multiple excursions in one port?

Hello, this is my first post. I will be taking my first cruise on the navigator of the seas western caribbean (cozumel, belize, routine bay) next month. We are a group of 6 (3mothers and 3daughters, all first timers). I wanted to know if it was possible to be able to squeeze in more than one excursion in one port when booking through the ship. We are overwhelmed with all the options! Has anyone ever done that?

I haven't done multiple tours lately (can't do long days now) but several years ago, I often did a morning tour & an afternoon tour.

I wasn't on RCCL, but you should be OK on ship's excursions. Those tours usually have specific start/end times & run on schedule (leaving & returning to the ship). If in doubt, check with the ship's excursion desk.

I haven't done multiple tours lately (can't do long days now) but several years ago, I often did a morning tour & an afternoon tour.

 

I wasn't on RCCL, but you should be OK on ship's excursions. Those tours usually have specific start/end times & run on schedule (leaving & returning to the ship). If in doubt, check with the ship's excursion desk.

Thank you for the feedback! I'm glad to know it's possible. The mothers (50s) are not interested in an all day thing or multiple excursions but us daughters (late 20s early 30s) want to experience as much as we can squeeze in.

We will save actually booking for when we're on the ship, that we they can guide us through it.

I'd leave at least 1/2 hour between the end of one and start of the next.

BTW welcome to CC

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

It is not easy to do this.

Look carefully at the times.

Be sure you have pad between excursions should the first one go later than planned.

And think through having lunch if that is a factor in the decision.

Keith

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

We used to do that - when the ships stayed in the ports longer.

But I wouldn't attempt it anymore.

Remember that if your morning excursion gets back late, you may miss the next excursion -- and you won't get your money back.

If you do decide to try and do 2 excursions, what are you going to do about food? You are not allowed to take food off the ship.

Can I suggest you younger girls look for some all day trips with variety. For example, an island tour followed by lunch and a beach break and let the Mums look for an am or pm trip that suits them.

Doing two separate excursions does not make much sense, it will probably be dearer than one long trip, you are wasting time going to and from the ship and yes, as others have said you could miss your afternoon tour. In Belize you tender adding to the difficulties of combining two trips.

If you want to do some trips as a full group I would suggest an am tour for all and then you girls choosing something in the pm you can do by walking or a short taxi ride. This would take pressure off having to be back at a specific time.

Have a great cruise!

Thank you for the feedback! I'm glad to know it's possible. The mothers (50s) are not interested in an all day thing or multiple excursions but us daughters (late 20s early 30s) want to experience as much as we can squeeze in.

 

We will save actually booking for when we're on the ship, that we they can guide us through it.

I would NOT wait til onboard to book any excursion that you MUST have. A lot of the popular ones sell out and they only save some spots for onboard booking.

I echo all the advice about making sure there is enough time between excursions for possible delays and also make sure your last one does not put you in jeopardy of missing departure.

Rather than trying to "squeeze in" as much as possible, I'd prioritize what you want to do most and go from there. Depending on what you are looking at, you don't want to be so tired from a morning excursion that you won't really enjoy an afternoon one.

Whatever you decide, have a fantastic trip!

Yes, you can take multiple excursions in a port.

Since the tours are half day (I assume), neither will include lunch. The daughters may want to pack energy bars or similar to eat.

There is no guarantee the first cruise will be on time getting back. They might miss the second with no refund

Several mentioned that you may be late or not get your money back if you miss an excursion. If you book your excursions via the ship (before the cruise or on the ship), you get your money back if you can't take the second excursion because the first one runs late. I would still talk to the excursion desk to see what they think of the timing... even if you have booked online at home. You can usually cancel 48 hours before the actual excursion.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the heat and humidity in the Caribbean can be very draining on your energy level. If you're hot, hungry, and soaking wet after the first excursion, you may not feel like doing a second one right afterwards.

Roz

If you're booking thru the ship, time matters not at all...they will get you back to the ship on time. If you have the energy for more than 1 excursion, go for it! Things like beaches or shopping seldom require ANY excursion, tho...beaches are easy to DIY!!! Cheaper, too!

