How early to start booking excursions for 2018?

[MtnClimber1101]

We are sailing on HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam, leaving Vancouver on June 2, 2018. The usual stops in Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. We plan on booking excursion on our own, not through the cruise line. Last time I checked, most of the vendors don't have next year options available yet. About what time of year will they make excursions available for 2018? Thanks.

[Italy52]

We are doing B2B in May of 2018 with Celebrity. I am a planner and always book my favorite excursions ASAP to ensure availability. I have already contacted my small boat whale watching vendors in Icy Strait. I have reserved one excursion with the ship and will probably contact a few more vendors within the next few months. Bottom line, if there is something that you want and it's popular, I would contact the vendor and ask when they will take reservations. Some people book early and some people wait --- it's up to you.

[jelund]

We are going to Alaska in September. I booked our excursions (not through the cruise line) last September. All of the companies were able to reserve our spots then. Our whale watching boat took the money right away, car rental doesn't want to be paid until the day of, and our seaplane had to wait until the new year to take the deposit. But they were all more than willing to book us a year out. I would recommend booking the must-see items on your list as soon as you can because you don't want to risk not being able to do it. I booked these before they appeared online by contacting the vendors directly through their websites :)

[Cruisingthesuitelife]

I'm going in May 2018 and have been contacting vendors and booking tours since I booked my cruise in March. If vendors weren't advertising for 2018 I contacted them and most have either taken my details and will contact me at the end of the current season (which I will also monitor and re-contact) or have confirmed my tour reservations. I have also got all but one of my pre and post cruise accommodations booked. I'm a planner, what can I say!

 

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Edited June 14, 2017 by Cruisingthesuitelife

[billfish]

Agree with all the prior posts. We went in May of 2015. The most popular excursions tend to sell out. Do your research and book early.

[ChesapeakeRider]

Same as above. I am cruising June 02, 2018 out of Seattle. I have already started contacting vendors to make reservations. It is also important/a good idea to search the dock schedules for each of your stops. For example, my ship *should* be the only ship at 3 of the stops in Alaska, but our stop in Victoria, British Columbia will have 3-4 ships (forget exactly what number). With that information, I am more concerned with booking the Victoria excursions asap, but still wanting to book everything in the next couple of months regardless.