shore excursions

[felisogo]

How do I go about booking shore excursions if I don't want to go thru the cruise ship?:(

[Shmoo here]

How do I go about booking shore excursions if I don't want to go thru the cruise ship?:(

 

You need to research the ports you want excursions for, find tour companies that operate there and contact them directly and find out what they offer and how much it costs.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Join your Roll Call.

Many people get together and book private excursions.

In most ports there will be vendors on the shore offering excursions.

[paul929207]

You will also find much info in the Ports of Call section

[Scrapnana]

You can also check out companies on Trip Advisor for reviews.

[cb at sea]

Some things are so easy to do on your own, that you won't even need an excursion! Do get a guidebook on your ports...read up on what there is in each place, and then you can decide HOW you want to do that which interests you.

Libraries are free...but you can buy guidebooks in any bookstore!

[Boozebabe]

My advice would be research first then book an early tour so you have plenty time to get back on board. We usually book on our own but in certain countries we will only book thru the ship. Example: Columbia on a Panama Canal cruise. Just be cautious. We've never had a bad experience and some of our best tours were private or right at the docks.

[trish1c]

You find the vendor's name & contact info. You book directly with that company, just like you would book something at home.

Let's say you are on Fabulous Island. You find a website for Fabulous Island Super Tours & really want to book with them. The website will most likely give you on-line booking instructions or a phone # to call with a credit card. Find out the refund / cancellation policy in case your ship misses that port.

[wwcruisers]

And just remember one big difference between a ships' excursion and one that has been privately booked: the ship will wait for you, if their shore excursion provider returns late. When booking on your own, you need to take into consideration factors like: how far you are traveling, and how long you have to get back to the ship, if something (like a flat tire) happens on your tour. Oh, and remember to always (always, always) stay on SHIP'S time -- it may be different from local time.

[paul929207]

And just remember one big difference between a ships' excursion and one that has been privately booked: the ship will wait for you, if their shore excursion provider returns late. When booking on your own, you need to take into consideration factors like: how far you are traveling, and how long you have to get back to the ship, if something (like a flat tire) happens on your tour. Oh, and remember to always (always, always) stay on SHIP'S time -- it may be different from local time.

The ship will wait for you or they will get you to the next port at their expense if a ship's tour is late. It is not absolute that the ship will wait under any circumstances.

[wwcruisers]

The ship will wait for you or they will get you to the next port at their expense if a ship's tour is late. It is not absolute that the ship will wait under any circumstances.

 

Paul, I've never personally seen that happen -- but I have had an X ship wait for our late-returning ship's tour. I have heard that, in some places, tides are crucial for the ship's departure, so I would understand the ship not waiting -- as long as the cruise line took care of getting me to the next port. Bottom line: I know that the Captain is in charge of his ship, and it leaves port when he says it leaves! ;)

[OCruisers]

While the ships' excursions will almost always wait, you are not really left in the unlikely event it does happen. The ship will make arrangements for your overnight stay, meals, etc. and get you to the next port stop for the ship. It's extremely rare this happens and the ship can not wait.

 

We have been very late (2 hours +) several times and the ship has always been there awaiting us. :)

 

LuLu

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[cabinboy1962]

Hi Paul

we took a short tour of Dublin with Matt a Dublin taxi driver last paddy's day when we told him we were going to be back in Ireland on a cruise he recommended a company in Cork to us ( About cork taxi tours )

we were on the Caribbean princess when we contacted Janice we were very surprised to find that not only did she organise a great excursion in Cork for us but she had a list of recommended taxi tour companies all over the British Isles for us