Europe Shore Excursions

[trvlgirlmq]

FYI. John Heald posted that Vista's Europe shore excursions "should" be on Carnival.com late June/early July.

Edited April 14, 2015 by trvlgirlmq

[Love-to-ride]

Thanks, Love to window shop :D

[bridgetjonesni]

Fastest finger first for FTTF! :D

[letsgo39]

Rarely take ship excursions. We have been to the Med and Greek Isles a couple of time so already know what we will be doing in almost every port.

[b_cruise]

Rarely take ship excursions. We have been to the Med and Greek Isles a couple of time so already know what we will be doing in almost every port.

 

Yes, me too...I always get on my roll call and book through italytoursharing.com but some of the transfers ( no tours) are nice to book from the ship! Depending on price though.

[Velvetwater]

Fastest finger first for FTTF! :D

 

My thoughts exactly :D

[BaseballMomof4]

The only ship excursion I am interested in would be Izmir. I have no experience with Turkey and have read some questionable reviews about local guides. Other than that we will DIY all but Florence, where we will use RIL.

[trvlgirlmq]

The only ship excursion I am interested in would be Izmir. I have no experience with Turkey and have read some questionable reviews about local guides. Other than that we will DIY all but Florence, where we will use RIL.

 

We booked Izmir through Ephesus Shuttle. They have good reviews on TA and here. Several tours to choose from and the prices are very reasonable.

 

We have 4 private tours currently booked just due to ease factors in certain ports. We will DIY the others. I am sure Carnival can come nowhere near the per person prices we got for groups of 8.

[BaseballMomof4]

We booked Izmir through Ephesus Shuttle. They have good reviews on TA and here. Several tours to choose from and the prices are very reasonable.

 

We have 4 private tours currently booked just due to ease factors in certain ports. We will DIY the others. I am sure Carnival can come nowhere near the per person prices we got for groups of 8.

 

I will have to research it a bit more, but some of the reviews I have read about local guides have been less than wonderful saying that whole buses of tourists are taken to sketchy places that are obviously in cahoots with the tour guides and they try sell them stuff. One said they were taken to a "fashion show" that was creepy and then after people tried to hard sell them leather goods. Another review had a similar experience except they were taken to a carpet place.

[planaholic]

How does it work with excursion?

 

Last time I went on a Carnival ship was 2004 and since then been with DCL. With Disney, you can view the excursions and then book them so many days out from your cruise date. Is it a free for all with Carnival? How can you get to see which trips you want to do? I'm talking about the Med cruise for Vista next year BTW!

[crzndeb]

How does it work with excursion?

 

Last time I went on a Carnival ship was 2004 and since then been with DCL. With Disney, you can view the excursions and then book them so many days out from your cruise date. Is it a free for all with Carnival? How can you get to see which trips you want to do? I'm talking about the Med cruise for Vista next year BTW!

 

When Carnival releases the excursions, you can go to the Carnival site and pull up your booking (if you have registered it) and look through the excursions. You can choose whichever ones you want and book them. You do have to pay for them when you book. If you want to wait until you board, you can go to the excursions desk and they will be billed to your S&S card.

[planaholic]

Can you not see beforehand what the options will be?

 

It doesn't seem to give you much time to weigh up the options!

[mrstriceasnice]

Can you not see beforehand what the options will be?

 

It doesn't seem to give you much time to weigh up the options!

 

You should be able to see them sometime this summer. There may be more added as it gets closer to sail time.

[planaholic]

Sorry, just trying to understand this. Everyone will be able to see the excursions at the same time and it will be a mad dash to book them on a "first come, first served " basis? Do people normally get what they want? Is there not a period of time where you can view them first, make decisions and then they are released for booking?

[trvlgirlmq]

Sorry, just trying to understand this. Everyone will be able to see the excursions at the same time and it will be a mad dash to book them on a "first come, first served " basis? Do people normally get what they want? Is there not a period of time where you can view them first, make decisions and then they are released for booking?

 

The shore excursions will be released for each port for the entire cruise most likely at the same time. So, I suppose there could be a mad dash but with almost a year and sometimes more before the first sailings I think there will be plenty of opportunity to book at your own pace. Many of us are already booking private companies and/or DIY-ing so those that want to book Carnival will have more opportunities. The fact that you have to pay up front will factor in as well. Most people probably haven't saved up for all of this yet unless they want to do the pay on credit now and pay off later thing.

[aquarianne11]

Thanks for the info! [emoji3]

 

Excited to see the excursions that are available and their prices. I have been checking NCL, RC and Viator to get some idea about the prices.

 

What is Carnival's cancelation policy for shore excursions?

 

I also read something about the best price guarantee. Very nice of Carnival to do that.

[paddycake]

 

What is Carnival's cancelation policy for shore excursions?

 

I also read something about the best price guarantee. Very nice of Carnival to do that.

 

I copied this directly from Carnival's website regarding their shore excursion cancellation policy. Hope this helps!

 

Can I cancel or add to my shore tour order?

Online

Orders must be cancelled online and no cancellation charges will be assessed if done prior to the pre-sail cut-off time (11:30pm, the evening prior to the cruise departure). Any cancellations done afterwards must be handled on board.

In the event of pre-sailing, online cancellations, a full refund will automatically be posted to the credit card used to secure the order.

Please allow 5-7 business days for the credit to reflect on your account.

On board

After the pre-sails cut off date, cancellations must be handled on board and cancellation charges are as follows:

25% charge once on board

100% charge if cancellation within 24 hours of arrival in port

Refunds less cancellation charges will be applied in the form of a credit to the guest's Sail & Sign account.

Sail & Sign credit balances will be paid to the guest in the form of a Carnival check at the end of the voyage.

