Questions about booking excursions before the cruise through the cruiseline

[happy cruzer]

Hi, Can anyone share details about booking your excursions online.

 

Do you pay right when you book or through your onboard account? I have an OBC that I thought could be used for excursions but if I prebook will I have pay by credit card right away?

 

If you need to cancle a prebooked excursions, is there a deadline for getting a refund? Anyone actually gotten a refund? Was it difficult?

 

Anyother pros or cons for early booking is appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[vtoria98]

More than likely you could book what ever tour it is on your own for a lot less money.

 

However if you book now online they will want you to pay now online. This past week on the Freedom of the seas, the line for the excursions were HUGE. I don't know why, I have never seen them that long on any ship before, though the lines on the Glory last year were long but not near what I saw last week.

[SCUBA Mark]

Hi, Can anyone share details about booking your excursions online.

 

Do you pay right when you book or through your onboard account? I have an OBC that I thought could be used for excursions but if I prebook will I have pay by credit card right away?

 

If you need to cancle a prebooked excursions, is there a deadline for getting a refund? Anyone actually gotten a refund? Was it difficult?

 

Anyother pros or cons for early booking is appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

I think the cutoff is 5 days before the cruise. You can get a full credit if you change your mind before the cutoff.

 

If you wait until after you get on the ship, you can use your OBC.

 

Mark

[CruiznWithHubby]

Scuba Mark,,,

 

Just wanted to say that those pictures and the slide show were really awesome :) DH and I spent a good 5 minutes watching them :) Holly

[mom&me_cruising]

You can prebook using the Carnival.com website. Yes, you pay with credit card as you book so you cannot use your OBC for that. Seems to me OBC can only be used while you are on the ship.

 

Cancelation policy typically is 5 days before embark, but there might be exceptions, so be sure to look at fine print for the excursion. If you are on the ship you can still cancel but will incur a 25% charge. No refunds if it is within 24 hours of the excursion. (See the FAQ section in the Shore Excursion section.)

 

I have booked, canceled, and changed Shore Excursions online. It's very easy. Money gets credited back to my credit card within a few days; never had a problem. Have not changed my mind within the 5 days cut off period, but one time Carnival canceled an excursion, and the refund promptly go to my shipboard account.

 

I always book on line as I put down my final payment so that 1) I am sure I get the excursions I want, and 2) no lining up at the excursion desk. I can always cancel (within the guideline) if I find a better deal with a private tour.

[happy cruzer]

Thanks for the information. I have an excursion in mind that includes a long bus ride so I am leaning toward booking through the cruiseline. And the details about avoiding waiting in line to book it sounds good to me.

 

I'll just use that OBC on something else.

 

Thanks.

[Nezmo]

Just FYI, I booked and paid for mine through carnival.com before I cruised. I noticed the charges appeared on my account/folio onboard but with a credit back from my payment. Just letting you know so you don't get a surprise.

[cuyahoga11]

I wonder why people spend all that time standing in line on the ship. I have always used the TV to book if I dont do it in advance.:confused:

[BND]

Two years ago on Glory, we tried to book on the tv and it didn't work. For this upcoming Glory cruise (in 9 days woo hoo!) I pre-purchased on Carnival's site and paid when I booked them. Nice thing is they are paid for because I turned around and paid the credit card the next day. I prefer using Carnival because you know you will get back in time and the ship won't leave you. :cool:

 

We didn't book anything for Freeport, but it's easy to wing it there or book later in the cruise since it's the last full day before we get back so lines shouldn't be very long.

 

Last year on Princess, we prebooked and our steward handed us our tickets when we got to our suite. No waiting in any line or anything for those either. I assume Carnival handles it in a similar manner. Our previous Carnival cruises we purchased excursions on board.

[Meco21]

Just FYI, I booked and paid for mine through carnival.com before I cruised. I noticed the charges appeared on my account/folio onboard but with a credit back from my payment. Just letting you know so you don't get a surprise.

 

 

The same happened to us, took a bit to figure it out, but all went well and tickets were left in the cabin.

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

I did it both ways. Booked swimming with dolphins 2 months in advance on the CCL website and paid with a credit card. They sell out of that excursion so I didn't want to chance it being sold out before I got onboard. The charge appeared on my sail & sign account as well as the credit showing payment was applied. Once onboard, I booked the Pacifico Brewery tour which was applied to my sail & sign account. 1 word of caution, if you pre-order and pay with your credit card and pay it off before you cruise and somehow the cruise or excursion gets cancelled, they will credit your credit card that charged it to begin with so you then you have to hassle with getting the money back from them or just charge something to it to wipe the credit away. Good luck.

[CruiznWithHubby]

Just FYI, I booked and paid for mine through carnival.com before I cruised. I noticed the charges appeared on my account/folio onboard but with a credit back from my payment. Just letting you know so you don't get a surprise.

 

thanks for the information,,,I'm getting ready to pay for mine tonight, so it's good to know,,,,,,Holly

[cuyahoga11]

Two years ago on Glory, we tried to book on the tv and it didn't work. For this upcoming Glory cruise (in 9 days woo hoo!) I pre-purchased on Carnival's site and paid when I booked them. Nice thing is they are paid for because I turned around and paid the credit card the next day. I prefer using Carnival because you know you will get back in time and the ship won't leave you. :cool:

 

We didn't book anything for Freeport, but it's easy to wing it there or book later in the cruise since it's the last full day before we get back so lines shouldn't be very long.

 

Last year on Princess, we prebooked and our steward handed us our tickets when we got to our suite. No waiting in any line or anything for those either. I assume Carnival handles it in a similar manner. Our previous Carnival cruises we purchased excursions on board.

 

 

They will be delivered to your cabin

[onceagain]

It's the only way to go if there is an excursion you really don't want to miss!