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RC shore excursion vs. Portland Discovery Tours


rmzlvacationers
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We are on RC Grandeur end of July. Trying to decide between the ship's shore excursion -Portland by Land and Sea or going thru Portland Discovery Tours -Land and Sea. Cruise ship one is 4 hrs/$89 and Discovery Tours is 3 1/2 hrs/$48. Has anyone done either of these and have any recommendations. Not sure the extra half hour is worth an extra $40 except that thru the cruise is no worries about missing boat. Looks like they both cover the same areas. Any advice?

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DH and I did Portland Discovery Tours - Land and Sea two years ago. We really enjoyed the full trip. We did the land portion in the AM and then went back to the ship for lunch and then did the sea portion in the Afternoon. The tour starts really near the ship and those companies know when the ship leaves and when they need to get you back in plenty of time for boarding. I would do that one. I find the ship's excursions very over priced.

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I would do the Portland Discovery, for price, but I would only do the lighthouse cruise part. Portland is a very walkable town (I live here), and you can do much more than a simple "drive by" in a trolley. Walk to the Longfellow house up Exchange street and see the cannon ball stuck in the building from 1812, and go in the home. Go into the Victoria mansion, see the brewery tours, savor the great restaurants. If you've got the time in port, I actually recommend the mail boat run from Casco Bay lines at 10am, it goes to the 5 inhabited islands in the bay, delivering groceries and mail to the islanders, and the skippers give a talk about the islands, island life, and history along the way. It takes 2.5-3.5 hours, depending on cargo, so you could explore some of the Old Port near the dock in the morning, catch the mail boat, have lunch in the Old Port, and then wander into town for the sights.

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I would do the Portland Discovery, for price, but I would only do the lighthouse cruise part. Portland is a very walkable town (I live here), and you can do much more than a simple "drive by" in a trolley. Walk to the Longfellow house up Exchange street and see the cannon ball stuck in the building from 1812, and go in the home. Go into the Victoria mansion, see the brewery tours, savor the great restaurants. If you've got the time in port, I actually recommend the mail boat run from Casco Bay lines at 10am, it goes to the 5 inhabited islands in the bay, delivering groceries and mail to the islanders, and the skippers give a talk about the islands, island life, and history along the way. It takes 2.5-3.5 hours, depending on cargo, so you could explore some of the Old Port near the dock in the morning, catch the mail boat, have lunch in the Old Port, and then wander into town for the sights.

 

Can you get to most of those things by walking directly from the ship?

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I would do the Portland Discovery, for price, but I would only do the lighthouse cruise part. Portland is a very walkable town (I live here), and you can do much more than a simple "drive by" in a trolley. Walk to the Longfellow house up Exchange street and see the cannon ball stuck in the building from 1812, and go in the home. Go into the Victoria mansion, see the brewery tours, savor the great restaurants. If you've got the time in port, I actually recommend the mail boat run from Casco Bay lines at 10am, it goes to the 5 inhabited islands in the bay, delivering groceries and mail to the islanders, and the skippers give a talk about the islands, island life, and history along the way. It takes 2.5-3.5 hours, depending on cargo, so you could explore some of the Old Port near the dock in the morning, catch the mail boat, have lunch in the Old Port, and then wander into town for the sights.

 

We are returning to Portland this September on the Serenade of the Seas. This is what we are planning on doing this time. Thanks for all of the walking info.

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