Cost of cruise excursions booked in advance?

Question

I am going on a cruise in 10 days and today is the last day to purchase excursions in advance. Does anyone have any experience with this? How much more expensive are they if you wait until you're on the ship? (Royal Caribbean)

Answer 1

The above answer is correct. Also, check for excursions offered outside of the cruise company. Alot of times you can save a lot of money on excursions if you book them through private companies that are set up at or near the port of call. Check out the cruise forums at tripadvisor.com and cruisecritic.com for more information regarding private bookings.

Answer 2

My wife and I have noticed that excursions are VERY expensive.  I guess it all depends on where you're cruising.  We're doing a 7-day Hawaii cruise in May and we've decided to rent cars at all the island stops and drive around.  We did Kauai last year, so we know the island, and we have relatives who have a timeshare on Maui, so we're going to ask them what the do-not-miss attractions are.  Now, I realize not everyone is quite that adventurous, but if you're willing to explore a little and do some of your own research, you may find that striking out on your own will be less costly and more rewarding than signing up for the cruise excursions.

Answer 3

It's not that they cost more, it's that they fill up and you won't be able to go!  If you don't get them ahead of time, book them as soon as you get on the ship!

Answer 4

You are still able to able to book the excursions once you get onboard and they don't cost anything additional. The only problem is if they are sold out. They recommend booking them in advance so that you know you have what you want. As you get closer to your date at port, the excursions begin to fill up more and more, more than likely you will not be the only ship at port either.

You can book the excursions outside of the cruise line. Just be very careful. For example, you don't know if it is a legitimate company, if they will really be there when you arrive, what may happen when you get there etc. Also, the cruise lines uses companies that they trust, meaning the equipment they use will be in good condition, the tour guide will usually be nice, etc. The other thing is that if you were to get delayed on your excursion and were not able to make it back to the ship before they left port, they will more than likely wait for you if you are on one of their excursions. They know when you leave, when you get back, if you are delayed, etc. However, if you are on your own excursion, they don't know where you are and therefore cannot wait indefinitely for you to return.

But to answer your question, you are allowed to book the excursions once onboard, it does not cost anymore, but everything may not be available.

Have a great time!