Crystal's Outrageous Excursion Prices

[d5480]

Crystal finally at 60 days  released the prices for excursions for the October 9 cruise from Athens to Dubai. The overnight stops in Suez City and Safagra  are for tours of Cairo and Luxor.  Both  are long round trips by bus, especially Luxor which is more than 4 hours each way. The day trips are expensive ($350-$400 pp) but not really unexpected for a cruise line. The overnight trips are outrageous ($2500-$3250 pp) with no justification for bus trips. I think Crystal is taking advantage of the passengers by delaying information and cost. I was told by the Crystal employee that serviced my reservation that this information was coming June 1, July 1, soon, and it was delayed because Abercrombie and Kent had forgotten.  After cancellation would cost 3/4 of the fare I was told information would be at 60 days. I will not be on another Crystal Cruise.

[Florida90210]

Thank you for your post.  This is the first that I have heard anyone discuss the pricing for any of the excursions.  I do agree that the prices seem high, especially for the overnight trips.

 

 

[Treasure Hunter]

Uh oh. I’m on the Symphony in September 2024. With only 60 days to choose, if you don’t like the prices there’s not much time to make alternate plans. The cruise we booked has two nights on the Seine in Rouen. Every other cruise we’ve ever been on (50 on many other cruise lines) has let us choose excursions six months or more before embarking. This is our first Crystal. Is this the norm? What do mean “A&K “ forgot? We only took A & K on African Safaris and found them to be professionally run. 

[ak1004]

SS allows to book excursions once you book the cruise, even if it's 2 years in advance. Oceania - one year in advance.

 

btw, I'm surprised that nobody asked any questions about the excursions quality on the Inaugural Sailing topic (my questions remained unanswered). 266 posts so far, discussing all kinds of so called "enhancements" like new lounge chairs (wow!), but nobody mentioned anything about excursions.

 

To me, the quality of the excursions is one of the most important parameters of the ship. This is why we cruise.

[TUCKERTOOTS]

For the Serenity New England cruises the excursion prices are shocking .  Have done this cruise five times on Crystal and most of the same excursions are almost double the price paid previously.  The last cruise was in 2018. 

[TER777]

Well, Explora has one for $23,000 for one day, no nights. 

[ak1004]

21 minutes ago, TUCKERTOOTS said:

For the Serenity New England cruises the excursion prices are shocking .  Have done this cruise five times on Crystal and most of the same excursions are almost double the price paid previously.  The last cruise was in 2018. 

 

Well, they almost doubled the cruise prices, why not the excursions prices? If people are willing to pay, why not? (although looks like the Inaugural Sailing was only 60% full, despite significant capacity reduction)

[Keith1010]

To me the price of the overnight trips is in line with the past.  They include transportation, and when on buses they are typically half full to provide leg room, nice hotels and food, security as you will have on this trip. Yes the tour operator makes money and hopefully Crystal does and there is the overhead that many forget about including insurance. And the cost of the trip includes the escort from Crystal for costs such as their hotel room, food, entrance fees, etc.  On a trip like this one of the benefits is should you get back late the trip will wait.  

 

I have not looked at pricing for excursions other than the ones on the two voyages we are on but they are priced pretty much the way I expected from prior cruises.

 

Private excursions that you arrange yourself are often lower in cost.  My view is if this is an excursion you want to do this one I would not do privately.

 

JMO.

 

Keith

[tryber]

It's pretty hard to evaluate cost without knowing both the price and everything that's included.  I'm skeptical about comparisons to previous pricing, as the post-pandemic inflation, particularly for travel, is a real thing.  The pricing for the Luxor day tour that includes 8 hours of driving and presumably lunch doesn't seem out of line. 

 

The pricing for the overnight is more than I would likely spend, but it really depends on what it includes.  I was booked on the segment of the world cruise in April 2020 that included Petra (of course that cruise didn't happen), but I recall the price for the overnight through Crystal was more than I was willing to spend, and so had planned to book it privately.  Luxury cruise lines are going to use the most reliable and priciest tour operators, particularly in a place like Egypt.  I doubt that Crystal has a significantly different markup on what the operator charges relative to other cruise lines.  

[KenzSailing]

Hello A&K.

[Stickman1990]

1 hour ago, TER777 said:

Well, Explora has one for $23,000 for one day, no nights. 

Not an average excursion I’m sure - you’ve piqued my interest now - so what is it?

Price is relative to the experience - some will pay large amounts for experiences and often they’re things I wouldn’t give you tuppence for (google it if you don’t understand the term)

[TER777]

11 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

Not an average excursion I’m sure - you’ve piqued my interest now - so what is it?

Price is relative to the experience - some will pay large amounts for experiences and often they’re things I wouldn’t give you tuppence for (google it if you don’t understand the term)

Private Island Relaxation for Two

Step into a dream of nature exploration, spa experiences and the finest seaside cuisine, on an island just for two. You’ll board a high-speed RIB (rigid inflatable boat) and be whisked away to the outpost of the Göteborg archipelago, one of Sweden’s most windswept places: Hamneskar Island. Home to red iron, 19th-century-built lighthouse Pater Noster and little else, the island’s small, wave-crashed harbour exudes an aura of complete solitude at the end of the world. You’ll be greeted then taken on a tour of the lighthouse and landscape that culminates in an historic food cellar, where you’ll be served fresh caught oysters and the finest champagne. You can meet a colony of seals at tiny, nearby island Kobbar, just off the coast, before learning to catch your own crabs and cook them outdoors like a local. Lunch will be an extraordinary seafood platter with freshly baked bread, seaweed-infused mayonnaise and salted butter before desserts and coffee, all served near the lighthouse. Then, a 60-minute massage and chance to bathe in the ocean or a hot tub will help you unwind, along with magical views over the sea towards Denmark. A private helicopter will carry you back through a swathe of unforgettable views.

[lincslady]

It would be sad if the weather happened to be awful that day - which it certainly could be.

[Roland4]

7 hours ago, lincslady said:

It would be sad if the weather happened to be awful that day - which it certainly could be.

That very thought crossed my mind as I was reading the tour description!!

[jjs217]

Those shore excursion prices are terrible - and we prefer to take ship sponsored excursions on the off chance of a private tour not making it back on time.  While in Indonesia, we were late by 2 hours, twice, due to traffic.  We were very happy the ship "had" to wait for us.  

[bayonejoe]

12 hours ago, TUCKERTOOTS said:

For the Serenity New England cruises the excursion prices are shocking .  Have done this cruise five times on Crystal and most of the same excursions are almost double the price paid previously.  The last cruise was in 2018. 

Have you taken into account inflation. How can we you compare 2018 prices with 2023 prices? In 2018 a dozen eggs was 2$ and now 5$ .

 

currently on board. We did a tour in Carthaginian of the Roman ruins. Price 79$ 4 hours long,excellent guide.. qpr very good.  A tour of the Alhambra included dinner 250$.  This tour took 8 hours due to travel time.
Now the tours we have setup in Iceland are expensive.

However, I attribute that to being in Iceland.

 

also, if I don’t want to take a tour . I don’t have to . For that reason,I dislike cruises with included tours.

 

Again choice is good.

[ak1004]

1 minute ago, bayonejoe said:

Have you taken into account inflation. How can we you compare 2018 prices with 2023 prices? In 2018 a dozen eggs was 2$ and now 5$ .

 

currently on board. We did a tour in Carthaginian of the Roman ruins. Price 79$ 4 hours long,excellent guide.. qpr very good.  A tour of the Alhambra included dinner 250$.  This tour took 8 hours due to travel time.
Now the tours we have setup in Iceland are expensive.

However, I attribute that to being in Iceland.

 

also, if I don’t want to take a tour . I don’t have to . For that reason,I dislike cruises with included tours.

 

Again choice is good.

 

This is pretty cheap actually.

