Thread: Times to take Shore Excursions offered by the ship!

Even those who do "Their Own Thing" on port stops, will sometimes book through the ship for various reasons.

What are yours?

MULTI -- Please check ALL that apply!

Short time in port, New port for us, Fear of missing ship for us

Great poll LuLu!!!

Lack of time to do the proper research is why we booked all of our excursions on the last cruise.

Zig and Hanna ... Don't forget to also Vote.

Hanna If you'd like to fix my "bood" to book, I'd appreciate it.

Stopping in ports in Alaska was easy - we felt comfortable doing our own thing. Our next cruise has stops in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Jamaica. We have booked all our tours through the ships - I just feel that Princess will take all necessary precautions relating to safety.

Originally Posted by LuLu

Zig and Hanna ... Don't forget to also Vote.

Hanna If you'd like to fix my "bood" to book, I'd appreciate it.

LOL I did vote I saw that and wondered how long before some one fixed it

We book a ship's tour when the place we want to visit is a long way away from the port or if it's the last port before we cross the pond.

This past fall when we cruised the transatlantic, we took a ship's tour to Alhambra Palace in Granada. It's 3 hours one way to the palace. If our tour bus should break down, we know we'll be safe because the ship will wait on us.

We usually take a ship's tour when it's the last port before we start across the ocean. If we missed the ship at that port, there is no other port where we could "catch up!"

Garry

Most of the time we don't go with any excursions. I'll research the port and suggest interesting sights to hubby. We'll stay close enough that we can get back to the ship in time (I bring along the daily newsletter so we have no doubt as to the sailaway time).

Every once in a while we'll book an excursion thru the ship for those times that we are going on a tour or going away from the port, for the reassurance that we won't miss the boat. On our Skagway tour, we got back to the port late because of the weather conditions, but the ship did wait for our group. Another reason we would book a ship's excursion rather than an indy is quality. We did book one at the dock a few years ago, and hubby didn't care for it.

if it's a short time in port then possibly,if it's somewhere and the local conditions are not as safe as they could be then definatly. missing the ship ties in with these two.

We usually book through the ship. It's easier & I have seen people miss the ship & have to catch up.
Also, safety is a concern if you go on your own.
I don't mind grabbing my own cab & going to a popular beach area where there are a lot of people. That way there are always cabs available.
Doing the ships tours, you usually know what you are getting. Never know when you go on your own. Could be fabulous, could be a nightmare.
Some ports are safer than others. Some people went out on their own when we were in Jamaica a few years back. Got robbed of their jewelry, money & camera. Felt bad for them. She was a wreck.