Booking excursions online vs. calling in

[GracyandGravy]

One of our fellow travelers stressed that we should book our tours by calling because if booked online they are charged immediately vs. booking through the phone won't be charged until the time of the cruise. But if you cancel a tour, isn't it a simple matter of getting it credited back to the payment method? It seems overly fussy to call and I already missed out on the one single tour that I actually wanted to do with the rest of our group because I am loath to pick up the phone and sit on hold.

What am I missing? (I know it must be something because they cruise quite a bit and we do not). 

 

Also, sort of related, does anyone know why the page for reservations for the comedy show is "on permanent vacation?" Is it just a weekend glitch or do I need to pick up that dang phone and call in for that too.  Ugh. Phone anxiety is real, y'all. I hate the phone.

[Sauer-kraut]

If you want to use the $50 per port excursion perk then you can call in  and book without having to pre pay.  I pays to book early soyou get the tour you want without having it sell out before you get on board.

[hallux]

ONLY if you have the $50 per port excursion credit perk can you call and reserve your excursion in advance and not get billed.  If you don't have the perk, you get billed right away, no matter how you book (ask how I know, lol). 

 

8 minutes ago, GracyandGravy said:

Also, sort of related, does anyone know why the page for reservations for the comedy show

 

Maybe it depends on the ship but I didn't think you could reserve the comedy show before boarding.

[GracyandGravy]

Okay - that confirms what she told me. Guess I suck it up and use the phone - LOL.

 

The comedy show doesn't have a "book on the ship" or "not available" so that's why I was confused but perhaps you are right and it isn't available until getting on the ship. Thank you.

 

(Normally I'm not so stressed about the tours and shows because we just travel as a couple and really don't plan ahead or care that much, but we are traveling with a group of friends and we aren't "linked" to their reservation because we booked late and separately directly through Norwegian instead of their travel agent, so I'm trying to play catch up to be with our group. I need to just chill and enjoy something else that is unplanned if it doesn't work out.)

 

[julig22]

You can still book online if you have the excursion credit - but you will have to pay in advance.  You are correct that if you cancel, the charges will be refunded to your account.  The difference is whether or not you have OBC credits that you want to use for your excursions or if you will have enough onboard expenditures to cover any non-refundable credits you may have.  If you book online you won't be able to use OBC for pre-booked excursions.

[GracyandGravy]

6 minutes ago, julig22 said:

You can still book online if you have the excursion credit - but you will have to pay in advance.  You are correct that if you cancel, the charges will be refunded to your account.  The difference is whether or not you have OBC credits that you want to use for your excursions or if you will have enough onboard expenditures to cover any non-refundable credits you may have.  If you book online you won't be able to use OBC for pre-booked excursions.

 

Ah, that makes perfect sense. 

[dmdiver]

We called in to book our excursions since we have the excursion credits.  It really was pretty easy.  We were not on hold a long time & got everything booked.  It showed up on our online account within a minute or so.  We also got e-mail confirmation of the excursions we have booked.  So, when we are on the cruise, our account will show the excursion charges & then once it is taken, the excursion credit will be applied.