Booking Shore Excursions through HAL

[ricok987]

I am sailing on an Eastern Carribbean Itinerary on HAL in the beginning of January 2009. When I went on to their website and logged in with my booking number to purchase excursions I found there were hardly any avaiable(about 6 for 2 out of 5 ports of call) to purchase yet. When do they usually show up? I want to book them asap because there are specific ones I want that might sell out, but I don't want to have to check every day. Would the beginning of December-1 month prior to sail date be the best time to check back?

Thanks for the help-in advance,

Rich

[pms4104]

I am sailing on an Eastern Carribbean Itinerary on HAL in the beginning of January 2009. When I went on to their website and logged in with my booking number to purchase excursions I found there were hardly any avaiable(about 6 for 2 out of 5 ports of call) to purchase yet. When do they usually show up? I want to book them asap because there are specific ones I want that might sell out, but I don't want to have to check every day. Would the beginning of December-1 month prior to sail date be the best time to check back?

Thanks for the help-in advance,

Rich

Personally, if there are excursions you really want, I believe a month out may be too late to secure a spot on a popular tour.

 

We are sailing December, and tours have been up for some while for our itinerary. Still nothing for one of our ports, and I've noticed new tours recently added since they first came up.

 

Suggest you check at least weekly, as tours will come up on the website as HAL negotiates with various tour operators.

[cp556]

Rich --

 

You might want to phone HAL Shorex and ask if they have any additional offerings. I know that has happened more than once ...

[cruise_4_2]

I agree, you should call Holland America. There may be a system problem that they are not aware of. We booked our shore excursions for a November 2008 cruise in the early spring, just a few weeks after booking the cruise itself.

[mr green]

Be aware that with HAL, if you book on line, you will be charged on your credit card at once.:mad:

Another line that I cruise with does not put these charges on until AFTER the cruise is over.:)

 

john

[boards]

We prefer to pay it right away and get some of the expenses taken care of before we leave on the cruise. You will get a refund if you have to cancel on the ship, no problem. We've done it.

[TCF]

We've been having the same problem for about a month or so. We leave on a reposition cruise this Friday.

HAL is in the middle of the itinerary change-over from Alaska/Europe to the Caribbean and are still negotiating the new excursion rates, and the availability of new excursions, with the vendors. HAL says they should be finished this process soon...at least that is what they said six weeks ago...but we have not seen an increase in availablility.

What we have done is negotiated our own excursions in all our ports except one where we have booked the HAL excursion. It is the ONLY excursion for this port so I guess it wasn't hard to negotiate!

We have an overnight in one port and were able to negotiate EXACTLY the same 2 excursions as those offered by HAL and saved $600 between the 2 over HAL's price. In other ports we are saving an average of $100 to $200 per excursion.

Go to the ports of call boards for the places you are going and find out what excursions others are buying direct from the vendors. I bet you will find the same excursions that HAL will offer in a few weeks, but at half the cost.

Tom

[DMorris]

I am sailing on an Eastern Carribbean Itinerary on HAL in the beginning of January 2009. When I went on to their website and logged in with my booking number to purchase excursions I found there were hardly any avaiable(about 6 for 2 out of 5 ports of call) to purchase yet. When do they usually show up? I want to book them asap because there are specific ones I want that might sell out, but I don't want to have to check every day. Would the beginning of December-1 month prior to sail date be the best time to check back?

Thanks for the help-in advance,

Rich

 

I had to book our excursions a few weeks apart... 3 ports showed tours but 2 ports didn't. They added the last 2 ports a week ago so I finally have all my port excursions booked. Not sure why they took so long to get them up there, but it took a while for all of mine to show up too.

[Cruising-along]

We prefer to pay it right away and get some of the expenses taken care of before we leave on the cruise. You will get a refund if you have to cancel on the ship, no problem. We've done it.

 

Hi Boards :) I agree, no problem getting a refund. Another good reason to book early is the price can go up -- happened after we booked some of our excursions, we were glad we booked early and got the lower price.

[boards]

Hi Cruising-along - we plan to book in advance on our 29 day Circumnavigation cruise Mar. 17, 2010, but will hold off for a while. Don't want to pay to far in advance.

[meterman2]

There appears to be no rhyme or reason as to when HAL offers shore excursions for any particular cruise. Some (cruises) are offered way in advance and some and some only 2-3 months out. Calling the shore excursions people does not always result in accurate information. Ultimately, pax are forced to keep checking, especially if you're looking to secure a cabana at HMC.

