Early Excursions Research

[MaudeLou]

Hi,

 

We are booked on 2016 World Cruise and with so many ports to research I thought I would start now.

 

I have been using "Destinations - Ports & Excursions" on Princess website as a guide and was wondering if anyone can tell me how these excursions compare with what is actually released for booking?

 

I know it's a long way off and anything could change but your thoughts/experiences would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

[caribill]

In general, what you are seeing now on the Princess web site will be the descriptions of the tours on your cruise if they are offered.

 

This far in advance it is always possible that existing tours will not be able to be offered and new ones added instead.

 

Until Princess signs the contracts with vendors, the current descriptions are the best guide you can have.

[AZbeachboy]

I do a couple of things that might help. 1st, I check Princess and note which tours they currently have. They may change but in a sense is is all you have and you can go back and change it later.

 

2nd, I check the internet for cruise companies in thoes ports to which you will be traveling. I check for price, what the tours offer, time and if there are other places to visit that are not on the Princess excursions.

 

There is actually something else I do. I check both the ports area on Cruise Critic and the roll call for the cruise I am on. Sometimes people who have been there before have good insight. On one roll call someone had used a guide who does not advertise on the net. That person set up the tour. We ended up with about 45 people from the roll call. It was probable one of the best tours I have had on my cruises.

 

I hope this helps. If I recall anything else I will post it here. Happy Sailing.

[dfields1814]

I have no clue how I did it, but I did it twice. I was able somehow to access the excursions and prices for the excursions on the cruises at the present time (once for Europe and once for South America) . That Princess site kind of gave me an idea of what would be available when we take our cruises the following year or so. I just added about 10 to 20% on the existing price figuring there will be a price hike over time. When the excursions were posted for our cruise almost all of the excursions that were listed when I first accessed the site were reposted usually within the 10 to 20% raise. That really helped me budget for the cruises.

Edited January 31, 2015 by dfields1814

[MaudeLou]

Thanks Caribill, AZbeachboy and dfields1814 for replying.

 

Your info was very helpful and reassuring that I am following the process of other experienced cruisers like yourselves.

 

14 days is our longest cruise thus far so 105 days is going to be amazing but the preparation is quite daunting :eek: