When to book RCCL excursions?

[cappi]

This is our first family cruise on RCCL. I have sailed on Celebrity before. On our last trip, we had booked excursions on line even just few weeks before sailing. I could not book any RCCL on line since our cruise is only few weeks away. Is is difficult to book excursions on the cruise ship? Do most people book online?

[cruisedaze1929]

Why rush to book excursions.

 

I have been on 10 cruises and never has a tour been sold out. I would wait to book tours after the tour lecture on the ship. booking on-line doesnt help you it just make the cruise line job alittle easier. I never book on line, i always book on the ship and the tour lectures.

[Sue L]

Are you within 10 days? I believe that is the cutoff for online booking but I am not positive.

 

I have all mine booked for March already and was able to book about 1 1/2 months ago.

 

They do save a certain # of slots to book onboard but I don't know what that number is. As soon as you board find out what times the excursion desk is open and go there before that time so you are one of the first on line.

 

 

Sue

[kingsgirl]

It depends on where your going and what you want to do.

 

Personally if you know for sure what you want to do, book them asap. Then you know you have them and don't have to worry about it.

 

For Alaska for example, some excursions are apparently sold out for NEXT year. It can be crazy, but it's not always like that.

[Sue L]

Why rush to book excursions.

 

I have been on 10 cruises and never has a tour been sold out. I would wait to book tours after the tour lecture on the ship. booking on-line doesnt help you it just make the cruise line job alittle easier. I never book on line, i always book on the ship and the tour lectures.

 

 

 

Some tours have very limited # of spots. We are doing white water rafting and they only take 10-12 people at each session. The same holds true for the the bike tour I am taking. If you want a bus type tour that has pretty unlimited availability then it shouldn't be an issue. If you are looking at things with limited numbers than run don't walk to the tour desk

[Sunny AZ Girl]

You said your cruise was a few weeks away. You should be able to book up until 10 days away. If you are still over 10 days out and you know what tours you want to take then try again. Sometimes the RCI website is not functioning properly.

 

Personally, when I book an excursion through the ship I love the convenience of online booking. Once I am on the ship I don't want to spend even 15 minutes standing in a line to book an excursion. I have seen some of those lines, and they can be long! Also, I went by the excursion desk several times on our first day out while on the Explorer and watched the number of available excursions posted dwindle dramatically. So, if you cannot book online I would try to get your excursions booked ASAP after boarding. I may be mistaken, but, depending on your ship, you may be able to book through your TV in your stateroom, also.

 

Have a great trip!:)

[Wilson]

Why rush to book excursions.

 

I have been on 10 cruises and never has a tour been sold out. I would wait to book tours after the tour lecture on the ship. booking on-line doesnt help you it just make the cruise line job alittle easier. I never book on line, i always book on the ship and the tour lectures.

 

Although we have only been on half that number of cruises, twice we waited and were told that an excursion we were interested in was sold out. I recommend booking online and yes you can book up until 10 days from departure.

[frugal one]

Once I am on the ship I don't want to spend even 15 minutes standing in a line to book an excursion.

Ditto! I'd rather be at the pool enjoying myself!

 

And just a heads up... for our last (& first) cruise, I was able to utilize the experiences of the folks here on cruise critic. I printed out the cruise lines excursion brochure and started researching each port and excursion right here. I found the ones that looked like something we'd enjoy. If there were suggestions for independent tours outside what the cruise ship offered, I researched them too. We planned in advance and booked in advance to ensure that our PRECIOUS vacation time was spent in the best possible way for US. Some of the best independent tour guides are booked months in advance. And so are some of the ships excursions.

[suezyq50]

I looked at an excursion we wanted to do, two weeks ago. Today it is sold out. Cruise is in one month. Now to plan B.

[Stella Darling]

I'm very excited about our cruise in March on Empress. We stop at 8 islands. I went online and printed out the excursions that are offered on the same cruise leaving in December (had to print them out individually because the "download brochure" option wasn't working). Not all the tours will be listed if I request the March date, some are added on as the date approaches. Then I take them to work, and read them extensively on my lunch break, and narrow them down to what we'd like to do on each island. Around mid-February, I'll book them on-line. I'd rather be enjoying my cruise, not standing in line at a tour desk or trying to hurry and book them from the TV in my cabin. We like ACTIVITY, not sleeping in a chair, so we want the tours we choose and don't want to be told they're sold out.

[Lightsluvr]

Why rush to book excursions.

 

I have been on 10 cruises and never has a tour been sold out. I would wait to book tours after the tour lecture on the ship. booking on-line doesnt help you it just make the cruise line job alittle easier. I never book on line, i always book on the ship and the tour lectures.

 

Is it 10 cruises or 68 cruises...I forget.

 

You are partly correct...only the popular excursions sell out early. The excursions like "The best of downtown Nassau" or "All you ever wanted to know about Diamonds International" can always throw on extra busses if they fill up.

 

And by the way, which way to the tour "lectures"??? I must have missed those...:cool:

 

LL

[BillOh]

Why rush to book excursions.

 

I have been on 10 cruises and never has a tour been sold out. I would wait to book tours after the tour lecture on the ship. booking on-line doesnt help you it just make the cruise line job alittle easier. I never book on line, i always book on the ship and the tour lectures.

 

I booked mine ahead, with the advantage being that they get charged directly to my credit card, so they could be paid before cruise starts. On our cruise, Labadee was day 5 of the cruise, and I tried adding an excursion/activity on day 4 and two I checked were sold out.

 

PS, the cutoff is 10 days prior to saling, but when do they open? As mentioned above, I like to have them paid off ahead of time. (looking at my links below, I obviously have plent of time)