Excursions for world cruises

[Go-Bucks!]

Since I'm an Oceania newbie, I've learned so much from this board and want to thank everyone who posts and helps others like me. I'm an experienced cruiser, but each line is quite different.

 

So, my situation is this: My friend and I have booked the 2019 world cruise and received many amenities. Some are - 36 "free" shore excursions each, 5 "free shore events" each, and $3,250 OBC each. With 90 ports of call, we feel overwhelmed with the thought of planning our own excursions for them all! We rarely take ship tours, but it seems like it will be much easier to take as many as possible on this cruise to avoid the burden of booking 90 on our own. That's why we chose the excursions for our OLife perk.

 

We plan to pre-book the 36 included excursions in places where safety seems a bit iffy, as well as places where the infrastructure might make us nervous about getting back to the ship on time. But that leaves us with 54 more ports. There are 27 of those 54 where we've been before and/or feel confident in DIY, so that leaves 27 more where we would still like to do a ship tour. We would like to use our OBC to book the remaining 27 but apparently that means waiting to book them until we're onboard.

 

Any Oceania world cruisers have advise for us? I'd hate to get onboard and find that ALL the excursions are already booked and be out of luck. Is it likely that there will be some tours still available?

 

I'm asking here because there's no roll call for our cruise yet. If there were, I'd be happy to ask these questions there. Hopefully, when a roll call is started, we can join others on tours. Thanks for any help! :)

[Waynetor]

You can be the first to start the roll call - I'm surprised no one started it yet as lots of cabins have been booked. - I'm on the wait list for an accessible cabin.

 

The 2017 world cruise is quite close to the 2019 itinerary. Reading the roll call for that cruise can be very helpful.

 

The roll call for the 2016 cruise was very active and it included quite a few of the same ports - you can search that roll call by port name to find out what was done on that cruise. There were also 2 live reports (last post on this board from around last Aug) done from passengers on the 2016 that will provided lots of info about life on board.

 

Another great place to search is the ports of call section here on CC. That will provide tour/port info without regard to ship.

[Go-Bucks!]

Since I haven't done a world cruise OR sailed on Oceania before, I thought it might be better for someone with that experience to start the roll call. I'm also surprised to see that no one has stepped forward yet.

 

Does anyone else feel like planning your own excursions for 90 ports would be overwhelming or is it just me?

[Paulchili]

Does anyone else feel like planning your own excursions for 90 ports would be overwhelming or is it just me?

 

You won't have to plan for all 90 ports yourself.

36 will be planned for you by Oceania - that's more than 1/3. Once your roll call will get going - and it will - many others will do the planning as well and you can join them.

Team work is great - just take one step at a time :D

[cbb]

I was also on ATW16 and as Wayne says....start the Roll Call--no experience needed!

 

Other advice: some ATW folks didn't even know land events were offered and if you wait to sign up on board you could be put a waiting list and you miss going.

 

Ask your TA to help you watch for those land events to become available and sign up immediately. Taj Mahal, Great Wall, and Angkor Wat will fill up quickly.

 

Now for the other ports. You have some time in your favor so start by looking at itinerary by the week, or by segments, so that the project doesn't overwhelm you. I was pretty disciplined to sit down every day and do basic research.

 

Research was: what did i want to see in that port, how safe was it to DIY, and then when the excursions became available i looked for a match. If you have been to a port before and feel comfortable with your safety and diy, then you can move on in your research to the next port you aren't familiar with.

 

cruise critic is a great place to find out about specific ports, frommers.com was my go-to for diy walking tours, state dept was for security (we registered with them)and make sure you get the required shots & vaccines. Some folks did have bad reactions to Malarone, (anti-malaria pills) others did fine.

 

Brazil, India, and China all took time getting the required visas--O can help you with this and the other required visas.

 

I know it seems overwhelming but you do have time on your side so baby steps in your research!!! There are a bunch of ATW16 people that are here to help you so feel free to ask. There are no dumb questions when it comes to this cruise!!!

 

2 extra tips:

1, take many bottles of whatever OTC you might need. Sunscreen, OTC pain relievers, lotions, allergy meds, eye drops, throat lozengers. It is hard to find stuff you rely on in foreign ports and ship's doctors do run out of stuff.

2. if you are on prescription meds often they won't fill a 6 mos prescription; ask for a "vacation override" from your drug insurer. You may have to wait until shortly before you leave to fill that last 3 mos but both your physician and the insurer shouldn't give you any problems if you explain why you need 6 mos! (and be prepared for them both to invite themselves to join you.....we got a lot of that!!!)

 

have a great time....it is an absolutely wonderful cruise!!!!

[cbb]

forgot to tell OP--both Wayne & I posted on ccritic almost every day of our ATW16 cruise.

