Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) offers specific onboard credits, such as “shore excursion credits”, which can only be used to purchase tours. These credits are nonrefundable and are based on cruise duration and per person, not per stateroom. For Alaska cruisetours and 6- to 9-day cruises, eligible guests will receive the Simply More Shore Excursion Credit, which can be used for all types of excursions, including OS-Oceania Select, OE-Oceania Exclusive, and CD-Culinary.
The $50 Shore Excursion Credit is applicable for each port, including debarkation port, and is not transferable to other ports. The first guest may redeem the promotion of $50 Shore Excursion Credit on more than one shore excursion per port. For 10- to 20-day cruises, eligible guests will receive US$200 Shore Excursion credit per person to apply toward their Shore Excursion purchase(s). For 21+ day cruises, the $50 Shore Excursion Credit has no monetary value, are non-refundable, non-transferable, and cannot be exchanged for actual currency of any value.
Onboard Credit (OBC) can be used to purchase shore excursions, specialty dining, spa treatments, beverage packages, and more. Purchases will be added to your account once on board. Shore excursions can include sightseeing bus tours, guided visits to museums or historic sites, athletic activities, or other activities. The first guest shall receive free shore excursions priced at $50 or less (“the promotion”).
In summary, NCL’s shore excursion credit is a use it or lose it deal, with the $50 credit applied to each day in port for each shore excursion booked. It is nonrefundable, non-transferable, and cannot be exchanged for actual currency. To maximize the value of your cruise excursion, consider using the $50 Shore Excursion Credit on multiple shore excursions and other items while onboard the ship.
📹 FREE MONEY? Norwegian Cruise Line’s $50 Shore Excursion Credit Perk
Is it really free money? In this video I’ll share everything I’ve learned about the Shore Excursion credits perk, including when you …
Is it cheaper to buy shore excursions on the ship?
Cruise line shore excursions can be more expensive than comparable or identical alternatives. For instance, booking a shore excursion to a resort with a waterpark in the Bahamas through the cruise line is $19 cheaper per person than booking it directly through the resort itself. However, booking directly or through a third party can be easier on personal finances.
There are several advantages of booking shore excursions through the cruise line. There are often dozens of options listed for each port, making it time-consuming to research options. Cruise line excursions are designed to fit into your time in port, and the tour operator typically meets you upon arrival and provides transportation.
Seashore excursions sold through the cruise line are designed to get you back to the ship well before it leaves. However, if you are running late, the cruise line will either get you back to the ship on time or wait for you. Cruise lines also carefully select which excursion operators they are willing to do business with, as some foreign countries may have different safety standards than the United States.
What is an example of a shore excursion?
Adventure tours for shore excursions offer a variety of activities, including zip-lining, horseback riding, kayaking, helicopter rides, light plane flights, exploring ghost towns and old copper mines in Australia, biking, hiking, and 4-wheel off-road adventures. In Hawaii, biking up to a volcano is possible, while in Mexico, float trips through ancient Mayan caves are available. Other activities include swimming with dolphins or pet stingrays, mountain or rock climbing, and bird-watching and whale-watching. These tours cater to both first-time and experienced travelers, making them a top choice for cruise passengers.
What is an excursion credit on a cruise ship?
Some cruise lines and travel agents offer shore excursion credit as a booking bonus, applying a preset amount (often $50) to each port day booked for a shore excursion. If the cost exceeds the credit, it becomes a discount.
What is the shore excursion credit?
Some cruise lines and travel agents offer shore excursion credit as a booking bonus, whereby a preset amount (typically $50) is applied to each port day booked for a shore excursion. In the event that the cost exceeds the credit, the excess is treated as a discount.
Are shore excursions worth it?
Shore excursions are a great way to make the most of your time in port, but a mix of guided tours and independent exploration can be the most value. Choose the best option based on your budget and interests, and consider both ship-sponsored and independent tour and activity options. If you want to stay on board while your ship is docked in a port that doesn’t interest you, that’s okay. There are several guides to choosing a cruise line, including the 5 most desirable cabin locations, the 8 worst cabin locations, the ultimate guide to packing, the most popular cruise lines, 21 tips and tricks, top ways cruisers waste money, and the ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin.
Can you get off a Norwegian cruise ship without an excursion?
If you are not booked on a shore excursion, you may need to use local public transport or a non-complimentary shuttle service to reach the city centre. The website uses cookies, and by continuing to browse, you agree to their use. For more information, please click here.
