Shore Excursion Price Protection

[Purvis1231]

38 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Could you please explain what the value they add is? I understand they say they will hold the ship if your excursion gets back late, but is there something else I am missing?

For some people the idea of holding the ship is a value. It happened once for me. I was on an excursion that was many miles inland and the bus was caught up in a minor accident that cause it to be an hour late returning to the ship- thankfully the ship waited. Other value is the connivence gathering on the ship or nearby on the dock, the fact that folks on the excursion desk have firsthand information about many of the excursions, and if something changes with the excursions you can be informed while on the ship. One example, I once had a non-Carnival excursion booked in Cozumel. We had to walked about a half mile to the meeting point at a local hotel. We got there and nobody knew anything about the excursion. We waited and called the company we booked with who referred us to another company who final sent someone to the meeting point who told us the excursion was cancelled. We were able to book another tour enjoyable with the same folks but it cost more. 

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, Purvis1231 said:

For some people the idea of holding the ship is a value. It happened once for me. I was on an excursion that was many miles inland and the bus was caught up in a minor accident that cause it to be an hour late returning to the ship- thankfully the ship waited. Other value is the connivence gathering on the ship or nearby on the dock, the fact that folks on the excursion desk have firsthand information about many of the excursions, and if something changes with the excursions you can be informed while on the ship. One example, I once had a non-Carnival excursion booked in Cozumel. We had to walked about a half mile to the meeting point at a local hotel. We got there and nobody knew anything about the excursion. We waited and called the company we booked with who referred us to another company who final sent someone to the meeting point who told us the excursion was cancelled. We were able to book another tour enjoyable with the same folks but it cost more. 

OK, thanks for answering my question. I did already mention having the ship wait for you. I did think of one more you did not mention. They vet the cruise operator. I know once on a Southern Caribbean cruise (I forget exactly which island), I had a Carnival excursion cancelled because they could no longer vouch for the excursion provider.

[Old Fart Cruisers]

Some prepaid excursions won't give you a refund if your ship's itinerary changes last minute and skips the port where your excursion was planned.  The seas were too rough for us to dock (or tender) in Praia Da Vitora, Azores on our 10/30 transatlantic crossing on the Pride.  Any excursions booked through Carnival were automatically refunded.  Some people that we met on board were panicking, trying to figure out how to contact their tour operator to find out if they could get a refund.  They didn't have an internet package, and we still had five sea day until the next port (Bermuda), where they could use their phone.

[shof515]

Just now, Old Fart Cruisers said:

Some prepaid excursions won't give you a refund if your ship's itinerary changes last minute and skips the port where your excursion was planned.

this is why it is important to read the terms and conditions of the private tour operator when booking with them. i also contact them about refund options if the ship can not make it to port before i book anything

 

i noticed over the years some tour operators now have a disclaimer on their booking page about ships not making it to port

[carohs]

I once used their price match and pointed out their excursion description said "a short walk from port". Since neither buying direct nor Carnival included transportation I was able to make an apples to apples comparison. 

On the other hand the other excursion we did included transportation and several different stops. Pricing it all out separately plus transportation was a difference of $20 per person. I decided the piece of mind was worth it and in the end, the tour operator was a lot more knowledgeable and shared a lot more facts about the town than a taxi/uber would have. The added value of the overall experience was definitely there for us. 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Ok.... so I really thought I'd get the price match. Let's play a game.  Can anyone figure out what they said the difference was? (Cave tubing part is a mistake in page address and not part of excursion, and not why rejected).

 

https://www.carnival.com/shore-excursions/belize/altun-ha-mayan-ruins--lunch-509048

 

https://www.shoreexcursioneer.com/belize/altun-ha-mayan-ruins-city-sightseeing-cave-tubing.html

[notscb]

7 minutes ago, PrincessArlena'sDad said:

Ok.... so I really thought I'd get the price match. Let's play a game.  Can anyone figure out what they said the difference was? (Cave tubing part is a mistake in page address and not part of excursion, and not why rejected).

