Excursions?

[kimma11]

I am a new cruiser going in May 2017.

 

So I booked 2 of the excursions plus FTTF right as soon as they became available since everybody on the boards said how fast FTTF goes along with some excursions. I keep checking the quantity and the FTTF is going soooo slow. It still has 8 tickets, and no one else has booked the excursions we booked. Does this mean our ship is going to be nice and empty??? I booked based on my college kids schedule, and just found out typically May is a quiet month to cruise. So any tips on how and when people book excursions would be appreciated!!!!

[loxley]

They book them when they feel like it. Your cruise is a full YEAR away. I can assure you, it will be full.

[Micahs Grandad]

I am a new cruiser going in May 2017.

 

So I booked 2 of the excursions plus FTTF right as soon as they became available since everybody on the boards said how fast FTTF goes along with some excursions. I keep checking the quantity and the FTTF is going soooo slow. It still has 8 tickets, and no one else has booked the excursions we booked. Does this mean our ship is going to be nice and empty??? I booked based on my college kids schedule, and just found out typically May is a quiet month to cruise. So any tips on how and when people book excursions would be appreciated!!!!

 

Your ship will be full and on the younger side as many college age kids will be done with school.

 

They scare people into booking excursions real early making you think they will be sold out fast.

 

However think about it. Cruise lines make a lot of money selling excursions and most of the time when they fill up a bus they add another one.

[gannk]

You still have plenty of time, I'm sure you will have plenty of traveling companions [emoji6]

It doesn't hurt that you booked your FTTF and excursions right away, especially if they are excursions that you are really wanting to do. I'm looking at booking ours soon, but I have a little bit of trip planning obsession. Keep in mind that the cruise line may add more cursing as they become available. I've seen my February excursions roll out in a few phases.

 

 

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[Sixtytwo]

Congrats on your first cruise! Just a tid bit of info for you concerning FTTF. If you booked an excursion through Carnival, you will get priority debarkation at the port anyway, so FTTF does not help with those ports. Normally, excursions leave right from the port and return to the same area. FTTF really does not give you priority reentering the ship after an excursion - it is first come, first served. FTTF does give you priority boarding on embarkation day and priority debarkation in ports where you have to tender.

 

It is good advice to spend some time on the ports of call thread for each of the ports you will visit. You should find lots of pros and cons of both Carnival sponsored and independent excursions. If you see something that interests you, check out Tripadvisor.com as well. It is a sister site to Cruise Critic and you can search the particular port or excursion vendor to get further reviews and information.

 

Last bit of advice...don't worry if you get off the ship at the end of the cruise already fretting over which cruise you are going on next! It IS addictive! Bon voyage!

[bakersdozen12]

It's still really early. Although my cruise is in 12 days and while it was sold out the last time I checked, there were still a few FTTFs available. They don't seem to be that popular for the 7/2 or 7/7 cruise that I'm on.

 

 

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[coevan]

many people book excursion while on board, look at the lines at the excursion desk. We never book more then a month out and never book with Carnival. Their excursions are cattle cars. I can do the same trip for at least 20% less. I never have worried about missing the ship, this is what they do for a living.