You have between eight and ten hours to spend at the port, and there is a possibility that you will never visit that location again. How can you make sure that you don't miss out on a fantastic day of your holiday because you choose the wrong shore excursion while you were on your cruise ship?
It is a challenging endeavour, to be sure, but you may avoid making poor tour selections by doing some careful reading and giving some thought to the matter. The following are some general pointers to keep in mind:
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First and first, be truthful with yourself about the characteristics and capabilities of the people who will be accompanying you on your trip, as well as the activities that will make them the happiest.
The second piece of advice is to avoid putting pressure on yourself to go on a ship-sponsored excursion. Independent options are generally superior.
The third piece of advice is to look over the following list of cruise ship shore excursions and determine whether or not they are worth your time, money, and the potential for mid-tour meltdowns.
Tours that provide a panoramic view
The phrase "you will observe significant attractions only from inside a bus" is what passengers on cruise ships mean when they refer to "panoramic" tours. Avoid any tours with the words "panoramic sightseeing," "island tour," or "[destination] by coach" in the title if you would rather spend more time on the ground than inside a coach. You may be interested in seeing the historic cathedral interior or stepping outside to enjoy the scenic overlook, but if you would rather spend more time on the ground than inside a coach, you should avoid those tours.
You will find that the majority of shore excursion descriptions will tell you how long you will be able to spend at each destination; therefore, you should look for these indications to ensure that you get to see the places that you want to see.
Note that if you have mobility issues, you should ignore this advice; these sightseeing trips are a terrific way to view the best landmarks without worrying about navigating cobblestone streets or steps. Note that you should ignore this advice if you have mobility issues.
Trams and trains for tourists
If you want to keep your dignity, you should stay away from the tourist trains and trams that chug around cruise locations. This is especially important if you are travelling with young children who are enamoured with Thomas the Tank Engine. I'm not referring to traditional tourist railroads here; rather, I'm talking about the miniature-painted locomotives that are used to move open-air carriages through the streets of tourist destinations such as the Royal Dockyard in Bermuda, Belize City, and Piraeus, Greece.
To tell you the truth, it's embarrassing, and it labels you as an ignorant tourist from the United States. If you seek convenient transportation between major tourist destinations, hop-on, hop-off coach excursions are by far the best option to consider.
Related: When scheduling cruise shore excursions, make sure to avoid making these 10 common blunders.
Tours that last the entire day
Although I've heard that the White Pass Rail into Canada from Skagway, Alaska is gorgeous, I've never actually taken the trip myself... because you will spend the majority of the eight hours riding around on your posterior in a train. After completing the marathon tour in Italy that goes from Livorno to Florence, I can guarantee that I will be so fatigued that I will fall asleep on the journey back to Livorno on the couch.
It's possible that the only way to see everything you want to see during your one day in port is to sign up for a marathon tour that lasts the entire day. Nevertheless, the blistered feet skipped ship supper, and an overwhelming amount of knowledge might not be worth the quick speed. Even worse, these lengthy tours frequently involve more time spent travelling than viewing the sights.
For instance, Royal Caribbean's "Grand Tour of Florence and Pisa" allows for two hours of solo exploration in Florence and one hour of independent exploration in Pisa, while the tour itself lasts for ten hours. At least three of those hours will be spent travelling, and a significant portion of the remaining time will be spent either waiting for tourists who are running late or walking from the parking lot to the real attractions.
You could be better off concentrating your time and energy on a single region and making plans to come back for a land visit at a more leisurely pace the following year.
Related: 5 fantastic vacation packages that combine a rail excursion with a cruise
Combining brief excursions with a drawn-out layover
In a similar spirit, and with a nod to the song by Cake, any tour that spends more time in transit than at the actual tour location may not be the best use of your time. The destination you choose for a day trip must be worthwhile if you are going to make the effort to travel there. In that case, you might get more bang for your buck by lodging closer to the harbour and spending more time on your own independently exploring shopping, and dining.
Museum tours
When you're at home, do you ever visit local museums and take guided tours? No. You just need to go to the museum, maybe pick up an audio tour, and then you can explore the exhibits at your own pace. Therefore, why would you go on a tour of a museum while you were on a cruise?