The Norwegian Cruise Line offers various cruise tours, including 14-Day Authentic Alaska – Northbound Cruise Tour, 14-Day Authentic Alaska – Southbound Cruise Tour, and 20-Day Transpacific from Tokyo (Yokohama) and Alaska. These tours offer various deck plans, deck plans, and activities to explore Alaska. The cruise line also offers a 20-Day Transpacific from Tokyo (Yokohama) and Alaska. To learn more about these cruises, please visit their website or contact them at their contact information.
What does on shore excursion mean?
Cruise passengers often opt for shore excursions to explore the local culture and life during their cruise. These activities, run by professional tour operators, allow passengers to fully enjoy their time on shore. Popular activities include watching humpback whales off Alaska’s coast, snorkeling in Bermuda, and exploring the underwater world. These excursions provide an opportunity for passengers to fully immerse themselves in the local culture and experiences.
Can I get off my cruise ship without an excursion?
Guests are free to explore ports of call on their own and are not required to book shore excursions. They will be advised about their all-aboard time, which is usually 30 minutes before sailing. This time should be verified onboard and posted near the ship’s gangway. The ship will not wait for guests to be onboard before the scheduled departure time.
How do I use my shore excursion credit on ncl?
The Shore excursion Credit can be redeemed through various channels, including www. ncl. com, 0800 0310 21 21, or booking directly onboard, with applicable credits reflecting on the guest only.
Why are shore excursions so expensive?
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.
What are the disadvantages of shore excursion?
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.
📹 10 Shore Excursion Mistakes Cruisers (Almost) Always Regret
Shore excursions are a big part of cruising, but unfortunately there can be some mistakes that cruisers often make (and regret!).
Super advice here..I’m a Yacht Captain. Best anti-seasick. Stay hydrated, the wrist bands do work BUT #1 Green Tea, Lemon Grass and Ginger root. Most ships have no issues bringing it onboard, some will make it for you. It HAS to be made with ginger root, not ginger spices. I’ve had 5 year olds dancing while mom and dad were down for days
I just want to add this, I was on a cruise last year with Royal Caribbean, and after Coco cay I happened to be in line for customer service and overheard someone telling the customer service rep that they had a family member who couldn’t do the excursion for the next day because they had gotten horribly sunburned, and they fully refunded the excursion. So even if you’re outside of that 24-hour window it’s worth talking to customer service and seeing what they can do for you.
For anyone unsure about booking private company tours, book a morning tour for your first time. It relieves any anxiety about missing the ship. I believe most pier runners are late because they went to the beach or a bar independently and lost track of time, not because their organized tour went wrong.
During our last cruise to Aruba (August 2022), my husband wore his sea pass under his shirt. After we finished our land and sea excursion we were stopped at the Port Authority. Before leaving on the tour, I had sprayed him with sunscreen which chemically removed all his information from his sea pass. 😳 It took us 40 minutes before we were allowed to enter the ship’s boarding area. Thank goodness the Port Authority guard was so kind and worked with us to get us through. Lesson learned: Never take the sea pass card out of the plastic protector. 🤣
I prefer cruise line excursions because of the security of knowing someone is perusal your back. I’ve never been on a cruise line tour that I regretted, and have always enjoyed them immensely. In my humble opinion, you just have to have realistic expectations, follow the rules and enjoy yourself. The only private party we ever used was a driver to take us to some of the shops the cruise line had recommended. I wanted to get back to the ship after we hit the shops we wanted to see and he kept insisting on driving us around. That was in Mexico – I don’t really remember which port (it was in 2010). I did not appreciate having to get upset and insisting that he take us back to the dock when WE said. I started to feel unsafe and I will never do that again.
We booked a private, full day tour of Rome and we’re so happy that we did. We found a tour guide on line, checked references, paid.a small fortune and had the BEST TOUR EVER!! We saw more of Rome on one day than I thought was humanly possible! While we usually take ship sponsored excursions we were so glad that we strayed on this occasion!
I have only taken one cruise 14 years ago to the Bahamas with Carnival. I made the mistake of not planning the day in port. We did not book an excursion and ended up walking around in port. It was hot, and the kids were little at that time and we were miserable. We should have either booked an excursion to a family-friendly beach or stayed on board and enjoyed the empty pool. The cruise was so packed we never had a chance to get into the pool because it was always full on sea days. I am now going on a cruise to the Bahamas again with my now teenage daughter. I learned from my mistake and booked a snorkel tour, something we both enjoy. Thank you for all the great content you provide.