 

do a search for the 2 threads--will have lots of info for you or do a search for each of the ports you're interested in. I think both of us told the reader if we were DIY or taking a shorex or private tour.

 

have fun!!

[Mura]

That's what I recall as well. Plus you posted a lengthy post giving suggestions for what you should bring with you, how to plan, etc.

[Emma Chisit]

forgot to tell OP--both Wayne & I posted on ccritic almost every day of our ATW16 cruise.

 

do a search for the 2 threads--will have lots of info for you or do a search for each of the ports you're interested in. I think both of us told the reader if we were DIY or taking a shorex or private tour.

 

have fun!!

 

Hello there. Was going to say this but you beat me to it. Definitely worth searching for those threads.

And OP - the person who started the wonderful roll call for ATW16 did not actually end up taking the cruise....

Cheers from a "segmenter" on ATW16.

[cbb]

D--I thought you were headed for Japan!!!! Why are you on CCritic dear girl??? Do you have your walking stick and sweet D?

 

Have a wonderful cruise. If I don't like the '19 offerings of O in Asia we might do a segment or 2 of ATW19!!! giant hugs to you both!!!

[Go-Bucks!]

I was also on ATW16 and as Wayne says....start the Roll Call--no experience needed!

 

Other advice: some ATW folks didn't even know land events were offered and if you wait to sign up on board you could be put a waiting list and you miss going.

 

Ask your TA to help you watch for those land events to become available and sign up immediately. Taj Mahal, Great Wall, and Angkor Wat will fill up quickly.

 

Now for the other ports. You have some time in your favor so start by looking at itinerary by the week, or by segments, so that the project doesn't overwhelm you. I was pretty disciplined to sit down every day and do basic research.

 

Research was: what did i want to see in that port, how safe was it to DIY, and then when the excursions became available i looked for a match. If you have been to a port before and feel comfortable with your safety and diy, then you can move on in your research to the next port you aren't familiar with.

 

cruise critic is a great place to find out about specific ports, frommers.com was my go-to for diy walking tours, state dept was for security (we registered with them)and make sure you get the required shots & vaccines. Some folks did have bad reactions to Malarone, (anti-malaria pills) others did fine.

 

Brazil, India, and China all took time getting the required visas--O can help you with this and the other required visas.

 

I know it seems overwhelming but you do have time on your side so baby steps in your research!!! There are a bunch of ATW16 people that are here to help you so feel free to ask. There are no dumb questions when it comes to this cruise!!!

 

2 extra tips:

1, take many bottles of whatever OTC you might need. Sunscreen, OTC pain relievers, lotions, allergy meds, eye drops, throat lozengers. It is hard to find stuff you rely on in foreign ports and ship's doctors do run out of stuff.

2. if you are on prescription meds often they won't fill a 6 mos prescription; ask for a "vacation override" from your drug insurer. You may have to wait until shortly before you leave to fill that last 3 mos but both your physician and the insurer shouldn't give you any problems if you explain why you need 6 mos! (and be prepared for them both to invite themselves to join you.....we got a lot of that!!!)

 

have a great time....it is an absolutely wonderful cruise!!!!

 

 

Thanks for the advice - I'm taking notes! I actually have a notebook started so I won't forget anything. So much to do and remember.

 

 

About visas, as you mentioned: One of our perks is supposed to be that all necessary visas are included. On the confirmation from O (in the list of costs) it says: Other items, Visas to China, India, Myanmar, Vietnam and Australia, no charge. Doesn't that mean that they will be getting them for us? How does this work?

[cbb]

Go-Bucks--

 

yes, it is true that O will handle the visas for you free...BUT...you have work to do for Brazil, China, India.

 

The CIBT visa service that O uses will send you the visas applications, you fill them out, surrender your passport (which is a whole other matter I'll get to) and mail it all back to them. Sometime later you will get your passport back.

 

DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT TO DO THIS visa application!!! When CIBT sends you the package--do it immediately! (OBTW.....it will take you hours to do this!!!)

 

O makes this part of the cruise easy for you and don't worry that you're not getting the package from CITV as quickly as you'd like---CIBT knows what each country needs as far as date of visa application. (some countries want that date to be 6 months before entering a country, others--a year is fine)

 

Now for the passport: make sure you aren't close to needing a new one because some of the countries are very very picky about number of pages in your passport and when your passport needs to be reissued.

 

Do a Google search AND a search of CCritic about this; there is a lot of info--just make sure it is current! Info from 2013 threads don't work!!!

 

We just reapplied and asked for the new "extra pages" passport--we're so glad we did. (that last sentence is for US passports....i don't know if other countries have "extra pages" passports!!!)

 

You will also need extra passport pictures; be sure you take a bunch with you. O will tell you at which port those will be needed. Hope this helps a little!!!!