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Activity-based trips might feature a day at the spa or beach, a pleasure cruise on a sailboat, wine or food tasting, a cultural performance or a visit to a museum. Sightseeing excursions are typically bus tours that take passengers to the highlights and shopping areas of the port city or nearby destinations. Freeport may not offer as many shore excursions to choose from compared to other Bahamian ports, but many visitors plan for a beach day or visit the Lucayan National Park. Shore excursions are tours that are designed for cruise ship passengers to maximize their time in specific destination. Since you cannot experience everything, they are only meant to give you a taste of what the port has to offer and can be booked directly with the cruise line or through a thirty party.
FOOD & WINE Tours
As one of the world’s best diving locations, many cruisers explore underwater to spot the coral reefs and marine life that make this island a diver’s paradise. Adrenaline seekers will love the opportunity to tube down the Cave Branch River, an underground cave system in Belize. Following a 45 minute hike through the rainforest, visitors can explore the cave's unique geology and ecosystem while cruising down the river.
What's the best way to book shore excursions?
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The price of shore excursions vary greatly depending on where you are sailing to and what you decide to do. Excursions in Alaska, for instance, are often more expensive than those in the Caribbean and Bahamas. On the other hand, a snorkeling excursion in the Caribbean can cost as little as $60 each.
How much are shore excursions on a cruise?
The island is fairly small, so it’s possible to see all of St. Maarten’s main highlights in one day on both the French and Dutch sides. Instead of choosing one excursion over another, we recommend booking a private tour of the island with Victor Bodden Tours. These tours can be customized to your liking and come at a reasonable price, even for solo travelers.
Others focus on one destination or activity, like a trip to the Mayan ruins from Cozumel. It's up to you whether you'd prefer to see many things for short amounts of time or focus on one place in depth. I canvassed TPG's cruise team and we agreed that we give roughly $5 to $10 per person for half-day tours and $10 to $20 per person for full-day excursions, adjusted for service and quality. Royal Caribbean offers the Coastal Cruise to the Pitons excursion, a four hour tour including roundtrip transportation to the Pitons and a swimming stop at one of the island’s bays. One of the most popular excursions in Puerto Plata is a visit to the Damajagua Waterfalls, a lush area of the forest with 27 waterfalls to explore.
St. Barts: Sailing Adventure with Snorkeling
Some shore excursions are targeted at families or can easily accommodate children. Others may require a minimum level of fitness and are not suitable for everyone. Do you know the feeling of anxiety and chaos that accompanies having a group of guests for dinner? Now imagine being on one of the world’s largest cruise ships, like the Royal Caribbean's, Symphony...
BOOK A SHORE EXCURSION
Shore excursions are available through our partnerships with local suppliers and guides, in the majority of ports we visit. Alternatively, you can wait until you're on the ship and book your excursion in person at the shore excursions desk. You'll be able to ask the staff questions about the tours, and the charges will be added to your final cruise bill. However, you do run the risk that a popular tour might be sold out by the time you're ready to book. Looking at Princess Cruises' shore excursions in Grand Cayman, a 2.5-hour stingray swim costs $70 per person, a 5-hour scenic island drive costs $100, and a 4-hour, two-tank scuba dive costs $180.
With independently booked tours, you are responsible for rejoining the ship at the next port of call. If a tour is waitlisted and space becomes available, an email notification will be sent to you at which time you will have 72 hours to book and confirm the tour. Experience city highlights, iconic ruins, natural wonders or beautiful beaches on excursions customized for your specific needs. Connect to the world in ways you never imagined and embark on an excursion perfectly tailored to your interests. Take your adventure underwater and discover a whole world that’s teeming with life. Shore excursions to Tulum are popular from Playa del Carmen, but you can get there from Cozumel as well.
A highlight of any Cozumel port of call is a visit to Tulum or Chichen Itza, the ruins of ancient Mayan cities. Situated atop oceanfront cliffs, Tulum offers fascinating history and gorgeous scenery. Chichen Itza, further inland, is dominated by a massive and magnificent step pyramid. If the tour takes place over lunchtime, check to see if a meal is included or if you have time to pick up something to eat.
If, for instance, your cruise is port intensive, you may have to spend less in each destination. On the other hand, you might be able to splurge a little bit more if you are only stopping in two or three places. The pre-purchase window for certain products and activities closes between one and three days prior to the sail date. If you missed the purchase window, check with us once you're on board — we'll help you find what you’re looking for.
Rather than scroll through TripAdvisor, I went to Google to find a thirty party operator. The biggest advantage to independent vendors is that their prices are often less than the cruise line's, even if the tour is similar. Explore the destination's most iconic places and take exceptional selfies as you check famous local landmarks off your bucket list. Add some excitement to your cruise with thrilling zip line rides, white water rafting, hiking in the mountains, and more.
Cozumel is another of the most popular cruise ports in the Caribbean, and we recommend booking a day pass to a beach club while in port. History lovers will want to book a visit to the Chacchoben Ruins, which were estimated to have been settled around 200 B.C. As the ruins are located a 45 minute bus ride away from the cruise port, booking an excursion through Royal Caribbean directly is recommended. You will have numerous options no matter where you are going, ranging from historical or cultural landmarks to spending time outdoors on a hike or lounging on the beach. You can go zip lining through the forest, ride an ATV along the coast, or experience local culture through a food tour. The key to getting the most from your cruise shore excursion is to know what you want and make sure the tour description matches your expectations.
Snorkeling opportunities are fantastic on the island as well, and many passengers find that renting an ATV or golf cart provides the perfect way to explore as much of Bonaire as possible in one day. If scuba diving is of interest to you but you’re not certified, consider booking a Discover Scuba tour. This tour will give you the necessary skills to partake in an assisted dive with an instructor.
Rising over 4,000 feet above sea level, the hike is no walk in the park, but offers unbeatable views of the country and the unique opportunity to experience an active volcano up close. While we mentioned booking an excursion to Dunn’s River Falls from Falmouth, the waterfalls are much closer to the Ocho Rios cruise port. While some ports are best for exploring without an organized tour, we recommend booking a shore excursion in Falmouth to make the most of your day in port.
Instead, pick the top two or three things that you want to see and find a tour that allows you to spend more time there. When you are browsing available tours, the number of options might seem overwhelming. Since cruising is only meant to give you a taste of what is available in each destination, you should try and ignore the "I have to do everything" mindset. It is important to research what is available in each port and to set a budget.
