Alaskan Cruise Tour on Princess

[prinpea]

I am a first time cruiser and have learned that prices drop, sometimes only briefly, between the time you make a deposit and the time of the trip. What is your advice about price checking frequency and do you always check directly with Princess?

[WisCruiser2]

Yes, do check fares, although I don't know how often there's a price drop for Alaska ones. You can do so by checking the cruise date on the Princess website. If you booked with a TA, they will have to do the re-fare. Also, some "sale" prices are for new bookings only - you can cancel and re-book but may lose any benefits (reduced deposit, OBC) that you originally had.

[Thrak]

If you are booking an Alaska cruise tour expect the prices to go up rather than down.

[NavyVeteran]

A cruise tour is booked as a single booking - not as separate cruise and tour bookings. Even if the price of your cruise goes down, the price of the cruise tour probably won't.

Also, you can't cancel the tour and keep the cruise. If you wanted to do that, you would have to cancel the entire cruise tour and book the cruise at the current prices.

[dizgal64]

On 1/27/2024 at 3:40 PM, Thrak said:

If you are booking an Alaska cruise tour expect the prices to go up rather than down.

Ours for May went way down. Very, very long story short…Princess does not do re-fares. You can cancel and rebook but our ship is sold out with a waitlist. So I’m not sure why the lower price was even offered online. I’m guessing it’s been there but I just forgot to check until now when it’s too late. Had a nice woman on the phone. She tried for 45 minutes to do something for me, almost promising that they could do something. Said it wasn’t allowing her to do xyz so she was transferring me to a support dept. Next person knew nothing about my request, no notes or whatever from the person I talked to for 45 min. Had to start over. By that time they had worn me down especially when that person said “actually from what I see your cruise is $100 more”. I paid it off before I stuck a fork in my eye!!! I’ve done this at least 10 times with Royal Caribbean, usually taking 5-10 min, no worries. 

[Tranquility Base]

Question regarding a land excursion on a cruise tour.

 

If I have one booked and paid for, and I wish to cancel, can I do that on the ship, (cruise first sequence)?

Or, do I have to do it at an earlier stay at a lodge on land ?

The refund should eventually show on my credit card ?

Assuming it is far enough in advance to be before the cancellation penalty deadline.

[Rick&Jeannie]

On 1/27/2024 at 6:53 AM, prinpea said:

I am a first time cruiser and have learned that prices drop, sometimes only briefly, between the time you make a deposit and the time of the trip. What is your advice about price checking frequency and do you always check directly with Princess?

Others have offered suggestions for your specific questions.  I just wanted to jump in and welcome you to Cruise Critic!