 

How many people were on tours on average?

 

[bayonejoe]

Cartagena 12 people

the Alhambra 23

[ak1004]

1 minute ago, bayonejoe said:

Cartagena 12 people

the Alhambra 23

 

Outstanding! If this is typical, this definitely gives Crystal a big edge. Oceania now puts 35-40 people in buses.

[Keith1010]

So I looked at all of the excursion prices for the first two voyages. I thought they were consistent with before and I expect them to be high as inflation is much higher in Europe than even the USA.  

 

I know someone was talking about New England but my guess is a lot of this has to do with the tour operators and the people they use.  JMO.

 

I look at my bills shopping for food at home. I look at what I paid for a hotel in Paris in 2017 and six years later it is almost three times the price.

 

I really do not think it is Crystal who is the culprit here.

 

Keith

[Emdee]

We are on the Reykjavik to Quebec City cruise and barring one that I thought was pricey the others were in line with my expectations.

As Keith said we are paying a lot more for hotels and food both at home and internationally. Why would tours or ship’s excursions be any different? Added to inflation the travel industry took a hit from the pandemic and that has repercussions. 

[May B]

I’ve done three overnight tours in the middle or end of Celebrity and Azamara cruises. They were super pricey compared to the cruise fare, and two of them I could’ve booked on my own for less. The third had no private option. Do it with the cruise line, or don’t do it at all.

 

I chose to take the pricey but easy way to do them. We both loved all three of them.

 

We also did a $1600 pp evening at the Tattoo with Crystal. Ditto, loved it.

 

Each one of those trips were probably a larger percent of our net worth than what that $23,000 thing will be to whoever books it. Everybody has their limit. I remember when I said, I just can’t make myself buy a head of lettuce for over $2. (Long time ago.)

 

I’m sad that the OP is frustrated. B/c Crystal is just starting back, it’s like they’re juggling lots of plates on top of those sticks, in a circus act. I’m guessing there will be a time when shore excursions will be available as soon as we make final payment. But when that time will come, I wouldn’t even wager a bet. Luckily for me it doesn’t matter.

 

For those of you to whom it matters, I wish you a quick resolution to your challenges.

[ak1004]

To me, those prices look a bit on a higher end, but they might be justified if the groups will be as small as @bayonejoe mentioned. I don't expect them to be 12 people, but even 20-25 is significantly less than most other lines, even the luxury ones. This is pretty close to semi private tours that usually have 16-20 people. If this is indeed the case, I might change my mind about Crystal pricing in general. 

 

The devil is in details.

[Emdee]

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

To me, those prices look a bit on a higher end, but they might be justified if the groups will be as small as @bayonejoe mentioned. I don't expect them to be 12 people, but even 20-25 is significantly less than most other lines, even the luxury ones. This is pretty close to semi private tours that usually have 16-20 people. If this is indeed the case, I might change my mind about Crystal pricing in general. 

 

The devil is in details.

I have been on Crystal tours where the buses were half full and others where they were full. Same with Regent. It is a crap shoot. If I want the tour then I will pay the price. Sometimes it  comes down to whether I really want to see something or not. I didn’t book the L’Anse aux Meadows tour as I felt it was pricey. How much do I want to see the remains of the former viking settlement…..I don’t know. I may relent on  board.

Edited August 12, 2023 by Emdee

[skybluewaters]

17 hours ago, TER777 said:

Well, Explora has one for $23,000 for one day, no nights. 

 

Peanuts.  Anyone remember this Crystal excursion? 

 

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/most-extravagant-cruise-excursion-ever-091100870.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADjvLhXxJ7X44VroTmnnS0ht_2DXHDAMLZunf6eazbPxwfmDwQoMgkKvHQRyq3UDsJ7yQOqFZAWcaZ3_Itjfj6JPATCBvRadEPLKcQcWeHj-T-KG0JxDSPAzqHS65x8T0_fCFvSNARNlgdnNrTth5Q1-VO-ek1TKdXLd-8H2d7E-