Paying for excursions ahead of time

[CandCrew]

We're doing Princess's Voyage of the Glaciers July 25-Aug. I'm a bit leary of going it "on my own" and booking independently rather than through the CL but with PCL there is no "prepay" option--it gets charged to your shipboard account. I know that 1 of the operators take reservations/payment via their website (Bering Crab Fishermen's Tour) but the website says to make arrangements with the CL if that's how you're arriving. Do I even contact them and try to pay ahead or will that just likely cause confusion?

 

We don't really use CC although we have one just for situations like this--but I hate paying with credit even though we do turn right around and pay the card off. I guess one thing we would do is to just set aside the $$ and pay cash when we arrive? I just would feel so much better knowing that the $1000 for the excursions was already paid ahead well in advance though.

 

TIA! (Sorry if this is a double post. My computer locked up posting the 1st time :confused:.)

[Budget Queen]

If you are booking ship excursions, there is no prepay option, unless you purchase yourself an on board credit account.

 

You can try and reserve the tour in Ketchikan, but then you would be booking "independent" which you state you are "leery" about??? It would definately require a credit card.

[CandCrew]

I have no problem booking independent except that I don't want to screw up booking and miss the excursion--this is the one that both DH and I wholly agreed upon and are both really excited about. I totally trust the tour company as they have wonderful reviews + cruiselines use them.

 

How does one go about purchasing OBC? Is that something we do the day of embarking or can we do it in advance?

 

Thanks so much for all your insight!

[Alaska05]

I have no problem booking independent except that I don't want to screw up booking and miss the excursion--this is the one that both DH and I wholly agreed upon and are both really excited about. I totally trust the tour company as they have wonderful reviews + cruiselines use them.

 

How does one go about purchasing OBC? Is that something we do the day of embarking or can we do it in advance?

 

Thanks so much for all your insight!

 

I'll be on a Princess cruise also. I have booked the Bering Sea Crab Fisherman tour directly with them because I wanted to use the 2-for-1 coupon in the Alaska Toursaver book. They booked my reservation and even knew I was arriving on Princess. Since Princess offers the tour on my cruise, I feel 100% confident in booking this tour independently since I'll be on the same boat as folks who booked with Princess.

 

If you do decide to book directly with them, I'm sure you could probably send them a check rather than put on your credit card.

[NancyIL]

If you are booking ship excursions, there is no prepay option, unless you purchase yourself an on board credit account.

 

 

It depends on the cruise line. When I booked ship's excursions with RCI and HAL, my credit card was charged right away. With Princess - excursions are charged to your shipboard account.

[ellbelle]

I am planning on purchasing onboard credit that will offset excursions booked through Princess. I feel better having the excursions paid for before we leave, and only have to pay our shipboard expenses after the cruise. For one excursion not booked through Princess, I felt better using my credit card for the deposit rather then sending them a check. I would have no recourse if for some reason they were to go out of business prior to the excursion. Just a thought...

 

Cheryl

[CandCrew]

Cheryl--

 

I'm totally a cruise newbie so indulge me if you will. How/when can one purchase OBC? Do you do it the day of embarking or shortly afterward or is that something that we can purchase ahead through PCL? Like you, I'd just feel better knowing that we have all the excursions truly paid for before we take them. I know that CC's are sometimes a "necessary evil" but hate using them--guess that's the Dave Ramsey in me coming out LOL!

 

Connie