About 12 second after booking one of the most frequent questions that travel agents and cruise lines get from guests booked on a cruise is about shore excursions. How to book them, which ones to take and how much they cost is important information that they all want to know.
Robert from Coral Gables, Florida asks:
"I am booked on the Carnival Legend in June and then on (Royal Caribbean's) Freedom of the Seas next February. Where do I go to check out which shore excursions might be good for my family? We want to plan ahead budget-wise and get an idea of what it is going to cost and I have no clue where to begin."
Great question Robert, and one that is frequently asked. I'll send along some specific information for your ports but first let's start with some general information that applies to everyone.
The best place to begin is the cruise line's website itself. There, you will find all they have to offer for your specific cruise.
Pretty much all cruise lines allow you to register for your cruise then view the shore excursions available. For your cruise in June, by now you should have registered at the cruise line website for your FunPass boarding card that proves you have provided the advance registration information needed to satisfy the requirements of the U.S Department of Homeland security. You should have printed that FunPass too and in the process been able to access current excursions available, by port, for your cruise. On the Royal Caribbean sailing you can go through a similar process and printed their boarding card too, called a "SetSail" pass but it's a bit too far from sailing for booking excursions with them. Try about 120 days prior to sailing for that one.
On the various cruise lines websites you'll find complete information about excursions, the ability to book them and what they cost. Pay close attention to the booking policy and know how far in advance you need to cancel, should you change your mind.
As far as which ones to choose, first consider who is going along, what they want to do and what sort of a budget you want to have for the entire cruise set aside for shore excursions. These are all optional and you can indeed take none of them and have a great time. We often simply walk off the ship and head to the closest free beach where a good time can be had for very little expense.
Some excursions you might consider must-do events. If you are a scuba diver, for example, and Belize is one of your ports, there is some of the best diving in the world offered at that one and you won't want to pass that up. My suggestion is to first research the various ports for several elements that might be considered in making excursion decisions
- If you or anyone you are traveling with has any physical limitations or concerns, pay special attention to excursions that are access-friendly or those that are rated as very strenuous
- Come up with a realistic budget of what you want to spend. A quick dance through the offerings should give you a basic idea of what they cost.
- Consider other activities, events or onboard happenings you for sure want to do also. Days in port are great days for spa treatments too with prices often discounted. A port day spent on the ship is also a great time for a relaxing day around the pool with few other guests in the way. If you are visiting a port you have been to before, this is a great option for that one
- If you chose an early dinner seating, keep that in mind for any shoreside plans, even if you don't do excursions. Allow plenty of time for getting back to the ship without rushing. The last thing you want to do is be in a hurry on your relaxing cruise vacation. Many guests make later dining plans just for this reason
- On the other end, don't consider early excursions if you like to sleep in on vacation. Again, rushing to get someplace should not be necessary to have a good time on your cruise
Once you have those basic and general parameters set the next step is easy: Research, Research, Research
Your travel agent is a great personal source to begin with as most agents have been to the ports you will visit. Others in your group might also have been there and can shed some light on great excursions they have taken in the past. Third-party sources are a good place to look also. Here are some great ones to consider in using the Internet for your research:
- Cruise-related websites are a good place to look. Cruise Critic.com has a couple places to look. In their Ports section they offer comprehensive reviews of the various ports you may visit. For up close and personal information from their members visit the Ports of Call boards where members who have actually been there recently and those planning a visit soon post questions and answers
- Travel Writer's sites like CruiseDiva.com offer extensive information on many of the various ports you might visit. I like these sites because I follow them on Twitter and Facebook and have gotten to know and trust them over time. Another one I like to read is Linda Garrison on About.com who has lots of photos too
- Third-party sites like ShoreTrips.com are popular with those looking for something different and/or a lower price. A word of caution on that one and others like it; be careful booking third-party sources. If a shore excursion runs late and you booked it through the cruise line, the ship will wait for you. If you booked it through a third-party source you might be waving goodbye to the ship from shore.
Once you have done your research and have a wish list of all possible shore excursions you and everyone you are sailing with might enjoy, get everyone together and make it a group decision. Budget will most likely help narrow down the list but prioritize your choices. Pick, book and plan on the ones that have made your must-do list.
You may never come back to these ports again or you may go back frequently to popular ports offered by the cruise lines. If an expensive helicopter ride around an island is on your list of things you want to do, you might put that one on hold if it chews up too much of your budget.
I know a lot of people who make a list of excursions, all the excursions, they for sure want to do without regard for price first. Then they price all of them and if it fits, great, they are done. If not, they go back and weed out the ones they can do without. Remember, shore excursions are one part of your extra expenses not included in the price of the cruise. You may need to allow for gambling, gift shop purchases, spa treatments, alternative dining for special occasions, or other onboard expenses too
We will look at those too later this week as we explore this area further
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