Booking Shore Excursions - Ahead of Cruise or on the Boat?

[redheadskier]

We will be going on Zenith March 6th, stopping in Key West, Cozumel, and Costa Maya.

From what I read the stop at Cozumel is a tender - how does that affect the stop? We booked as Concierge Class and a perk is early dis-embarking (is that the word) - I assume this would count at the stops?

Of all the shore excursions I have read-up on, the one we really would like to do is the Fury Catamaran scuba/beach party at Cozumel. However, we do not get to Cozumel until noon, and I am afraid that by the time we get off the boat, etc., there won't be enough time :( (it departs at 7 pm). How does this work - will they come out to the boat to get you? The website for the Fury Catamaran says it has departures in the morning - I assume they make accomodations for the cruise boats?

At Costa Maya we want to take an excursion to one of the Mayan Ruin sites - anyone do it at this stop?

And what would be a neat thing to do at Key West (again not alot of time - 7am arrival, 2 pm departure)

I guess part of the problem is that this is only a 5 day cruise - but unfortunately being college spring break (my husband is a professor) we only could take a short cruise

Should we book ahead of time (as recommended by Cruise Brothers) or wait to book when we are on the ship? Do the above excursions tend to sell out so we had better book ahead of time? How do you book on the boat?

Yep - I am a newbie - this is our first cruise so I have lots of questions:rolleyes:

[tuggers]

First, Welcome Aboard! Now go check the Sticky at the top of this board for the FAQ thread. Lots of info there.

 

Priority Tendering is just that. A ticket for early disembarkation. Doesn't apply if you can just walk off the ship.

 

If they are offering the tour on your cruise, they will arrange the time and tour to match the time you have and get you back to the ship.

 

If there is a tour that will ruin that port if you don't get on it, then go over to the Celebrity Homepage and book it. If you want more info first or just want to wing it then wait till you get on board. Remember that all tours depend on the ship getting to the port when they are scheduled. I only mention this rare instance because I don't want you to want a tour so much that missing it would ruin the cruising experience for you. By booking on line you also save valuable time on that short cruise when you could be doing something more pleasurable than standing in a line at the tour desk.

 

Costa Maya has the ruins tour involving a bus. Personally, I'm not a bus person so have never been. My usual thing in Costa Maya is a little shopping and then a dip in the pool where they serve the yard long Margarita's.

 

Key West. If you've never been you can take the Conch Train Tour. It gives a good overview of KW, go to Kino's to buy sandals (it's a cult thing) and save time just to walk around and take in the ambiance.

 

Have Fun!

[LDeBord]

I agree with Tuggers. I have waited to book while on board only to find out the excursion I had wanted was full. I now book ahead only those excursions that I would really be upset that I couldn't go on. You can always cancel on board if you change your mind.

 

Key West: I totally agree to take the train tour....well worth it. I bought my first pair of Kino Sandals there and I love them.

[wolfganghowell]

Costa Maya and Key West you are docked so you will have no problems there. Cozumel I would get an excursion since the tendering can take quite a while - we went early December and although they are using large ferry boats which hold hundreds - it takes awhile to board and disembark them. If you are on an excursion you will be put on the tender in a group at a certain time and will go ahead of the "masses."

 

If you and hubby are adventurous you can rent scooters in Key West instead of the Conch Train. Depends on what you like to do. Great conch fritters at Conch Republic and Margaritaville.

[tuggers]

But don't forget the sandals! You'll regret it!! I promise!

[imacruizer]

We, too, are new to Celebrity. My question is whether excursions booked before the cruise can be canceled after you board?

[DancerOT]

We, too, are new to Celebrity. My question is whether excursions booked before the cruise can be canceled after you board?

 

Yes they can within a certain time frame. I think they must be cancelled 48 hours in advance. Call X for more info they can tell you for sure what the time frame is.

[poetic license]

We, too, are new to Celebrity. My question is whether excursions booked before the cruise can be canceled after you board?

Yes, they can be cancelled for lack of participation, or if the ship cannot dock or tender due to the weather. You will receive a credit back to your credit card in that case.

