Table Of Content
Located 30 minutes away from the cruise port by boat, Pearl Island offers a small, turquoise beach, bar and lunch buffet, lounge chairs, watersports equipment, and more. When visiting cruise line private islands, however, there are no local third party vendors. If you want to book an excursion -- whether it is a jet ski tour, snorkel adventure, or anything else--, you will have to book a tour directly through the cruise line. Additionally, sometimes it is easier to go on a tour if you are visiting a remote location where accessing highlights on your own would be difficult and where there are few independent operators.
First-Timers' Guide to Shore Excursions
For shore excursions that are not included in your cruise fare, budget a minimum of $50 per adult per excursion. There is no real upper limit as exclusive tours could cost thousands of dollars. If you plan to book shore excursions through your cruise line, you have a couple of options of how to book them. Jenna DeLaurentis enjoys exploring new ports of call around the world on a cruise ship, learning about new cultures, discovering beautiful landscapes, and trying diverse cuisine. She loves to get active while at port, whether cycling through mountains in the Caribbean or scuba diving under the sea. One of the most unique tours offered in St. Vincent is a hiking trip on Mount Soufrière, the largest peak on the island and an active volcano.
Caribbean
Remember that shore excursions look different in different parts of the world. There is no need to tip any cruise ship staff who are along for the excursion (which sometimes happens on river cruises). While luxury lines, river cruises, small coastal ships, expedition ships and even some premium cruise lines include some shore excursions in their fares. Other tours on those lines and all excursions offered by mainstream cruise lines must be purchased. Some cruise lines, such as Viking and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, include the cost of basic shore excursions in their cruise fares. If you don't care to do any specialty tours, you might be able to get all your port activities for free.
Progreso: Half-Day Tour to Dzibilchaltun Mayan Ruins and Cenotes
There are instances when you might be limited to excursions provided by the ship. These usually are cases where local restrictions simply do not allow cruise passengers to freely wander the streets. Your cruise line will advise you in advance if this might be the case in any of your scheduled ports of call. Finally, some ports are simply wonderful to walk around, popping into shops and local restaurants or bars, going where you will. I've skipped tours in places like Key West, Florida; Tallinn, Estonia; Monaco; Nassau, Bahamas; Skagway, Alaska; Geiranger, Norway; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Search Cruises
You are free to come and go at will from most cruise ships while they are in ports of call. Shore excursions are simply one means to explore the areas visited by the ship and to participate in available activities off the ship. One major plus of visiting Bermuda on a cruise is that ships often dock overnight, giving you 2-3 days to explore the island’s highlights. Bermuda has excellent public transportation and it’s easy to get around without booking an official shore excursion. Waiting might be a good idea if you're not inspired by the shore excursions you're seeing on your cruise.
Travel Is Our Tradition
Cancellations for pre-paid tours are allowed up to 3 days prior to cruise embarkation and will be refunded to the credit card used for the purchase. If within 3 days of embarkation, all changes/cancellations must be done onboard the ship and refunds will be applied to your onboard account. If the credit is not fully utilized during the cruise, the balance will be paid to that passenger by the ship's Purser at the end of the voyage.
Other lines, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, offer discounted tours or shore excursion credit as booking promotions. Viator is another good resource when looking for third party shore excursions, as you can browse and book different tours, day trips, etc. all in one place. If you are not sure of what you want to do yet, you can even filter the search by category to show tours relating to food & drink, sightseeing cruises, and more.
ADD A BOOKING
Yes, you’ll find a range of experiences to suit the interests and activity levels of everyone in your family. Our family-friendly shore excursions give you new ways to discover destinations together. An island tour is a popular option if you want to see St. Kitts, but for an escape from the crowds, cruisers can hop a "sea taxi" to the less-traveled island of Nevis. While on Nevis, you'll typically visit some historical sites, lunch at a beachside restaurant and have some time to swim in the Caribbean waters. With so much located near the port of Curacao, you can squeeze a number of activities into a single day with a combination excursion. Take a scenic island tour to visit highlights like the Hato Caves with their underground limestone formations and pools.
