Like the new feature

[Dudleydog73]

This would have been a nightmare for our Thanksgiving cruise last year out of Houston that basically had all excursions cancelled as we only made one scheduled port and even there most excursions cancelled due to high winds and bad beach conditions. If we had to prepay i wonder how long it would have taken for all the refunds they would have had to process.

[tserface]

On RCI they put it back on your bill during the cruise. I guess the only problem would be if you had a bunch left on your bill it might take a few days or so to get a refund to your card after the cruise. Since we pay everything with credit card it's kind of funny money at that point.

 

Plus, this sort of thing doesn't happen all that often.

 

I like the idea of paying a deposit for excursions so people have to have some skin in the game... or make it so you can't cancel after a week before the cruise.

 

Tom

 

This would have been a nightmare for our Thanksgiving cruise last year out of Houston that basically had all excursions cancelled as we only made one scheduled port and even there most excursions cancelled due to high winds and bad beach conditions. If we had to prepay i wonder how long it would have taken for all the refunds they would have had to process.

[Potstech]

I like this as an OPTION so people would have the choice. Would also like the option of prepaying the auto-tip like some have mentioned. The more options when it comes to paying the better.

 

I would just make sure to bring proof of all prepayments with you in case there is a problem at the end of the cruise.

[loveJake]

I like this as an OPTION so people would have the choice. Would also like the option of prepaying the auto-tip like some have mentioned. The more options when it comes to paying the better.

 

I would just make sure to bring proof of all prepayments with you in case there is a problem at the end of the cruise.

 

You can prepay your auto tips, just call or FAX, just not as convienent as on line. I called and paid a coulple of weeks ago.

[shutterbug63]

Glad to see that Princess now gives you the easy option to prepay your shore excursion on line. This is perfect, easy and the best of both worlds because it is optional to suit everyone.

 

I am thrilled beyond belief that I can do that now. Makes it much easier for me to budget so that I have plenty of "cash in hand" when I step on the ship. :-)

[dchip]

I'm glad it is an "option" right now. We were able to book our excursions for our April 2015 cruise two weeks ago. I would not want to have our money tied up for 230 some days before the cruise. By the way, I have never seen excursions open this early.

 

HAL does the prepaid excursions. If an excursion is canceled during the cruise, the money is credited to your account before the end of the cruise.

 

Cheers, Denise

[caribill]

Glad to see that Princess now gives you the easy option to prepay your shore excursion on line. This is perfect, easy and the best of both worlds because it is optional to suit everyone.

 

It involved a phone call, but you could always pre-pay anything, from shore excursions to specialty restaurants, by gifting yourself OBC in advance of the cruise.

 

Pre-paying online makes it a little easier, but other than the method it is not new.

[loveJake]

It involved a phone call, but you could always pre-pay anything, from shore excursions to specialty restaurants, by gifting yourself OBC in advance of the cruise.

 

Pre-paying online makes it a little easier, but other than the method it is not new.

 

Did not say it was new, only an easier option. I have paid my tips, by phone, and have paid my shore excursions on line. Sitting watching tv with my notepad was better for me.

[umbertsmum]

It's nice up have the option to prepay - I've just prepaid for upcoming med cruise although wincing a bit after seeing the grand total !!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[RetiredNTraveling]

Yes its still the way it has always been. Book the excursion and pay onboard when its added to your account.

Last night I just saw this pay now feature on my booking for the first time.

 

Call me old fashion, but I allocate funds to cover all things, (drinks, spec restaurants, excursions, tips, bingo & gambling) prior to each cruise. I pre-book and pay at the end. On our last cruise to Alaska, I had to cancel an excursion to Haines because of my back. No Problem. I also have canceled excursions because of health issues on a cruise. Again No Problem!

If it isn't broken why mess with it. But then different strokes for different folks. With a cruise there should be no losers!

 

Platinum Member "Remember Travel First Class, If You Don't, Your Kids Will!"

[helenb]

We are elite on both Celebrity and Princess, and this is one area where Princess has always had the advantage. Celebrity keeps making you pay in advance when you book anything before the cruise begins (specialty restaurants, shore excursions, drink packages, etc.) and they want to you pre-pay tips as well! Some of us think there might be a bit of a 'conspiracy' to make sure that when you get onboard, everything has been paid for already and you are 'forced' to spend your OBC on other things.

 

I have always appreciated that Princess allows us to wait until we are onboard to charge these things, which means we can use our OBC to cover them. On our upcoming Hawaiian cruise, we have FCC, Shareholder OBC, and TA OBC. Plus I am getting a big OBC from the Princess credit card. It's wonderful, because it will pay for tips, excursions, Chef's Table (*fingers crossed we get it*), etc. On Celebrity, I would be forced to pay for a lot (or all) of these things in advance, and have no option to use my OBC.

[MicCanberra]

I just think it is great to have as many options as possible, to suit as many people as possible. Some like to prepay, some like to pay at the end, both are possible and most people are catered for.:D

[ntvsdgrl]

Last year I changed my mind so many times that if I had pre-paid it would have been an accounting nightmare. Next year in Alaska I'm going to do what I ended up doing last year and just send money to my OBC account. "Technically" I prepaid for my excursions as I had the charges paid off before the trip but if I changed my mind it didn't cause any issues.

[Coveguy4]

I never realized that it was a problem on Princess with people canceling pre booked tours. I have never canceled a single one (I'm elite and have done quite a few) and only once in the Med did someone within my group cancel due to bloody blistered feet 2 days before scheduled tour. I always book my tours far in advance and have gotten every one I wanted. On the flip side, if there was a tour I wanted and it was full, so I booked a different one but the origional had many last minute cancelations..... I can understand where different opinions can form.