The majority of cruise lines today post information about all their shore excursions on their Web sites. This chart shows the varying rules lines have about booking tours. Note about cancellation policies: Onboard the ship, final deadlines to book or cancel tours are noted for each port; this chart gives the common deadline but it can vary by itinerary. If there is a pre-deadline penalty to cancel, you may be able to switch tours of equal value without penalty. When canceling after the deadline, some lines will waive the 100 percent penalty if they can sell your space. Several cruise lines include up to a couple of special events/excursions in their fares; among these are Cruise West, Seabourn, SeaDream and Silversea. The following cruise lines not listed here include shore excursions in fares: American Safari Cruises, American West Steamboat Co. and Great American River Journeys.
%% Cruise line American Canadian Cruise Line %%
%% Web Site www.accl-smallships.com
Can you prebook tours? No
Tour booklet mailed ahead? No
How far ahead can you book? N/A
Presailing cut-off to book N/A
Cancellation fee None if by deadline
Payment required Book/pay onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 4-24 hours before tour
Price range of tours $2-$55
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 5
Cruise line Carnival Cruise Lines Online
Web Site www.carnival.com
Can you prebook tours? Online
Tour booklet mailed ahead? No (in cabin)
How far ahead can you book? 6 months
Presailing cut-off to book 5 days
Cancellation fee 25% after cut-off date
Payment required At booking
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 24 hours before tour
Price range of tours $19-$499
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 100+
Cruise line Celebrity Cruises
Web Site www.celebrity.com
Can you prebook tours? Online/mail/fax*
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 14 weeks (customized to itinerary)
How far ahead can you book? 6+ months
Presailing cut-off to book 10 days (5 days by late `05)
Cancellation fee None if by deadline
Payment required At booking
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 24 hours before tour
Price range of tours $35-$1,925
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 225
Cruise line Clipper Cruise Line
Web Site www.clippercruise.com
Can you prebook tours? No
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 30 days
How far ahead can you book? N/A
Presailing cut-off to book N/A
Cancellation fee None if by deadline
Payment required Book/pay onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 24 hours before tour
Price range of tours $20-$420
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 20
Cruise line Costa Cruises
Web Site www.costacruises.com
Can you prebook tours? Online
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 45 days
How far ahead can you book? 6 months
Presailing cut-off to book 7 days
Cancellation fee 100% after embarkation day
Payment required Onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% Embarkation day
Price range of tours $14-$350
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 55
Cruise line Cruise West
Web Site www.cruisewest.com
Can you prebook tours? Online/phone
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 45 days
How far ahead can you book? 3 months
Presailing cut-off to book 2 weeks
Cancellation fee 100% after cut-off
Payment required At booking
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 24 hours before tour**
Price range of tours $15-$469
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 40
Cruise line Crystal Cruises
Web Site www.crystalcruises.com
Can you prebook tours? Online/mail/fax
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 30+ days
How far ahead can you book? 6+ months
Presailing cut-off to book None
Cancellation fee 25% after bookings close
Payment required At booking or onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 24 hours before tour
Price range of tours $22-$13,500
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 25
Cruise line Cunard Line
Web Site www.cunard.com
Can you prebook tours? No
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 90 days
How far ahead can you book? N/A
Presailing cut-off to book N/A
Cancellation fee None/some tours non-refundable
Payment required Book/pay onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 24 hours before tour
Price range of tours $25-$3,500
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 100-140
Cruise line Discovery World Cruises
Web Site www.discoveryworldcruises.com
Can you prebook tours? Mail/fax
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 3 months
How far ahead can you book? 3 months
Presailing cut-off to book 7 days
Cancellation fee Sometimes
Payment required At booking
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 48 hours before tour
Price range of tours $18-$245
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 43
Cruise line Disney Cruise Line
Web Site www.disneycruise.com
Can you prebook tours? Online/mail/fax
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 90 days
How far ahead can you book? 90 days
Presailing cut-off to book None
Cancellation fee 100% from 2 days before sailing
Payment required Onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% No refund on tours bought onboard
Price range of tours $15-$345
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 46-60
Cruise line Hapag-Lloyd
Web Site www.hl-cruises.com
Can you prebook tours? Fax
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 3-4 months
How far ahead can you book? 3-4 months
Presailing cut-off to book None
Cancellation fee Usually none
Payment required Onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 48 hours before tour
