You have eight to 10 hours in port, and you may never get back to that destination. How do you make sure you don’t miss out on an amazing vacation day by choosing the wrong cruise ship shore excursion?
It’s a daunting task for sure, but some close reading and a little thought can steer you away from making bad travel choices. Here are some general tips to follow:
Tip 1: Be honest with yourself about the personalities and abilities of your travel party and what they will really enjoy doing.
Tip 2: Don’t feel obligated to take a cruise sponsored tour. Independent options are often better.
Tip 3: Read the list below of the types of cruise ship shore excursions that aren’t worth your time, money, and risk of a midtour meltdown.
Panoramic sightseeing tour
“Panoramic” is cruise speak for “you see the main attractions only from inside the bus.” You may want to see the interior of that historic cathedral or go outside to enjoy the panoramic view. However, if you prefer to spend more time on the ground than inside the coach, avoid any tour with “panoramic sightseeing”, “island visit” or “”[destination] By Coach” in the title.
Most shore excursion descriptions will tell you how long you’ll spend at each attraction, so look for those signs to make sure you’re actually experiencing the sites you want to see.
Note that you should ignore this advice if you have mobility challenges; These sightseeing tours are a great way to see the top sights without having to worry about navigating cobblestone streets or stairs.
Tourist trains and trams
Unless you’re cruising with Thomas the Tank Engine-obsessed toddlers, please maintain your dignity and avoid the tourist trains and trams circling the cruise destinations. I’m not talking about actual scenic railways; I’m talking about the beautifully painted miniature locomotives pulling open air carriages through the streets of places like Bermuda, Belize City and the Royal Dockyard in Piraeus, Greece.
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Frankly, it’s embarrassing and tags you as a clueless American tourist. Hop-on, hop-off coach tours are preferred for easy transportation between major tourist attractions.
Related: Avoid These 10 Mistakes When Booking Cruise Shore Excursions
Full day marathon tour
I would love to see the Yukon. However, I have no interest in taking a seven-hour tour in British Columbia with a trip to White Pass and the Yukon Route Railway, a bus ride to the Yukon border, and then another bus ride down the Klondike Highway to Skagway. . Too much sitting.
I have done a marathon tour in Italy from Livorno to Florence, and I can assure you that I fell asleep exhausted on the coach ride every time.
An all-day marathon tour may be the only way to cram everything you want to see into your one day in port. However, the breakneck pace may not be worth the leg pain, missed ship dinners and information overload. Worse, sometimes these long trips involve more driving than sightseeing.
You may be better off focusing your time on one area during your cruise. If you want to see more, return the following year for a more leisurely land visit.
Related: 9 Great Cruise Vacations That Combine a Cruise and a Train Trip
Short trips with long transit
In a similar vein, and with a nod to the Cake song, any tour that spends more time in transit than the actual tour destination may not be the best use of your time. If you’re going somewhere outdoors on a day trip, you want it to be worth your time. Otherwise, you might get more value for walking, shopping, and dining on your own by staying close to the port.
Museum tours
Do you visit museums when you are at home? No. You just go to the museum, maybe take an audio guide and wander around on your own. So, why would you visit a museum on a cruise?
Unless you need a tour for transportation, skip the overpriced shore excursions and head to a museum of your own interest. You can spend as much or as little time in the rooms as you like, and you can skip around larger groups crowding a particular artwork or display. You don’t even have to reduce yourself to meekly following behind a sign-toting guide. You can usually find an English-language audio tour if you need more information or can’t read display signs.
Related: The best credit cards for booking cruises
Beach break
Do you want to go to the beach? Get a cab, and go to the beach. Locals know that cruisers want to hit the beach, and you’ll find shuttles, trams and vans waiting to take you to the beach and back. You don’t need a tour to get there.
Similarly, if you want to spend the day at a local resort, using its beaches, pools and facilities, you can often find cheaper options if you book directly through the property instead of your ship’s shore excursion desk. Check to see if transportation is included and factor in the taxi price if it isn’t.
Related: Best Caribbean Cruise Shore Excursions
Shopping trips
The same mentality applies to shopping tours. If you want to go shopping, you only need to walk from the cruise ship. If there aren’t souvenir and jewelry shops at the port, you’ll find plenty in the city. It’s rare that a shopping tour takes you to special or local secret galleries where you can find amazing art or fantastic buys.
Are you a shopaholic or a connoisseur of a particular product? Your best bet is to do your research in advance, find the shops or galleries you want to visit, and take a taxi or hire a private guide to take you to the merchants you want to see most.
Booze Cruise
I’m a huge fan of catamaran sails — getting out on the water to feel the wind in your hair and watch the scenery go by, maybe go snorkeling or beach time. However, I avoid any shore tour labeled “party cruise” or “open bar” like the plague.
If you’re choosing a tour because you want to snorkel or watch the sunset on the water, know that someone on the boat is bound to overindulge, get belligerent or end up barfing because they know. Not when to stop. Free rum punch.
Looking for a party? is on it. Just be careful because those fruit drinks are stronger than they taste; The combination of heat, alcohol and sugar makes for a wild time with some consequences. Do you really want to miss the next port or ship nightlife because you’re hungover from your tour?
Related: How to get free or cheap drinks on a cruise
Glass bottom boat ride
I admit it – I went on an amazing semi-submersible ride in Maui, where we saw some truly incredible marine life. All the other glass bottom boat rides and “submarine” tours I’ve done have been vague and impressive.
Unless you’re claustrophobic, it can’t hurt to try, but you’re less likely to have an amazing underwater experience on one of these tours. If you can’t snorkel or scuba dive, you can choose to try your luck with a land-based tour.
Tours involving abused animals
Swimming with dolphins or riding an elephant may be your life goal, but please do not support any organization that does not treat their animals well. If you can’t verify that the animals are receiving excellent care, avoid shore excursions that involve interacting with captive wild animals.
Instead, choose tours that allow you to see animals in the wild, such as whale-watching Tours in Hawaii, bear watching tours in Alaska, or jungle walks or boat rides where you can see birds or monkeys in the trees.
Any journey for which you are not fit
Haven’t been on a bike in years? Now is not the time to book that cycling tour through Valencia, Spain, or go 25 miles up Haleakala Volcano in Maui. Have mobility problems? A walking tour through the cobblestoned old town is not for you. Afraid of heights? Whatever you do, don’t zip line.
You wish the person you were (or the strapping youth you once were) wouldn’t take the tour — just you in your current level of health and fitness. Avoid any shore excursions you can’t handle, and you’ll be happier with your time spent in port than at the local hospital.
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