Advice on booking own excursions through roll call

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Hello all~ So very glad to have this forum and all you expert cruisers! Oct 25 on the Island Princess will be our FIRST! So I have a few questions...

I would like to book some pre-cruise excursions with Rome in Limo (great reviews) for the 3 days prior to our cruise, and one of them includes transfers from airport to hotel and then hotel to ship (nice deal)! Do I just post on my ship's roll call the date and time we are arriving, the hotel/approx area we are staying and ask who will be arriving at about that time, if they going near the area of our hotel and are interested in joining us for a day tour the next day (looking for 4 - 6 others)?

I would also like to list and book an excursion for Florence and Pisa (again group of 6 - 8) through Rome in Limo on my ship's roll call. How does this work then? The first people to respond are in? Do people drop out? How do you find others? How is the payment handled when working with these people who are currently strangers?

Thanks!

I will take ANY advice!

[Xmansmom]

I'm interested in this answer. I am trying now to organize a tour through my roll call. I still don't have anybody on there yet though. Been thinking about using www. shareashoreexcursioninitaly .com/groupfinder but didn't know if I could use Rome in Limo or whether I had to use one of the site's tours.

[paul929207]

Yes, just go to your Roll Call, post a description of the tour, the cost per person, and ask if anyone would like to join you.

[Bogof1]

I suggest you log onto princes cruises forums. Then once there log onto the princess roll calls and look for the date of your sailing. Someone may have already posted offers for people to join their trips if not u can do it. Whatever enjoy

[Bogof1]

There are over 100 posts on your roll call enjoy reading and ask any questions you want

[mizLORInj]

Yes, we have had many fun excursions this way and met and hung out with some really great people. Usually we get in touch with the cruise operator directly and specify it's for a particular group coming in on [ship] on a particular date.

 

Enjoy Island Princess!!

[Worldtraveler 4727]

I suggest you log onto princes cruises forums. Then once there log onto the princess roll calls and look for the date of your sailing. Someone may have already posted offers for people to join their trips if not u can do it. Whatever enjoy

 

But there are hundreds of people on the ship, and I am looking for a group of 6 or 8....

Also, how does it work for payment, AND do people--as a rule--come through if they say they will go on an excursion with you, or do people drop out and then I will have to find others?

[paul929207]

But there are hundreds of people on the ship, and I am looking for a group of 6 or 8....

Also, how does it work for payment, AND do people--as a rule--come through if they say they will go on an excursion with you, or do people drop out and then I will have to find others?

Actually, there will be about 2,000 passengers on the ship. Just take the first 6 or 8 who respond. You may want to put the next few on the wait list.

 

For payment, most tour operators accept payment on the day of the excursion. Find out what currency they want and if the accept credit cards.

 

Some people do cancel private tours. This especially happens when final payment is due and some cancel the cruise. I would get email addresses for everyone so you can verify their participation.

[LHT28]

But there are hundreds of people on the ship, and I am looking for a group of 6 or 8....

Also, how does it work for payment, AND do people--as a rule--come through if they say they will go on an excursion with you, or do people drop out and then I will have to find others?

 

Join your roll call

post the tour you are booking

if the tour guide requires payment up front then ask if other people can just pay the guide directly separately or if you have to foot the bill & collect from them

Some guides will not require a payment until the day of the tour then just get everyone to pay the guide

 

I have a tour I had to prepay in advance ..I will be collecting from the people once I get on the ship

If they decide to back out then I may have time to find others to join if not they may forfeit their share $$ of the tour

Make the terms of payment & cancellation clear when they sign up with you

 

If people have to pay in advance they are less likely to cancel once you have their $$

 

Enjoy the cruise

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Actually, there will be about 2,000 passengers on the ship. Just take the first 6 or 8 who respond. You may want to put the next few on the wait list.

 

For payment, most tour operators accept payment on the day of the excursion. Find out what currency they want and if the accept credit cards.

 

Some people do cancel private tours. This especially happens when final payment is due and some cancel the cruise. I would get email addresses for everyone so you can verify their participation.

 

Thank you, Paul. That info helps!

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Join your roll call

post the tour you are booking

if the tour guide requires payment up front then ask if other people can just pay the guide directly separately or if you have to foot the bill & collect from them

Some guides will not require a payment until the day of the tour then just get everyone to pay the guide

 

I have a tour I had to prepay in advance ..I will be collecting from the people once I get on the ship

If they decide to back out then I may have time to find others to join if not they may forfeit their share $$ of the tour

Make the terms of payment & cancellation clear when they sign up with you

 

If people have to pay in advance they are less likely to cancel once you have their $$

 

Enjoy the cruise

 

Thank you. This info helps! I have joined the roll call (I answered someone asking where ppl which hotel before cruise). I will follow the advice given.

The pages get to be "endless" and this cruise is 8 months away--so I fear my notices becoming lost in the vast amt of pages....

 

Thanks all. Any other advice, pls pass on. Much obliged.

[LHT28]

Thank you. This info helps! I have joined the roll call (I answered someone asking where ppl which hotel before cruise). I will follow the advice given.

The pages get to be "endless" and this cruise is 8 months away--so I fear my notices becoming lost in the vast amt of pages....

 

Thanks all. Any other advice, pls pass on. Much obliged.