Another great article! We mainly book ship excursions and try to book early morning excursions. We normally print the description and requirements for each excursion when we book the excursion. We put these in our cruise folder for reference during the cruise. We always carry a copy of the daily planner to have the important port agent contact information. I see in the comments, one commenter suggested taking a photo of the port agent information – a great idea! You never know when you may be injured and need to contact the ship. On a recent cruise, we came upon a fellow passenger who had stumbled walking on an uneven sidewalk in town and needed to go to the local ER. Most cruisers do not understand that if the ship leaves you in port, before leaving they will go to your room and open your safe to get your passport and travel documents to leave with the port agent so you can travel the next port. As my wife and I are both approaching 70, your comment about evaluating the level of activity required for an excursion is on point! So many times on excursions, passengers are unable to physically complete the mobility tasks. I also love your comment on not being late to the excursion or late returning to the bus. I am always amazed how inconsiderate fellow passengers can be on an excursions.
We almost always book ship excursions for the safety factor mainly. We haven’t been on that many, so don’t know people and places, etc. However, on our first cruise, which was to the Mediterranean, our friends had gone to many of the same places and recommended a shuttle service that could take us to Ephesus and out to eat at a “real” restaurant. We made sure the shuttle service had a refund policy and guarantee, then went ahead and booked them. Oh my, it was a VERY nice vehicle with a driver, and tour guide and my husband and me for 7 hours! And WAY cheaper than any of the ship excursions we would have gone on otherwise! We had a fabulous day, ate real Turkish food at an out of the way restaurant, and they got us back in plenty of time! Glad we did that, but we still feel safer booking through the cruiseline. Our first cruise ever we also did the airline tickets through the Cruiseline Travel Service. People said we should try to find our own cheaper, but being newbies we did that, just in case. Well, our cruise ended up being cancelled, and the cruiseline covered everything! We had no problems rebooking a cruise for 5 months later and they just transferred everything over and took care of the airline tickets! Whew, others that had their own excursions and flights had major troubles. So anyway, just some food for thought……….. Appreciating your articles, especially since we’re heading out on another cruise in not too long! Thank you!
Tendering seems to be getting iffier with more extreme weather. Be very careful to understand that you may be disappointed particularily if that is the main reason you went on the cruise. On our last 4 cruises we have missed 6 tenders stops because of weather. That is often when you hear negative commnets at the end of the cruise. Also remember that as ship get bigger- there are fewer docks to accomadate and tendering more common.
My family is taking our first cruise in July, and since we’re first timers, we shelled out for the cruise line excursions. It also helps that one of the excursions was to a bucket list destination for my husband and I, so we decided that even if it took us all day to get there for 15 minutes, we were doing it.
Had one excursion that was almost too challenging for me.. I had just finished up chemo a few weeks before we went on a cruise to Mexico.. we went on the Tulum excursion.. we didn’t know we would have to walk into the park which was a good little walk.. add the heat and well I had to jump into the ocean to cool off .. which wouldn’t have been a bad thing if i had a bathing suit on but I didn’t SO I went in with my clothes on… shorts and a tee shirt.Lucky for me by the time we got back to our bus I was nearly completely dried off.. YES, it was that hot. Now whenever we go on excursions I almost always I have a bathing suit on under my outfit.. just in case there isn’t a place to change .
After years of trying to talk my husband into a cruise, we’re headed out on Celebrity Apex in a Sky Suite in December. I’ve been perusal all your articles and raking notes. He’s not a big “crowd” person, but I think I can make this something we’ll do together in the future. Thank you for all your input.
Very helpful article Illana. Definitely watch your physical limitations. On a cruise to Hawaii did an excursion on one of the islands that allowed people to go down into a lava tunnel. Didn’t look to bad at first but took everything I had to get down and back up. Didn’t hurt myself but several people did get some bruises and cuts. One tip sometimes take a chance if it sounds like something you would enjoy. On a cruise in the Caribbean the itinerary changed due to hurricanes in area we were scheduled to cruise. Had to pick a new excursion in an unscheduled port. Choose a Sea Lion adventure in the aquarium. We loved our dolphin adventures in past so we tried it. As it turned out we were the only people booked but tour operator took us because we were the first people booked through a cruise ship. It was an amazing experience that 5 years later still enjoy looking at the pictures. Happy cruising Illana.
