Cancellation of shore excursions...please help!

[jimbug]

Hello,
We received our pre-cruise docs the other day and I just got a chance to sit down and look at them this morning (6/20 Sapphire to Alaska).

We have signed up online for several shore excursions under the impression that if we change our minds once we get onboard, we can simply turn in the tickets before the scheduled excursion and be refunded.

However, in the Adventures Ashore booklet that came with our docs, it says we must cancel prior to the closing date listed on the mail-in excursion request form, which is May 14 (2 days away!!)

Please help in clarifying this for me...we really want to go on several of the excursions we have chosen, but are waiting to see how much spending money we will be able to allot.

Thank you!!!

Sapphire Princess 6/20/04 (honeymoon)

[FredS]

Better call Princess special services. I thought as long as you canceled at least 24 hours in advance of the shore excursion you had no penalty. Maybe that has changed.

[jimbug]

Clarification:
I called 1-800-Princess and the rep told me that the closing date (May 14 in my case) is the last day to cancel before you board the ship. Otherwise, if you choose to cancel once on board, you simply turn in your tickets at least 24 hours in advance.

Good news to know...

Sapphire Princess 6/20/04 (honeymoon)

[Toto2Kansas]

Thanks for posting what Princess told you. I was sure we were not all wrong when it came to this. Glad to hear you can cancel if you would like once on board the ship. Now you can breathe a sigh of relief! http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Tahitian Princess 10/14/04
RCI-Legend of the Seas 3/27/05 Panama Canal.
One Phantom Booking still open with Princess.

[sue d. miller]

Great. I bet you are relieved!! http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif I was waiting for the answer myself. I didn't want to give a wrong answer, but last Oct, my daughter booked several excursions online, and they told her the credit card would not be charged until the actual excursion was taken. If she wanted to cancel, it had to be 24 hrs before. If the excursion was cancelled. no charge.

Sue
7 days on Star Princess 10/24

[srphnx]

It may be a blessing, it is no secret that shore excursions are heavily marked up by Princess, unless it is something that is easily sold out, i.e. a hellicopter ride with only 4 hellicopters in a town, then you can shop privately and usually get it for about half the price. If the spending money budget is a factor that is a great way to extend it. Go to the ports of call board and look at Alaska, there is some sage wisdom and great deals to be had there.

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[BJS]

jimbug as you have found out it is possible. Friends were with us in March and she was unable to go on several excursions that had been booked on-line. We just took the tickets to the shore excursion desk prior to noon the day before and they were immediately credited to her shipboard account with no questions asked. Just make sure to check the "Patter" for cancellation deadlines.

Future cruises:
5/04 HAL-Amsterdam-Alaska
9/04 Star Princess-Med.x2 Venice to Barcelona/ Barcelona to Rome
11/04 Dawn Princess-Southern Caribbean
Jan. 05 Diamond Princess-Mexican Riviera
July 05 Star Princess-Baltics
Aug. 05 Star Princess-Baltics
Past cruises:
04 Dawn Princess- Southern Caribbean x2
03 Grand Princess-W.Caribbean
03 Sun Princess -Mexico
03-Tahitian Princess-Tahiti/ Cook Islands
03 Royal Princess-x2 British Isles & Norwegian Fjords/ Iceland
03 Island Princess-Panama Canal
01 HAL Ryndam x 2-S. America San Diego to Valpariso/ & around Cape Horn to Rio
00 Sky Princess-China/Orient
79 Sitmar's Fairwind- Caribbean/Panama Canal