Waitlisted on shore excursions

On an upcoming Odyssey cruise I am waitlisted on 3 excursions. How likely are these to clear in anyone's experience or is the reco to book alternative excursions even though the waitlisted ones are first choice? Any suggestions? Thanks.

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Book private tours. They're much better and usually less expensive.

As wripro says book your own tours or just get a car and driver when in port,much better value and usually more enjoyable without having to wait for the old lady that does not return to the bus and keeps everyone waiting.

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We have never had a problem getting our desired excursions when wait listed. You can always book an alternative and cancel within the required time frame if your first choice does become available.

We like to do a mix of Seabourn sponsored excursions and private tours.

Mr L,

I agree about booking private tours. More relaxing and effective than the one with the lady you mention.

Wasn't she the one who somehow got on the bus early to bag "her" seat and spread her stuff around so no one could sit next to her, talk non stop so no one could hear the guide, spend an extra 5-10 minutes shopping or taking care of personal matters at each stop when everyone else was back, demand to stop on the return to buy a tee shirt and newspaper, try to get a vote going about skipping the last stop on the itinerary, and had the ship's crew return to the bus to retrieve from the seat her Aspen cowboy hat?

OK, maybe there were a couple of them in the years I have taken Seabourn excursions. Ah memories.

Happy sailing!

Mr L,

 

 

 

Wasn't she the one who somehow got on the bus early to bag "her" seat and spread her stuff around so no one could sit next to her, talk non stop so no one could hear the guide, spend an extra 5-10 minutes shopping or taking care of personal matters at each stop when everyone else was back, demand to stop on the return to buy a tee shirt and newspaper, try to get a vote going about skipping the last stop on the itinerary, and had the ship's crew return to the bus to retrieve from the seat her Aspen cowboy hat?

 

 

Happy sailing!

That lady was definitely with us on a SB excursion in Saint Petersburg last summer. Clearly, she gets about a bit.

Mr L,

 

I agree about booking private tours. More relaxing and effective than the one with the lady you mention.

 

Wasn't she the one who somehow got on the bus early to bag "her" seat and spread her stuff around so no one could sit next to her, talk non stop so no one could hear the guide, spend an extra 5-10 minutes shopping or taking care of personal matters at each stop when everyone else was back, demand to stop on the return to buy a tee shirt and newspaper, try to get a vote going about skipping the last stop on the itinerary, and had the ship's crew return to the bus to retrieve from the seat her Aspen cowboy hat?

 

OK, maybe there were a couple of them in the years I have taken Seabourn excursions. Ah memories.

 

Happy sailing!

Oh,you've seen her also.

I'm sure there's only one old lady that behaves like this!

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That lady was definitely with us on a SB excursion in Saint Petersburg last summer. Clearly, she gets about a bit.

She's certainly well travelled!

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That's because she's on every shore excursion in every port.

When we've sailed on SB in the past, my husband and I have generally preferred to make individual arrangements in order to avoid being part of a large group (and encounters with that well traveled lady who frequents SB shore excursions). But I recently had an experience trying to book independent activities that I thought worth sharing with the group.

In connection with an upcoming voyage on the Odyssey [sydney to Auckland leaving 12/21], I did some independent research on activities that are available in Timaru, NZ. Based on what I learned through Trip Advisor, my husband booked a visit to a Maori rock art center. We learned about the center independently of Seabourn, reached the center's website through a link from Trip Advisor, and booked the visit directly with the center.

After we made the online booking, an official at the center emailed to advise that there would be two cruise ships in port on the day of our visit, and ask if we'd like to change the time of our visit to avoid visiting the center when large cruise groups. We jumped at the opportunity but, when the official realized that we were Seabourn passengers, she informed us that, under the terms of the center's contract with Seabourn, she could not accept independent bookings from us.So, our direct bookings were cancelled.

Needless to say, I was not pleased. The rock art center is the #1 attraction in Timaru and I'm troubled that Seabourn's contract provisions (to which passengers never agreed) preclude passengers from making independent arrangements to visit the center.

This policy all the more troubling given that -- as mentioned in the first message in this string -- there's insufficient space in the quite a few SB shore excursions on my upcoming voyage.

When we've sailed on SB in the past, my husband and I have generally preferred to make individual arrangements in order to avoid being part of a large group (and encounters with that well traveled lady who frequents SB shore excursions). But I recently had an experience trying to book independent activities that I thought worth sharing with the group.

 

In connection with an upcoming voyage on the Odyssey [sydney to Auckland leaving 12/21], I did some independent research on activities that are available in Timaru, NZ. Based on what I learned through Trip Advisor, my husband booked a visit to a Maori rock art center. We learned about the center independently of Seabourn, reached the center's website through a link from Trip Advisor, and booked the visit directly with the center.

 

After we made the online booking, an official at the center emailed to advise that there would be two cruise ships in port on the day of our visit, and ask if we'd like to change the time of our visit to avoid visiting the center when large cruise groups. We jumped at the opportunity but, when the official realized that we were Seabourn passengers, she informed us that, under the terms of the center's contract with Seabourn, she could not accept independent bookings from us.So, our direct bookings were cancelled.

 

Needless to say, I was not pleased. The rock art center is the #1 attraction in Timaru and I'm troubled that Seabourn's contract provisions (to which passengers never agreed) preclude passengers from making independent arrangements to visit the center.

 

This policy all the more troubling given that -- as mentioned in the first message in this string -- there's insufficient space in the quite a few SB shore excursions on my upcoming voyage.

I am wondering if this is the official's interpretation of their contract with Seabourn.......I could be wrong though.

I have booked many private tours that have gone to the same places that Seabourn goes and not had my booking denied. In fact I have a private booking on my upcoming South Africa trip at one port with an independent contractor who is also doing group tours for Seabourn and there is no problem.

Please understand I am not casting doubt as it is obviously a big problem for you......I am just trying understand the difference of the contracts with different providers.

Thanks for your comment, frantic36. I was wondering the same thing -- perhaps the contract terms are narrower than the art center official believes. She didn't offer the contract language for my review -- she simply insisted that, per the contract, our direct reservation could not be honored.

That's one of the reasons I wanted to throw this out for possible feedback from the group. Perhaps she's misunderstanding language that's more limited than she believes; or perhaps my husband and I have been unaware of policies that other SB passengers understood.

We do plan to take this issue up with SB, since clarification -- both for passengers and for management of venues venues visited on SB shore excursions -- appears to be needed.