Booking Excursions - who to contact at Celebrity?

[Muffinz]

Ok so my wife & I are booking excursions for our GBR cruise on Solstice 30 March and would like a bit more detailed information on a couple of the excursions – is there anyone at celebrity that can help with a bit more detail? Or perhaps someone here can help?

 

Basically we are docked at Cairns (Yorkeys knob) for 2 days and on day 1 we plan to do the sky rail / kuranda tour, but we’re not sure where you get picked up from once the tour finishes.

 

we get picked up at Yorkeys knob and the sky rail goes to Kuranda, then we have free time at Kuranda, but do we get the sky rail back, or do we get picked up from Kuranda and taken back to Yorkeys knob? – it is not clear in the detailed description of the excursion where we get picked up after it finishes.... I don't want to be stranded at Kuranda in a panic not knowing how to get back

 

Also on day 2, there are 2 tours we’d like to do

One in ‘Cairns Panorama’ and starts at 09:30am and is 3 hours and the other is ‘a visit to PalmCove’ and starts at 12:30pm

Would it be possible to do both of these excursions on the same day?

 

I don’t want to book both of them if there won’t be enough time to do both

 

So does anyone know if there is someone at Celebrity who can provide more details about their excursions?

thanks in advance :)

[Fouremco]

I'm not aware of any shore excursion that doesn't provide return transportation to the ship. It would be highly unusual and I'm sure that there'd be a notification if that was the case.

 

For the second day, one is scheduled to return at the same time as the other departs. Any delay with the morning tour's return, even a few minutes, might well result in you missing the afternoon's departure. It's a gamble.

 

Try the Captain's Club. If they don't have the information, at least they could steer you in the right direction.

[Northern Aurora]

Celebrity shore excursions are always sold as round-trips. So the Cairns sky rail excursion will definitely return you to the tender drop off point. If your excursion has you taking the sky rail down, there is a nice visitor center with gift shop at the base. That is where we were picked up in 2016 when we did a different version of the March 30 GBR itinerary. Both private and ship excursion motor coaches picked up their folks there for the return to the tender drop off point.

 

On the second day you may want to consider booking the excursion you really want to do, and wait until onboard to drop by the shore excursion office (hours will be posted in the Celebrity Today) and ask if it is feasible to do both. For example, the Palm Cove excursion is apparently posted to start at 12:30 PM, but I wonder if that is a time to be actually on shore at the tender drop off point, or is it the time to meet in the ship theater to go down to the tender platform as a group.

[Muffinz]

I'm not aware of any shore excursion that doesn't provide return transportation to the ship. It would be highly unusual and I'm sure that there'd be a notification if that was the case.

 

For the second day, one is scheduled to return at the same time as the other departs. Any delay with the morning tour's return, even a few minutes, might well result in you missing the afternoon's departure. It's a gamble.

 

Try the Captain's Club. If they don't have the information, at least they could steer you in the right direction.

 

thanks - I know the excursion will provide transportation both ways but reading the description of the excursion it is unclear whether we get picked up from Karunda or if we get the sky rail back and get picked up there.

 

I'll try the captains club and see if they can help

[Muffinz]

On the second day you may want to consider booking the excursion you really want to do, and wait until onboard to drop by the shore excursion office (hours will be posted in the Celebrity Today) and ask if it is feasible to do both. For example, the Palm Cove excursion is apparently posted to start at 12:30 PM, but I wonder if that is a time to be actually on shore at the tender drop off point, or is it the time to meet in the ship theater to go down to the tender platform as a group.

 

yes - this is another thing I need to query... when it says the excursion starts at 12:30pm - is that the time we need to be on-shore to start the excursion or is this the meeting time to get ready to board the tender boats?

 

I am also worried that if the first tour runs a bit late that we may miss the 2nd tour....

[TFLG]

The shore excursion desk on the ship is your best bet for reliable information. I doubt anyone in the customer service/captains club depts can offer anything other than what you see on the website. I would doubt you can swing both those excursions since the second starts the same time a the first one ends. Often time excursions run a little late. It only takes one person to be a little bit late getting on the bus on your first excursion and you're sunk. The Palm Cove tour is basically just a shuttle bus ride. You should be able to get a taxi, it's only about 10 miles from Yorkies Knob according to google.

 

They will deliver your tickets to your room and they will have the meeting time and place on it. You will probably meet on the ship but if it's a later tour you may meet on the pier.

Edited March 6, 2018 by TFLG

[gek]

All trips to Kuranda are round-trips. They are sold as either train one way/skyrail the other, or skyrail return. You would be picked up from the Skyrail terminal or train station to return to the ship.

