Excursions That Float Your Boat
Researching cruise excursions ahead of time can lead to memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, like power snorkeling in Antigua.
Sure, fancy dinners and relaxing red hammocks are nice and all; but what makes cruises so special are the experiences. Every time the ship drops anchor, you get to encounter a new culture or climate, and create memories that last a lifetime. This is what makes cruising preferable over most land locked vacations. On land you are limited to seeing what is within driving distance of your hotel, while at sea, the hotel literally takes you to the next attraction. So, finding the right excursion is just as important as choosing the right ship or itinerary.
Should I book my excursion through the ship? Will there be enough time in port for the excursion? What if the excursion I wanted is sold out? Excursion planning can be overwhelming to the first-time cruiser, so we are going to demystify the process as well as provide tips and tricks to help you plan the best cruise adventure!
Where to Find & Book Your Excursion
Excursions are experiences. And we want those experiences to be positive. So, choosing a trust-worthy vendor for your excursion is the key to creating those priceless memories. Here are 4 ways to research and book the PERFECT excursion!
TIP #1: Print off your cruise itinerary with ports and dates to refer to when choosing your excursions. You don’t want to book the wrong date!
Booking through the Ship
Almost all cruise ship brands sell excursions at an additional cost outside of the original cruise fee. You can purchase these ahead of time online, in their app, or on the ship at the Excursion Desk. There are a few luxury brands, like Viking, that include excursions/tours but these are limited.
PROS - These excursions come with a “worry-free” guarantee that if your tour is delayed, the ship will stay in port or cover all the expenses to get you to the next port. They also take all of the stress out of meeting the tour provider as they will arrange for your guides to meet you right off the ship.
CONS - Cruise companies charge an additional premium (usually $25-$50 per person) to act as the middle man. Rarely will an excursion booked onboard be less than $50/person. So for a family of four, a single tour can cost anywhere from $200-$800. More IMPORTANTLY, when booking you are not made aware of the tour provider or its quality of service. Some of our most disappointing excursions have been booked through the ship, because these tour operators already have an established contract with the brand and are not worried about customer experience.
NOTE: The only time we suggest purchasing an excursion through the cruise line is when your cruise destination and port are different cities. For example, trips to Rome port in Civitavecchia, so you will need to travel an hour or so outside of port to get to see the Vatican, Colosseum, or Sistine Chapel. This travel time can impact your arrival back to port, so take the insurance and book through the cruise line.
TIP #2: Look for tour companies with over 4.5 star rating on TripAdvisor, such as Troll Expeditions who provided us with the most memorable experience on the Katla Glacier in Iceland.
Booking Through TripAdvisor/Viator
TripAdvisor, and its sister company, Viator, are travel databases that integrate comparison shopping with user-generated content. In other words, they are search engines that sort through hotels, restaurants, attractions, and tours based on customer ratings. Whenever we plan a cruise or even just want to find a good local restaurant, we always use Tripadvisor.
PROS - TripAdvisor will help you find a highly-rated experience that you will not regret. Often the fares are cheaper than those offered by cruise lines, sometimes for the same exact experience.
CONS - Most tour providers will not meet you right at the cruise port, so you will have to make sure the meeting/pick-up point is within walking distance or plan to get a taxi/uber. Allot yourself time for this. Also, navigating the TripAdvisor website and the app can be nuanced. So I have given you some directions on how to search using the service below.
How to Use TripAdvisor to book an Shore Excursion:
Step 1: Navigate to their website (CLICK HERE)
Step 2: Type your destination/port in the search bar (for example Barbados)
Step 3: Click on the “Things to Do” tab at the top of the page
Step 4: Scroll down & Click on “Half-day Tours” or “Ports of Call Tours”
Step 5: Enter your date on the left hand side “Enter Dates” button
Step 6: Browse the tours available on your date, check their ratings, and select a tour you are interested in by clicking the title
Step 7: On the tour’s page, scroll down on the left hand side and check the “Departure & Return” dropdown to make sure the pickup is near the port or you may need to get a taxi/uber.
Step 8: On the right hand side over the “Reserve Now” button, check the time of the excursion, make sure the excursion is within the timeframe of when your ship is in port. Don’t click on a 9am timeslot, if your ship arrives in port at 10am!!! Check CruiseMapper for ship port times.
Step 9: Read the reviews and browse photos of the tour. If it is appealing, BOOK IT!!!
Tip #3 Never limit your search. Use Google to find tours in popular destinations and you may come across something unique, like a rum making masterclass in Antigua with Academy of Rum.
Booking Direct
There are times when a tour or excursion can be sold independently through the tour provider. You can find tour operators by Google searching your “tour destination + ‘tours’ or ‘excursions’ (i.e. Juneau tours).” Or in extremely popular ports, like Cozumel or Juneau, some tour providers have kiosks right outside the port entrance. This may widen the field of excursions available and is an excellent option if the most popular tours are already sold out on the ship. It is how I was able to get tickets on the White Pass Scenic railroad in Skagway although they were already sold out through the cruise ship, which ended up being better because we were not stuck with all the cruise passengers.
PROS - You know your price is the cheapest the vendor can offer because it is directly through them. You should be able to contact the tour operator regarding accommodations or curated tours. And finally, these tours tend to be smaller and more intimate.
CONS - There is no guarantee with the cruise ship if the tour is delayed. You have to check the legitimacy of the tour provider.
Tip #4: Before booking any excursion check to see if there is a Youtube video of the tour or port created by a travel content creator. That’s how we found Wet Wendy’s an awesome margarita bar in Cozumel!
Create Your Own Tour!
Why pay for a tour, when you can CREATE ONE! Between Google Maps and TripAdvisor, you can most likely plot out a series of attractions to visit while in port. For example the last time we were in Cozumel, I created a “group tour” with friends by mapping out 3 different stops that were within walking distance of the port. One was Wet Wendy’s featured in the photo above. Create your own food tour or photo tour by researching various points of interest and saving them as a list under Google Maps. Even if the attractions are not in walking distance, you can always catch and uber/taxi right outside the port and give the driver the exact location found on Google Maps. TIP: Always know the standard fare before traveling so you don’t get swindled by a taxi driver.
PROS - It’s FREE! You won’t have a guide to tip, and you won’t be up-charged by anyone. Plus, since you are essentially the tour guide, you have full control of the itinerary and can spend as much time as you want at each attraction. Given you don’t miss the ship ;)
CONS - Even though Google reviews and Youtube videos are great for identifying quality attractions, they are no substitution for the experience and personality of a local tour guide. If you truly want to learn about the local culture, hire a tour company. Also, the potential of missing the cruise ship can sometimes stress out cruisers, so if this is you, perhaps you should purchase an excursion through the ship.
Or even better, download one of our digital port guides for less than $10 and plan your own trip with our suggestions :)
The beauty of planning excursions is you don’t have to do it the same way in every port. You could purchase a Flamenco class though the ship in Barcelona and charter a private catamaran around Ibiza through TripAdvisor. What matters is you pick excursions you and your fellow passengers are going to enjoy. I try to vary mine between foodie tours, sight-seeing, nature tours and relaxation. So, take some time to do some research and plan out every port of call. Here’s to a budget-friendly escape filled with laughter, discovery, and cherished memories. Bon voyage!
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