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shore excursions - how to set up before a Princess cruise?



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 7th, 2011, 05:18 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Ohioguy
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Posts: 61
Default shore excursions - how to set up before a Princess cruise?

My wife and I have 1 full day before we leave for our week long
Caribbean Princess cruise. At first I thought we probably shouldn't do
any shore excursions, because with the airfare, fuel surcharge, and auto
tips, I figured we had pretty much used up our savings for this trip.
However, I went over things again, and realize we could spend another
$350 or so without any trouble.

I've heard that if you want to take a shore excursion, you should
book it from home before the cruise. I got on the Princess website he

http://www.princess.com/learn/shorex/shorexdisplay.jsp

And started looking at the various shore excursions by island. We
will be stopping at St. Thomas, Tortola, Antigua, St. Lucia, & Barbados.
We will also be spending a day after the cruise in San Juan, where we
will wander about on our own.

When I'm looking at the various shore excursions, they have lots of
details, but I don't see any prices. I also don't see any way to sign
up for them. I tried signing in with my info and booking number, but it
comes up and says something about it being less than 5 days before the
cruise, and having to print things out and bring them in order to make
sure the crew gets the information. I don't see any place to print out
shore excursion requests.

So I'm a bit confused about how we are supposed to sign up for shore
excursions without knowing the cost up front, and I'd appreciate some
suggestions from anyone who has gone on a Princess shore excursion at
any of these islands previously. Thanks!
  #2  
Old January 7th, 2011, 05:28 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
rieker4
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Posts: 8
Default shore excursions - how to set up before a Princess cruise?


So I'm a bit confused about how we are supposed to sign up for shore
excursions without knowing the cost up front, and I'd appreciate some
suggestions from anyone who has gone on a Princess shore excursion at any
of these islands previously. Thanks!


Have you set up your own account on the Princess website? I believe that,
once you set it up and then login, prices will appear, as will the ability
to purchase the excursion of your choice.

You need all of the usual stuff to register...and then you will need your
booking code for your cruise. You should have all of that by now if your
cruise is a week away.

Note: Princess will not charge for the excursion until you are onboard, you
will, basically, make a reservation for an excursion. There should be a set
of rules about charges, etc on the website.


  #3  
Old January 7th, 2011, 05:42 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Ohioguy
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Posts: 61
Default shore excursions - how to set up before a Princess cruise?

Have you set up your own account on the Princess website? I believe that,
once you set it up and then login, prices will appear, as will the ability


I just went ahead and did that. After I logged in, and tried to do
the cruise personalizer, I still get the message:

"As your ship is scheduled to leave port within 5 days, the Cruise
Personalizer is not available."

On the screen before that, it said I could personalize the cruise
during the 120 days before it leaves. Strange.
  #4  
Old January 7th, 2011, 06:08 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Bill[_1_]
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Posts: 823
Default shore excursions - how to set up before a Princess cruise?

On 1/7/2011 11:42 AM, Ohioguy wrote:
Have you set up your own account on the Princess website? I believe
that, once you set it up and then login, prices will appear, as will
the ability


I just went ahead and did that. After I logged in, and tried to do the
cruise personalizer, I still get the message:

"As your ship is scheduled to leave port within 5 days, the Cruise
Personalizer is not available."

On the screen before that, it said I could personalize the cruise during
the 120 days before it leaves. Strange.


So you didn't do the pre-cruise check-in so you will be able to have an
easy time getting checked in when you get to the pier??? Did you read
the materials you got with the cruise documents? It should have told you
to do that and also to login to book excursions. Of course, had you been
using Cruise Critic as many people here told you to, you would have
found excellent reviews of non-Princess shore excursions and been able
to save some money. Of course, you would have had trouble booking either
of these since you don't use a credit card.

Good luck.
  #5  
Old January 7th, 2011, 06:12 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
rieker4
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Posts: 8
Default shore excursions - how to set up before a Princess cruise?

On the screen before that, it said I could personalize the cruise during
the 120 days before it leaves. Strange.


Select the excursions that you prefer and then go to the excursion desk asap
after you board. There is usually a board or rack of flyers about each
excursion along with pricing. If the desk is 'open' you can book the
excursion and pay for it with your onboard account.

The 'asap' suggestion is made because the more popular excursions sell out
very quickly. I have seen many disappointed passengers who could not take

their first choice as it was fully booked.

Note: The excursion desk should be on the bottom floor of the atrium
area...not hard to find, but this is your first cruise so everything will
take a little more time to find and do.