[Muffinz]

This is the tour we are looking at doing

 

Skyrail, Kuranda & Cairns

 

Sit back, relax, and enjoy 360 degree panoramic views as you soar above the Australian wilderness on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Follow a five-mile route that takes you over the dense jungle. Enjoy breathtaking panoramic views as you pass over the peak of the mountain range. Stop at Kuranda and explore this charming village on your own. Visit Birdworld, the Butterfly Sanctuary, or pick up a didgeridoo souvenir (no entrance fees to attractions or activities are included). CN22

 

from the sounds of it, you do the skyrail to Kuranda, then spend time at Kuranda before leaving - but there's no mention of getting the skyrail back or whether you get picked up in Kuranda.... it's not clear where pick up is after the tour finishes

[Xport]

I did a six hour Celebrity tour--perhaps a variation of the one you are looking at--that included a Jungle Train ride along with the Skyrail to Kuranda--while in Cairns [we also tendered to Yorkey's Knob] in March 2013...

• When you check in for your tour [likely aboard ship so that you can all tender together with priority if early in the day/perhaps at the tender pier if your tour departs later in the day; your tour ticket will instruct you as to the time/place to meet], you will be given a small adhesive tag--to wear on your shirt/blouse/jacket--indicating the tour you have reserved [by tag color] and your tour group number [which signifies the bus to which you've been assigned/the guide who will be accompanying you; there may be more than one tour group to the same destination]... The guides will be holding "lollipop" signs reflecting your tour group number and each bus will have a sign in the front window displaying tour name/tour group number...
  
• Upon arrival at the upper Skyrail boarding area--you will travel in the descending direction to Kuranda--your assigned guide will lead you to the Skyrail boarding line/distribute Skyrail tickets to members of your tour group... When your turn, you will board the Cableway; it is unlikely that all or your tour group will do the descent in a single car but you will all be instructed to disembark at the lower Kuranda Skyrail Terminal... It is impossible to become separated from your tour group as you would need a separate ticket--none will be supplied; you will not be using the Skyrail twice--for the ascent...
  
• Prior to boarding the Skyrail at the upper Terminal for the descent, your guide will provide you with an informed time--based upon the number of people doing the Skyrail upon your arrival--to reconvene in Kuranda... Immediately adjacent to the lower Skyrail Terminal, there is a souvenir shop/café... My recollection is that we met our guide--holding the "lollipop" with the tour group number [he/she will generally be there about fifteen minutes prior to scheduled departure]--outside the entrance to the souvenir shop; once the group has fully reconvened, the guide will lead you to your group's bus [it will have been driven down to Kuranda] in a nearby parking lot for return to the ship... Birdworld and the Butterfly Sanctuary are a short/easy/direct walk across the street from the souvenir shop/café [i did buy a souvenir, I did have a coffee and I did walk the area [i thought our time in Kuranda was more than ample but did not choose to enter either of the attractions; frankly and in my opinion, there's not much else in the vicinity--it is surely pleasant enough and we had magnificent weather/visibility--of the lower Skyrail Terminal]...
  

With respect, I think you may be overthinking the tour's logistics and worrying needlessly... If you listen to guide instructions, follow them carefully, and remain mindful/observant of time, it is--in my estimation--virtually impossible to become separated from your tour group... On my cruise, we did not overnight in Cairns but I certainly think I'd made the right--"best"--tour selection; it was very memorable...

 

As to doing consecutive excursions on your second day in Cairns...

• I believe that your desire to do both may be overly optimistic [delays can/do happen for any number of reasons] and would suggest that you book the one that is most appealing to you to secure your place...
  
• After booking the first and logging out, log in again a bit later and attempt to book the second--short of making payment--online... I expect you'll find that the system--it's more quirky now than it had been but it had been the case [i experienced it in another part of the world]--will prohibit you from booking the second after noting the first booked tour on your Cruise Planner calendar... I seem to recall that the system--and the recommendation from onboard Shore Excursion Representatives--is that one allow at least an hour [perhaps more at a tender port] between the anticipated end time of the first excursion and the start time of the second...
  
• If I am correct, you essentially have your answer... You may, of course, discuss booking the second tour with a Shore Excursion Rep once aboard--they certainly have tour-specific experiences that can't be readily factored into a computer algorithm but, from many perspectives, there are always opportunities for variation relative to a norm--but my suspicion is that they'll advise against booking two excursions in rapid succession without a generous gap between the two... Your preference--while understandable; I like to maximize my tour time/experiences too--leaves zero margin for error... You won't know whether your first excursion is on time for completion until you've returned to Yorkey's Knob, start of the second tour won't be delayed to wait for you, and--once purchased if allowable--the cost of the second tour is not refundable [full refund for tours requires 24 or 48 notice--there are rare exceptions for sudden medical issues at the recommendation of the ship's doctor; last minute high anxiety doesn't work--depending upon itinerary/port sequence] if you miss it...
  

Hope this helps... Enjoy!

[Luvcrusn]

Shore excursions can be reached in the US at the Cruise Enhancement desk at 800-722-5941. You can also email specific question to shorex@RCCL.com. Include the excursion number, your name ship, sail date and reservation number along with the specific questions you have.

[Muffinz]

thanks for that - someone who did this same cruise in January provided me with all the information I needed regarding the excursions in Cairns - so it's all sorted now :-)