The Strangest Cruise Ship Shore Excursions We've Taken - Cruise Critic
The Strangest Cruise Ship Shore Excursions We've Taken.
Posted: Thu, 18 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Freeport: Snorkeling Excursions to the Coral Reefs
On average, you are likely to find excursions anywhere between $50 and $200 per person. If you're like us, you spend hours poring over your shore excursion list, trying to figure out the absolute best way to maximize your time while in port. The ship’s excursions get you to the markets, often with some city highlights along the way, then leave you with a few hours of shopping time. You are then free to make your way back to the ship or to a meeting point for the return trip as a group. The knowledge and efficiency of tour operators vary, and some tour offerings are simply duds. Ship-arranged excursions also tend to have broad appeal, so if you're interests in a given port are more specific or niche, you may want something outside of the cruise line's offerings.
Choose from city tours, culinary explorations, shopping outings, outdoor expeditions, cultural activities and more. We recommend you book early for the best selection, as our excursions and tours have limited capacity and fill up quickly. Shore excursions may be easily booked online in advance of sailing on the book shore excursions page. If tour details are not yet finalized, please check again closer to your departure date. Shore excursions may be booked and prepaid online up to three days before sailing. You will also be able to request tours on the ship at the shore excursion Office.
In most cases, shore excursions give you access to something that might otherwise be hard to arrange on your own. Sometimes you also need an expert guide, such as in Pompeii, to know what you're seeing. If it's an activity, like snorkeling or a helicopter tour, read up on how much time is spent in transit and prep and how much time you will spend actually doing the activity. Cruise shore excursion prices vary widely depending on the cost of living in the cruise destination, what type of activity is involved and whether it's a full- or half-day tour. Some third-party operators will customize a tour for you or your group, so you can spend more time at the places you most want to see.
If your cruise visits the British Virgin Islands, consider making a day trip to the small island of Jost Van Dyke from Tortola. While on this small island, you can swim and snorkel in a protected cove with extremely soft sand and clear waters. Biking is one of the best ways to explore a new destination, and if you’re interested in an active excursion, consider the Bike St. Croix tour offered by Royal Caribbean.
Natural beauty is in abundance in the Caribbean, and that remains true in the Dominican Republic, where visitors can enjoy beaches, jungles, and waterfalls. Nassau is an extremely common port on cruise itineraries, and most visitors to New Providence Island will opt for a beach day. The best way to do this is through a shore excursion that combines both attractions of the island. Royal Caribbean’s Spices and Sunshine tour first brings visitors to the Laura Spica Gardens, where they’ll learn more about the various spices and herbs produced on the island.
Most people organize these ahead of time through a tour operator or travel agent. However, in popular cruise ports, there are often representatives waiting at the port or at a tourist office who can book you on same-day tours if space is available. I've taken shore excursions around the world, both ship-run and independent, and spent many days in port wandering on my own. Allow me to take you through the basics of cruise shore excursions, so you can learn to have the most fun no matter what your budget is.
If you missed the purchase window, check with us on board, we'll help you find what you’re looking for. Note that this can be a strenuous activity and is not simply a relaxing sailboat ride. The island's two volcanic spires are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and many would say a visit here is not complete without at least catching a glimpse of them.
These tours often include a visit to a distillery where the island's namesake Curacao liqueur is distilled (do try a sample of the blue drink). To help you out, we've created a cheat sheet highlighting our favorite Caribbean cruise excursions in 30 of the Caribbean's top cruise ports. And if you want more Caribbean cruising tips, check out our best Caribbean cruise content, itineraries, reviews and more. If you've done your research and have decided that you want to do a specific excursion offered on your cruise, think carefully about whether to book in advance or onboard. It's best to book in advance for must-do tours and limited-availability excursions (like almost every excursion on an Alaskan cruise or flightseeing while docked on a cruise to Hawaii). Arriving in multiple ports you are unfamiliar with and expecting to find the best things to do would be challenging at best and disastrous at worst.
No comments:
Post a Comment