Tour booking using Cruise Website or other way?

[gamesstate]

Hi all, we are taking a trip to Alaska in a couple of months for our honeymoon (and first ever cruise) and are wondering where to book tours. Ive read that if you book directly using the Cruise Line (Celebrity) prices are a little higher.

 

What are your recommendations? I know Im want to take the Pilots Choice helicopter tour in Juneo but I dont know if I can book that elsewhere.

 

Any recommendations of what to do or where will be greatly appreciated.

[orchid123]

Hi, we were just there.You can get a helicopter tour for $100 less per person, once you get off the ship. You need to go beyond the bus waiting area, and you will see them. We did the guide's hiking choice and it was good. My husband did not want to do the helicopter. We met a couple on our way back to the ship that had done the photography tour and LOVED IT. Search this site for recommendations in Juno, but I know you can get tour options at the pier once you get off the ship ( We saw this in Juno and also in Ketchikan). Pura Vida.:)

[Ron AKA]

One advantage of booking with the cruise line is that you can make the best use of your shore time. If you book through the cruise choose the excursion time that is closest to the planned arrival time of the ship. This will ensure you get off the ship first, and because you booked it with the cruise they will make sure you do not miss the excursion.

[Yukon]

One advantage of booking with the cruise line is that you can make the best use of your shore time. If you book through the cruise choose the excursion time that is closest to the planned arrival time of the ship. This will ensure you get off the ship first, and because you booked it with the cruise they will make sure you do not miss the excursion.

 

Like so much of what you've been posting recently, Ron, that just ain't so. Except in rare occasions at tender ports, I can get off the ship as early as anyone else. Booking independently usually gives you smaller groups and usually saves money. I book through the ship when there's no choice (some operators only book through the ships).

[50thBdayCruise]

I always book through the cruise line, and this last time I was really glad I did. On our recent cruise, one of our tours had engine trouble with the boat and we ended up getting back about 1/2 hour later than we were supposed to. We missed the specified embarkation time, but they held the boat so that 60 of us could get back on. If we hadn't been booked through the cruise line, we'd have had to find our own way out of Skagway. Not something I will EVER risk...

[jku2]

We have found that excursions are always higher going through the ship.

We are leaving on our 19th cruise in a week and have never had a problem with being late back to a ship.

On our first 3 cruises we booked only through the ship due to fear.

 

We now try to do all excursions on our own or with a small group. Some groups can be formed among those also taking your cruise that you meet on CC. Some, like the ones we are now signed up for we just contacted the company and asked if there were openings.

 

Benefits of going on your a small tour is along with price, you have the ability to get to places that a large bus can't go. You also don't have to wait for those last few passengers that are still buying things or in the line to the bathroom.

Having a tour guide for a group of say 12 you can hear what is being said rather than with as large group.

 

And we have always found that with private tours we can leave the ship earlier with the driver wanting to get a first start to satisfy the customers. (Along with the price of the tour they would like a tip:))

 

That all being said we do try to book ahead using suggestions from CC. It can be a mad house with tour people trying to get you to take their tours if you don't have plans.

We also do book with the cruise line if it is something we cannot do by ourselves.

Hope this helps