 

Most people will be up to date on the roll call it is just overwhelming to you since it probably has been up & running for several months

Just take some notes as you get up to speed with the others ;)

 

Enjoy

Edited February 17, 2015 by LHT28

[paul929207]

Thank you. This info helps! I have joined the roll call (I answered someone asking where ppl which hotel before cruise). I will follow the advice given.

The pages get to be "endless" and this cruise is 8 months away--so I fear my notices becoming lost in the vast amt of pages....

 

Thanks all. Any other advice, pls pass on. Much obliged.

Some Roll Calls are active others not so much. We have a cruise 8 months from today and we are closing on 3000 posts, nearly 200 people signed up.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Most people will be up to date on the roll call it is just overwhelming to you since it probably has been up & running for several months

Just take some notes as you get up to speed with the others ;)

 

Enjoy

 

Thank you. I will just try to do my best.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Some Roll Calls are active others not so much. We have a cruise 8 months from today and we are closing on 3000 posts, nearly 200 people signed up.

 

That's a lot of people and a lot of posts, and is the reason why I am concerned my sign-up-for-this-excursion-for 8 will be lost in the shuffle. :confused:

[paul929207]

That's a lot of people and a lot of posts, and is the reason why I am concerned my sign-up-for-this-excursion-for 8 will be lost in the shuffle. :confused:

We do lots of private tours and never had a problem with no shows.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

We do lots of private tours and never had a problem with no shows.

 

Thanks, Paul. I am feeling a bit more relieved and a bit more confident moving forward.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

We do lots of private tours and never had a problem with no shows.

 

Thanks, Paul. I am feeling a bit more relieved and a bit more confident moving forward. :)

[margeecruiser]

Please be aware the ship will not look kindly to your actually collecting money from others on the ship. You can meet in one of the bars and leave the ship together to debark and meet the tour operator on the dock. We have done countless tours we organized or where we joined others for tours that were organized by others. I suggest you get email addresses from those who respond from the roll call so you don't have all the messages lost in the roll call. We have had some no shows at the last minute due to illness, but they insisted on paying their share anyway. Be sure if one of your ports is a tender port your tour operator either does not require prepayment or will refund your money if the ship skips the port for bad weather. Good luck! I hope you have a wonderful trip. Romeinlimo is the best in the business. I think 6 people is a good group. Remember for the transfer from and to the ship you will have lots of luggage. They are so good, they will give you good advise and provide the right sized vehicle for your group.

 

If you have any specific questions, please ask.

 

Margee

[Cruisin' Chick]

Just remember that out of the number of passengers are on your cruise, only a small percentage are members of this forum, and there could be members who don't bother with roll calls.

 

Also, if collecting money for your excursion while on board, remember to be discreet as there's been some who have gotten into trouble with with the ship for this.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Please be aware the ship will not look kindly to your actually collecting money from others on the ship. You can meet in one of the bars and leave the ship together to debark and meet the tour operator on the dock. We have done countless tours we organized or where we joined others for tours that were organized by others. I suggest you get email addresses from those who respond from the roll call so you don't have all the messages lost in the roll call. We have had some no shows at the last minute due to illness, but they insisted on paying their share anyway. Be sure if one of your ports is a tender port your tour operator either does not require prepayment or will refund your money if the ship skips the port for bad weather. Good luck! I hope you have a wonderful trip. Romeinlimo is the best in the business. I think 6 people is a good group. Remember for the transfer from and to the ship you will have lots of luggage. They are so good, they will give you good advise and provide the right sized vehicle for your group.

 

 

 

If you have any specific questions, please ask.

 

Margee

 

Thank you so much Margee. I will keep your kind offer in mind. I really appreciate your help. I am a real newbie at all this, but I am determined to make this all work for my husband and me and 4 - 6 other lucky travelers! ;)

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Just remember that out of the number of passengers are on your cruise' date=' only a small percentage are members of this forum, and there could be members who don't bother with roll calls.

 

Also, if collecting money for your excursion while on board, remember to be discreet as there's been some who have gotten into trouble with with the ship for this.[/quote']

 

Thank you. I appreciate the warning. I don't like it -- nor agree with it--but I understand it, and appreciate the heads up.

[garlinn]

I have done several tours with RIL. Everybody will pay the driver their portion after the tour is over. One nice thing about RIL is that they have a tour sharing site http://www.romeinlimotoursharing.com You can go there and see if anybody has already started a tour that has room. If not start your own then post it on the Roll Call for people to sign up. One advantage or disadvantage depending on the way you look at it is people not on the Roll Call can also sign up. Normally once you advertise it there will be plenty of people on the roll call that will sign up immediately. If you have any questions email info@romeinlime.com and Jany will get back with in a timely manner.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Thank you for these additional ideas! Much appreciated!

[Worldtraveler 4727]

I have done several tours with RIL. Everybody will pay the driver their portion after the tour is over. One nice thing about RIL is that they have a tour sharing site http://www.romeinlimotoursharing.com You can go there and see if anybody has already started a tour that has room. If not start your own then post it on the Roll Call for people to sign up. One advantage or disadvantage depending on the way you look at it is people not on the Roll Call can also sign up. Normally once you advertise it there will be plenty of people on the roll call that will sign up immediately. If you have any questions email info@romeinlime.com and Jany will get back with in a timely manner.

 

Your tour sharing site recommendation is a wonderful idea! Thank you!