Are more excursions added closer to cruise date?

[MVPinBoynton]

I have read a lot of reviews on this board about excursion options being limited on O. I have downloaded our excursion book for our March 2015 China/Japan cruise to see what I might be interested in; as well as where to book private tours. Currently there are only 4 excursions available for Tianjin (Beijing) and we are there overnight. For Shanghai, where we spend 3 full days there are only 15 excursions. In some of the ports there are no excursions available. I realize that it is early; and personally rather surprised and quite impressed that O even had an excursion book for the cruise which is 15 months away.

 

For those that have done an Asia cruise with O, should I expect to see the excursion options increase before sail date?

[LHT28]

I would look at the ones listed for upcoming cruises in 2014 for the same ports

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/exploreashore/default.aspx

 

They will probably be the same tours but prices may differ from yr to yr but it gives you an idea of what is on offer so you can plan any private tours

Be sure to join the Roll Call for your cruise if you have not already done so

 

Lyn

Edited December 30, 2013 by LHT28

[MVPinBoynton]

I would look at the ones listed for upcoming cruises in 2014 for the same ports

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/exploreashore/default.aspx

 

They will probably be the same tours but prices may differ from yr to yr but it gives you an idea of what is on offer so you can plan any private tours

Be sure to join the Roll Call for your cruise if you have not already done so

 

Lyn

 

Thanks Lyn. I had already been to that page and they had the same excursions as in the book. I was hoping there would be something else added for the less visited ports. I won't have any problem getting private excursions in Beijing and Shanghai; but some of the smaller ports could be a challenge. There aren't any excursions in Tokyo, probably because they don't normally dock there.

 

Since there is only one other person on the roll call, who has not yet replied to my post, it is probably a bit early for most people to start planning. I plan way in advance.:D

 

I am really just trying to find out from those with prior O experience, if O does add other tours before the cruise or once the cruise has started.

[LHT28]

Thanks Lyn. I had already been to that page and they had the same excursions as in the book. I was hoping there would be something else added for the less visited ports. I won't have any problem getting private excursions in Beijing and Shanghai; but some of the smaller ports could be a challenge. There aren't any excursions in Tokyo, probably because they don't normally dock there.

 

Since there is only one other person on the roll call, who has not yet replied to my post, it is probably a bit early for most people to start planning. I plan way in advance.:D

 

I am really just trying to find out from those with prior O experience, if O does add other tours before the cruise or once the cruise has started.

 

Sorry forgot to add that they might add more excursions maybe 6mths + out

Depends on what they can come up with ;)

I agree I like to plan early also

 

Enjoy

 

lyn

[Mura]

Ditto our experience with Brazilian Destinies in November.

 

We booked very early and there were almost no tours listed. I found a few on the prior year's cruise but not all.

 

Maybe 6 months before departure there were a lot more listed.

 

I was looking more for an idea of what there is to do in specific ports than I was looking for ship's tours, of which we took none.

 

Mura

[MVPinBoynton]

 

I was looking more for an idea of what there is to do in specific ports than I was looking for ship's tours, of which we took none.

 

Mura

 

Thanks Mura. That is exactly what I like to do also. I will even look at other cruise lines excursion pages to see what they think is worth visiting. Then we can hopefully find others on the roll call that want to share a private tour.

[willidc]

We are on the similar 2014 sailing on Nautica called "Pearls of the Orient". It sails from Hong Kong to Tianjin (Beijing), 2/22/14 to 3/10/14.

 

We have had a very active roll call for about a year or more. It is a great roll call and is filled with helpful information (particularly with China Visa options). Some people organized private tours quite early on and by the time my husband and I booked the cruise, many of the private tours were already filled. But between some of us latecomers getting together with suggestions from those already set with their private tours, and the more than adequate selection of the ship's tours, we will have plenty of options for our upcoming cruise. We typically do a mix of ship's and private tours.

 

On previous cruises with O, we have seen several tours added by Destination Services once we board the ship. There should be something in your cabin or in Currents that brings you up to date on any additions, changes, and/or cancellations. Also, a stop by the Destination Services desk once on board can prove to be helpful.

 

As Lyn has said, the tours remain similar from year to year. So, check our sailing on the O website as well as Roll Call and you will see what we have offered for our cruise. We recently had a change of our time in Hiroshima giving us 4-5 hours less time there. Consequently, some popular longer tours for that port had to be scratched. In particular---Mayajima. Many are guessing that for the extra sailing hours we will be sailing to circumvent the area in the East China Sea that has been in controversy during the past few weeks. So things can (and do) change.

 

Enjoy your cruise!:p

[MVPinBoynton]

We are on the similar 2014 sailing on Nautica called "Pearls of the Orient". It sails from Hong Kong to Tianjin (Beijing), 2/22/14 to 3/10/14.

 

We have had a very active roll call for about a year or more. It is a great roll call and is filled with helpful information (particularly with China Visa options). Some people organized private tours quite early on and by the time my husband and I booked the cruise, many of the private tours were already filled. But between some of us latecomers getting together with suggestions from those already set with their private tours, and the more than adequate selection of the ship's tours, we will have plenty of options for our upcoming cruise. We typically do a mix of ship's and private tours.

 

On previous cruises with O, we have seen several tours added by Destination Services once we board the ship. There should be something in your cabin or in Currents that brings you up to date on any additions, changes, and/or cancellations. Also, a stop by the Destination Services desk once on board can prove to be helpful.

 

As Lyn has said, the tours remain similar from year to year. So, check our sailing on the O website as well as Roll Call and you will see what we have offered for our cruise. We recently had a change of our time in Hiroshima giving us 4-5 hours less time there. Consequently, some popular longer tours for that port had to be scratched. In particular---Mayajima. Many are guessing that for the extra sailing hours we will be sailing to circumvent the area in the East China Sea that has been in controversy during the past few weeks. So things can (and do) change.

 

Enjoy your cruise!:p

 

Thanks for your input. I was going to check out a few roll calls to see what they had found with tours; so yours will be the first one I will check. :)