You can save money by skipping the costly shore excursion and going to that museum of interest on your own if you don't need a tour for transportation. You are free to spend as much or as little time as you like in the rooms that pique your attention; you can navigate your way around big crowds of people congregating around a specific piece of artwork or display; and you are not required to humbly trail behind a sign-carrying guide. If you require additional information or are unable to understand the display signs, you should be able to locate audio tours in the English language.
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A break at the beach
Do you have any interest in going to the beach? Take a cab, because you're going to the beach. The residents are aware that cruisers like to travel to the beach, so they have prepared shuttles, trams, and vans to get you there and back again. There is no need to take a guided tour to get there.
In a similar vein, if you want to spend the day at a local resort using its beach, pool, and other facilities, you can frequently find cheaper options if you book through the resort directly rather than through the shore excursion desk on your ship. This is because resorts tend to negotiate better rates with guests who book directly with them. Simply check to see if transportation is provided, and if it isn't, include the cost of a cab ride in your calculations.
Related: the top adventures available on Caribbean cruises
Tours of stores and shops
The same mentality should be applied to shopping expeditions. Simply disembarking the cruise ship is all that is required of you to begin your shopping excursion. Even if there aren't many shops selling jewellery and souvenirs directly at the harbour, you'll have no trouble finding a good selection in the town proper. It's not very often that a shopping tour will take you to exceptional or local secret galleries where you can find fantastic art or spectacular buys, but when it does happen, it's always an exciting experience.
Are you a compulsive shopper or more of a devoted fan of one certain brand? Your best strategy is to perform some preliminary research, identify the stores or galleries that you are interested in seeing, and then either hire a private tour or take a taxi to the locations of the businesses that are most important to you.
Booze cruises
I am a big fan of going on catamaran sails since they allow you to get out on the ocean, feel the wind in your hair, and watch the scenery go by while also allowing you to go snorkelling or spend time at the beach. On the other hand, I stay well away from any shore excursion that advertises itself as a "party cruise" or an "open bar."
Know that someone on the boat is bound to overindulge, become belligerent, or end up barfing because they don't know when to stop with the free rum punch if you choose a tour because you want to snorkel or see the sunset over the water. This is something you should be aware of if you choose a tour for these reasons.
Are you looking for a good time? To each their own. Just be careful because those fruity cocktails have more alcohol in them than they seem to have, and the mix of heat, booze, and sugar is the worst combination for having a wild time without any repercussions. Do you want to sleep through the next port or the ship's nightlife because you're still intoxicated from the last excursion?
Related: How to Get Drinks for Free or Nearly Free on a Cruise
Rides on boats with glass bottoms
I can't lie; while I was in Maui, I went on an awesome ride in a semi-submersible where we got to see some incredible marine life. Every single one of the other "submarine" tours and glass-bottom boat rides has been cloudy and uninspiring. If you don't suffer from claustrophobia, giving one of these excursions a shot won't hurt anything, but there's a slim possibility that you'll have a once-in-a-lifetime experience while you're there. You might want to give a land-based tour a shot instead of trying to snorkel or scuba dive if you are unable to participate in such activities.
Tours that include animals who have been mistreated.
You may have it as a goal in your life to swim with dolphins or ride on the back of an elephant, but please do not give your money to any organisation that is cruel to the animals in their care. If you are unable to verify that the animals are receiving excellent care, you should steer clear of shore excursions that include interaction with wild creatures that are kept in captivity.
Choose excursions that will allow you to see animals in their natural habitats, such as whale-watching trips in Hawaii, bear-viewing excursions in Alaska, or hikes or boat rides in the forest, where you might encounter birds or monkeys in the treetops.
Any tour that you aren't physically prepared for Haven't ridden a bike in years? It is not the right moment to make reservations for that bicycle trip through Valencia, Spain, or to go racing down the Haleakala volcano in Maui for 25 miles. Do you struggle with mobility? You would not enjoy taking a stroll through an old town that is paved with cobblestones. Concerned about heights? Do not, for the love of God, attempt to go zip lining.
Only you, in your current state of health and fitness, will be participating in the tour, not the person you wish you were (or the strapping kid you once were). You will have a far better time enjoying your time spent in port rather than at the local hospital if you refrain from participating in any shore excursions that are beyond your physical or mental capabilities.
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