You have more options than you think!
– Offers from the tour desk on board

– Excursions organized by third parties

– Attacking on your own

– Stay on board the ship

Onboard tour desk offers:
There’s no question: shore excursions are a great source of income for cruise lines, priced very high in many cases, and until recently they were aimed at a captive audience, many of whom are willing to pay for the price. Convenience of booking right there on the ship – or in advance on the cruise line’s website.

But how many times do you really want to pay $ 30 or $ 40 per person to ride a bus into town, leaving on a fixed schedule, when a taxi ride to go when you want to go would be about $? 15 to $ 20 – for the entire cabin?

Ok, you say. This local option of taking a taxi might be fine for city trips, shopping, etc., but what about tours to special attractions, especially those that are some distance from the ship? What if you are on an eastern Mediterranean cruise and you want to see the pyramids of ancient Egypt? Or on a standard garden variety Caribbean cruise and want to climb Duns River Falls in Jamaica? Isn’t it better to go for the cruise line’s shore excursion options in these circumstances?

No.

Excursions organized by third parties –
When choosing shore excursions, you now have an alternative: organized and pre-booked excursions from companies not affiliated with the cruise line.

Shoretrips.com – Has been around for quite some time, has a great reputation, and has been thoroughly vetted by the author. A survey of travel agents who have used this company in the past yielded nothing but positive reviews, not a single critical or negative comment. You can book this company with confidence. They even offer a fast, full refund if your ship is late to port, or misses port for any reason, something many cruise line shore excursion departments are reluctant to do.

PortPromotions.com – The new kid on the block – a ‘Johnny Newcomer’ promoting discounted prices. Agencies have reported that port promotion prices are slightly lower than shore trips, therefore much lower than cruise line deals. In our experience, Port Promotions has a better designed website, but currently with very few offerings than Shoretrips, but this will likely change over time as they add products.

Attacking on your own –
This is the perfect solution for the adventurous types. Simply disembark without prior planning, boldly marching forward, with attitude, if not literally, Supreme Confidence stamped on your face; completely permeating your body language. Just don’t try to fake it. Local talent is usually pretty good at spotting fans trying to pose as true free spirits.

It is clear that going out on your own is NOT an option for those who do not like surprises, who want everything to be predictable and well organized. For us, this option has been the catalyst for hundreds of highly pimped and memorable port visits that we wouldn’t trade for the world. Even the few white knuckle experiences we’ve had are great storytelling, at least for those who survived to tell the story.

Stay aboard the ship –
That? Isn’t this the most undesirable option of all … to miss out on all the excitement of the coast and the once-in-a-lifetime tourism? Well maybe. But consider this, by the time you get to the last stop on the aforementioned standard three or four port Caribbean cruise, the islands have started to look a lot alike … another beautiful unspoiled beach … natives more too friendly to you. offer a “ganja joint, my“… or to help you carry your wallet. Then there are those endless rows of souvenir shops, all wearing the same T-shirts, stamped with witty sayings likeOrgasm donor,Rub my belly for good luckgoldI’m huge in japanand other funny prints too embarrassing to carry.

So why not stay on board the ship and enjoy the peace and quiet around the pool, plus almost empty dining rooms with no lines at the food court. Also, there is a huge advantage here for Spa Hounds. Spas on board almost always offer deep discounts on treatments, massages, facials, etc. to stimulate demand when the ship is in port.

With these options now available from anywhere you have an internet connection, even on board the ship, there is little reason to stand in long lines at the ship’s shore excursion desk.

Coming soon … more articles on how to find the best inflight activities and entertainment to suit your tastes; how to get the best cabin, etc.