Great article, as usual 😊. Regarding booking cruise ship excursions vs. independent excursions, I usually book cruise ship for the advantages you stated, but I did want to mention that sometimes what I really want to do is not offered by the cruise ship. In those cases, I book through Viator or Trip Advisor because they have guarantees on many of their shore excursions. I also am more likely to book independent excursions if I’m NOT island hopping. For example, on my British Isles and New Zealand cruises, I booked many of my shore excursions independently because if I was late getting back to the ship, I could still get to the next port relatively easily. However, when I sailed the Greek Isles, Caribbean, and Canary Islands, I did not even consider a non-cruise line shore excursion because if something happened and I didn’t get back to the ship on time, it would require flying to another island to get back on board which would be very expensive!
The cruise ship excursions often lack detail to provide a good idea of the experience. So I searched YouTube for articles posted about two excursions I was consdiering on my recent cruise. That helped determine that the waterfall trip I would enjoy was not suitable for my companion and that the boat ride over to another was in a tightly-packed ferry with potentialy rough seas that would trigger my motion sickness. Instead, since we had lots of time in port, I booked through Viator and had a great experience with just the two of us and the guide.
Fantastic tips. We cruise mostly in Europe and we will hire a driver and private car to take us to the points of interest we want to see. We usually do a 4-hour stint and have visited places off the beaten path. For instant, when in Port of Civitavecchia, we visited Ostia antica dating back to 620BC. These ruins are a well kept secret and can be an all-day affair. We stayed for about 2 hours, just scratching the surface. Then our driver suggested a lovely place along the beach to have lunch. We found the cost for 6 hours no different than for the 3 of us on a crowded bus tour. We were relaxed and not rushed and got back to the ship in plenty of time. We did the same in Istanbul and Kusadasi. For Naples, we book ferry tickets in advance to Sorrento, Capri, Ischia, or Procida. The ferries are right next to the cruise ship ports. Again it is at our own pace and always make sure we are back 2 hours before the ship departs.
On our very first cruise we did an excursion where the operator lost track of the time. We were almost 40 minutes late back to the ship. Thankfully it is a ship excursion and the ship waited. Lots of cheering and jeering passengers on their balconies but we made it back. My rule of thumb is that if the excursion is more than 1 and 1/2 hours from the port, we take the ship excursion. We have broken this at times like when we went to Petra.
You are a treasure Ilana! My husband and I have always been independent travelers, but we are slowing down. We’ve never been on a cruise and booked the Celebrity Reflection West Mediterranean for September this year. I found your articles and love them. So much helpful info! Good to know that we should book excursions as soon as possible. It’s our 50th wedding anniversary celebration!
From my experience, having done now 26 cruises, if you’ve been to the port before, you will probably be safe enough to try exploring the port on your own, and not bother with a cruise excursion. However, ports you haven’t been to before, I would definitely recommend using the cruiseline’s excursion, especially if you are docked in a foreign country, eg…, Egypt, the Holy Land, Greece, or any country that doesn’t use your language as the main language. It does depend, also, how old you are, and what types of excursions you choose. Younger people will choose more active and strenuous excursions, while older people, the less active and easy type excursions say by bus much of the way. Choose what suits your lifestyle, is my advice. Enjoyed your tips, Ilana, keep them coming!!!
My wife and I were on a Jeep excursion in Puerto Vallarta recently and it was a great trip over all. I would caution anyone who wants an open top jeep excursion to bring a mask or at least a bandana and potentially goggles if you’re sensitive to dust. I would definitely do this trip again, just prepare to get quite dusty along the way 👍🏾
Agree with booking excursions early. Otherwise you risk being shut out of seeing something high on your bucket list. Our next cruise is in August and includes a port call at Puerto Plata. Until today, only one excursion had been offered for that port. But when I logged onto my cruise planner this morning, I found that another twenty had been added to the offerings. I browsed through them, found the one I really wanted to do, and locked it in. Another piece of the puzzle in place! And I always book through the cruise line. I like having that peace of mind that the ship will wait for us in the event of a delay in returning from an excursion.
