Is it required to pre-pay for the shore excursions in full when booked?

Question

I'm going to South America cruise with my parents and their friends. I found a company offer day trip / shore excursions in many port locations. Every trip I book will be for five of us, so it costs a lot. Is it safe to pay everything upfront? If you have been to Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina, which excursion company did you use? Was it safe? Is it worthwhile to book a non-cruise-line offered excursions to save money?

Answer 1

Check out cruisecritic.com  It's a message board for cruisers.  You will be able find find info relating to shore exs as well as good  / bad experiences with various independant vendors.  If you book your shorex via the cruiseline prior to departure, you will be charged upfront.  If you book it while on the ship, it will be added to your SS account.  I usually use independant companies although there are times when it is better to use a ship sponsored excursion.

Answer 2

I share Time Traveler's concerns -- be REALLY careful about booking through a 3rd party excursion company, especially in countries with less regulation and monitoring or where equipment failure is a real risk.  Personally I'm OK using an independent in St. Thomas (which has US regulations) or the South of France, but not in South America.  Similarly, I'll take a hiking tour with an independent, but not flight-seeing (not even in the US).

There was a very sad incident a few years ago where some Celebrity guests were on a bus tour in Chile.  The bus went over a ledge.  People were killed.  You guessed it, the tour was with some company they found on the internet.  The bus was not up to spec.  

Similarly, last year there were some sad flight-seeing accidents in North America, which were also with 3rd party outfits that opted to take risks and fly on bad-weather days, with less experienced pilots, than an official tour would have allowed.

Look, nothing is 100% safe, not even getting out of bed in the morning. But the cruise lines have a big incentive to make sure their tours are safe, they have a reputation to uphold.  Even if other people had good luck with an independent tour company, in a less-regulated country you are incurring an unnecessary risk.

In South America, even if it's just a bus tour, go with the cruise line's excursion.  It'll cost a little more but (a) your family will be safer, and (b) you know they won't run off with your money.

I hope you have a safe and wonderful trip.

Answer 3

If you book threw the cruise line then whether you pay all at once or installments then yes. I have been on 22 cruises and have NEVER booked an excursion until I am on the dock. Too many factors that could effect your excursions; such as weather, you may not feel well, you may have changed your mind etc............ I would wait until your are there. Yes, you must be back on board when the ship departs and the local excursions know the schedule as well as that is how most make a living.

Answer 4

The biggest problem with booking a shore excursion on your own is trust? It's hard to know who to trust, especially in a foreign country that you are unfamiliar with. The other major problem is getting back to the ship on time. The ship will wait for one of their company's that they use, but no others. Every cruise I have been on(I've been on 8), I always have seen someone miss the ship, or come very very close to missing the ship. Then it would be up to you to find transportation to the next port.