prepay shore excursions

[Spideysmum]

I've booked and subsequently prepaid two excursions for the Coral I didn't have to but since it didn't matter one way or another I prepaid after a couple weeks So after reading this thread I decided to book another one. Am offered a prepay option but nothing forcing me. What am I missing here? Are prices likely to go up if I just leave it?

 

 

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[Mary loves to travel]

Historically, has there been a problem with people pre-booking lots of excursions, then cancelling last minute? If so, the requirement to prepay would certainly reduce this practice.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Princess is one of the few (only??) major cruise lines that does not require payment for shore excursions at time of booking, except for the test this year on the Grand Princess Alaska sailings. I hope they don't announce that the test was a success and that the policy will be changed for all.

Edited July 8, 2016 by sunsetbeachgal

[RDC1]

I've booked and subsequently prepaid two excursions for the Coral I didn't have to but since it didn't matter one way or another I prepaid after a couple weeks So after reading this thread I decided to book another one. Am offered a prepay option but nothing forcing me. What am I missing here? Are prices likely to go up if I just leave it?

 

 

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No they will not go up. Once you book you have the priced locked in. One of the reasons for booking early (but not prepaying) is to hold your place and lock in the price.

[caribill]

Princess is one of the few (only??) major cruise lines that does not require payment for shore excursions at time of booking, except for the test this year on the Grand Princess Alaska sailings. I hope they don't announce that the test was a success and that the policy will be changed for all.

 

Unfortunately 60% or more passengers on cruises to Alaska are new to cruising or to Princess.

 

As a result, they would think prepaying is normal.

 

Thus, they will not complain.

 

Thus the test will be deemed a success.

[yamanid]

We are going to Alaska the end of this month and just went in to book some shore excursions before hand. Have been on quite a few cruises and this is the first time I have seen this. When did they start having you prepay for the shore excursions. In the past it has always been put onto our on board account. Just wondering when all of this started.

 

We live in Uk and when booking our Cruises, whether Princess, P&O etc we have done this booking and prepaying for many years - simply choose, book, pay and if you change your mind they will refund you on to the card you have paid with - good way if you definitely know you want to go on a particular trip - even once onboard if you change your mind you will be refunded:)

something to think about:) Enjoy

[qqwer123]

We have always prepaid our shore excursions and our gratuities since we started cruising five years ago. We have to pay for them anyway and we fully intend on taking them so I certainly don't mind. It's part of the cost of crushing..

[Cruise Raider]

Ok but the excursions are refundable up to 72 hours in advance, so as a newbie nonstatus passenger who obviously would have no OBC ...there doesn't seem much incentive for me not to prepay. Right?

 

 

 

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This is my understanding of the pre-paid excursions for Alaska:

 

They are currently being sold at a 5% discount if you pre-pay ahead of time. Winner!

 

They are still refundable once onboard, within the normal cancellation time frame (I think it is either 24 or 72 hours ... something like that).

Winner!

 

 

You stand a better chance of getting the excursions you want as well as the times you want if booked ahead of time.

Winner!

 

You don't have to worry about all that planning when you are onboard; it is already done ... you just need to enjoy your cruise.

Winner!

 

I never have left over onboard credit to spend on excursions.

Not sure if that is a winner or not ... sounds like a loser to me. :D

 

I pre-booked everything, saved money to boot. If you have a lot of onboard credit to burn, I would say wait but expect the prices to go up once onboard. Like I said, I just never have had that problem.

I don't know why people say they want it to go away. :confused:

[RDC1]

We live in Uk and when booking our Cruises, whether Princess, P&O etc we have done this booking and prepaying for many years - simply choose, book, pay and if you change your mind they will refund you on to the card you have paid with - good way if you definitely know you want to go on a particular trip - even once onboard if you change your mind you will be refunded:)

something to think about:) Enjoy

 

Except if you cancel on board it goes as an OBC not refunded to the card.

[RDC1]

This is my understanding of the pre-paid excursions for Alaska:

 

They are currently being sold at a 5% discount if you pre-pay ahead of time. Winner!

 

They are still refundable once onboard, within the normal cancellation time frame (I think it is either 24 or 72 hours ... something like that).

Winner!

 

 

You stand a better chance of getting the excursions you want as well as the times you want if booked ahead of time.

Winner!

 

You don't have to worry about all that planning when you are onboard; it is already done ... you just need to enjoy your cruise.

Winner!

 

I never have left over onboard credit to spend on excursions.

Not sure if that is a winner or not ... sounds like a loser to me. :D

 

I pre-booked everything, saved money to boot. If you have a lot of onboard credit to burn, I would say wait but expect the prices to go up once onboard. Like I said, I just never have had that problem.

I don't know why people say they want it to go away. :confused:

 

For US passenger.

 

Most of the time on Princess if you book early you get a lower price then if you book late in the process or if on board. Even if you don't pay early. Excursions I booked on the Norway Iceland cruise in September were 10-20% lower when I booked them in April, then they are now. Just as a note I happen to have $800 worth of OBC on that cruise when is going for excursions.

 

You might just want to compare fares between the Grand and the other Alaska cruises. It appeared to me that while they were offering a 5% discount they had changed their normal process and started the cost higher.

 

Everything you listed except the 5% discount you get under the current Princess policy, and you do not have to pay until the cruise is over. Would much rather hold onto my cash, use the OBC for excursions, instead of making a fairly hefty payment months before the cruise.

 

Under the current policy.

 

1. Can book early and take advantage of lower listed pricing - Winner

 

2. Do not have to pay anything for them before the cruise - Winner

 

3. Can have Princess pay most of the cost by using on board OBC - Winner

 

4. Can cancel under normal terms and not have to worry about how my refund would be credited or when - winner

 

5. Don't have to worry about doing anything on board - winner

 

6. Have all of my excursions booked very early so I can get the ones that I want and not have to find the money to pay for them at that moment - Winner

 

That is why we like the system the way it is. We can book early, lock in our cost and our spot on the excursion, and not have to pay until final payment on the ship.

 

Now you can pay if you want to, but it doesn't really get you anything except accelerating the payment.

 

I get the feeling that Princess is doing this to reduce the cost to them of the OBC they give out and forcing folks to spend it on other things on the ship that they otherwise would not do.

Edited July 9, 2016 by RDC1

[caribill]

 

I get the feeling that Princess is doing this to reduce the cost to them of the OBC they give out and forcing folks to spend it on other things on the ship that they otherwise would not do.

 

Even worse on Royal Caribbean.

 

Not only must you pay in advance for shore excursions you booked, you must also pay the daily gratuity charge before embarkation in most cases.

 

Even less ways to spend OBC on what you want to spend it on.