If visiting Rome or Florence I would definitely use the cruise company for excursions even if just for transport. We have visited both cities when not on cruises and speak a little Italian but, I would never trust that bit of knowledge to get me back to the port on time. Traffic can be bad and trains held up so it’s much safer with the cruise company.
I am a tour guide, but not in a port city; just chiming in to provide info from our side. *We leave on time, and we don’t give anyone refunds for being late. *If, for some reason, we have space at an other time slot, we will transfer your reservation to that time, but seats are sold to new people before they’re offered up for a transfer; you’re essentially on stand-by *Our personal cancelation policy is 25 hours before the tour, in which case, one receives a full refund – after that, you lose your money to the circumstances which kept you from the tour. *No exceptions, unless you manage to sweet talk the owner; but that’s seldom tbh. It is DEF best to understand any private company’s rules! My understanding tho; our policies are pretty standard across the board, for tourism based companies
Historically for 20+ years of sailing we researched and book private excursions to be with smaller groups and save some money. We had great experiences and no issues with getting back to ship. We did have one instance with a private vendor in Mexico where our driver felt that the police were about to shake us down for money. Fortunately, didn’t happen. We had a few that weren’t great when they just took us to their friends with expectation to buy at very stop. Worst experience was on a ferry back to ship/port from Playa De Carmen at end of day in high winds. It was calm in the morning. What should have been a quick ride took a very long time in very rough seas, people very sick, life jackets chained and had to jump from the ferry on the gangway as it bounced violently. We were afraid ferry was going to capsize. That was a ship excursion and very scary. We also had a fishing trip in rough weather where kids were seasick. Definitely good advice to pack meds. While we have used private excursions for years we have switched to ship because of safety concerns and pricing is not much less than ship. Used to save about the 1/2 but now savings seem to be lots less. I’ll take peace of mind over the savings. Also, some ports outside of high traffic areas are not safe to travel anymore. Another big change is having to book excursions and make dining reservations months ahead of time. In the past we waited to 30-45 days for better pricing but now better book as early as possible as slots fill up super fast.
I loved this article! Thank you Ilana for always covering everything from all sides. I am new to cruising and have done 2 cruises so far and only 2 excursions so far both through the cruise line but I’m very interested to step outside the box next time! I really appreciated the pros and cons of each type of way to book, and your perspective on reviews.
Most of the time we book through the Cruise Line, but occasionally we have used the “Shore Excursions Group”. With the group we had a tour booked for Athens but had to divert to Create because of weather. Our money was refunded within days. A great experience with Holland America excursions especially.
While in Mexico I did a Cabo Sailing Adventure and a Puerto Vallarta Sailing Adventure. My package offered a Tequila day but not my style. The sailing is run by the same company and AMAZING!! The snacks, meals. Full bar. 4 crew and a professional photographer. I bought my photos digitally and they were PRO. My package had all sorts of excursions but I chose them. As a Yacht Capt…I want to hire both crews!
As a cruiser with over 25 cruises “under my belt” I would say it depends on how adventurous you are. We look at many apps and local sites and have no issues renting cars at the pier or close proximity in certain areas. We are always looking to save $’s but also not miss out on something. Some guided tours are terrific, ie Costa Maya to the Mayan ruins but if in Edinburgh or Inverness, we would rent a car and see the sights ourselves faster than the busses can get there and since its in English we miss nothing in translation. We are both 61 and very adventurous. I would say our last tour in Greenland was best done by us booking a glacier tour by ourselves from locals. Just my 10cents.
For Magen’s Bay we had a choice of the morning or afternoon excursion, we chose the morning and the beach was not crowded and lots of chairs. By time we left, it was crazy. Should take a photo of the daily planner with the agent details in case of issues. People don’t realise how rough fishing trips can be.
Always find something useful in your articles. Over the years, I’ve gotten more comfortable booking private excursions. For attractions further from the ship, I stick with the ship excursions, but if I know that I can easily return to ship, I’ll definitely book smaller tours sometimes right at the port.
It seems to me, in recent years, that the advantages of doing private tours has diminished greatly. More and more, the private company (or its affiliate) already contracts with the cruiselines, and even if they don’t, they know the cruise’s prices and have priced themselves about $10 less. Short of finding one of those guys holding a sign after you clear the pier and taking you’re chances on them (which we’ve done and had great times with), its really hard to find great deals anymore.
