Early Shore Excursions

[cruisealot54]

I received an email today to start reserving my shore exclursions for our upcoming cruise. I was so surprise since our "up coming" cruise is 334 days away. Each year they open up the tours early and early, but this is 11 months away. Not complainig but was just surprised!

[MicCanberra]

I received an email today to start reserving my shore exclursions for our upcoming cruise. I was so surprise since our "up coming" cruise is 334 days away. Each year they open up the tours early and early, but this is 11 months away. Not complainig but was just surprised!

 

I think that may depend on the cruise itinerary, for our upcoming cruise the excursions were only bookable at the 150 day mark. However the American & Canadian CCers had an extra week before us Australians. :D

[dfields1814]

I would book ASAP. If the prices go up. And they will. Princess will honor the original price. You can always cancel if you decide to do something else.

[MicCanberra]

I would book ASAP. If the prices go up. And they will. Princess will honor the original price. You can always cancel if you decide to do something else.

 

I didn't know that, I suppose that is why the prices can be higher than private mobs offering the same tours. They have built in the inflation, currency changes, etc.

[cruisealot54]

we've always booked our excursions as soon as they were available since some sale out. This will be our 3rd trip to hawaii and we are opting for no tours this trip, UNLESS they offer the zodiac/snorkle trip in Kona. So far that one is not showing up.

[JimmyVWine]

UNLESS they offer the zodiac/snorkle trip in Kona. So far that one is not showing up.

 

I have a friend who used to work at the Hawáii Department of Conservation and he told me a while back that they were considering eliminating or severely curtailing the zodiac tours around certain parts of the islands (such as Na Pali on Kuaii). Don't know if Kona was impacted, but that might be part of it. I know that last year we were able to do a two reef snorkel trip from Kona on a land-based vacation. Wasn't on a zodiac, but on a boat not much bigger.

[cruisealot54]

I have a friend who used to work at the Hawáii Department of Conservation and he told me a while back that they were considering eliminating or severely curtailing the zodiac tours around certain parts of the islands (such as Na Pali on Kuaii). Don't know if Kona was impacted, but that might be part of it. I know that last year we were able to do a two reef snorkel trip from Kona on a land-based vacation. Wasn't on a zodiac, but on a boat not much bigger.

 

Interesting. If they are stopping it, I will miss it. But I am thankful that I have been able to do it both at Kona and NaPali on Kauii. Both were great trips and great snorkling. We may just have to discover new adventures.

[paul929207]

I didn't know that, I suppose that is why the prices can be higher than private mobs offering the same tours. They have built in the inflation, currency changes, etc.

Princess tours are more expensive since Princess takes about 50% of the cost.

[MicCanberra]

Princess tours are more expensive since Princess takes about 50% of the cost.

 

Wow, that is a pretty hefty cut considering that they are only coordinating the excursion.:D

[caribill]

Wow, that is a pretty hefty cut considering that they are only coordinating the excursion.:D

 

Their cut pays for:

 

o Arranging all of their shore excursions inclusing contracts with suppliers and setting up the web pages on the Princess web site

 

o Staffing the shore excursion desk on the cruise ships to issue all the excursion tickets, have personnel at the desk to sell excursions and answer questions, have personnel on shore to direct passengers

 

o Provide the port guides

 

That said, one can get the equivalent onshore experience in many cases at a lower cost if you put the time and effort into locating reliable providers.

 

(As we told the driver of one non-Princess tour bus when traffic was bad on the way back to the ship. "No problem being late as long as you are there before that Princess tour bus which is a block behind us.")

[MicCanberra]

Their cut pays for:

 

o Arranging all of their shore excursions inclusing contracts with suppliers and setting up the web pages on the Princess web site

 

o Staffing the shore excursion desk on the cruise ships to issue all the excursion tickets, have personnel at the desk to sell excursions and answer questions, have personnel on shore to direct passengers

 

o Provide the port guides

 

That said, one can get the equivalent onshore experience in many cases at a lower cost if you put the time and effort into locating reliable providers.

 

(As we told the driver of one non-Princess tour bus when traffic was bad on the way back to the ship. "No problem being late as long as you are there before that Princess tour bus which is a block behind us.")

 

Thanks, I am happy to use the Princess tours, I was just surprised. I suppose it just means that if Princess are getting 50%, then the private tours that I look at should be 1/2 the cost of Princess. Quite often they are cheaper, maybe around 75% of the Princess tour but not half. Makes you wonder. I think If you really want to do a particular tour, then the cost is a second thought. Cheers Mic

[Stevesan]

CNBC Reviews The Business Side Of Cruising

CNBC’s “Money” aired a one-hour program “Cruise Inc” July 3, 2009.

Featured ship: Norwegian Pearl.

The narrator sailed a seven-day, four port, W. Caribbean cruise.

He interviewed the ship’s officers and crew from Captain on down, as well as a corporate executive VP officer at home office.

I took away a few interesting numbers, some that we frequently speculate about:

Pearl sailed with 2200 pax, 92% capacity. Goal is 104%. Pax & crew totaled 4000.

On board spending accounts for 25% of revenues.

The cruise line takes 20% of Art Auctions and 50-60% of Shorex. On average about two- thirds of pax purchase one shore tour, one-third of whom prebook on line. There were no numbers reported for other outside contract venues such as the casino or spa.

Beverage department breaks even at $7.25 p/pax p/day.

Diamonds International at Roatan realized $200k revenue in 6 hours. The cruise line shares in that, but no mention of percentage.

Stewards make ~$2500 p/month (quote from steward). Ten-month contract.

I suspect each cruise line has it’s own targets, but they’re probably not very different from NCLs.

There’s a specific goal for every department. This cruise missed its shorex takings due to weather, but the spa benefited and came in 68% over. Each department head is daily aware of revenue taken vs the goal. For example, the beverage department knew it had to make up $22,000 going into the last day. They did. This cruise was a financial break even, primarily due to low pax load.

NCL ate a $100M loss in Hawaii venture. Started w/23 ships, only 1 remains.

Market share shakes out at: Carnival 50%, Royal Caribbean 30%, Norwegian 10%.

17% of Americans have cruised, @ 51,000,000.

Ship must report norovirus outbreak when 3% of are afflicted.

[Carolyn R]

Princess no longer stops in Kona on their Hawaiian cruises.

[cruisealot54]

Princess no longer stops in Kona on their Hawaiian cruises.

 

Actually they are next year on the Star - that is why we booked on that ship. It is one of our favorite ports and we were sorry when they took it off theGolden's itenery. I was happy to find that the Star it stopping there in place of Hilo

[caribill]

NCL ate a $100M loss in Hawaii venture. Started w/23 ships, only 1 remains.

 

 

Started with 3 ships in that market, not 23.

[beg3yrs]

Princess no longer stops in Kona on their Hawaiian cruises.

 

The Sapphire will be stopping in Kona on Oct 27, 2012.