Crystal Cruises offers shore excursions to immerse guests in every exciting destination on their cruise. These excursions allow passengers to see iconic sights, taste authentic local food, and explore the region. To book a shore excursion, guests can visit “My Account” 60 days before their cruise and view pricing for each excursion. However, Crystal does not include excursions advertised during the Nov.27th-Dec11th Caribbean cruises.
Crystal Cruises’ shore excursions are powered by Abercrombie and Kent, with long stays in port and multiple overnights. They make every moment of your cruise unforgettable, whether you are onshore or at sea. For example, Crystal Esprit, a 62-passenger yacht from Crystal Cruises, includes most shore excursions in its cruise.
To ensure a successful cruise, guests should do destination research and reserve their spot at least two weeks before sailing. Shore excursions are available through independent tour operators and may vary by arrival dates, port arrival, and departure times. Most guests pre-book their excursions online before they come on their cruise, which is a recent development since guests have to check-in online.
In summary, Crystal Cruises offers shore excursions to make your cruise unforgettable. By selecting your ship and contacting expert advice, you can easily find the best shore excursions for your cruise.
📹 CRUISE SHIP EXCURSION TIPS (Pros, Cons & Tips for Cruise Shore Excursions)
Are you new to cruising and wondering if you should book a cruise shore excursion through the ship or if you’d be better off …
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.
Will crystal cruises survive?
A and K Travel Group, the company behind luxury touring operator Abercrombie and Kent, has acquired the Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, two iconic ocean ships, and will relaunch them as Crystal Cruises. The two ships will return to service in 2023 after extensive upgrades. The new ownership, led by former Silversea luxury cruises head Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, will combine the expertise of creating luxury travel and cruise experiences that guests love. The two ships will resume service in 2023 after extensive upgrades.
Is Crystal a high end cruise line?
The Crystal Serenity represents the latest in a long line of luxury cruise vessels from the Crystal brand, which has been in operation for several decades but is still regarded as a relatively newcomer in the industry. Crystal Serenity represents a new entrant in the luxury cruise market, launched this year and constructed from the ground up. The proprietors of the new Crystal Cruises have no affiliation with the former Crystal Cruises owners, who were dissolved following the collapse of their parent company, Genting Hong Kong.
What is the average age on Crystal Cruises?
Celestyal Cruises’ Celebrity Crystal, departing as of September 2, 2023, is a Greek-based cruise line that primarily sails the Greek Islands. The cruises, which begin and end in Athens, often include overnight stays in iconic islands like Mykonos and Santorini, offering passengers the opportunity to explore these ports without the crowds of other cruise lines. The ship also visits smaller islands like Milos and Patmos, which are largely unspoilt by mass tourism.
Some itineraries include two islands in a day and sometimes stop in another country, such as Turkey (Istanbul), Egypt, or Turkey (Istanbul and Kusadasi). The cruise line’s focus on destination rather than trendy design or Broadway entertainment is evident in its approach to its passengers.
Can you get off a Norwegian cruise ship without an excursion?
In the event that a passenger has not reserved a shore excursion, which offers convenient pick-up and drop-off at the pier, it may be necessary to utilize local public transportation or a non-complimentary shuttle service to reach the city center.
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.
What is the current status of Crystal Cruises?
Crystal Cruises, a luxury tour operator, has announced plans to expand with four new ships by 2029, including two expedition vessels. The company, which went bankrupt early last year, was acquired by luxury tour operator Abercrombie and Kent Travel Group in June 2022. The company will begin construction on the 650-passenger ocean ship and 220-person expedition ship next year. The plans are “quite advanced”, particularly for the expedition ship, which will sail to the Arctic and Antarctica.
A and K already has robust Arctic and Antarctic expedition offerings, which sail on Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot. For the foreseeable future, A and K will charter Ponant ships, with over 40 crew members from the former Crystal team on board the voyages.
How long before a cruise can you book shore excursions?
Shore excursions can be booked online up until the Pre-Sail cut-off time, 11:59pm ET, the evening before the cruise departure. After the online Pre-Sail, the remaining inventory will be available on board the ship. It is recommended that guests order their shore excursions in advance to avoid disappointment once on board. To book, guests must visit carnival. com/shore-excursions, deposit their cruise booking, and register with the site. Only shore excursions relevant to the specific itinerary will be shown.
Desired selections can be placed in ‘My Shopping Cart’ for review. Full payment is due at ‘Check Out’. Online bookings must be paid for immediately, while onboard purchases are billed to the guest’s Sail and Sign® account. After placing an order, guests can view and print a confirmation page with their order number.
Do cruise excursions get cheaper?
Cruise lines typically charge the same prices for shore excursions booked online and on board, or offer discounts for tours purchased in advance. Royal Caribbean often offers up to 30 off select tours reserved ahead of sailing. It is best practice to tip tour guides at the end of the tour, except if tips are included in the price or if visiting a non-tipping culture where offering cash would be awkward.
Do Crystal Cruises include shore excursions?
Cruises on the Crystal Serenity or Crystal Symphony do not include shore excursions, sightings, or meals. These offers are not combinable with other promotions, apply to the first two passengers in stateroom or suite, are capacity-controlled, subject to availability, and can be changed or withdrawn at any time. Charges for services and products must be settled in cash, traveler’s cheques, personal cheques, or credit cards before the guest’s final disembarkation. Payments must be made in the United States of America or another acceptable currency.
Do Norwegian excursions sell out?
It is recommended that prospective participants in shore excursions pre-book their place on a sailing, as popular tours often sell out. To obtain a reduction in price, it is necessary to identify oneself as a member of the Latitudes Rewards scheme and present one’s key card at the desk designated for Shore Excursion bookings. It should be noted that the aforementioned discounts do not apply to bookings made through iTV, onboard touchscreens, iConcierge, or the Shore Excursions drop box.
📹 5 cruise ship shore excursions I tried and instantly regretted
Five times I took a cruise ship shore excursion and reconsidered my decision making almost immediately. (Subscribe for more …
You’ve got to love how much of the world you are able to explore as part of a cruise! I love the idea that everyday you’ll be able to explore somewhere new! My cousin has been doing it for the last few years and has explored so much along the way. I would say the downfall is that the amount of time you get to explore is a little short, sometimes just half a day’s worth, but nit-picking a little!
You covered so many pros and cons which should be considered when deciding what to book. Some of our favorite cruise port experiences have been with private tour guides that we booked ahead of time on our own. With that being said, I definitely was concerned about missing the ship! Thankfully all private tours have worked out for us.
what a coincidence. Literally, i was checking for NCL, surfed their site and by luck, i found your article CRUISE SHORE EXCURSIONS. Thank you so many details on the pros, and cons along with tips for the Cruise shore excursions. Like i said i am confused about the timing and i was also confused seeing their itinerary. But it is great article thanks again
You guys bring up a lot of good points to cruise shore excursions. Personally as a vlogger I feel I’d get a lot more done with either going on my own or getting a private tour outside the cruise excursions. The refund aspect is a nice security blanket I suppose. I just have heard so many bad experiences of shore excurions with lack of time to truly delve into the acutal local culture. It’s more about hitting the famous hihglights at way too fast of a pace.