We booked our shore excursion for the Mediterranean before hand we paid over 80 dlrs each for a gondola ride thinking it was just for the two only to find out it was for a party of six we could have done it there for20 euros each when we were their it was a big rip off, we have been caught several times with these excursions unfortunately 🇦🇺🇦🇺
During the cruise I just took I did a cruise booked excursion and there ended up being 3 buses from the ship going there. All 3 were late getting back. Mine was 45 minutes late and there was another that was an hour late. So glad I was booked through RC. Additionally- after getting a tip from someone else on my bus I asked for a discount because if how rushed it was and got a 20% credit.
Not wearing proper footwear on a shore excursion! I was wearing improper footwear on a very hot day touring the amphitheatre in Taormina, and took a nasty tumble down the slippery exit stairs. This was day 2 of my B2B cruise and I spent the next 2 weeks hobbling my way through Europe 😢 Lesson learned! I wear sneakers on every shore excursion now 🇦🇺🛳️
I tend to book excursions through the cruise line. I have had some really great excursions and traveling alone have felt safer as part of a group. Two of my favorites were a half day trip to the ruins in Costa Maya and an island tour in Bonnaire. Both were great due to the tour guide. I always carry some cash and tip my tour guide and driver.
I was down at the ABC islands in December. We didn’t want port visits, per se, so we scheduled excursions that were like back country tours. In Bonaire, the description said we’d be in jeeps, it was actually in a Unimog, a big truck. One of the roughest rides ever. The second island, Curaçao, the excursion was in a military deuce and a half. Also a really rough ride. In Aruba, we were in an air conditioned bus. Seeing the island away from the cruise port was amazing, despite the rough ride!
I will be going on my first cruise in January. I have traveled to other countries before for vacation and work. I enjoy seeing and learning about the culture. I have looked through the offered excursions and have a couple stops that I cannot find an excursion due to limited mobility. I have a bone disease and have to limit the amount of time on my feet… something that requires 20-30 mins of walking would be impossible. I have a scooter but most excursions are not compatible. How can I research doing things like shopping, eating safely while at port? The first stop would be Puerto Plata. I was surprised to see that there were no excursions like keep rides or horseback riding etc… on any of the stops.
Your travel insurance policy may cover nonrefundable shore excursion costs if the ship does not dock in the port because of weather, if you’re not feeling well on the day of the excursion, etc. Read your policy before you go on a trip; it’s surprising how many things are covered that we don’t even think about.
On Holland America we were unable to go to a port because the seas were too rough to tender to and from the port. We stayed at another port for an additional day and all excursions were refunded. They also made a really good effort to generate some additional excursions. No issues at all. Also, HA has descriptions and categories for easy, moderate and strenuous excursions. Very detailed descriptions, warnings and limitations. I have to say though, during a few excursion days it paid off to stay on the boat. It was empty and we got to take advantage of the pool and onboard dining in a quieter environment.
I forgot to mention a late cruiser on St. Thomas – Don’t be late back to the cruise ship. My ex and I had cruised several years ago and we stopped in St. Thomas. A sister ship for Carnival was already docked next to us as was one other cruise ship. After our short excursion, we shopped downtown and took an open air taxi back to the ship. It was very hot but we returned about an hour or so before the ship was due to depart. We were the only cruise ship in port. As we walked back to the ship, a gentleman raced between my ex-wife and I. He ran the rest of the way to the gangplank to join the line and literally wiped his brow. We joined the lined behind him. I looked at him thinking “what I jerk you are for almost knocking us over to stand in line”. (my apologies but the heat was getting to me) as we boarded, the line split. We heard a commotion in the other line. This guy that had raced up to the line and had attempted to get onto the ship was being told he was on the wrong ship. His ship was already sailing off on the horizon.
Included in the ‘activity rating’ for excursions, see if you can find some more information. I was on a tour (not through a cruise) and it included a walk down a scenic path. It wasn’t just a walk down a scenic path. It WAS scenic and beautiful but there were a lot of boulders and huge tree trunks that you had to climb over. They hadn’t just fallen there in the night, so it wasn’t like the tour company wouldn’t have known about them.
We booked an excursion via the ship, because this excursion ends after the all aboard time. What happens with this particular excursion, the dolphin feeding at Moreton Island (that’s in Australia folks, a big island south of the equator, which has a decent cruising market as well) is you have a specific tender to the island, the tender then returns to be ‘packed away’, and the ship waits till the end of the tour, and those booked on the tour, via the cruise line, are returned to the ship via the resort’s catamaran, and ship immediately departs.
