Princess changed layout of online shore excursions

[geoherb]

The two I booked for December on the Island are still on my Cruise Personalizer. I tried building a custom brochure, and it looked simple in theory but did not work for me the first time (in Firefox). It worked in Internet Explorer.

[Toto2Kansas]

I know the default number is usually set to 20 for most tours with some having less as a default. Many times when we wanted to select a tour and it showed only 3 left and we needed 4 it would not register so the count did have some value and what you stated "if it said '2' that didn't mean there were only 2 spots left available" isn't correct. The way I've seen it work in the past was after the 3 were used if there was still availability it reset to 20 or the default number again but if the tour was really sold out it stated that.

That is very interesting as I have booked 4 spots when the excursion has shown only "2" several times before, that is exactly where I got those numbers when I posted, and after booking 4 spots, it didn't reset to 20 afterwards but still showed 2 spots left. Maybe it's different for each tour, but I have booked, as I stated in the past, no problem whatsoever. ;)

[cactusrose]

The new layout does not have the detailed description of each excursion. Much harder to decide what to do. You have to download a separate brochure to see the description.:confused:

 

It is nice having the pictures, but the lack of detailed information is a huge negative. I looked for a way to get the full information, as in the old system, and could not find anything. Am I missing something?

 

There is a link "View Excursion Details" at the end of the summary for each excursion. When you click on that you get more information.

 

I like the new layout. It provides two features that I find valuable. One to set a dollar range and one to set the maximum duration. So you only get the excursions within your budget and time tolerance.:)

[SF]

There is a link "View Excursion Details" at the end of the summary for each excursion. When you click on that you get more information.

 

I like the new layout. It provides two features that I find valuable. One to set a dollar range and one to set the maximum duration. So you only get the excursions within your budget and time tolerance.:)

 

Yes it still has "View Excursion Details" but it doesn't go into detail like the old layout did or like the "view details" section under shore excursions on the main page. Very limited information on the new "view excursion details" just a line or two. I'm hoping they'll update the system to explain each tour like before. Time will tell.;)

[SF]

That is very interesting as I have booked 4 spots when the excursion has shown only "2" several times before, that is exactly where I got those numbers when I posted, and after booking 4 spots, it didn't reset to 20 afterwards but still showed 2 spots left. Maybe it's different for each tour, but I have booked, as I stated in the past, no problem whatsoever. ;)

 

Can't figure it out... maybe it varies per tour like you said but we've had trouble booking for more than what was shown available. Just prior to the layout update one of the tours we were looking at for our upcoming cruise showed 2 we needed 4 so it wouldn't let me book then a few days later it showed 20 again and we were able to book. Go figure.:confused:

[Solara]

There is a link "View Excursion Details" at the end of the summary for each excursion. When you click on that you get more information.

 

I like the new layout. It provides two features that I find valuable. One to set a dollar range and one to set the maximum duration. So you only get the excursions within your budget and time tolerance.:)

That is still not all the information that was there before. It's still only a brief description. The only way to see all the info like before is to download the complete brochure & go back & forth. For me this new layout is much harder to use. Hopefully they will correct that so that the detailed description become available.

[fireytaz]

i dont like the new layout. you have to click on about 10 more links to get where you want to go and there is no summary of all tours for all passengers unless you go in to the travel summary and print it out and that is another 10 clicks to get there! not user friendly at all IMO

[SF]

That is still not all the information that was there before. It's still only a brief description. The only way to see all the info like before is to download the complete brochure & go back & forth. For me this new layout is much harder to use. Hopefully they will correct that so that the detailed description become available.

 

You don't have to download. I just opened another tab to the main page of Princess and if you click shore excursion on that page and then put in which port it brings up the old details just like before. Much easier I found than downloading as when I tried it stalled.

[Crown Prince]

It's all about the Navigation you do on the website.

 

The new format is much better because more can be seen on one page.

 

:cool::cool:;):D:D

[Solara]

You don't have to download. I just opened another tab to the main page of Princess and if you click shore excursion on that page and then put in which port it brings up the old details just like before. Much easier I found than downloading as when I tried it stalled.

Still that makes it much harder than before. Why can't all the info still be there. Why do we have to do all that when before the description was right there.

 

Hopefully they are still working on it. I like the old way much better.

[cactusrose]

That is still not all the information that was there before. It's still only a brief description. The only way to see all the info like before is to download the complete brochure & go back & forth. For me this new layout is much harder to use. Hopefully they will correct that so that the detailed description become available.

 

Guess I was looking at one that has the same description in the new format as the old.

 

Old format

Patagonia Trek & Andean Club

 

Travel to the Andean Club, Punta Arenas's premier ski club. Ride a chair lift 4,500 feet up the slopes and then descend the mountain with your professional guide. The mountainside offers stunning views of Patagonia and the Straits of Magellan.

 

WHAT YOU VISIT

Andean Club Trek - Board your motorcoach at the pier for the approximately 30-minute drive to Club Andino, Punta Arenas's premier ski club. Board a chair lift and ascend another 4500 feet up the mountain with your professional guide. Then descend mountain slopes cloaked with strange Patagonian trees called coigues, lengas, and ñirres. Take in views of Punta Arenas and the Straits en route to Club Andino for a snack of cookies and hot chocolate or mineral water.

 

New format

 

Travel to the Andean Club, Punta Arenas's premier ski club. Ride a chair lift 4,500 feet up the slopes and then descend the mountain with your professional guide. The mountainside offers stunning views of Patagonia and the Straits of Magellan.

