You’ve booked a cruise, congratulations! Now the hardest part of deciding upon a cruise is over, so it is time to start thinking about booking your shore excursions.
And on the off chance that you haven’t booked your cruise yet, what are you waiting for?! Cruising really is the ultimate escape – trust me and book one today!
Once you have booked your cruise and you start exploring your options for shore excursions, you will find there is a lot to consider. Whether you prefer once in a lifetime tours, such as a helicopter ride to a glacier, or slow-paced walking tours of the local city, there really is something for every personality and fitness level.
And while you are researching all your different options for shore excursions, you will soon discover that there are also multiple ways to book shore excursions.
Booking Shore Excursions Directly With Cruise Line
If you are the type of person who likes to have your entire vacation planned out well in advance, and would prefer to press the easy button when planning, then booking your cruise directly with your cruise line is probably your best option.
Here are some advantages to booking directly with your cruise line:
- Convenient booking and billing directly on cruise website, app, or over the phone;
- Cancel for any reason without penalty up to 48 hours ahead;
- Guarantee that the ship will not set sail without you if your tour is delayed;
- Excursion companies are vetted by cruise line for safety and proper licensing etc.;
- Shore excursion credits may be included in your cruise booking.
- Popular excursions will sell out, so you need to book early to avoid disappointment;
- Excursions are often more expensive when booked directly through your cruise line;
- Group sizes are often larger and therefore tour may be crowded and slower moving;
- Cruise lines offer excursions that appeal to the masses so your choices are limited;
Booking Shore Excursions With a Private Company
If you are the kind of person who likes control over every aspect of your vacation and spends hours researching every destination, then you will probably prefer to book shore excursions with a private company.
Here are some advantages of booking with a private company:
- Generally will be less expensive than booking directly with cruise line;
- More variety of shore excursions;
- Smaller group sizes so experience is more relaxed;
- Ability to tailor an excursion specifically to meet your needs or the needs of your group;
- Direct communication with excursion company so there is no confusion.
- You are responsible for conducting due diligence on the excursion company to ensure they are reputable;
- If your ship is late getting to port, you may not be able to change to your excursion time;
- The ship will not wait for you if your tour is late getting back to port (although some companies do provide a guarantee that they will cover any costs to get you back to your ship);
- There may be some hidden costs, such as transportation fees, that you were not aware of when booking.
So now after weighing the pros and cons, if you have decided that booking a shore excursion privately is the way to go, the following companies may be able to assist you:
Exploring on Your Own - No Booking Required
Finally, if you are a “fly by the seat of your pants” type of person who never plans anything ahead of time, you will probably prefer to just walk off the ship and explore the destinations on your own.
Here are some advantages to exploring on your own:
- Freedom to do whatever you want based on your own schedule;
- Cost savings, as you are not forced to spend money on extra things that may be included in the excursions that are not of interest to you;
- You are able to experience the true culture of the city you are exploring;
- You don’t need to follow a strict timeline, as you are your own tour guide;
- You may find a last minute shore excursion at a great price that you decide to go on spur of the moment.
- If you are unfamiliar with the destination you could waste valuable time navigating your way around;
- You may not to be able to access some of the key landmarks, as they may require advance booking;
- Some destinations may be dangerous to explore without a tour guide;
- Lack of planning could potentially lead to lack of an itinerary, and you end up missing out on all that the destination has to offer.
While it is important to keep all of the above in mind, one thing I have learned is that there is no right way to cruise.
Cruise vacations are such a great way to see the world, but deciding on exactly how you will see it is entirely up to you.
Whether you decide to book shore excursions with your cruise line, a private company, or just explore the destinations as your own private guide, you are in for an amazing journey filled with memories that will last a lifetime. Bon voyage!
