-mailed and I've called and talked to someone in the Shore Excursion Department. The answers one gets are conflicting and the only thing they have in common is that they are really lame. I think it's time for Carnival to fire a department head and get this department on the ball. YOu would think they would want the revenue that comes from the shore excursions enough to have a functional Shore Excursion Department.

[Lydia B.]

I contacted the excursion desk yesterday in regards to the Miracle's ports in March. Initially (a few weeks ago) I was told that excursions for purchase so up 90 days in advance of the cruise.

Yesterday was told that the majority the the excrusions have contracts with Carnival and expire at the end of each year. Then they renew them and post for us to purchase. So bottom line if you are cruising the 1st quarter of the year it will take awhile to post for purchase. I inquired direct with the Train Excursion for St. Kitts and the company told me they "had released" all of their tickets for the first of the year to Carnival and it would be available soon. Within a few days the train excursion did show up, but it is still not for sale...which is why I called. So still can't actually reserve, but at least think I have some information.

[susanthehuman]

The Carnival phone employees seem utterly clueless about shore excursions. None of them have any idea how you reserve them, and over and over again I am being told there is no phone desk you can call and get someone who is responsible for anything but posting them on the web site - in other words, nobody who knows how it works, etc. I hope something pops up after the first of the year, but my cruise is January 10, so they would have to post them very quickly after 1st of the year to be useful.

[tacrunner]

My husband and I will be going on the Carnival Victory on January 31 and are having the same difficulties with excursions. We have been to St. Maarten twice, once on another cruise and once using our timeshare, and we love this island. If you are unable to figure it out with Carnival, there are some great dive shops close to the pier. They will even pick you up. Great diving and beautiful beaches are what St. Maarten is known for, so enjoy your trip!