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Shore Excursions

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Thu, 03/04/2010 - 22:44 — admin

Shore excursions can be the key to a great cruise.  If you are going to a bunch of great ports then the vacation is not complete unless you actually get to experience each port.  Shore excursions can also be extremely expensive.  A couple shore excursions can add to the price of your cruise very fast, and can easily end up costing more than the cruise itself. 

There is good news when it comes to shore excursions, you do not have to book them through the cruise line.  Booking a shore excursion through your cruise line will certainly have it advantages:

  • You will not have to worry about finding your tour at the port
  • If your boat misses the port for some reason you should get a refund
  • You do not have to worry about getting back to the ship too late, since with a cruise line sponsored excursion it is their responsibility to get you to the ship

While these are factors to consider, also keep in mind that those perks do not come cheap.  Booking your shore excursions directly through the cruise line will usually cost you significantly more than booking a similar experience on your own.  If you are traveling with a group of people the cost difference becomes even more extreme.  Also keep in mind that the ship sponsored excursions are usually more crowded than privately booked excursions.   

Some shore excursions are definitely best booked, and sometimes only available, through your cruise line, but it is important to do your research Before You Go.  Here are some things to think about:

  • Is transportation difficult from the cruise port to where you want to go?  Some cruise ports drop you off in the middle of town, while others are in an industrial area.
  • Is there a shore excursion that covers everything you want to do?  A great example here is a cruise that stops in Rome.  You can take a train into Rome and with a map and some planning (see our Rome page), you can see a lot of Rome in such variety that the ship shore excursions just cannot compete, and it is a whole lot cheaper to do it yourself.
  • Is there an alternative?  On Roatan, for example, a ship shore excursion could cost $65 or more per person, but you could hire a private driver for the day for around $70 for as many as 4 people, that saves around $210 and gives you more freedom and less crowds.

There are really three alternatives to booking a ship sponsored shore excursion, booking an excursion with an unaffiliated shore excursion company, booking a private tour, or going out on your own. 

Unaffiliated Shore Excursion Companies:  We say unaffiliated, but sometimes they are the same company that the cruise line contracts with but just a separate excursion where the cruise line does not get a commission.  There are also businesses that cater to cruise line visitors and create excursions around the itineraries of the ships at dock.  One good option we have used is here.

Private Tour:  A private tour sounds expensive, but it can actually end up saving you a lot of money.  If the tour is a fixed price for a carload of people and you can fill up a car, then the price per person will probably be a lot less than if you each paid for a cruise line sponsored shore excursion.

Going On Your Own:  Going on your own can be the best way to experience a port.  In my opinion it's the best way to see places like Rome.  It just takes a little research and planning and in the end you can see and do more while paying less and having a more authentic experience.