How do you find reviews for cruise line excursions? Long ago they used to be on the cruise line excursion page, but I haven’t seen them in quite some time. Had the same experience at 7 mile Beach in Grand Caymen that you had in St Thomas, very crowded, beach chairs so close together you had to climb on from the end.
ALWAYS BRING SMALL BILLS! A small tip can mean the world to many, any tip can! I generally carry $50 USD in cash (two $20s and 10 $1.00) one credit card in a very thin wallet. If I lose it, not heart breaking. Cancel the card and accept my stupidity while back onboard. Have a “ditch bag” for shore excursions not your usual shopping gear
We pick a cruise for where we want to visit. On a 7 day cruise we look at a couple of set pices, Illana mentioned Rome and Pisa/Florence, we expext to go on Cruise ship excursions and book in advance. Just accept it and realise you have to pay for it or book it youself and take the risk of perusal the ship sail away. It may be my own misconception but it seems many USA cruises go to ports close to the beaches etc people visit so different perceptions may apply.
We booked all our excursions with people on Cruise Critic roll call for our Mediterranean cruise! They were cheaper and small groups rather than a huge bus load! Only drawback was but we had to hit the ATM to make sure we had money to pay for them in each port! Last year’s cruise to the Mexican Riviera as well as are Norwegian fjords Cruise in September, I booked the Cruise line excursions. Especially last February’s, I was worried that we might not be allowed off the ship unless we had a cruise line excursion because of Covid.
My mistake was not booking the private beach excursion vs going on an adventure excursion. We had a great time BUT the local beach when we got back was dirty and littered with people harassing you to buy this or that. Harassing is not an exaggeration. I mean escorting you around (unsolicited) communicating on walkies when we got away, following us and waiting at the waters edge. It was so disheartening for a first cruise and frustrating just in general. We spent 17 mins on the beach, took 4 photos for the scrapbook and boarded the ship early. We’re going back to that port on our family cruise this April and I’m dreading it so much
I am a senior with a slight mobility problem so I walk slowly. We bought an excursion in DR and the first thing i did was tell the greeter for the excursion about it and asked if I could get a head start, to tell me where to go. He told me it was fine to wait. Well. he took off at such a brisk pace that by the time we found the lot where the buses were parked my entire excursion group was on boatd the bus along with the greeter. We stood in the middle of the parkinng lot waiting for him to get us and he never did. We missed the excursion! Now I try to book disabled friendly excursion so this doesnt happen again!
When I first started cruising I filled everyday at port with an excursion until I booked an excursion for a rain forest. We had to set an alarm to get up & wait for everyone to gather. We enjoyed the excursion but we had to rush back in order to get back to the ship on time. On our way back we saw so many places we would have liked to have visited but the excursion filled up all of the time at port. I suggest everyone pay attention to the length of the excursion, travel time, & time waiting on the party to gather along with the time at port & determine if that excursion is worth eliminating anything else you might want to do. In addition, as you get older, that excursion sounds more like work than a vacation..
Shortly going on a bucket list cruise. Couldn’t really find information on how tendering works in terms of priority and was therefore worried about the timings for private excursions as I assumed cruise line excursions got priority. So went for cruise line excursions on all bar one (docked) port, it’s a large city so hop-on hoo-off will get our custom.
I have never booked an excursion outside of the cruise line because every time I looked I didn’t see a significant difference in options or pricing so am I doing something wrong or are people really saying how much better it is to book outside of the cruise line to save $20 because for me the security of knowing I won’t be left behind might be worth $20 as insurance.
Hi there, great tips! Hubby and I will be heading to Alaska in May and have booked 2 tours through the cruise line but for Juneau, we’re thinking of a private tour in the morning with Alaska Shore Excursions. Feel pretty confident that the early morning will get us back to the ship at 6 hours before it’s due to sail. We’ll be in port from 7:00 am – 9:00 pm.
Being a first timer, I don’t really understand what excursions are and what they involve, so I don’t know if I want to take one. I hear a lot about them on these cruise articles, but I have no idea what I’m getting myself into. Should I book one or just walk around after getting off the ship? How long are they? How do I know if I want to be around the other people on these excursions? I’m going on a cruise for the experience of sailing on the ocean, but I don’t know if I’d like going on an excursion. So confused.