[aquarianne11]

I copied this directly from Carnival's website regarding their shore excursion cancellation policy. Hope this helps!

 

Can I cancel or add to my shore tour order?

Online

Orders must be cancelled online and no cancellation charges will be assessed if done prior to the pre-sail cut-off time (11:30pm, the evening prior to the cruise departure). Any cancellations done afterwards must be handled on board.

In the event of pre-sailing, online cancellations, a full refund will automatically be posted to the credit card used to secure the order.

Please allow 5-7 business days for the credit to reflect on your account.

On board

After the pre-sails cut off date, cancellations must be handled on board and cancellation charges are as follows:

25% charge once on board

100% charge if cancellation within 24 hours of arrival in port

Refunds less cancellation charges will be applied in the form of a credit to the guest's Sail & Sign account.

Sail & Sign credit balances will be paid to the guest in the form of a Carnival check at the end of the voyage.

 

Awesome! Thank you. :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[BaseballMomof4]

Thanks for the info! [emoji3]

 

Excited to see the excursions that are available and their prices. I have been checking NCL, RC and Viator to get some idea about the prices.

 

What is Carnival's cancelation policy for shore excursions?

 

I also read something about the best price guarantee. Very nice of Carnival to do that.

 

Don't rely too heavily on the price guarantee. It has to be exactly the same so, say the Carnival one offers lunch and the private one does not - no price guarantee. Any small difference will eliminate the price guarantee.

[aquarianne11]

Don't rely too heavily on the price guarantee. It has to be exactly the same so, say the Carnival one offers lunch and the private one does not - no price guarantee. Any small difference will eliminate the price guarantee.

 

That's good to know, thank you.

[Club Disney Chandler]

Sorry, just trying to understand this. Everyone will be able to see the excursions at the same time and it will be a mad dash to book them on a "first come, first served " basis? Do people normally get what they want? Is there not a period of time where you can view them first, make decisions and then they are released for booking?

 

 

We too are jumping from the DCL pool to try the Vista, we'll be on the 6/3 Mediterranean. I've been immersing myself in all things Carnival for the last few months and it's nothing like the, "be the first" DCL mentality. Certainly there are some things you really have to be on top of but its not like trying to get a cabana on CC and being hosed unless you're concierge or platinum. I so hope we really enjoy CCL because I'm so tired of paying DCL prices. We booked this cruise about 2 weeks before DCL released the middle of 2016 cruises, we got this cruise for $4400 for 2 insides, (4 people), on opening day, the same week for the Eastern Caribbean on the Fantasy was $8600 for 2 insides (4 people).

 

I've been reading tons of reviews on the bigger CCL ships here on CC and am getting really excited about this cruise. I know it will not be like DCL in many respects but to be able to see the Mediterranean at about have the price of the Caribbean, I'll forgo getting "free" soda on DCL.

[b_cruise]

We too are jumping from the DCL pool to try the Vista, we'll be on the 6/3 Mediterranean. I've been immersing myself in all things Carnival for the last few months and it's nothing like the, "be the first" DCL mentality. Certainly there are some things you really have to be on top of but its not like trying to get a cabana on CC and being hosed unless you're concierge or platinum. I so hope we really enjoy CCL because I'm so tired of paying DCL prices. We booked this cruise about 2 weeks before DCL released the middle of 2016 cruises, we got this cruise for $4400 for 2 insides, (4 people), on opening day, the same week for the Eastern Caribbean on the Fantasy was $8600 for 2 insides (4 people).

 

I've been reading tons of reviews on the bigger CCL ships here on CC and am getting really excited about this cruise. I know it will not be like DCL in many respects but to be able to see the Mediterranean at about have the price of the Caribbean, I'll forgo getting "free" soda on DCL.

 

I'm on this sailing too so far!! Who hoo... I think u are on our roll call?? There are lots of us signed up for italytoursharing.com tours. They are wayyyyy better than the ships tours and cheaper too. If u like a tour offered just sign up and post on the roll call. But the cruise, the tours usually get 8 people and u save a ton of money and get a more personalized tour!! Looking forward to meeting your disney crew!!

[Soupy.Sailor]

Don't rely too heavily on the price guarantee. It has to be exactly the same so, say the Carnival one offers lunch and the private one does not - no price guarantee. Any small difference will eliminate the price guarantee.

 

Seems fair. It would also seem reasonable to ask the private tour operator to match what Carnival offers.

[Club Disney Chandler]

I'm on this sailing too so far!! Who hoo... I think u are on our roll call?? There are lots of us signed up for italytoursharing.com tours. They are wayyyyy better than the ships tours and cheaper too. If u like a tour offered just sign up and post on the roll call. But the cruise, the tours usually get 8 people and u save a ton of money and get a more personalized tour!! Looking forward to meeting your disney crew!!

 

 

You are correct, I am on the roll call. There are 8 pod us traveling together, including my parents who are celebrating their 60th anniversary on the ship, do we will be coordinating excursions that entertain 14 year olds up to 81 year olds. We still haven't set the ground rules with the entire group on excursions so I'm waiting to sign up for anything. See you on board!

[fuddrules]

We booked this cruise about 2 weeks before DCL released the middle of 2016 cruises, we got this cruise for $4400 for 2 insides, (4 people), on opening day, the same week for the Eastern Caribbean on the Fantasy was $8600 for 2 insides (4 people).

 

I've been reading tons of reviews on the bigger CCL ships here on CC and am getting really excited about this cruise. I know it will not be like DCL in many respects but to be able to see the Mediterranean at about have the price of the Caribbean, I'll forgo getting "free" soda on DCL.

 

Hope you have a great time and the reasons you cite (cost) are a big reason a lot of us are here. My family has a great time on Carnival including our past Med cruise with them.