First Cruise Ever - Question About Choosing Excursions

[HeardItBothWays]

Hi everyone!

 

My SO and I will be sailing to Eastern Caribbean on the Gem in February. It is my first cruise ever and I'm excited, but nervous about the planning process. I thought I'd ask all of you lovely more experienced cruisers; where do you usually go for reliable reviews for excursions? NCL has reviews on their website but I wasn't sure how useful/reliable they tend to be and I couldn't seem to find any elsewhere. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks :-)

[Luv2cruisewithtwins]

I always check the reviews of the PORTS listed here on cruise critic and also use trip advisor. They both have been extremely accurate and helpful!!!

[brookie848]

Depending on the time you have to plan, what you want to do and your comfort level, you may want to consider not going with a ship excursion.

 

I start my excursion research on the NCL site to get an idea of what is offered. The I expand to the Cruise Critic port-specific message boards and to TripAdvisor. I don't find the excursion reviews on CC to be overly helpful since they seem very general rather than recommending specific companies.

 

For the first cruise I planned (but ended up having to cancel at the very last minute), we booked 30 days out. I booked all ship excursions. We booked our 2014 cruise in October of 2013 (Eastern Caribbean). That gave me enough time to research and plan what to do in port, so we didn't use any ship excursions. For our upcoming cruise, we again planned our own excursions. I research like crazy, though, so I'm comfortable with the choices I made.

[Cruising Golfer]

Another option that we use is to just go off on our own and that way we are not set to any time limit other than when the ship sails...

We have seen so many things that we would have never seen on a tour.

Welcome to the wonderful world of cruising... Enjoy!!!:cool:

[Da-Painter]

You have to carefully read the reviews, "read between the lines". With experience you will see the warning signs in a review.

 

On the NCL Shore Excursions Reviews, a bad review will not be shown, or will be edited out.

Its in the NCL "terms and conditions" for submitting a review. I have posted reviews of bad experiences on their excursions, and those are never shown.

So be aware of that.

:eek:

[Loucat]

I relate to your concerns even though we began sailing + 10 years ago and knew nothing!

I agree to check the excursions on the cruise site but also think if you spend time on the port boards you will develop an opinion based on many posts; not just one or a few.

The reliability of non ship excursions has to be looked at individually.

In MYOP be careful of gettting off of a ship and rely on those trying to get your business at the ports as they need volume and you will spend too much time waiting.

Decide based on each port what interests you and break them down. Use the internet sites for ports to check out tours and validate them on CC.

I do this even though we have been to most ports in the Caribbean.

We have had great excursions but most have been arranged with reputable tour agents; not the cruise lines.

[rbrugler]

Just tonight I was reading about several NCL shore excursions for our upcoming cruise. There were several bad reviews along with good ones. I would be reluctant to book my own excursions the first time in a port. One benefits from learning what traffic congestion there is, how difficult it is to get to different locations, and what are safe areas. If you want to do things without the NCL excursions, join your roll call and find out if groups are going places and book with them. Many folk have used certain vendors on prior cruises and like them. Good luck and have a wonderful time!

[roger001]

We've cruised numerous times and generally just book NCL tours. They are a bit more expensive but are a known quantity as far as what you will usually get. I personally suggest that for your first cruise and first time to experience the ports, just go with NCL. After that, you will have a better familiarization with tours and tour operators and may wish to book locals next time. But for now, just look at the NCL web site and try what you might think is fun or interesting. Cost you a bit more, but you will be more relaxed letting you enjoy more. When you get off the ship at the ports, the NCL tours will be very well organized with NCL staff standing by to help you on your way. And...I've found the NCL web site reviews to be similar to what we then experience on those tours. My opinion.

[peg013]

Be sure to join the roll call for your cruise and you may be able to join others on your cruise in an excursion or two. Or at least find out what they plan to do in the different ports. You will want to go to the Cruise Critic Meet and Greet to met the Gem's officers and the others on your roll call. If you happen to be leaving February 27, we'll be on the same cruise with you.

[LLWS_Uncle_Rick]

We've cruised numerous times and generally just book NCL tours. They are a bit more expensive but are a known quantity as far as what you will usually get. I personally suggest that for your first cruise and first time to experience the ports, just go with NCL. After that, you will have a better familiarization with tours and tour operators and may wish to book locals next time. But for now, just look at the NCL web site and try what you might think is fun or interesting. Cost you a bit more, but you will be more relaxed letting you enjoy more. When you get off the ship at the ports, the NCL tours will be very well organized with NCL staff standing by to help you on your way. And...I've found the NCL web site reviews to be similar to what we then experience on those tours. My opinion.

 

I agree with this, also the ship will wait for you if the tour gets delayed. At the very least get with a group from the roll call for a tour. I would not venture out on you own the first time out.