Thank you Ilana. My question is about 2 cruise ship booked excursions on the same day. I understand they have you meet at a location on the ship before the start of your tour. I am trying to avoid having to return to the ship for the second excursion and just meet up (with our tickets of course) at where the 2nd tour starts. Is this possible?
Booked my first cruise for early next year. When do all the excursions show up? I’m looking at one on RC website for the port I’m going to. It isn’t offered yet to purchase. I see another excursion that I would like to do if that other one doesn’t show up that is on my app for purchase already. What should I do? Should I wait longer? I am at the 11 month mark before I go.
Hi ilana i will be doing a Baltic cruise in june on the ncl dawn and it will be no sea days and a new port every morning for 11 days should i do a excursion every day since this is my. First time ever cruise and in northern Europe the places Gdynia, oslo,visby, cophogen, hellinski, lativia, humberg, berlin, riga, klaipeda
I watched a article you made about you and your husband’s carry on bags. You liked your husband’s gray carry on bag with the laptop pocket. Do you mind sharing the information on where you bought it? I can’t find that article anywhere because I have watched so many. You’re so kind in sharing all the cruise adventures with us. You have been very helpful for me!
Hi Ilana. Great tips. Thank you. We are booked on the Regal Princess departing 3/5 for Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Grand Turk. We only booked a shore excursion through the ship in Jamaica mainly after hearing so many warnings about safety on the island. Are there any other places that you would also be wary of? Thank you for all the hard work you do.
Don’t like to go to beaches. Try not to take an excursion late in the day. One time we went on a shore excursion and coming back got delayed due to road construction. When we got back to the ship my wife wanted to get on the ship right away. We were sitting in the MDR when we heard an announcement we were still waiting for a Shore Excursion to return. I read reviews of trips. Hard to believe that some of the same people were on the same trip.
I think the mistake we made was the last day of a cruise, we booked one which we had an excursion and took us the airport, we had a meal included buffet style, but we would have ate better on board. as we would have been took the airport from the cruise ship. We had to book a few cruise excursions when we went to Asia, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia for two ports. Cambodia we just got off the boat and had a look around port, whether or not you got off the ship we were all charged a visa for the day. I think we just docked at the wrong port. we are more braver when we do holidays abroad like Greece, and sometimes go with another vender not the tour company if we want a day trip or island tour. we had no issues with these tours maybe sometimes if a meal was included in the trip, the first drink was included in the price (standard drinks, glass of wine, beer, soft drink or bottle water) the last time a meal was included was in the 90s on a trip we went on
I had a bad expirience with APEX excursion : When I was chosing one to Sintra I was misleading by foto they put on the site to advertise this location….but actually we did not rich it because for those big bus the road not fit to,so we not sapouce to be there by program!… so try to check that out in advance… Ilana, what the policy has say about this issue ?
Bad excursion tour experience. Booked a wonderful cruise with Royal, 7 nights on Radiance from Nola to Yucatán because of excursion to Chichen Itza to see El Castillo. Have taken a number of cruises and many land tours over the years. Not just Europe, but Turkey, Israel and Egypt, many times, but no tour was quite as bad as our excursion to Chichen Itza booked through Royal. The journey there was longer than we were told, over 2 1/2 hours each way. The guide talked non-stop for over an hour on the way there. Not informative, mostly conjecture, extremely hard to understand. Worse still was his total lack of care for his his guests. Seniors were kept in direct sun at the site while he talked non-stop. People started peeling off and seeking shade. Just not receptive to the audience. The typical shopping stop, we were left with a whopping 5 minutes before we had to head back. We were late for all aboard which is always nerve wracking. The other guide was not better and not one person was happy. Worst experience in decades of travel. Thank you Alana for a great article! Always helpful! 🙂
Always be careful on excursions! Recently went on one where you wear a helmet underwear to go under the surface, one lady inhaled sea water and had to go to ER. Pretty sure she did not make it back to the ship. My aunt and I were the only ones to book the excursion on our ship. We grabbed 2 people from another ship. Pretty cool to have an excursion with only 4 people!
In Peurto Plata the walk to the Waterfalls was uphill; sadly I couldn’t bring my cane or perscription glasses. The tour did say extensive walk, but it was all uphill … worse than without my cane/glasses, my watershoes started to rub a couple blisters on my feet. Luckily, it was flat on the return, but I was in so much pain and since i couldn’t see that I started to hate our guide!