Do Port Adventures Get Added?

[Keyser]

So, tonight was when my onboard booking window opened up - we actually paid in full well before the deadline so that we could book at this point (this is a December cruise, and we're Gold status). Unfortunately, the main Port Adventure we were hoping for doesn't show up. I'm not sure if that's an indication that it's full (seems unlikely given how many other activities were still available), or if it's just not being offered at all (perhaps due to Covid cutbacks).

I'm guessing that it's missing due to Covid limitations (the number of Port Adventures is a lot smaller than I would have expected), so that brings the question: do Port Adventures ever/frequently get added as options later on? I know they will get eliminated, but I'm wondering if what we see listed is as good as it gets, or if there's a chance it'll show up at some point later on.

 

[yowcruiser]

In the past, I have seen new booking hours being added for an existing activity and oversold activities being on and off. I cannot specifically recall new ones being added, but I guess not impossible

 

[Disneyland_emily]

I know for Nassau quite a few vendors (mainly Atlantis) had not secured arrangements with DCL for port adventures so I’d assume that when the time is right they’ll be added.

I personally wouldn’t recommend going outside DCL for any adventures until it’s 1000% confirmed that it would happen

 

[cvjw]

If the port adventure you want is full, it will still show. You just can’t book it because it will indicate it is full.

 

[dvcdisney]

I had the same issue. Before our window opened for booking, I went over the options with my family for each port using the list of Port Adventures for each port. We decided on 2 choices for each port and neither were available when I booked.

I thought for a second it was just length of time, but I noticed some of the others were just as long or longer.

Not sure if they will add ones but we've never been in this situation. I don't know if it had something to do with not being available due to covid closures, but it's the first time I notice more than a handful not available to book. And as someone mentioned, if it's sold out, it will show. In the past, I did notice these sold out to open up, not sure if they added more time slots or people cancelled.

I'm planning to periodically check if they do add our original choices before we leave.

 

[dvcdisney]

I personally wouldn’t recommend going outside DCL for any adventures until it’s 1000% confirmed that it would happen

We, generally, prefer booking private tours, but for this cruise, we're staying with DCL excursions.

 

[tvguy]

I have read on other cruise forums that some excursions in some ports have been discontinued because the local government has deemed them to be "not covid safe". Apparently the British Virgin Islands has a number of excursions they have suspended, and restrictions on where cruise ship passengers can go. They want to keep them in a "bubble".

 

[Sconny]

For our 7 day eastern at end of November this year the BVI port adventures back at the end of July (120 days out) only had 2 things listed to do.

Went back a week or 2 later logged in and they had added a 1 or 2 more.

Just went and looked today and there were 17 different things to choose from, pretty much all of the normal Disney Port excursions were listed. The same thing for St Thomas, about 10 at 1st and now there are 24 listed.

So although no one is sure if 7 day cruises will happen or BVI will let anyone in the Port Adventures are starting to show up again to book, and they were not there a month ago...all good things in my book.

 

[Keyser]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, for me (not necessarily for the rest of my family, but for me), the excursion we were hoping for (Chichen Itza at Cozumel) was the thing I was most looking forward to. Honestly, not having it might be the final straw for us... And, that's an excursion there's no way we'd do except with Disney (too big a risk of missing the return otherwise).

We still have some time before we can't get a full refund, so maybe we'll wait and see if it does get added.

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

I booked the other day for November...there was no Blue Lagoon or Atlantis for Nassau day. There was far less other bookings as well. They did have some other known ones and only was (submarine) was booked already for my cruise.

 

[Keyser]

OK, so I will follow up on my own thread to say they definitely do add port excursions. Although the main one I wanted is still not showing, they did add some others, including one that looks like it would be a decent substitute for us.

They are certainly slow about updates - my cruise is still showing a stop in Grand Cayman in December (and Grand Cayman has said no cruises this year...), though that one only has a few excursions showing. (Why it shows any is a mystery...). So who knows how things will end up, but if you're like I was, and not seeing the excursions you wanted when your booking window opens, more can show up later.

 

[MsSimone]

For our 7 day eastern at end of November this year the BVI port adventures back at the end of July (120 days out) only had 2 things listed to do.

Went back a week or 2 later logged in and they had added a 1 or 2 more.

Just went and looked today and there were 17 different things to choose from, pretty much all of the normal Disney Port excursions were listed. The same thing for St Thomas, about 10 at 1st and now there are 24 listed.

So although no one is sure if 7 day cruises will happen or BVI will let anyone in the Port Adventures are starting to show up again to book, and they were not there a month ago...all good things in my book.

Can you provide any details on what options were listed? We are cruising in Dec, booking opens Monday. Trying to do my research for what my family might enjoy. We've been through the list on DCL but I'm curious how that contrasts with the actual offerings at the moment.

 

[Goofylou]

For our 7 day eastern at end of November this year the BVI port adventures back at the end of July (120 days out) only had 2 things listed to do.

Went back a week or 2 later logged in and they had added a 1 or 2 more.

Just went and looked today and there were 17 different things to choose from, pretty much all of the normal Disney Port excursions were listed. The same thing for St Thomas, about 10 at 1st and now there are 24 listed.

So although no one is sure if 7 day cruises will happen or BVI will let anyone in the Port Adventures are starting to show up again to book, and they were not there a month ago...all good things in my book.

I am on the same cruise and could see the same, when gold booking started there was only 4 not great port adventures and several weeks later got the Tortola day I wanted (and now praying hard that our itenerary sails, as much as I like Cozumel etc, I booked this for the new ports - and spent 3 nights last week on UK staycation doing circles of the North sea (picture attached)