Paying for RCI shore tours... when

[beesquared]

I may be missing something, but previously with our P&O cruise we reserved shore tours which were added to our room bill paid at the end of the cruise. When I went into the Royal Caribbean website today to book a shore tour but it wanted payment now for the tour in Dec. Have I missed a check box or something or is this just the way it works with RCI?

 

Thanks

[Aussieflyer]

From what I have heard this is the method that RCI and Celebrity use not only for shore excursions but also for specialty restaurants and most other things. I had heard that P & O were different but all the ships I have been on have this upfront payment.

[beesquared]

continued searching seems to confirm I pay now. Hmmm.. oh well, here i was thinking the $400 onboard credit would go towards this cost. I expect prebooking anything else would be the same. Just have to find other ways to spend the obc. More time at the bar one thinks!

[Dizziedi]

When you book it online, you pay there and then with your credit card. Excursions, Chefs Table, wine packages everything.

 

Cheers

Di

[beesquared]

if we buy soda packages onboard rather than pre cruise, is it anymore expensive?

[Very Frequent Flyer]

if we buy soda packages onboard rather than pre cruise, is it anymore expensive?

 

Same price.

[keagle]

If you book the extras after you board it gets added to your sea pass account. Book them online before hand you pay upfront as you have found out.

[Aussieflyer]

If you book the extras after you board it gets added to your sea pass account. Book them online before hand you pay upfront as you have found out.

 

If you want to use the OBC then you will need to wait till you board. Depending on the popularity of the shore ex they may sell out (but not being one to usually take them. not sure on how popular they would be for pre-booking).

[The_Big_M]

if we buy soda packages onboard rather than pre cruise, is it anymore expensive?

 

The only difference is you get a sticker instead of it being printed.

[Dawn1004]

Are you booking shore tours now for a cruise in Dec?

 

I only ask as our cruise is in Nov, and I can't access any tours or prebooking restaurants etc - Radiance of the Seas we'll be on. I tried on the weekend, so maybe I need to try again.

[beesquared]

Just booked the cruise, we only plan to do one shore tour through RCI so I was going to book it with the thought it would be added to my on ship account. Just to tick it off of the to do list. I was able to select the tour and got to a screen where the credit card details are requested, then i ran away.

 

I have read that often they only make the shore tours available about 6 months prior to departure. Maybe this is what is happening with yours??

[Dawn1004]

Yes, I thought a bit closer to the date I could access them, but then I saw yours for a sail date after mine and I thought perhaps I could access them, I don't mind prepaying, so I don't miss out.

 

Have a great time on your cruise.

[Dawn1004]

Ok time to take back what I said earlier - checked out my cruise personaliser today and I was able to book one of our tours for Dunedin.

 

Wooohooo.

 

And yes you're right it does want credit card details and you are charged then and there, which is fine for us. (I can see some people wouldn't want to pay now though)

 

We really didn't want to miss out on thr train at Dunedin, so I'm rapt that I could book so early out.

[Thecat123]

We really didn't want to miss out on thr train at Dunedin, so I'm rapt that I could book so early out.

 

I presume you are talking about this?

http://www.taieri.co.nz/trip.htm

We did it last week and we thought it was really good and we are Kiwis :)

A friend of ours who lives locally tried to go on the train but was unable to get on board as the ship booked the whole train

[Fletch1]

When you book it online, you pay there and then with your credit card. Excursions, Chefs Table, wine packages everything.

 

Cheers

Di

 

This is correct....put me off booking it too early when you have to part with your money months in advance. Prevents from using your OBC towards the tours as well.

 

Princess and P&O both pay on your account and is much better.

[Dawn1004]

I presume you are talking about this?

http://www.taieri.co.nz/trip.htm

We did it last week and we thought it was really good and we are Kiwis :)

A friend of ours who lives locally tried to go on the train but was unable to get on board as the ship booked the whole train

 

 

That's the one, had been warned that if you go private whilst it may be cheaper, there is a high probability that the train will be fully booked through the ship and you won't get on - so we'll pay the cruiseship this one.

 

Glad you enjoyed it.

[Dizziedi]

Ok time to take back what I said earlier - checked out my cruise personaliser today and I was able to book one of our tours for Dunedin.

 

Wooohooo.

 

And yes you're right it does want credit card details and you are charged then and there, which is fine for us. (I can see some people wouldn't want to pay now though)

 

We really didn't want to miss out on thr train at Dunedin, so I'm rapt that I could book so early out.

 

Dawn, if you book directly with the train it is half the price. Email: Barbara@taieri.co.nz Even though the email address is Barbara, it is actually Murray. You can then cancel with RCI. Just tell Murray the date and ship you are on. He will book you on and you can pay at the station when you get there - credit card or cash. Tell Murray you are on Cruise Critic.

 

The rumour of the train being fully booked by the ship is rubbish - they are two different trains. The one booked by the ship leaves from the ship -this one leaves from Dunedin Railway Station.

 

Cheers

Di

[Aussieflyer]

Dawn, if you book directly with the train it is half the price. Email: Barbara@taieri.co.nz Even though the email address is Barbara, it is actually Murray. You can then cancel with RCI. Just tell Murray the date and ship you are on. He will book you on and you can pay at the station when you get there - credit card or cash. Tell Murray you are on Cruise Critic.

