Where to go? - February 2016

[PStreet1]

I agree with John. We did Tulum on a shore ex. If you book the excursion with the ship, they will wait for you even if you're late returning. I'm sure Tulum will be an option. If you can't already book your excursions on line, you will probably be able to 3 months before sailing.

 

[Luanne]

I agree with John. We did Tulum on a shore ex. If you book the excursion with the ship, they will wait for you even if you're late returning. I'm sure Tulum will be an option. If you can't already book your excursions on line, you will probably be able to 3 months before sailing.

I think I would feel safer booking through the ship for this very reason.

 

[Passepartout]

I think I would feel safer booking through the ship for this very reason.

If you go to cruisecritic and sign up for the Roll Call for this exact cruise, you'll 'meet' people you will be cruising with. Good chance there will be 'sail-away party, possibly a Cruise Critic Meet-n-greet (sponsored by the cruise line- they LIKE Cruise Critic) and there is an excellent probability that some of your fellow cruisers have set up private tours to various sites. Often at half the price the cruise line charges. Don't worry about the 'miss the boat' tactic. I won't say no one has ever stood on the quay and watched the ship disappear over the horizon, but those tour operators are the very same ones that the cruise line uses and they pick up cruisers and have them back to the ship before sailing time EVERY TIME a ship visits their port. Probably daily. The last thing they want is a bus load of pissed off tourists plastering their name all over TripAdvisor about stranding them on the dock. It simply isn't going to happen.

Now go sign up for your cruise's Roll Call. It's fun!

Jim

 

[Luanne]

Thanks Jim.

Actually on the few cruises I've gone on I've never booked an excursion through the cruise line. We always did them on our own.

 

[PStreet1]

Just got this email. Don't know if it's any better deal than you already have, but if it is, you get 100% of your money back on your current booking as long as you cancel before the final payment date:
http://contactbeacon.com/cb/public/templatelink.php?i=13774714&e=358262&c=1429

I always keep shopping right up until I make that final payment; fares often drop, and you can get the new fare--if you ask for it, but not if you don't. There are also sites that will watch cruise fares for you and notify you if there's a price drop on your sailing.

 

[PStreet1]

If you go to cruisecritic and sign up for the Roll Call for this exact cruise, you'll 'meet' people you will be cruising with. Good chance there will be 'sail-away party, possibly a Cruise Critic Meet-n-greet (sponsored by the cruise line- they LIKE Cruise Critic) and there is an excellent probability that some of your fellow cruisers have set up private tours to various sites. Often at half the price the cruise line charges. Don't worry about the 'miss the boat' tactic. I won't say no one has ever stood on the quay and watched the ship disappear over the horizon, but those tour operators are the very same ones that the cruise line uses and they pick up cruisers and have them back to the ship before sailing time EVERY TIME a ship visits their port. Probably daily. The last thing they want is a bus load of pissed off tourists plastering their name all over TripAdvisor about stranding them on the dock. It simply isn't going to happen.

Now go sign up for your cruise's Roll Call. It's fun!

Jim

I agree. However, I have watched a couple run down the dock to board as the ship sailed away--only once, though. I've also been on a ship when 6 of our dinner table of 12 were on a long trip to the other side of an island and didn't get back until 4 hours after they were supposed to--road closed for an accident and no way to get through. Because it was booked through the ship, the ship waited.

I use private operators when I can see that it would take a massive delay to result in our not getting back to the ship. For Tulum, because it's such a long bus ride, I used the ship's booking. In Egypt, I used the ships booking for physical safety (we were there just after the Muslim Brotherhood took over and things were still very dicey) and because of the length of time req. for the excursion. Sometimes it's definitely worth it to save the money--and you'll probably get a better experience also--and sometimes it isn't.

 

[WinniWoman]

I think I would feel safer booking through the ship for this very reason.

Me, too. I am no cruise pro- only been on one- but I like the security of knowing the boat won't leave without me. Also, less to coordinate. If I wanted to do independent tour excursions I would just fly to the islands and do it that way.

 

[Passepartout]

Me, too. I am no cruise pro- only been on one- but I like the security of knowing the boat won't leave without me.

Spoken like a true cruise neophyte. Experienced cruisers often arrange their own shore excursions. You can see what you want, and are usually not in a 45 passenger bus, moving at the pace of the slowest passenger. We've taken dozens of cruises and very very seldom (if there is an alternative) use a line-sponsored excursion. Often, we have boned up on the port and it's attractions (see cruise critic's pro's), and will just hire a taxi and driver at the quay and go for it.

Jim