Advance Payment--Shore Excursions

[denatravels]

Ok-- now I'm really confused. The shore excursions are not prepaid. Land excursions are prepaid. Are you saying that what I posted applies to SHORE excursions, not land excursions? Why would it matter if I didn't prepay? Huh???

 

 

Ok-- maybe my issue was that I wasn't noticing the distinction between "land" and "shore". I was just thinking, excursions are excursions. Guess not. Thanks for the clarification!!

[likeadisguise]

They have been doing this for a while.

 

However, the charge is not made until a couple of days before the land tour starts no matter how long before the tour you made the reservations.

 

In the trial of charging in advance for shore excursions during certain Alaska voyages next year, if you do not pay at the time you reserve them, then they are not reserved.

 

That is a big difference.

No, it's changed. They used to charge land excursions a couple days before. Last year they charged 21 days before. Now it's 365 days before, or essentially when you reserve the land excursions. That's for all Alaska land tours, not just one ship like the pre-pay shore excursions pilot for Grand in 2016.

 

From talking to someone in reservations, my understanding is that they've had issues with collecting balances due if there's a problem with the credit card charge, since they can't just add it to your shipboard folio (the two systems don't talk to each other, apparently) and they didn't want to cancel people's tours at the last minute.

[caribill]

 

From talking to someone in reservations, my understanding is that they've had issues with collecting balances due if there's a problem with the credit card charge, since they can't just add it to your shipboard folio (the two systems don't talk to each other, apparently) and they didn't want to cancel people's tours at the last minute.

 

Seems to me they could do the charge a month before the land excursion and that would be plenty of time to find out if there are any problems.

[Pushka]

Seems to me they could do the charge a month before the land excursion and that would be plenty of time to find out if there are any problems.

 

 

But then they dont get all those $$$ to play with.

 

Their 'system' reasoning makes no sense. They could just charge it to a credit card you could register at the time of booking an excursion but not charge it until close to sailing. After all, they have to refund to this credit card if the tour gets cancelled - either by us or them so its just an excuse to charge upfront.

Edited October 25, 2015 by Pushka

[NavyVeteran]

Are you now saying that the requirement to prepay is only for land excursions - not shore excursions from the ship?

 

If so, the comments about OBC do not apply, since OBC has never been available for use for land excursions.

 

You do not run an open account on land on pre-cruise or post-cruise land excursions like you do onboard, so they have to charge each excursion to your credit card. The only question is how far in advance do they make the charge. If the required advance charges are only for the land portion, then I withdraw my complaints.

[Pushka]

Are you now saying that the requirement to prepay is only for land excursions - not shore excursions from the ship?

 

 

 

If so, the comments about OBC do not apply, since OBC has never been available for use for land excursions.

 

 

 

You do not run an open account on land on pre-cruise or post-cruise land excursions like you do onboard, so they have to charge each excursion to your credit card. The only question is how far in advance do they make the charge. If the required advance charges are only for the land portion, then I withdraw my complaints.

 

 

You might have to keep them in place.

 

They are trialling prepayment of cruise excursions on ONE ship in Alaska next year. I think Star? It isn't the Island as thats my cruise. (but I do have to prepay the land excursions on the landtour)

[denatravels]

You might have to keep them in place.

 

They are trialling prepayment of cruise excursions on ONE ship in Alaska next year. I think Star? It isn't the Island as thats my cruise. (but I do have to prepay the land excursions on the landtour)

 

 

According to the OP, it's the Grand Princess.

[Pushka]

According to the OP, it's the Grand Princess.

 

 

Thanks - the Grand it is - I cant imagine how this is going to be a good outcome for experienced Princess cruisers. But for those transferring from other cruise lines, like Celebrity (and me for instance) they wont think anything of having to prepay.

 

I was just surprised I didn't have to prepay cruise excursions, but did have to prepay the land ones.

[denatravels]

 

I was just surprised I didn't have to prepay cruise excursions, but did have to prepay the land ones.

 

 

Me, too. But I'm NOT disappointed!! Given how crazy expensive my trip has become, this will be a good way to push out the payment for some things. I certainly wasn't going to wait to book until I was on board, as I might do in other places.

[Pushka]

Me, too. But I'm NOT disappointed!! Given how crazy expensive my trip has become, this will be a good way to push out the payment for some things. I certainly wasn't going to wait to book until I was on board, as I might do in other places.

 

 

Agree totally! I cant see myself going back to Alaska as its a long way from Australia and so much more of the world to see. So I'm thinking this will all be a 'once-off' so am maxxing out! [emoji15]. And no way will I wait until I board because chances are I will make poor decisions. I rarely use ship excursions and prefer DIY but the excellent Princess exchange rates mean they are actually cheaper than booking direct with vendors.

Edited October 25, 2015 by Pushka

[Cruisin' Chick]

Most displeased! I hope the pilot program fails. Princess needs to set itself apart from other cruise lines by maintaining their unique perks, not just changing good things because they can. Thank you, OP, for sharing this info.

 

The idea of not having to prepay for shore excursions was a major way Princess differentiated itself from the other lines. What going along with this plan will do is to encourage more of us who go with Princess excursions to either go with an indy operator or do more DIY time in ports. Most of the time we DIY and not book any excursions but every once in a while we'll book with Princess. I guess the next time we cruise, if this is in place for all cruises, we'll have that decision to make.:(

[caribill]

The idea of not having to prepay for shore excursions was a major way Princess differentiated itself from the other lines. What going along with this plan will do is to encourage more of us who go with Princess excursions to either go with an indy operator or do more DIY time in ports. Most of the time we DIY and not book any excursions but every once in a while we'll book with Princess. I guess the next time we cruise' date=' if this is in place for all cruises, we'll have that decision to make.:([/quote']

 

Or book with another cruise line since Princess now has adopted their policies.

[Pushka]

And according to the T&C on Princess, not even Landtour excursions should be paid in advance of 21 days.

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/faq_answer_legal/CAB_Alaska.pdf

[sunsetbeachgal]

Or book with another cruise line since Princess now has adopted their policies.

 

 

What other mainstream cruise lines do not require payment at time of booking excursions? From experience, I am sure that Holland America and Royal Caribbean do. Assume since Celebrity is part of RC, they do as well.

[caribill]

What other mainstream cruise lines do not require payment at time of booking excursions? From experience, I am sure that Holland America and Royal Caribbean do. Assume since Celebrity is part of RC, they do as well.

 

I agree the others do charge.

 

What I was indicating in my post is that if Princess is going to be like the others and remove a major reason for cruising with Princess, then it may not make much difference which cruise line one sails on and others could be considered where in the past they would not be.

 

If Princess is one of three cruise lines on similar itineraries, Princess might no longer be the first choice if not pre-paying for shore excursions was a major reason for previously choosing Princess.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Agree with you. I am one of those who prefers to prepay as little as possible. If that leaves me with a large on board account, then fine, it goes on the credit card and gets paid when the bill comes! I have always loved the flexibility of Princess shore excursion policies, and hate to see it change.