 

The rumour of the train being fully booked by the ship is rubbish - they are two different trains. The one booked by the ship leaves from the ship -this one leaves from Dunedin Railway Station.

 

Cheers

Di

 

The only issue will be getting to the Dunedin railway station on time as this train is not linked to the ship's arrival. If anything unexpected happens you may miss the train. We were nearly 2 hours late into Port Chalmers in January because of sea fog. The shore ex train did not leave until after we had docked but people booked on the other train missed it (AFIK). If it is really important to do this trip, I would probably stick with the ship's excursion, even though it is more expensive. It is one less thing to worry about IMO.

[Dizziedi]

The only issue will be getting to the Dunedin railway station on time as this train is not linked to the ship's arrival. If anything unexpected happens you may miss the train. We were nearly 2 hours late into Port Chalmers in January because of sea fog. The shore ex train did not leave until after we had docked but people booked on the other train missed it (AFIK). If it is really important to do this trip, I would probably stick with the ship's excursion, even though it is more expensive. It is one less thing to worry about IMO.

 

With respect, your comment is scaremongering. The ship docks, you catch the bus (that will be waiting at the dock), to the train station. You will have plenty of time to pay for your (booked) ticket and board the train. You don't have to pay for the train until you get to the station. We have done this trip 3 times with lots of others, (last trip on the Voyager, we had a group of 30). We will no doubt do it again on the next trip. We have never had a problem but if you want to pay double, then by all means do so. The possibility of fog delay is not common enough to warrant the worry.

 

I too, am a Kiwi!

 

Cheers

Di

[Aussieflyer]

With respect, your comment is scaremongering. The ship docks, you catch the bus (that will be waiting at the dock), to the train station. You will have plenty of time to pay for your (booked) ticket and board the train. You don't have to pay for the train until you get to the station. We have done this trip 3 times with lots of others, (last trip on the Voyager, we had a group of 30). We will no doubt do it again on the next trip. We have never had a problem but if you want to pay double, then by all means do so. The possibility of fog delay is not common enough to warrant the worry.

 

I too, am a Kiwi!

 

Cheers

Di

 

My intention was not to be a scare monger but to point out that if someone has their heart set on doing a particular activity, books privately (with a set start time) and then something untoward happens, they are stuck. We book private tours frequently and rarely a ship tour as you are correct - they are much more expensive. In reply to the fog, yes uncommon but there are also other reasons for a late arrival. These things can and do happen on occasion.

[Thecat123]

My intention was not to be a scare monger but to point out that if someone has their heart set on doing a particular activity, books privately (with a set start time) and then something untoward happens, they are stuck. We book private tours frequently and rarely a ship tour as you are correct - they are much more expensive. In reply to the fog, yes uncommon but there are also other reasons for a late arrival. These things can and do happen on occasion.

 

That friend of ours actually mentioned that friends of hers who she was going to meet got off a ship late due to the shipping company letting the people on ships tours off first

[Aussieflyer]

That friend of ours actually mentioned that friends of hers who she was going to meet got off a ship late due to the shipping company letting the people on ships tours off first

 

That's correct - passengers on ship's tours were the first groups to get off the ship (as they are in many places). I know people on private tours do manage to get off at the same time. As we were mooching around Dunedin for the day we were in no great hurry so did not even go down till much later and watched from our balcony those on tours disembarking and the train arriving.

[Thecat123]

That's correct - passengers on ship's tours were the first groups to get off the ship (as they are in many places). I know people on private tours do manage to get off at the same time. As we were mooching around Dunedin for the day we were in no great hurry so did not even go down till much later and watched from our balcony those on tours disembarking and the train arriving.

 

And maybe miss the public train?

[Dizziedi]

My intention was not to be a scare monger but to point out that if someone has their heart set on doing a particular activity, books privately (with a set start time) and then something untoward happens, they are stuck. We book private tours frequently and rarely a ship tour as you are correct - they are much more expensive. In reply to the fog, yes uncommon but there are also other reasons for a late arrival. These things can and do happen on occasion.

 

Firstly, if you book this tour directly with Taieri Gorge, you do NOT have to pay until you pick up your tickets, so no money is lost! Whilst your intentions are "probably" not to scaremonger, you are scare mongering. No ship can guarantee any port so one has to book on the assumption that the ship will dock or the tenders will get them to shore and if they don't, all excursions whether booked with the ship or independently won't happen, disappointing but occasionally it happens!

 

Cheers

Di

[Thecat123]

Firstly, if you book this tour directly with Taieri Gorge, you do NOT have to pay until you pick up your tickets, so no money is lost! Whilst your intentions are "probably" not to scaremonger, you are scare mongering. No ship can guarantee any port so one has to book on the assumption that the ship will dock or the tenders will get them to shore and if they don't, all excursions whether booked with the ship or independently won't happen, disappointing but occasionally it happens!

 

Cheers

Di

 

The point I was making is that while you can take the chance of all going well and making the public train on time to save a little money. I was not prepared to take this chance. For the extra money I was guaranteed the Taieri Gorge Train. There is also no money lost if the ships train tour doesn't go ahead for any reason

Definitely a lot cheaper than making another trip all the way to Dunedin and I live in NZ