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL takes its time putting up the Caribbean excursions.

Just keep checking about every 2 or 3 days.

Remember that not all the tours you see availble for a port will be availble for your cruise. HAL shows all tours for all ships. But because the various ships have different port times, not all tours can be offered for each ship. We have noticed this several times. For one of our up-coming cruises, a tour that we would like to take is not being offered on our cruise -- we called HAL -- because we are only in the port a few hours.

[marcyjane]

Hi,

Booked for Oosterdam 2009 Europe cruise and know it's way to early to book tours yet, don't even think they have them posted yet, but was just curious with HAL (first HAL cruise) if you can book your tours before final payment is made.

Thanks,

Marcy;)

[meterman2]

Hi,

Booked for Oosterdam 2009 Europe cruise and know it's way to early to book tours yet, don't even think they have them posted yet, but was just curious with HAL (first HAL cruise) if you can book your tours before final payment is made.

 

 

Thanks,

Marcy;)

 

Yes, you can book before final payment.

[Williebill]

I am sailing on an Eastern Carribbean Itinerary on HAL in the beginning of January 2009. When I went on to their website and logged in with my booking number to purchase excursions I found there were hardly any avaiable(about 6 for 2 out of 5 ports of call) to purchase yet. When do they usually show up? I want to book them asap because there are specific ones I want that might sell out, but I don't want to have to check every day. Would the beginning of December-1 month prior to sail date be the best time to check back?

Thanks for the help-in advance,

Rich

I would check weekly.

[aggie_gal]

Is it true that if you book through HAL, if something happens on your excursion that causes a delay, the ship will wait for you? And if you don't book through them, they don't wait?:confused:

[Sunsailor]

We are sailing the Caribbean in November and several excursion listed in the brochure were not on the list to book for our cruise. I called HAL last week and asked and was told that they are still updating Caribbean shore excursions. Two days later the number of excursions for one port almost doubled. I'd wait until it's closer to the sail date of check with hAL to see if all excursions have been posted.

[RuthC]

Is it true that if you book through HAL, if something happens on your excursion that causes a delay, the ship will wait for you? And if you don't book through them, they don't wait?:confused:

Essentially, yes. There could be an occasion when the ship has to leave, even though a HAL excursion isn't back. But, HAL will make whatever arrangements are necessary to get the passengers back to the ship.

If you aren't back, and are not on a HAL excursion, the ship may sail without you. And you're on your own.

[cf_chuck]

Is it true that if you book through HAL, if something happens on your excursion that causes a delay, the ship will wait for you? And if you don't book through them, they don't wait?:confused:

 

If you book through HAL, they know what is up and there's a good chance that there are a good number of others in the same boat. So there's a better chance but no guarantee of them holding the ship. With current fuel prices, holding the ship costs HAL more than in the past. If you book on your own, you're on your own and HAL has no idea of what the delay might be or the number of pax effected.

[meterman2]

Is it true that if you book through HAL, if something happens on your excursion that causes a delay, the ship will wait for you? And if you don't book through them, they don't wait?:confused:

 

In most cases, they'll wait. If they can't, according to the HAL web-site, they'll get you to the next port. Depending on the port, the type of excursion and your "risk tolerance", booking through HAL can supply you with a little added comfort, albeit a little more expensive.

 

On our next cruise, we feel comfortable being on our own in Aruba & Curacao (been to both), but we're sticking with HAL tours in Panama & Costa Rica (never been there). Good luck!

[Jab70]

I am sailing on an Eastern Carribbean Itinerary on HAL in the beginning of January 2009. When I went on to their website and logged in with my booking number to purchase excursions I found there were hardly any avaiable(about 6 for 2 out of 5 ports of call) to purchase yet. When do they usually show up? I want to book them asap because there are specific ones I want that might sell out, but I don't want to have to check every day. Would the beginning of December-1 month prior to sail date be the best time to check back?

Thanks for the help-in advance,

Rich

 

I agree with the post from TCF. I'm also a newbie and by accident found the "key" for excursion(s) info. I find booking through HAL too expensive for the same ones you book privately. You don't pay up front, although they take cash or travellers cheques only when you show up having a reservation or some pick you up at the Pier. The "key" I found...go to bottom of post reviews to "Forum Jump" then scroll to "Ports of Call"....all the ports are there and tons of info to contact private tours who offer a lot more at a cheaper price than HAL does.