Price range of tours 16-200 euros (about $20-$240)
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 21-28
Cruise line Holland America Line
Web Site www.hollandamerica.com
Can you prebook tours? Online/mail/fax (for World Cruise)
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 30+ days
How far ahead can you book? 60 days-9 months
Presailing cut-off to book 10 days
Cancellation fee 10-100% after cut-off
Payment required At booking
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 48 hours before tour usually
Price range of tours $9-$4,999
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 100-125
Cruise line MSC Cruises
Web Site www.msccruises.com
Can you prebook tours? No
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 75+ days
How far ahead can you book? N/A
Presailing cut-off to book N/A
Cancellation fee None if by deadline
Payment required Book/pay onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 24-48 hours before tour
Price range of tours $25-$300
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 40-60
Cruise line Norwegian Cruise Line/NCL America
Web Site www.ncl.com
Can you prebook tours? Online/mail/fax
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 52-70 days
How far ahead can you book? 60 days-1 year
Presailing cut-off to book 7 days
Cancellation fee Not usually
Payment required Onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 24-48 hours before tour
Price range of tours $8-$1,695
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 100
Cruise line Oceania Cruises
Web Site www.oceaniacruises.com
Can you prebook tours? Online/mail/fax
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 21+ days
How far ahead can you book? When booking cruise
Presailing cut-off to book 48 hours
Cancellation fee None if by deadline
Payment required At booking
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 48 hours before tour
Price range of tours $20-$899
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 60-75
Cruise line Orient Lines
Web Site www.orientlines.com
Can you prebook tours? No
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 52-70 days
How far ahead can you book? N/A
Presailing cut-off to book N/A
Cancellation fee None if by deadline
Payment required Book/pay onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 24-48 hours before tour
Price range of tours $29-$1,895
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise Not available
Cruise line Princess Cruises
Web Site www.princess.com
Can you prebook tours? Online/mail/fax
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 75-90+ days
How far ahead can you book? 120 days
Presailing cut-off to book 7 days
Cancellation fee None if by deadline
Payment required Onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 24-48 hours before tour
Price range of tours $14-$2,279
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 100-140
Cruise line Radisson Seven Seas Cruises
Web Site www.rssc.com
Can you prebook tours? Online/fax
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 30+ days
How far ahead can you book? 60 days
Presailing cut-off to book None
Cancellation fee None if by deadline
Payment required Onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% Day before tour
Price range of tours $24-$4,000
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 50
Cruise line Royal Caribbean International
Web Site www.royalcaribbean.com
Can you prebook tours? Online/mail/fax
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 30 days
How far ahead can you book? 6 months
Presailing cut-off to book 10 days
Cancellation fee None if by deadline
Payment required At booking
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% Day before tour
Price range of tours $12-$489
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 175
Cruise line Seabourn Cruise Line
Web Site www.seabourn.com
Can you prebook tours? Mail/fax*
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 90 days
How far ahead can you book? 90 days
Presailing cut-off to book 30 days
Cancellation fee 25%-100% under 90 days
Payment required At booking
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 24+ hours before tour**
Price range of tours $29-$2,999
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 20+
Cruise line Seadream Yacht Club
Web Site www.seadreamyachtclub.com
Can you prebook tours? Online (late ’05)
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 30 days
How far ahead can you book? Not yet available
Presailing cut-off to book Not yet available
Cancellation fee None if by deadline
Payment required Book/pay onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 24-48 hours before tour
Price range of tours $19-$400
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 12
Cruise line Silversea Cruises
Web Site www.silversea.com
Can you prebook tours? Online
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 30 days
How far ahead can you book? 60 days
Presailing cut-off to book 7 days
Cancellation fee None if by deadline
Payment required Onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% 48 hours before tour (penalties vary)
Price range of tours $32-$12,989
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 15
Cruise line Windstar Cruises
Web Site www.windstarcruises.com
Can you prebook tours? No
Tour booklet mailed ahead? 30+ days
How far ahead can you book? N/A
Presailing cut-off to book N/A
Cancellation fee None if by deadline
Payment required Book/pay onboard
Deadline to cancel or lose 100% Day before tour
Price range of tours $29-$799
Avg. number of tours, 7-night cruise 18-24
* Some itineraries only
** For tours booked onboard
N/A = Not applicable
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Illustration by Peter Hoey
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