Who takes the cruise line excursions?

[Langley Cruisers]

If you take a ships tour, you get an overpriced cattle tour that is mainly populated with either people who are immobile or who are barely mobile. You can count on spending more time in shops than seeing things. If you get a meal that caters to people who thing that an Egg McMuffin is exotic food. You will be told exactly what to see and will not be able to stop at the places you want to stop at.

 

How dare you. These comments are highly offensive, and incorrect to boot. But then again, reading your posts I know you thrive on controversy and provoking other posters, so I am considering the source.

 

OP and others, we just returned form a 12 night Med cruise, and since we had never been to Europe before, we opted for the ship's excursions. Yes, we know we paid more than had we booked privately, but trust me, for us there was a security and peace knowing we would be well taken care of, and we were. Every excursion was amazing, professionally-run, with English-speaking guides, and well worth the money we paid. We could have researched and done things on our own, but we chose not to. We wanted to enjoy our time in each port and with a ship's tour which met onboard ship and escorted us each day, we found that.

 

Please do what is best for you, and I beg you not to insult or belittle those of us who choose a ship's excursion. It's really unfair. :(

[mikewrit]

OP dropping in to see what's happening and abashed at the way this has strayed. My honest interest was more statistical than otherwise. So far none of the participants has been able to say how many cruisers use the excursions offered by the cruise lines and how many go their own ways. We do both, increasingly on our own as we get more comfortable with that path. My last cruise-line-arranged shore excursion was from Warnemunde to Berlin and back in 10 brutal hours. We know we're taking a gamble by going on our own in Egypt in October, but the cruise line alternative is just way more expensive and likely to be a lot more crowded.

[mousey]

I don't know about statistics, sorry.:( I can just say that we have been cruising since our early 20s and the DH is now in his late 50s and I'm in my mid-60s, our DS is now 16 and has been cruising with us since he was 5. That's just for some background. We always do whatever is convenient for us at the time. We have taken ship excursions when we felt there might be a time crunch or because we just liked what was offered for the price. The ship's excursions are not ALWAYS more expensive than private ones for the same service. We have taken private excursions when the ship has not offered excursions that go where we want to go or that were cheaper for the same service. We have never been disappointed in either a ship excursion nor in a private excursion. :D

[Langley Cruisers]

My honest interest was more statistical than otherwise. So far none of the participants has been able to say how many cruisers use the excursions offered by the cruise lines and how many go their own ways.

 

But I have to say I'm not sure why you think a bunch of ordinary people on a discussion board would have any kind of "statistics" on this subject. :confused: :o

[paul929207]

OP dropping in to see what's happening and abashed at the way this has strayed. My honest interest was more statistical than otherwise. So far none of the participants has been able to say how many cruisers use the excursions offered by the cruise lines and how many go their own ways. We do both, increasingly on our own as we get more comfortable with that path. My last cruise-line-arranged shore excursion was from Warnemunde to Berlin and back in 10 brutal hours. We know we're taking a gamble by going on our own in Egypt in October, but the cruise line alternative is just way more expensive and likely to be a lot more crowded.

Not sure you will find any Stats. The cruise line may give you numbers for their stuff. Of course this will vary by itinerary and even sailing. Finding the number of people doing private tours will be much more difficult. Some percentage just stay on the ship in any given port. Others just walk to town.

[lakelorain]

We normally take the ships excursions the first time we are in any port. For future visits we usually go on our own but will consider a ship excursion if it is one that you can't do on your own, such as the Sugar Train in St. Kitts.

We have be pleased with most of them.

[KBS1607]

That's not altogether true....some ship excursions are quite fun...and there's absolutely NO thinking on your part required...they tell you when and where to meet...and from that point on, all you do is have fun.

 

Some things may be better on a private tour, but there's really nothing wrong with doing an excursion through the cruiseline.

 

A bit of research will let you know if what interests you requires an excursion at all....many things are quite easy to do on your own! Get a guidebook!

 

So even though we have been on several cruises we do the ship's excursions.

[graciekelli]

We usually do the excursions on our own because:

1. Most of the time we are travelling with our kids = more expense

2. We like doing things on our own time line

3. We dislike touring in large crowds (the herding effect).

 

We do at times use the cruiseline tours:

1. When its just me an my husband

2. When the tour is extremely attractive.