Universal Studios Excursion???

[Rica6]

Will be on the Pride in a couple of weeks and port day on wed. aug. 8th is port canaveral. Looked into the Carnival prices for this excursion to universal studios for my family of 5 and friends family of 4.....it is soooo expensive.

Has anyone done this excursion or tried booking it on your own for cheaper???

Help please!

[chipq]

The amusement parks in Orlando are all very expensive for a one day pass even on your own. Was just in Orlando in June and tix were almost $90 for adults for one park and about $82 for kids. The park should still be open from 9 to 9 but with ship arrival departure times can you get a full day at the park? IMHO, Disney included, the pricing for a one day ticket is crazy considering the summer crowd and the cost of food and beverage, a family of four can easily be out $400 just for the one day at the park.

 

You may be able to find some discounts through AAA or the Orlando Visitor and Convention bureau. Good luck.

 

http://luv2cruise.blogspot.com

[golfadj]

Considering the cost would only do it when you have a full day to spend there. Way to expensive to do it for half of a day during the most crowded times.

[Rica6]

we will be in port from 7am-7pm. The cost for my family of 5pple is $804.95!!! Our friends travelling with us would pay $631.96 for their family of 4pple!!!!! CRAZY!!!!! iI found promo codes and it brought the totals down about 10% but even then its costly.

[Havingfun2010]

IF it was Jan or Feb I would say maybe do it, but don't do it in August? Just don't even think about it. It will be crowded, and you will only be there for a partial day.

[peacebeach]

IF it was Jan or Feb I would say maybe do it, but don't do it in August? Just don't even think about it. It will be crowded, and you will only be there for a partial day.

 

Totally agree:)

[trizzou]

I live in Orlando and I love Disney and Universal.. but at this point the price has exceeded the fun for me. For a one day ticket, parking and one meal I'm lucky to get out for less than $150. Parking is more at the parks than the port for goodness sakes. It just seems like a lot of money to stand in lines in the sun all day, maybe I'm getting old :(

[Rica6]

sooo true about going in august BUT we actually did Disney/Universal last august with the same exact group going on the cruise and well we survived! It was HOT but our canadian summers can get very hot and humid so we know what we are getting ourselves into. MY 3 KIDS (12,10,8) AND friends 2 KIDS(12,8) are really wanting to go again sooo.........I guess we bite the bullet and SPEND big time!!! My son turns 13 aug.20th and friends daughter turns 13 early sept. so on top of the atlantis excursion we booked this one takes the cake so to speak! LOL

[serene56]

We took the Pride in February last year. We booked the Sea World excursion through carnival.

 

Yes, very pricy BUT consider the price for one days admission. You are there right before they open. (we arrived at 8:30)

and you stay until 4pm.

 

by the time you get back to the ship- we are getting ready to sail.

 

 

now price out the excursion yourself-- rental car-- the time it takes to stand in the line to get the car--- AND to get it back in time all the while hurrying before the ship leaves without you.

 

the price of the excursion includes the bus and someone else doing the driving.

 

IF you rent a car and hit traffic on the way back-- was that stress worth the few bucks you may save doing the excursion yourself?

 

Now a poster stated you are going in August-- its going to be HOT! Humid.

but if you are going in the begining of the month-=== CROWDED/ How many rides do you think you will get on with minimum wait.

 

If you are going after the 15th the crowds drop considerably.

 

 

For August 8th- I would be finding another excursion-

[golfadj]

We took the Pride in February last year. We booked the Sea World excursion through carnival.

 

Yes, very pricy BUT consider the price for one days admission. You are there right before they open. (we arrived at 8:30)

and you stay until 4pm.

 

by the time you get back to the ship- we are getting ready to sail.

 

 

now price out the excursion yourself-- rental car-- the time it takes to stand in the line to get the car--- AND to get it back in time all the while hurrying before the ship leaves without you.

 

the price of the excursion includes the bus and someone else doing the driving.

 

IF you rent a car and hit traffic on the way back-- was that stress worth the few bucks you may save doing the excursion yourself?

 

Now a poster stated you are going in August-- its going to be HOT! Humid.

but if you are going in the begining of the month-=== CROWDED/ How many rides do you think you will get on with minimum wait.

 

If you are going after the 15th the crowds drop considerably.

 

 

For August 8th- I would be finding another excursion-

 

Still maintain though that the parks in Orlando are best done on a separate land vacation where you get there first thing as it opens and spend the entire day and evening there. Too expensive not to.

[jeansaussie1]

excursion to universal studios for my family of 5 and friends family of 4.....it is soooo expensive.

 

I used to be a Disney/Universal junkie before discovering cruising. My question to you would be, have you ever been to the parks before? If so, you know what to expect and can decide if the money is worth it.

 

Years ago, 2 of my co-workers went in July with their children. Both had a miserable time because of the heat and crowds. Their kids were begging them to go back to the hotel to be by the pool.

