Shore Excursions

[Sheep Flavour]

Am I able to book shore excursions whilst on board or have you found it better to pre book prior to embarkation?

[Dorset cruise fan]

Yes, you can book on board at the shore excursions desk and some people like to see the port presentations on board before they make a decision. And if you want to use on board credit to pay for your excursions then you must wait until you board. But do be aware that some trips sell out before you set sail. We learnt this the hard way and then felt very smug on our next cruise that we had secured tickets beforehand. Equally though, we've booked on tours that haven't made minimum numbers and have been cancelled. Of course you get a full refund but it's frustrating. 

If you're not too fussed and there are plenty of alternatives then wait, if it's somewhere remote with nothing else you like then book early. There is always an option to cancel although it has to be 24 or 48 hrs in advance ( please check this as don't want to give wrong information).

[yorkshirephil]

The previous poster has summed it up well. If there is a tour that you feel is a must then booking beforehand may be your best option. You also have the option of booking a private tour either online or joining someone on your roll call, (check the roll call pages). We have done both however as seasoned cruisers we are aware that say a tour visiting gardens or a walking tour may not be the best option if the weather is bad. 

[tartanexile81]

We don't do many tours so my main tip would be to use the Ports of Call boards to do your research and DIY. However on the odd occasion we book a tour. we generally book online as the best tours often sell out before the cruise starts

[Nina Panda]

Can anyone who has been on P&O this year let me know if they put any trips together and offer a discount?

 

We specifically want to do the Flam Railway and a Glacier Tour with Troll Car.  I don't think we can get a better price for the Shuttle to the Glacier and Troll Car and would be worried to book in advance privately and then find that we don't dock. The Railway on the other hand is very expensive and we have been advised to get off and go and buy tickets when we arrive.

 

If P&O ship sells a package of the 2, then we will wait until we board but if they don't then we think we should book the Glacier and Troll Car before boarding.

 

Thank you for any advice.

 

 

[FangedRose]

10 minutes ago, Nina Panda said:

Can anyone who has been on P&O this year let me know if they put any trips together and offer a discount?

 

We specifically want to do the Flam Railway and a Glacier Tour with Troll Car.  I don't think we can get a better price for the Shuttle to the Glacier and Troll Car and would be worried to book in advance privately and then find that we don't dock. The Railway on the other hand is very expensive and we have been advised to get off and go and buy tickets when we arrive.

 

If P&O ship sells a package of the 2, then we will wait until we board but if they don't then we think we should book the Glacier and Troll Car before boarding.

 

Thank you for any advice.

 

 

Never known them do that. 

[happy v]

Sometimes there is an offer if you book three excursions. Probably not in the fjords though as all trips sell very well here.

Regarding Flam railway, it's best to book that before you go as the cruise line usually take all the tickets and the best times are booked very early.

[Nina Panda]

By the time I booked the cruise I couldn't get any train tickets at all and have been recommended to get off early and go to train station for the tickets they keep to sell on the day.  Maybe I looked at the wrong site. Also now worried in case we don't dock in Flaam!

[tring]

46 minutes ago, Nina Panda said:

By the time I booked the cruise I couldn't get any train tickets at all and have been recommended to get off early and go to train station for the tickets they keep to sell on the day.  Maybe I looked at the wrong site. Also now worried in case we don't dock in Flaam!

 

 I have heard of this before and had a friend who could not get tickets on the day.  I think it is one of those things worth booking ahead with the cruise line.  We booked a return on the train with refreshments at Vatnahalsen (?sp) some years back, but considering the cost of a simple drink in Norway reckoned we got a pretty good deal as well as peace of mind.

 

Another point is that tours booked ahead cannot take advantage of on board spending money if you wish to use that, though you would get any peninsular discount you may be entitled to.  Hence we would book things we really wanted before the cruise the use on board spend to book any we would not be disappointed to miss when on board to use the on board spend if we had a fair bit of it.  Peninsular discount only kicks in on board once any OBC has been used.

 

I think the use of the Troll Car in Brikstall is also subject to tight availability, so you may not be able to get that if you do not book ahead.  I was ill and unable to take a P&O tour a couple of years back and I was able to get a refund, though I think I had to see the on board Doctor to prove illness, so that is another safe guard if you book with P&O, though we are not great tour bookers and much prefer to go alone if it is viable.

 

Both those tours are well worth doing IMO. 

Edited August 25, 2019 by tring