This question is about shore excursions. Can you tell me if you need to pay for them when you book the cruise or do you pay when you actually take the cruise? We are planning to take a Princess cruise this summer but I need to know the answer to this question before booking.
It’s a good thing you specified the cruise line because different lines have different rules. The way it works on Princess is you book your excursions at any time before arriving at the port of call. The night before you are scheduled for that port, you will receive your tickets. The price of the excursion is added to your onboard account and the balance is paid at the end of the cruise with your other expenses. In other words, they aren’t actually paid for until the very end of your cruise. As a side note remember that some shore excursions do have limited space so if there is something you really would like to do, book early, you can always cancel if you change your mind. You can also book a private excursion in which case you would pay the excursion provider directly, based on their particular preference.
I was wondering, when ships dock, do the ships switch to the local time or will it stay with the time zone of the original port of embarkation?
To be perfectly honest, some do and some don’t. I have been on cruises that stay on the same time as the port of embarkation and cruises that have changed to local time; it’s at the Captain’s discretion. The good news is you don’t have to guess as to what the policy of your ship may be. Every night you will receive a newsletter outlining the events for the following day. These newsletters will also give information on what time schedules should be observed. Just be sure to make note of the time and set your watch accordingly. I have never had it happen, but I am sure missing the boat is one of the worst cruising experiences one can endure.
How far in advance should I book a cruise? We were thinking of going on a cruise in either April or May of this year. Do I have to go with the May cruise or is there still time to book a cruise for April?
While I always advise cruisers to book as soon as you possibly can, other than the cruise mandates there is no concrete date where it becomes too late to book a cruise vacation. I usually try to book at least six months in advance but that isn’t always possible. I booked the cruise I am taking on March 15th just two months ago. In fact, I have booked a cruise as close to the sail date as one month out, without any problems. I also have a friend who lives within driving distance of the port of Miami who books his cruises just one week out, for maximum savings. So, I would say you would be safe for either of those cruises. To read more of my thoughts on when to plan a cruise check this post out, it may help you plan your next cruise.
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