Audria407
I've got an incredible body ... but it's in the tr
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2011
- Messages
- 74
Has anyone here booked excursions through Expedia? I was pricing future cruises and noticed that Expedia also does excursions - Apparently you don't have to book your cruise through them. It uses the ship and departure date to determine what excursions available on the day you're in each port.
The variety is somewhat different than Disney's, less expensive, and child rates go up through age 12 rather than age nine (as all Disney excursions do). I use Expedia often for travel but never for excursions; have any of you used them for this before? It all sounds like a good deal, but I'm the cautious optimist. Any feedback is appreciated.
********** FAQs from the Expedia website ************
Why book with us?
We know that your time in port is one of the most important parts of your vacation, so we take our commitment to deliver great shore excursions very seriously. That's why shore excursions are our only business. We carefully select only the best tour operators in each port, and, because we are not trying to reserve excursions for thousands of people at a time, in many cases we are able to choose tour providers who carry much smaller groups of travelers on more intimate, personalized experiences. Because we know that it can be confusing to choose the best tour in each port, we have a staff of shore excursion experts available to answer your questions and provide suggestions on the best tour options to meet your individual needs. And we stand behind the tours we deliver. Please see more information on the guarantee we offer by clicking on this link. Our Guarantee
Is there a risk I'll miss the ship if I don't book through the cruise line?
No. Although the cruise lines would like you to believe that independent tours carry this risk, all of our tour operators are well aware of your ship's departure time, and our tours are designed to get you back to the ship with time to spare. One of our tour developers worked onboard cruise ships for 16 years, and not once did a passenger on one of his sailings miss the ship because an independent tour was late getting back to the ship. In the extremely unlikely event you were to miss the ship due to one of our tours, we guarantee that we will pay the full cost of your meals, hotel, and transportation to the next port of call, and we will handle all of your arrangements for you.
How do I book shore excursions?
If you know which tours you want to take, you can reserve them directly through our web site by adding them to your shopping cart and checking out just like you would do with a typical online purchase. If you are uncertain which tours you would like to take or want some advice or guidance on your tours, we encourage you to contact one of our Shore Excursion Experts during our regular business hours of 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday Eastern Standard Time.
How do I receive my booking confirmation and voucher?
Shortly after you reserve a tour, we will e-mail your confirmation which will include your tour vouchers as well as instructions on how and when to meet up with your guide for each tour.
When should I reserve my shore excursion?
Because some tours book up well in advance of the tour departure date, we recommend reserving your excursions as far in advance as possible. This will give you the best chance of reserving your first choice in each of the ports.
How close to the tour departure can I make a reservation?
We require you to make a reservation at least three business days in advance of your ship's departure so that we have the ability to ensure that all of the arrangements are confirmed, finalized, and communicated.
What do shore excursions include?
Shore excursions include transportation according to the itinerary, meals, refreshments, guides, and entrance fees as indicated in the individual tour descriptions.
Where do I go to start my tour?
Your booking confirmation will contain clear instructions on where and when to go to start each of your tours. It will also include instructions on what to do in the very unlikely event that you encounter difficulties in meeting up with your guide.
What is your cancellation policy?
With very few exceptions, you can cancel a tour up to 14 days in advance of tour departure and receive a full refund. The few exceptions to this rule are clearly noted in the tour description. If you would like to cancel a tour, simply give us a call during regular business hours, and we will be happy to assist you. Once you are within the 14 day tour departure window, the tour becomes non-refundable. This is because our operators have set aside space to accommodate your request and will often not be able to fill that space with another customer so close to departure.
Will you refund my money if I miss my tour because the ship is late or cannot make it into port?
Yes. You will receive a full refund for your tour if you cannot make a tour departure due to a ship delay or a missed port call. You will of course also receive a full refund if weather or an equipment problem prevents the tour operator from delivering the tour. Simply let us know within two weeks of date of the tour, and we will issue a full refund.
How do I make changes to my tour reservations?
If you need to make changes to your reservation or to cancel a tour, please contact one of our Shore Excursion Experts during regular business hours and they will be happy to assist you.
Are children's prices available?
Yes. Many of our tours offer children's prices for children under the age of 12 years. Toddlers aged 3 and younger sitting on a parent's lap (not occupying a seat), are not charged for most tours. Please see the individual tour descriptions for specifics on pricing.
Are there any age restrictions on tours?