 

I am like the other posters: I book beforehand only the excursions I that I can't bear to miss. You pay for them at the time of booking by credit card, so the excursions you purchase before boarding the ship don't appear on your shipboard account. The tickets will be in your cabin when you embark. Also, you have to book your ship excursion no later than two weeks before sailing, otherwise you will have to wait till you board to book them, risking disappointment.

 

I try and book most excursions through private operators, though, for a couple of reasons: First, you aren't in a huge group, and receive very personal service and more actual time doing the excursion, since it takes a lot less time to board a half dozen (or fewer) people than it takes to board 60 or more. Second, they are typically less expensive, usually 20% or so, but sometimes up to 50% less. So you are paying less for a higher-quality, more personal experience. You can find a lot of recommendations for private tour operators in the Ports of Call section on the CC boards. You can also find out who to avoid, which is equally important.

 

I book ship-sponsored excursions for things that might cause a problem getting back to the ship on time, for example, taking the ferry to St. John from St. Thomas. The ship will wait for the ferry if (God forbid) the weather or an event delays the return of the ferry. If you take the ferry on your own and are late getting back to the ship, it's tough luck!

 

When using a private operator, simply tell them the time you must be back to the ship when making your online reservation. You WILL get back to the ship with a good cushion of time to spare. Their reputation and livlihood depend on that. If the ship is late arriving, they know it and will wait for you, and will adjust your tour accordingly to fit the new timeframe.

 

Enjoy your first cruise! One thing for sure is this: Once you have done one cruise, you will be addicted for life!!:D:eek::D

[imacruizer]

Thanks for your help.

[Sheffie]

We did a great independent excursion in Costa Maya, thanks to all of the recommendations here on CC. David and Ivan's tour was wonderful! http://www.chacchobenruins.com/ (Check out the Costa Maya boards for lots of reviews of their excursions.) We then spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach at Majahual.

 

Here are some pictures from our day in Costa Maya: http://community.webshots.com/album/527685047YCNWgf

 

Have a great cruise!

[LDeBord]

When booking an idependent excursion make sure you give yourself enough time to get back to the ship. We were in Nassau and witnessed a distraught Mother as her family was screaming from the pier.....they were late getting back and missed the ship. We were not far from the pier and the ship did not stop. It was heart breaking to watch and after witnessing this.... I will make sure that I am never late getting back to the ship.

[Liat]

The posting by Poetic License" has a lot of good points. We also research tour providers in travel books like Lonely Planet, Fodor's, Frommers, Rick Stevens, Time Out Series etc.

Checking on the time is essential however. Be sure that ship's time and the port time are the same. Make sure you have a watch and that whoever is leading your excursion knows when to get back. I always fudge and tell them the ship is sailing earlier than it really is, just to make sure.

I remember on a South American cruise on Mercury we waited for over an hour past our scheduled departure time from Ushuaia for a ship sponsored tour bus to return. How would you like to be stuck in the southernmost city in the world at the tip of Tierra Del Fuego with the peso crashing and the banks closed!

[kruznkanuk]

To add to all of the above--- if you are at a tender port like Cozumel, the ship will not allow shore excursion boats (catamarins, pirate boats, snorkel trips or the like) to pick up passengers directly. So you will go on the tender to the shore and then from there, sometimes a good walk or even a bus ride depending on the size of the port, to your excursion boat.

 

Maybe we are less adventuresome than others, but if we want a specific trip and have not been in a port before, we usually do a ship excursion and always book ahead of boarding as I really hate wasting my cruise making arrangements. If familiar with the port/area/tour company, then by all means, book it yourself. If we are just getting a taxi to a great beach, I usually take some copies of the appropriate maps and info off the internet and we go on our own.

[flashdog_1]

And if you book independently, be sure to get it in writing that if for some reason the ship cannot dock/tender that they will not charge you. They do make it clear about their time restrictions about cancelling ahead of time (what the penalty will be if it's too close to the date of the tour) but they don't usually mention what will happen to your paid reservation if the ship doesn't make it there.