Excursion Price Changes?

[johnjen]

I'm just beginning to realize that excursion fees must be changing on a routine basis - or maybe I am wrong:

 

Last week, noticed the prices on them dropped significantly. So I cancelled all of our excursions for the upcoming med cruise and re-booked them at the current rate. I forget how much altogether I saved, but it was significant.

 

So, just to see how they were doing today, they've dropped yet again. This time, significantly enough for me to save a total of $176.08. That's for a total of 7 excursions in the different ports. Only one excursion price remained the same what I paid.

 

Wondering if this is true about these price changes and wondering if I should wait - or go ahead once again and cancel all of the booked excursions and re-purchase them today or just hold off...I wish I knew the frequency of these price changes. Are they based on the international money market or availability in bookings? I just don't want to drive myself mad having to check these daily. Attached is a snippet of a spreadsheet I created with simple calculations.

[Ashland]

I do this often...book...cancel and rebook....I'm not going to take the chance and wait...prices could go back up anytime....better to have it locked in...my credit card statement at times looks crazy.

[nelblu]

8 minutes ago, Ashland said:

I do this often...book...cancel and rebook....I'm not going to take the chance and wait...prices could go back up anytime....better to have it locked in...my credit card statement at times looks crazy.

That's what I do also.

[MightyMike]

Don't wait. It's the only way you can guarantee that you will get the rock-bottom rate.

 

Eventually the prices will bounce back up to a level where you will feel comfortable that they won't go any lower than what you got.

 

In the meantime, take advantage of the cruise line's generosity. They will get their money in other ways.

 

 

Edited April 24, 2019 by MightyMike

[teachingforme]

I have booked 2 excursions for upcoming cruise and keep checking for price drops. However, my excursions are no longer showing on the cruise planner. When we went on our 1st Royal cruise 2 years ago I was able to book and rebook and prices dropped.

So has RCI caught on to us canceling and rebooking and remove excursions once purchased?

OR did my excursions sale out? or even worst get cancelled and I have no idea?

[Merion_Mom]

2 hours ago, johnjen said:

I'm just beginning to realize that excursion fees must be changing on a routine basis - or maybe I am wrong:

 

Last week, noticed the prices on them dropped significantly. So I cancelled all of our excursions for the upcoming med cruise and re-booked them at the current rate. I forget how much altogether I saved, but it was significant.

 

So, just to see how they were doing today, they've dropped yet again. This time, significantly enough for me to save a total of $176.08. That's for a total of 7 excursions in the different ports. Only one excursion price remained the same what I paid.

 

Wondering if this is true about these price changes and wondering if I should wait - or go ahead once again and cancel all of the booked excursions and re-purchase them today or just hold off...I wish I knew the frequency of these price changes. Are they based on the international money market or availability in bookings? I just don't want to drive myself mad having to check these daily. Attached is a snippet of a spreadsheet I created with simple calculations.

 

 

I can save you some more money..............PROBABLY.  (there are no guarantees)

 

Cancel the Chef's Table.  You can be pretty sure that you  can get a discount on board.

 

You can also probably get private tours for less money for a better tour, but it looks like you want the security of booking ship's excursions.

[johnjen]

8 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

 

I can save you some more money..............PROBABLY.  (there are no guarantees)

 

Cancel the Chef's Table.  You can be pretty sure that you  can get a discount on board.

 

You can also probably get private tours for less money for a better tour, but it looks like you want the security of booking ship's excursions.

Thanks MM.....the only thing I'd say no on is private tours because on our last med, one of those private tours got back too late (Rome) and we left minus 12 people. Booking through RCL however gives us the guarantee that we'd be covered with the assurance of getting back - and if not, they cover us to the next port. You are definitely right in that the private tours can be much more economical!

Edited April 25, 2019 by johnjen

[johnjen]

9 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

 

 

Cancel the Chef's Table.  You can be pretty sure that you  can get a discount on board.

 

 

Thanks for reminding me, MM. Canceled Chef's Table. Hoping once we're on board one of the sales team hits us up on a BOGO maybe.

[FionaMG]

10 hours ago, teachingforme said:

I have booked 2 excursions for upcoming cruise and keep checking for price drops. However, my excursions are no longer showing on the cruise planner. When we went on our 1st Royal cruise 2 years ago I was able to book and rebook and prices dropped.

So has RCI caught on to us canceling and rebooking and remove excursions once purchased?

OR did my excursions sale out? or even worst get cancelled and I have no idea?

 

I know this is going to sound very weird but try changing browser and/or device.

 

I have an excursion and a dining package booked for my next cruise. When I go into the cruise planner on my desktop or phone I can still see both. It says "you booked this on such-and-such a date" and shows the current price. BUT, when I go into the cruise planner on my Android tablet, I can only see them if I use Firefox. When I use Chrome, they vanish from the main cruise planner screen and I can only see them by going into order history.

 

If you still can't see your bookings and are concerned about them having been cancelled without your knowledge, just click on either the "order history" or the "my calendar" tab and they should show up there. As long as they do, you should be fine.

[nelblu]

Update:  Went to my cruise planner for my  Anthem August 29th and noticed one of my shore excursion in Bar Harbor went down from $99 to $83 pp.  Called Pre-Cruise Planner Dept. to cancel and rebook excursion.  RCL agent (Rebecca) advised me that my Boston excursion also was reduced from $99 pp to $79.  Saved $72 in total.  Now just waiting for the SR reductions.