 

Haha, I just submitted that exact same one and they said "These tours are not comparable."

It's honestly turning into a fun game for me to see what they do and don't approve, based on their own descriptions or lack thereof.

[Old Fart Cruisers]

21 minutes ago, PrincessArlena'sDad said:

Ok.... so I really thought I'd get the price match. Let's play a game.  Can anyone figure out what they said the difference was? (Cave tubing part is a mistake in page address and not part of excursion, and not why rejected).

 

https://www.carnival.com/shore-excursions/belize/altun-ha-mayan-ruins--lunch-509048

 

https://www.shoreexcursioneer.com/belize/altun-ha-mayan-ruins-city-sightseeing-cave-tubing.html

 

I don't see the museum included with the ShoreEecursioneer excursion.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

16 minutes ago, Old Fart Cruisers said:

 

I don't see the museum included with the ShoreEecursioneer excursion.

Not the issue for carnival. I believe the "visitor center" and museum are the same thing. 

 

Try again! 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

So, I thought I'd come back to share what Carnival claims is a difference:

 

"Specifically, our tour is an immersive tour focused solely on the Altan Ha Mayan Ruins with lunch and beverages included. This tour is a general tour that visits Altan Ha along with key historical sites in Belize City. These tours are not comparable.

Rest assured you are getting the very best tour for the very best price. "

 

Applicable portion of tour excursioneer discritption starts with:

You’ll meet your guide outside your Belize cruise tender terminal and start your day with scenic sightseeing drive through Belize City. On your drive, you will learn about

 

and then goes into detail about what you will see

 

Applicable part of Carnival excursion description:

Scenic Drive: Enjoy a scenic drive through part of the city and countryside while your guide speaks on Belizean culture and history.

 

without any further description.

 

Both tours are 4 hours, both tours state 1 hour transportation each way plus lunch, which leaves max 1.5 hours at the ruins.  Shore excursioneer states you get this 1.5 maximum ruins time.

 

Unless I'm missing something, I believe these tours are exactly identical. The only difference is the level of detail given in the description, but not in the tour itself. Any suggestions on who I could appeal this to?

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, PrincessArlena'sDad said:

So, I thought I'd come back to share what Carnival claims is a difference:

 

"Specifically, our tour is an immersive tour focused solely on the Altan Ha Mayan Ruins with lunch and beverages included. This tour is a general tour that visits Altan Ha along with key historical sites in Belize City. These tours are not comparable.

Rest assured you are getting the very best tour for the very best price. "

 

Applicable portion of tour excursioneer discritption starts with:

You’ll meet your guide outside your Belize cruise tender terminal and start your day with scenic sightseeing drive through Belize City. On your drive, you will learn about

 

and then goes into detail about what you will see

 

Applicable part of Carnival excursion description:

Scenic Drive: Enjoy a scenic drive through part of the city and countryside while your guide speaks on Belizean culture and history.

 

without any further description.

 

Both tours are 4 hours, both tours state 1 hour transportation each way plus lunch, which leaves max 1.5 hours at the ruins.  Shore excursioneer states you get this 1.5 maximum ruins time.

 

Unless I'm missing something, I believe these tours are exactly identical. The only difference is the level of detail given in the description, but not in the tour itself. Any suggestions on who I could appeal this to?

I don't really know if there is anyone you can appeal to. I have never heard of a successful appeal.

 

You could just take the private tour for less than Carnival unless you are afraid of not getting back to the ship in time.

[carohs]

Ooh that's really splitting hairs!! How frustrating.

[staceyglow]

Have you actually taken the tour yet?  If there are people on your tour who booked it through another tour company (as opposed to through Carnival), there's your proof right there.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

9 hours ago, staceyglow said:

Have you actually taken the tour yet?  If there are people on your tour who booked it through another tour company (as opposed to through Carnival), there's your proof right there.

 

Our cruise is in August.