Yes, but the refund may take a while and require some effort. Also inclement weather they may still choose to proceed, you can cancel without penalty on cruiseline excursions or if simply didn't enjoy it.mcewen wrote: ↑I believe that if you book an excursion with a private company they will refund your money if the port is cancelled by the ship.
Don't believe the cruiselines when they tell you that "if you book private you will be on your own if something happens and you don't get back to the ship on time." That is just fear mongering, trying to make sure you book through them and overpay. These tour companies make their living providing tours to cruisers. A few bad reviews on Cruise Critic and they are toast. So getting back to the ship late... that just doesn't happen.
I"m not saying the cruiselines are better necessarily or the private ones are substandard, just pointing out the differences.
As for getting back to the ship ontime, it is entirely true if you do a private excursion and do not make it back on time, the ship will leave. That is entirely true and should be believed. The supplemental information is that private excursions will try their best to get you back on time since their reputation is dependent on it..but that does not negate the first point..if they fail to do that..you are on your own.
I had such an experience in Belize... went with local to the mayan ruins, but the fuel pump gave out in the middle of nowhere going there, no cell coverage. the driver tried to bang fuel pump to fix it to no avail... eventually he managed to flag down a passing car (another private operator doing same excursion) and got us into that car instead..this was over 1.5hrs... now it turned out ok for us..but if it had happened on the way back or didn't find a passing car willing to stop... very well could've missed the boat