Depending on your cruise line, you can reserve excursions ahead of time online or wait until you are at the port and book in person for your exciting adventure tours. Often, the popular tours sell out fast.
Sightseeing Tours
Many cruise lines offer a range of tours to passengers on a pre-arranged basis when the ship is in port. Independent tour operators typically conduct these in the ports of call. However, some are arranged directly through the cruise line, especially for must-do excursions or those with limited availability. Cruise ship excursion staff often sell these tours, organize them, and escort guests from the ship to the meeting point for the tour.
Shore excursions run the gamut from city highlights to iconic ruins to nature-based explorations. They also vary in length, with some covering the entire day’s worth of sightseeing and others offering a specific itinerary that leaves time for independent exploration before or after the guided component.
In addition to ship-sponsored adventure tours, some cruise lines also offer private excursions for groups of four or more passengers who want to travel with a group of friends or family. Usually accompanied by a guide, these are much more intimate explorations than crowded ship-sponsored tours and offer the opportunity to go at your own pace, seeing what interests you and skipping what doesn’t.
Active Adventure Tours
The best way to explore a destination is on the Grand Cayman Islands cruise port, which immerses you in the culture. Choose from a variety of hands-on experiences revolving around culinary and cultural themes. Ranging in exertion from light to strenuous, each trip is designed with your specific fitness level in mind.
Cruise-line-arranged excursions are an excellent choice for travelers who want to skip the research and book a tour independently, as the ship’s staff has vetted the operators. And if you choose a ship-sponsored excursion, the ship will depart once all participants are back onboard.
However, cruise lines often sell out of popular excursions well in advance. Even if you log on to the cruise line’s website the minute it opens, other passengers — particularly those with suites and higher loyalty program status — have likely snagged all the spots on the top tours.
If you are willing to do a bit of on-shore footwork, most port towns have kiosks and personnel promoting trips for a fraction of what the ship offers. Depending on the size of your group, you can design an exclusive tour with the help of a local guide. This is an excellent option for families and groups traveling together. Just remember that local guides often charge a flat rate rather than per person and that you must arrange transportation beforehand.
Cultural Tours
Cruise lines offer various educational and enriching tours if you’d like to experience a culture with a deeper meaning. Explore a destination’s art and history with expert guides, learn the origins of foods, and listen to the songs of a language that isn’t your own.
Choosing a tour that matches your physical abilities and comfort levels is essential, as some may involve strenuous treks in hot and humid climates or long days with a lot of walking. The purser’s office can help you find suitable excursions for your needs, and staff members are excellent sources of information, too.
Independent tours can also be cheaper than cruise lines, but it’s essential to research and find a reliable operator. Check online for reviews and ask friends who have sailed that region for recommendations.
When booking a shore excursion, you’ll need plenty of cash, as many local vendors will only accept cash payments. And, if your tour involves ground transportation, ensure you have enough money to cover the taxi or other service costs. Tipping the guide or driver is also customary, especially if traveling outside the United States.
Private Tours
Whether island hopping in the Caribbean, whale watching off Alaska, or stepping into storybook-like towns across Europe, many cruise travelers want to experience the world through guided exploration. But not all tours are created equal — some feature busloads of tourists dutifully following flag- or umbrella-waving tour guides. In contrast, others offer more active adventures overseen by experienced dive masters and hike leaders.
The good news is that most tour operators catering to cruise passengers are conscientious about getting their groups back on the ship at a reasonable time. However, unexpected delays such as traffic jams or weather can sometimes derail the best-laid plans. And because cruise lines do not control local transportation and tour providers, they need to be able to watch whether a group’s private excursion is running behind schedule.
In addition, many cruise line tours are priced higher than independent excursions that you can book directly with the operator, mainly because of the extra fees charged to the cruise ship for acting as an intermediary. In my travels, I have saved hundreds of dollars booking an independently operated overnight tour to Egypt’s pyramids from Cairo for less than a ship-sponsored option.
With a private guided tour, you’ll enjoy more personalized attention from your vehicle with the driver and guide on half or full days. And, because these are usually priced lower than cruise-line tours, they are a smart option for families or travelers traveling in groups of four or more which is also part of adventure tours that one can get.