[johnjen]

Update: The excursion fees for our cruise are now elevated the highest I've seen them yet. Am I guessing correctly that they're probably now reaching capacity in bookings, or are the prices controlled by money market rates? Could they drop again? in case you've been wondering, yes, I've actually been price checking daily like a madman! I canceled Chef's table hoping maybe we will get a cool sale at a price lower than current, OR, even better, getting the BOGO deal we got on Brilliance in 2017's med.

[johnjen]

15 hours ago, nelblu said:

Update:  Went to my cruise planner for my  Anthem August 29th and noticed one of my shore excursion in Bar Harbor went down from $99 to $83 pp.  Called Pre-Cruise Planner Dept. to cancel and rebook excursion.  RCL agent (Rebecca) advised me that my Boston excursion also was reduced from $99 pp to $79.  Saved $72 in total.  Now just waiting for the SR reductions.

Congratulations on your price drops! It truly does pay to check!

[FionaMG]

1 minute ago, johnjen said:

It truly does pay to check!

Every day, at least twice! I got a cracking deal on the internet package on Navigator last year that appeared totally out of the blue in my cruise planner one morning. I cancelled the one I had already booked and rebooked at the new price immediately. By that very same evening the deal was gone!

[nelblu]

1 hour ago, johnjen said:

Congratulations on your price drops! It truly does pay to check!

 

Yes, indeed.

[livylotte]

On 4/24/2019 at 11:02 PM, nelblu said:

That's what I do also.

 

Me too.  

 

I also watch drinks packages.  The price of the drinks package on one of our cruises went down significantly recently and I was able to cancel and re book.  That price was there for just one day - the next day it went right back up again.

Edited May 7, 2019 by livylotte

[nelblu]

9 hours ago, johnjen said:

Update: The excursion fees for our cruise are now elevated the highest I've seen them yet. Am I guessing correctly that they're probably now reaching capacity in bookings, or are the prices controlled by money market rates? Could they drop again? in case you've been wondering, yes, I've actually been price checking daily like a madman! I canceled Chef's table hoping maybe we will get a cool sale at a price lower than current, OR, even better, getting the BOGO deal we got on Brilliance in 2017's med.

 

Keep checking.  My 2 tours that I've mentioned disappeared for some 3 weeks and I thought the same--sold out.  However, when I checked a couple of days ago both were available at the original price when offered.  I cancelled/rebooked and saved $72 in total.  Don't know if they added add'l like tours or possibly not keeping a % of the tours in reserve for on board bookings.

[Dundee12]

How do you cancel and rebook? Are you able to do this online via the history section of your booking? It has cancel option even though balance is 0.00 as it has obviously been paid for if I select this does my credit card get automatically refunded? Thanks

[Mr. Candyman]

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13 minutes ago, Dundee12 said:

How do you cancel and rebook? Are you able to do this online via the history section of your booking? It has cancel option even though balance is 0.00 as it has obviously been paid for if I select this does my credit card get automatically refunded? Thanks

Yes, just as you stated by going to order history.  It will be refunded back to the card initially used for that payment; it may take a few days to show up so keep checking.  I would purchase the new before cancelling the older price.

[nelblu]

1 hour ago, Dundee12 said:

How do you cancel and rebook? Are you able to do this online via the history section of your booking? It has cancel option even though balance is 0.00 as it has obviously been paid for if I select this does my credit card get automatically refunded? Thanks

I don't mess around, I call Pre-Cruise (800) 398-9819 ASAP and get it done and receive a confirm via e-mail.

[OCVTSGIRL]

What happens if the price goes down from when booked and onboard credit was used as payment?  I have been checking the drink package daily (sometimes a couple of times a day) but that was paid via credit card.  We only booked a few excursions and they were paid with our onboard credit.

[Dundee12]

Thanks for all replies fairly straightforward cancelled and rebooked saving £49

[Mr. Candyman]

24 minutes ago, OCVTSGIRL said:

What happens if the price goes down from when booked and onboard credit was used as payment?  I have been checking the drink package daily (sometimes a couple of times a day) but that was paid via credit card.  We only booked a few excursions and they were paid with our onboard credit.

From what I've read the OBC goes immediately back into your cruise planner

[FionaMG]

37 minutes ago, Mr. Candyman said:

From what I've read the OBC goes immediately back into your cruise planner

Yes, it does. It's instantaneous. I did this just the other day.

[OCVTSGIRL]

1 hour ago, Mr. Candyman said:

From what I've read the OBC goes immediately back into your cruise planner

Thanks!  I'm going to keep checking prices!!!!

[twangster]

On 4/24/2019 at 6:22 PM, teachingforme said:

I have booked 2 excursions for upcoming cruise and keep checking for price drops. However, my excursions are no longer showing on the cruise planner. When we went on our 1st Royal cruise 2 years ago I was able to book and rebook and prices dropped.

So has RCI caught on to us canceling and rebooking and remove excursions once purchased?

OR did my excursions sale out? or even worst get cancelled and I have no idea?

 

I've got this scenario in roughly 25% of my booked cruises - excursions and activities like iFly or Northstar don't appear once booked. 

 

You can go to "My Calendar", see the excursion there, click on Details and view current prices.  I've saved hundreds using this trick.