 

They looked at me funny when they got back wondering why I loved the parks so much. The trick is to go off season and buy a multiday pass to keep the cost down.

 

I was just at Island of Adventure in April in you have any specific questions on that.

[Rica6]

We've been to Universal/Disney last August so we know exactly what to expect its just I was hoping I could find a more inexpensive way of doing it. I so far found a shuttle service for $245RT plus tip so with cost of one day passes my family could save $177 doing it on my own. We would share the shuttle cost with the other family.

I think doing it on my own with RT shuttle and purchasing tickets online and printing for free for a cost of $625 for 5 pple as opposed to $804 going thru Carnival is worth it!

[TriciaEMTB]

Will be on the Pride in a couple of weeks and port day on wed. aug. 8th is port canaveral. Looked into the Carnival prices for this excursion to universal studios for my family of 5 and friends family of 4.....it is soooo expensive.

Has anyone done this excursion or tried booking it on your own for cheaper???

Help please!

 

Not worth it... All the theme parks are packed during the summer. You'll spend most of your very limited time standing in line or fighting crowds or waiting out summer storms and pay through the nose to do it.

 

One clap of thunder or bolt of lightning and all outside rides close for awhile, which means the lines at the indoor rides grow even more!

 

It's Florida. It's rained EVERY day this week, even the days that start out beautiful :)

 

Hit the beaches, go see the space center... but theme parks? Fooorget it!

 

If you ever come down on a land vacation there are many places to get discounted tickets to help with the sticker shock.

[peacebeach]

If your heart is set on going, at least grab a park map and circle the top things you would like to do and try to gather your bearings for "what is where" so that if you get to an attraction that has a massive line- you can look at your map/back-up choice and head over to that, etc.

 

I like to take a waterproof camera to Universal and shoes that you don't mind to get wet:) Hope that you have a blast!

[thomarvin]

We are on this cruise too!! We are doing the disney excursion. We thought about doing it on our own but was really nervous about not being back if we hit traffic or broke down. I havent been to Disney in almost 30 years and my kids have never been. Thought we could give them a little teaser and if they ever want to go back they can on their own. We are also traveling with my sister, her DH and her DS. It is alot but worth the piece of mind that the ship wont leave without us. I figured it would cost us alot more to get all 8 of us to Nassau.

 

 

FYI they have changed our port times for all 3 of our ports.

Port Canaveral is now 7-6

Nassau is now 11-8

Freeport is now 7-1:30

[Rica6]

wow i am so glad you replied to my post!!!! I had no idea about the times changing at the ports of call! That makes a HUGE difference because parks open at 9am and we would have to be back at the shuttle for 4pm latest!!!!! Definately NOT worth it!!!! Thanks so much maybe Kennedy Space Center is a safer and cheaper bet!

[serene56]

we were in port canaveral from 7 til 6 you will leave the park at 4pm to meet the bus you will be at the park before opening

 

 

but i have to agree its just not worth it

[Gailerina]

My friends wanted to go to Harry Potter World when we were on the pride this year...I told them they can have fun while I did something else. They did not realize how little time they would have in the park.

 

I told them we can do a weekend trip there one day, because we can find good deals and we would have more time in the parks.

[nickiford]

I did this on our Pride cruise in February. We went to Islands of Adventure, planned out time in the park well and really felt like we saw everything. It was one of the best parts of our cruise. There is a link to my trip report for that cruise in my signature for more details.

[Rica6]

Thanks so much for all the advice and info, I guess it all boils down to time but our kids are really wanting to go and since we did it last year we know the park layout well and which rides they all want to and can go on. I think i will probably cave and book thru carnival in case we hit a ton of traffic on the way back to port.

THANKS!

[amyw123]

My friends wanted to go to Harry Potter World when we were on the pride this year...I told them they can have fun while I did something else. They did not realize how little time they would have in the park.

 

I told them we can do a weekend trip there one day, because we can find good deals and we would have more time in the parks.

 

Yeaaaaaa ravens!!!! Seen u listed a pride cruise for jan 2013... Which week?? I'm out on the 27th of jan 2013 on pride again :)

[Gailerina]

Yeaaaaaa ravens!!!! Seen u listed a pride cruise for jan 2013... Which week?? I'm out on the 27th of jan 2013 on pride again :)

 

I'm 3 weeks before you :) January 6th! I will be watching a playoff game inboard ;)

 

Great game Sunday. Not going to lie, I cried a little for Smith. Hard decision to play but he had an amazing game for his brother to see in Heaven.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ~ signed The Awesome Gailerina

[Ramrac]

I did this excursion on my Pride cruise back in May 2010 and loved it. I'm sure the people on here know ways of doing it cheaper than going through Carnival, but we didn't want to take the time to do it on our own. Enjoy your cruise and excursion, it was a lot of fun!