  #6  
Old January 7th, 2011, 06:18 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Ohioguy
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Posts: 61
Default shore excursions - how to set up before a Princess cruise?

So you didn't do the pre-cruise check-in so you will be able to have
an easy time getting checked in when you get to the pier??? Did you
read the materials you got with the cruise documents?

I never received any cruise documents, other than the eboarding pass
& itinerary I printed out 7 weeks ago, when I purchased the tickets. It
just says check in 2-9 PM, and nothing about checking in ahead of time.
I did print out the luggage tags.

Strangely, while the Princess website doesn't seem to list prices, or
allow me to book a shore excursion, this website seems to have prices
and such listed:

http://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/...s=7&Click=1149

Are these pretty typical? Since the cruise website doesn't allow me
to book anything, I was leaning towards booking one of these through the
website.
  #7  
Old January 7th, 2011, 06:32 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Carol Eskra
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Posts: 212
Default shore excursions - how to set up before a Princess cruise?

At the bottom of the gangway you will find many tour operators who offer
the same tours as the cruise line does, and for less money. These
operators will be happy to accept cash and I don't think they even
accept credit cards. When I first started cruising I always booked tours
with the cruise line, but then I learned the tours are less expensive if
you book directly with the tour operator.

  #8  
Old January 7th, 2011, 11:51 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
LVTravel[_2_]
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Posts: 120
Default shore excursions - how to set up before a Princess cruise?

"rieker4" wrote in message ...

On the screen before that, it said I could personalize the cruise during
the 120 days before it leaves. Strange.


Select the excursions that you prefer and then go to the excursion desk asap
after you board. There is usually a board or rack of flyers about each
excursion along with pricing. If the desk is 'open' you can book the
excursion and pay for it with your onboard account.

The 'asap' suggestion is made because the more popular excursions sell out
very quickly. I have seen many disappointed passengers who could not take

their first choice as it was fully booked.

Note: The excursion desk should be on the bottom floor of the atrium
area...not hard to find, but this is your first cruise so everything will
take a little more time to find and do.

The excursion desk is on Deck 6. When in Atrium look at Passenger Services
desk (PSD.) Go to left end of desk and follow the wall around to the left
immediately behind the PSD. There you will find the Excursion desk.

Yes many of the excursions sell out or are already sold out. You can be put
on a waiting list at the excursion desk for a sold out one.

  #9  
Old January 8th, 2011, 12:39 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Bill[_1_]
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Posts: 823
Default shore excursions - how to set up before a Princess cruise?

On 1/7/2011 5:51 PM, LVTravel wrote:

Yes many of the excursions sell out or are already sold out. You can be
put on a waiting list at the excursion desk for a sold out one.


Don't most cruise lines hold some excursion spots for people who don't
have Internet access (or don't realize that they can book them online
before they leave)?

I find it amusing that he wasted so much time worrying about tips and
dollar coins and what to do with his extra time before he wanted to get
on the ship that he didn't bother thinking about excursions and figuring
out how to book them on the Princess site.

Bill

  #10  
Old January 8th, 2011, 12:46 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Bill[_1_]
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Posts: 823
Default shore excursions - how to set up before a Princess cruise?

On 1/7/2011 12:18 PM, Ohioguy wrote:
So you didn't do the pre-cruise check-in so you will be able to have

an easy time getting checked in when you get to the pier??? Did you
read the materials you got with the cruise documents?

I never received any cruise documents, other than the eboarding pass &
itinerary I printed out 7 weeks ago, when I purchased the tickets. It
just says check in 2-9 PM, and nothing about checking in ahead of time.
I did print out the luggage tags.

Strangely, while the Princess website doesn't seem to list prices, or
allow me to book a shore excursion, this website seems to have prices
and such listed:

http://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/...s=7&Click=1149

Are these pretty typical? Since the cruise website doesn't allow me to
book anything, I was leaning towards booking one of these through the
website.


I would be very surprised if the Princess site would not have allowed
you to book the excursions once you logged into their site with your
booking info (after all, they want to make it easy for people to book
these as early as possible). At that point it would have shown you the
prices. Presumably where you are looking on their site now is where
people who are not logged into their reservation go, and Princess
doesn't want the public seeing how high the prices are before they book
a cruise (or just on principle).

I would not blindly book an excursion through a 3rd party. What I've
done in the past is read reviews someplace like Cruise Critic (or my
travel agent recommended someplace, although I did not book with them).
With your luck you'll end up on a tour that doesn't get back in time and
you'll miss your cruise ship. At least if you go with the cruise line's
excursion they guarantee that they will hold the ship for you if you get
back late.

Bill
 




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