How Carnival Cruise Excursions Operate?

Carnival’s onboard lounge tour dispatch system allows tour operators to meet shore excursion participants and depart from a shipboard venue, providing a more streamlined, organized, and expedited departure. If you are within the cut-off window for the new sailing, you must purchase shore excursions once onboard. A detailed listing of all available excursions for your cruise, along with a shore excursion order form and instructions on how to book, is available.

Shore excursions can be booked online prior to sailing up until the Pre-Sail cut-off time, 11:59pm ET, the evening prior to the cruise departure. Carnival has hand-selected the best local excursion providers at every port of call to ensure you get the best price. In this guide, we walk you through the steps of researching, booking, and managing Carnival cruise excursions, as well as provide insider tips to help you get maximum enjoyment out of your first Carnival cruise or next vacation.

Carnival Cruise Line offers private and custom excursions, plus flexible budget options. We work with groups as small as 12 guests and all tours we sell are backed by our Best Price Guarantee. Shore excursions are simply one means to explore the areas visited by the ship and participate in available activities off the ship. You can book your excursions with the cruise line, pay for them in advance as a separate fee to the cruise line, or book them on board qand. CruiseCompete links you to third-party shore excursion providers, giving you access to premium shore excursions from your Carnival Cruise Lines cruise.

Carnival aims to make it easier for cruise travelers who can only spend a limited time in each port they’re visiting on their itinerary by offering many hosted group excursions, where a representative from the ship takes you to a place or activity.

Is it cheaper to buy excursions on the ship?

Ship-sponsored tours are often more expensive than directly offered tours through the operator, as the cruise line serves as the middleman and inflates fees to take a cut before paying the tour company. Independent tours take smaller groups, allowing for more personalized experiences. When booking a private tour, you may be one of fewer than 20 people, compared to the smaller group sizes of third-party tours. Therefore, it’s essential to choose the right tour option for your travel needs.

Do you pay extra for excursions on cruises?

The majority of cruise passengers supplement their cruise fare with additional purchases, including shore excursions, meals at specialty restaurants, spa treatments, cocktails, soda, Wi-Fi, and other items, despite adhering to the included fare.

Do I need cash for cruise excursions?

CruiseInsider offers extra perks and additional shipboard credit on most sailings, with the amount varying by cruise line, special offer, stateroom category, or itinerary. Cash is typically needed in port, especially in foreign ports, to save money on foreign transaction fees and in places where credit cards aren’t accepted. To reduce cash requirements and maintain a good record of purchases, it is recommended to pay for onshore purchases over $10 with a credit card and use pocket change or local currency for the rest.

Cash is needed for sweets, sodas, souvenirs, street vendors, and small mom-and-pop shops. Large cities like Rome or Barcelona can use plastic in most cases. When budgeting, consider the overall itinerary and prioritize your priorities when budgeting money.

Do you tip on cruise excursions?

Cruise passengers are expected to tip tour guides and bus drivers on shore excursions, with a suggested starting price of $5 per person for a half-day tour and $10 per person for a full-day tour for the guide and $2 for the bus driver. The tip can be increased based on the experience, such as bonding with a snorkel guide. Porters who collect bags at the pier are expected to tip around $1 to $2 per bag.

If a cruise includes a hotel night, consider leaving a gratuity for the housekeeping staff at the hotel. However, tipping everyone on a cruise is generally considered bad form, as it is generally considered bad form to tip the captain, officers, and management team.

What are the disadvantages of shore excursions?

Cruise line excursions offer advantages such as traveling with a group of passengers and comparing notes with fellow shipmates. They are also reputable and licensed, unlike independent tours. However, downsides include potential long lines, crowded buses, and long stops at souvenir shops. Port tours can range from free on cruise lines like Viking, Crystal, and Uniworld to over $100 per person for higher-priced options like golf, helicopter rides, seaplane rides, and visits to ancient ruins.

Some lines even offer overnight excursions to swanky hotels or private limo tours. Traditional shore excursions are worth it for exploring sites far from the cruise dock, accessing historic monuments, forts, or castles, and learning more about a region.

Can you get off a Carnival cruise ship without an excursion?

Carnival does not require passengers to book shore excursions through the ship to leave the ship. Public transportation is available at most ports, and passengers can find their desired destinations through local libraries, bookstores, or websites. Carnival does not offer alternatives from its established shore excursion program. All excursions sold through Carnival are coordinated with reputable tour operators and include popular sites of interest.

Booking excursions through Carnival guarantees the ship’s presence in port until all guests return. However, Carnival will not be aware of independently booked excursions. Some ports may have visa requirements that may prevent travelers from venturing off on their own.

Is it worth doing excursions on a cruise?

Can I book a shore excursion on my own instead of through a cruise line? Yes, depending on various factors. For novice travelers, ship tours are the simplest, easiest, and most convenient option. They depart and return to the ship, eliminating the need to find a guide in unfamiliar ports. Additionally, the ship will not leave port until all its own tours have returned. Independent tours can be cheaper than cruise ship tours, as they are often marked up and may not offer the activity or attraction you are interested in. However, if you have a particular interest, the ship may not offer a tour for the activity or attraction you’re excited about.

Do you pay for excursions on a Carnival cruise?

To re-book shore excursions for a new ship or sail date, follow the order process using your new cruise booking number. Online bookings cannot be made after the cut-off date for the new sailing. If within the cut-off window, you must purchase shore excursions onboard. A detailed list of available excursions, an order form, and instructions on how to book excursions are available. Some ships offer an interactive television system for convenience.

Tipping is discretionary, but it is customary worldwide to tip tour guides if pleased with the excursion. A general rule is one dollar per person for half-day excursions and two dollars for full-day excursions.

Clothing for port excursions depends on the climate, with light, casual clothing and comfortable, low-heeled walking shoes or sneakers recommended. For water-related excursions, a bathing suit, cover-up, and hat are recommended. Remember to bring sunscreen, a towel, and a camera, and leave valuables onboard. For golf excursions, collared shirts and long pants or Bermuda-style shorts are required.

Can you leave cruise ship without excursion?

Passengers are at liberty to explore the ports of call at their own discretion and are not obliged to reserve shore excursions. Passengers will be informed of the time at which they are required to proceed to their cabins, which is typically 30 minutes prior to departure. It is recommended that this time be verified on board and posted in a prominent location near the ship’s gangway. The vessel will not delay its departure from the port of call in anticipation of the arrival of all passengers.

How much money should I take on a 7 day cruise?

Most guests bring $50-$120 cash per day for daily purchases during cruises, including duty-free goods, shore excursions, local souvenirs, casino games, and spa treatments. They can charge these items to their shipboard account or pay with a debit or credit card for in-port purchases. During port visits, guests should carry cash for smaller purchases like transportation, tips, gifts, food, and shopping.

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