Ever quit an excursion before it returns to the ship?

[Waterfreak2009]

I ask because I'm thinking of doing the "Let's Take a Selfie - Grand Cayman", which goes to a couple tourist sites with the last place being 7 mile beach. It's only a 3 1/2 hour excursion getting us back to the ship at 2:30 and the ship does not leave until 6. Would it be acceptable to "quit" the excursion at the beach to get more time there? Obviously I would be responsible for getting myself back to the ship. 

[DrUrsula]

Yes. Several times. I let the tour guide or driver know ahead of time.

 

[Asawi]

Absolutely! As long as you let whoever runs the excursion know!

[Sailing12Away]

Yup, just let them know your intentions so they don't hold the rest of the group up waiting for you. They may also have some hints/tips about the best way to get back on your own safely. 

 

In Lisbon hubby left the tour early to go look for booze because that tour was really bad. The navigation on the streets was so convoluted that I hopped back on the bus, he walked a block into town and then was walking back to the terminal. He got there before our bus, and we were literally just across the street. Had to go up and down and all around multiple bridges just to cross the street on the bus....

[Waterfreak2009]

  Thanks for the replies everyone. I'll let the driver know in advance.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, Waterfreak2009 said:

I ask because I'm thinking of doing the "Let's Take a Selfie - Grand Cayman", which goes to a couple tourist sites with the last place being 7 mile beach. It's only a 3 1/2 hour excursion getting us back to the ship at 2:30 and the ship does not leave until 6. Would it be acceptable to "quit" the excursion at the beach to get more time there? Obviously I would be responsible for getting myself back to the ship. 

As you fully coordinate it with the tour operator.

 

You don't want to keep a bus load of people waiting for you.. and you never show up. It is who ever is the tour guide (likely to be different than the driver). 

Edited February 12 by BirdTravels

[UKstages]

1 hour ago, Waterfreak2009 said:

...the last place being 7 mile beach...

 

be aware that the order in which the visited sites are listed may not be the order in which you actually visit them, so your master plan may be thwarted. there could be a number of reasons why they go in a different order or skip a stop, including traffic, parades, civil unrest... most commonly, if the tour is popular and has several tour busses, some busses will go one direction, while the others will go the opposite way. they do this to avoid congestion at popular tourist sites. instead of twelve busses descending upon a cave or a museum, there will be six. and then another six later in the day. so some people might get to that beach early in the morning, others later in the day.

 

so, yes, no problem with leaving a tour provided you tell the guide, but you can't be 100% certain that the sites will be visited in the order you think they will be or the order that was promised in the promotional blurb.

[Waterfreak2009]

6 minutes ago, UKstages said:

you can't be 100% certain that the sites will be visited in the order you think they will be or the order that was promised in the promotional blurb.

Very good point that I had not considered, thank you. I will not plan on it 100% but at least I know, if the scenario presents itself I can stick around longer.

[1025cruise]

While I cannot speak for this particular excursion, generally, if the last stop is a beach you are given the option to stay behind. Just be mindful that you will need to find your own transportation back.

[Fogfog]

Check terms and conditions. Tour guides are responsible to get everyone back and forth to the ship

[Smitheroo]

I was on an excursion on one of the Mexican cruises. The tour ended at a stop in Ensenada that was  not too far from the ship.  One couple left the tour group without notifying the tour guide. it caused her a lot of anxiety because she has to know that all people on the excursion are returned to the ship  If they had told her I'm sure it would have been fine. They didnt and she had to run around various areas of the last spot to see if they were still there. Very inconsiderate to the tour guide and fellow excursion guests.

[olemissreb]

On 2/12/2024 at 9:05 AM, Waterfreak2009 said:

I ask because I'm thinking of doing the "Let's Take a Selfie - Grand Cayman", which goes to a couple tourist sites with the last place being 7 mile beach. It's only a 3 1/2 hour excursion getting us back to the ship at 2:30 and the ship does not leave until 6. Would it be acceptable to "quit" the excursion at the beach to get more time there? Obviously I would be responsible for getting myself back to the ship. 

OK this wasn't planned at all, but on my first cruise, we were doing a walking tour of Old San Juan (cruise sponsored excursion) and somewhere along the way, me, my ex and another couple we met were taking pictures or something and the group just left us!  Oh well - it was a pretty boring tour anyway and we all made the best of it and got back to the ship on our own.  Of course I think that is easier to do in OSJ since it's not a tender port like Grand Cayman (if Grand Cayman is still a tender port - it was the last time I was there 25 years ago or so).

Edited February 15 by olemissreb

[IAcruising]

On 2/12/2024 at 10:06 AM, Waterfreak2009 said:

I'll let the driver know in advance.

 

For certain. And tip, of course. 😄