WHAT YOU VISIT

 

Andean Club Trek - Board your motorcoach at the pier for the approximately 30-minute drive to Club Andino, Punta Arenas's premier ski club. Board a chair lift and ascend another 4500 feet up the mountain with your professional guide. Then descend mountain slopes cloaked with strange Patagonian trees called coigues, lengas, and ñirres. Take in views of Punta Arenas and the Straits en route to Club Andino for a snack of cookies and hot chocolate or mineral water.

[caribill]

Just prior to the layout update one of the tours we were looking at for our upcoming cruise showed 2 we needed 4 so it wouldn't let me book then a few days later it showed 20 again and we were able to book. Go figure.:confused:

 

Could be they added another bus in those few days.

[caribill]

The number available is always bogus. they add or delete groups based on demand. 20 is a guess.

 

If the number was 20, it was bogus as that was the maximum number they show (just like when they only show 6 cabins available when you go through the booking process).

 

However, my experience has been that if less than 20 are shown, that is the actual count of what is left although sometimes they will add another bus if the demand is there.

 

I have at times booked the last two spots available and the status was then waitlisted until the cruise.

[SF]

Still that makes it much harder than before. Why can't all the info still be there. Why do we have to do all that when before the description was right there.

 

Hopefully they are still working on it. I like the old way much better.

 

Totally agree as I stated in my original post. Let's hope they aren't finished updating the new layout.

[SF]

Could be they added another bus in those few days.

 

I have no idea as it seems everyone has been having different experiences. I first thought they offer the tours in segments and post them a certain number at a time but that doesn't seem to be the case.

 

I see my pre-booked shore excursions under "shore excursions" beneath the person's name on the summary page but I don't see them where they were listed before on the right hand side under "shore excursions" like I did before. Even though they say confirmed in the section "shore excursions" by the person's name I'm a little concerned as to why they disappeared from the other "shore excursion" area where they were before this new layout.

[caribill]

I like the new layout. It provides two features that I find valuable. One to set a dollar range and one to set the maximum duration.

 

The old format within the Personalizer also had the exact price and the expected duration.

[milamber]

It wasn't working when I checked late last night, so I assumed they were switching over right then. Well, it's still not working for me. When I choose "view excursions" I keep getting "ERROR Did not find data for the selected port" And that includes a port that I have already reserved an excursion for, so I know they're available. Anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Or is it them?

 

Same for me and everyone else on our roll call. It's not you - hopefully it will get updated today. Like most companies they seem go ahead with changes despite not having everything sorted.

[mytime53]

Same for me and everyone else on our roll call. It's not you - hopefully it will get updated today. Like most companies they seem go ahead with changes despite not having everything sorted.

 

Thanks for letting me know. I had just tried again, and was going to go try a different computer to see if perhaps it was the browser I was using on this one, although it just didn't seem like a message that would result from a browser problem. At least I found another way to look at what's available, although not with prices.

[milamber]

Thanks for letting me know. I had just tried again, and was going to go try a different computer to see if perhaps it was the browser I was using on this one, although it just didn't seem like a message that would result from a browser problem. At least I found another way to look at what's available, although not with prices.

 

It seems to be a cruise specific problem. I spoke to Princess CS earlier and they said they weren't aware of any problems. I then asked them to check our cruise and they couldn't get any excursions up either. They have referred it to the technical team and hopefully it will get resolved.

 

I suspect you might need to make them aware of the problems for your cruise to get anything done.

[mytime53]

It seems to be a cruise specific problem. I spoke to Princess CS earlier and they said they weren't aware of any problems. I then asked them to check our cruise and they couldn't get any excursions up either. They have referred it to the technical team and hopefully it will get resolved.

 

I suspect you might need to make them aware of the problems for your cruise to get anything done.

!

 

I suspected that may be the case when I checked this am and it was still "broken." Thanks for letting me know it needs a phone call!

[milamber]

!

 

I suspected that may be the case when I checked this am and it was still "broken." Thanks for letting me know it needs a phone call!

 

No problem. If you have had a pre-cruise e-mail from Princess which mentions excursions you might still be able to view them all plus prices in the old format from the link in the e-mail.

 

I can do this, but can't click further for any detail without an error message.

[DougH]

The new layout does not have the detailed description of each excursion. Much harder to decide what to do. You have to download a separate brochure to see the description.:confused:

 

When I looked today there is a place on each to click on to get the full detailed descriptions. I like the new layout much better myself.

[minikiss]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milamber

If you have a pre-cruise e-mail from Princess that mentions excursions then you can click on the excursions link in that and get everything up with the old format. That allows you to pre-book and they show up under the new format, despite the excursions not showing up yet!

 

Hope that makes sense

 

This was posted on a thread about problem with Princess UK. Same things happening for us Brits as well, I Tried this and it worked enough for me to see what i had booked.

But i still got the same error message when trying to see what there was there to reserve.

Julia

[goodie2shoes]

All the talk about the new format got my curiosity up, so I went to our Mexican Riviera cruise - 248 days out - and found that I could book shore excursions on it.

 

Now I'm wondering why so far in advance.

[mytime53]

I've called about not being able to access tours for our sailing; the CSR was surprised, but surmised that with so many sailings to update, they just weren't finished with the process. Seems to me they would have updated the earlier cruises first, but who knows. Anyway, if someone else happens to be looking at St. Lucia excursions in the near future, would you mind posting the cost for both the Day at Jungle Reef and Sea Kayaking to Pigeon Island? I would really appreciate it...Thanks!