For most tours, there is no minimum age for children as long as they are accompanied by a parent or guardian. Guests under the age of 18 years are not permitted to participate without a parent or guardian. In some cases, an unaccompanied minor may be permitted on a tour if a wavier is signed by the parent. Please call us for details on specific tours.
The variety is somewhat different than Disney's, less expensive, and child rates go up through age 12 rather than age nine (as all Disney excursions do). I use Expedia often for travel but never for excursions; have any of you used them for this before? It all sounds like a good deal, but I'm the cautious optimist. Any feedback is appreciated.
********** FAQs from the Expedia website ************
Why book with us?
We know that your time in port is one of the most important parts of your vacation, so we take our commitment to deliver great shore excursions very seriously. That's why shore excursions are our only business. We carefully select only the best tour operators in each port, and, because we are not trying to reserve excursions for thousands of people at a time, in many cases we are able to choose tour providers who carry much smaller groups of travelers on more intimate, personalized experiences. Because we know that it can be confusing to choose the best tour in each port, we have a staff of shore excursion experts available to answer your questions and provide suggestions on the best tour options to meet your individual needs. And we stand behind the tours we deliver. Please see more information on the guarantee we offer by clicking on this link. Our Guarantee
Is there a risk I'll miss the ship if I don't book through the cruise line?
No. Although the cruise lines would like you to believe that independent tours carry this risk, all of our tour operators are well aware of your ship's departure time, and our tours are designed to get you back to the ship with time to spare. One of our tour developers worked onboard cruise ships for 16 years, and not once did a passenger on one of his sailings miss the ship because an independent tour was late getting back to the ship. In the extremely unlikely event you were to miss the ship due to one of our tours, we guarantee that we will pay the full cost of your meals, hotel, and transportation to the next port of call, and we will handle all of your arrangements for you.
How do I book shore excursions?
If you know which tours you want to take, you can reserve them directly through our web site by adding them to your shopping cart and checking out just like you would do with a typical online purchase. If you are uncertain which tours you would like to take or want some advice or guidance on your tours, we encourage you to contact one of our Shore Excursion Experts during our regular business hours of 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday Eastern Standard Time.
How do I receive my booking confirmation and voucher?
Shortly after you reserve a tour, we will e-mail your confirmation which will include your tour vouchers as well as instructions on how and when to meet up with your guide for each tour.
When should I reserve my shore excursion?
Because some tours book up well in advance of the tour departure date, we recommend reserving your excursions as far in advance as possible. This will give you the best chance of reserving your first choice in each of the ports.
How close to the tour departure can I make a reservation?
We require you to make a reservation at least three business days in advance of your ship's departure so that we have the ability to ensure that all of the arrangements are confirmed, finalized, and communicated.
What do shore excursions include?
Shore excursions include transportation according to the itinerary, meals, refreshments, guides, and entrance fees as indicated in the individual tour descriptions.
Where do I go to start my tour?
Your booking confirmation will contain clear instructions on where and when to go to start each of your tours. It will also include instructions on what to do in the very unlikely event that you encounter difficulties in meeting up with your guide.
What is your cancellation policy?
With very few exceptions, you can cancel a tour up to 14 days in advance of tour departure and receive a full refund. The few exceptions to this rule are clearly noted in the tour description. If you would like to cancel a tour, simply give us a call during regular business hours, and we will be happy to assist you. Once you are within the 14 day tour departure window, the tour becomes non-refundable. This is because our operators have set aside space to accommodate your request and will often not be able to fill that space with another customer so close to departure.
Will you refund my money if I miss my tour because the ship is late or cannot make it into port?
Yes. You will receive a full refund for your tour if you cannot make a tour departure due to a ship delay or a missed port call. You will of course also receive a full refund if weather or an equipment problem prevents the tour operator from delivering the tour. Simply let us know within two weeks of date of the tour, and we will issue a full refund.
How do I make changes to my tour reservations?
If you need to make changes to your reservation or to cancel a tour, please contact one of our Shore Excursion Experts during regular business hours and they will be happy to assist you.
Are children's prices available?
Yes. Many of our tours offer children's prices for children under the age of 12 years. Toddlers aged 3 and younger sitting on a parent's lap (not occupying a seat), are not charged for most tours. Please see the individual tour descriptions for specifics on pricing.
Are there any age restrictions on tours?
For most tours, there is no minimum age for children as long as they are accompanied by a parent or guardian. Guests under the age of 18 years are not permitted to participate without a parent or guardian. In some cases, an unaccompanied minor may be permitted on a tour if a wavier is signed by the parent. Please call us for details on specific tours.