Depending on the port, there are a lot of things you can do on your own - like going to a beach, or shopping on Front Street on you-name-the-island. That can be done either before or after some organized tour.

That's what I do...an organized tour followed by some shopping in the port area, then lunch on the ship.

Roz

Hello, this is my first post. I will be taking my first cruise on the navigator of the seas western caribbean (cozumel, belize, routine bay) next month. We are a group of 6 (3mothers and 3daughters, all first timers). I wanted to know if it was possible to be able to squeeze in more than one excursion in one port when booking through the ship. We are overwhelmed with all the options! Has anyone ever done that?

I have done it in the past without any issues.

Don't let anyone tell you that this is not easy to do. It is very simple and no problem at all. Just make sure you leave 30 minutes between the two tours. It is not a big deal at all.

Thank you everyone for all of the replies! Wow I got more useful information from this thread than I did the RC website and google searches.

BTW welcome to CC

Thank you, so I actually did not realize that you can leave as you please. I was under the impression that we'd be with a group that comes and goes together. Is that not accurate?

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

It is not easy to do this.

 

Look carefully at the times.

 

Be sure you have pad between excursions should the first one go later than planned.

 

And think through having lunch if that is a factor in the decision.

 

Keith

So I actually wasn't able to find an excursion schedule online, they just tell you approximately how long it will be. Is that information updated before departure or would we wait till we're on the ship typically to get the schedule?

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

We used to do that - when the ships stayed in the ports longer.

But I wouldn't attempt it anymore.

Remember that if your morning excursion gets back late, you may miss the next excursion -- and you won't get your money back.

If you do decide to try and do 2 excursions, what are you going to do about food? You are not allowed to take food off the ship.

well it's my understanding that the ship won' tleave you if you're taking an excursion booked through the ship and not independently, correct? Since it's our first time we're only booking excursions through the ship so that we don't risk getting stranded. I wasn't worried too much about the food, many of the excursions include an option to get food and I figured we could always grab something during one of the excursions. Thanks!

Don't worry about the more fearful replies. It's simple to plan:

1. First pick the afternoon excursion you prefer.

2. Then go through the morning excursions to find the ones that return in time for the afternoon one. See one you like?--book it!

The one time I had an issue when doing this--clearance of the ship to allow passengers off was delayed by the local authorities an hour and a half--the afternoon excursion that I missed was refunded without question.

Can I suggest you younger girls look for some all day trips with variety. For example, an island tour followed by lunch and a beach break and let the Mums look for an am or pm trip that suits them.

 

Doing two separate excursions does not make much sense, it will probably be dearer than one long trip, you are wasting time going to and from the ship and yes, as others have said you could miss your afternoon tour. In Belize you tender adding to the difficulties of combining two trips.

 

If you want to do some trips as a full group I would suggest an am tour for all and then you girls choosing something in the pm you can do by walking or a short taxi ride. This would take pressure off having to be back at a specific time.

 

Have a great cruise!

Great suggestion about us girls doing something in the AM on our own and then be back for the ship sponsored tour with the rest of the group. The reason why multiple excursions was more appealing with us is because we wanted to be able to experience completely different things if we can, or to give us the option of splitting from the moms since I don't think they'd appreciate the all day outing.

Thanks!

couple of comments

first, belize is a tender port and the tender ride is LONG as compared to Cayman. If your excursions both 'meet up' on the ship you will not have time to do two UNLESS you can arrange a place to meet the second on shore. Even in Coz' I have seen excursions that end in town allowing you 'time to explore on your own' and not providing the final transportation back to the ship ... so read the details carefully and ASK.

second, a more generic comment for one taking 'first cruise': a common mistake of newbies is trying to do TOO MUCH. If you wonder if you might be trying to do too much .... trust me, you ARE trying to do too much. Don't end up needing a vacation to recover from your vacation!

I would NOT wait til onboard to book any excursion that you MUST have. A lot of the popular ones sell out and they only save some spots for onboard booking.

 

I echo all the advice about making sure there is enough time between excursions for possible delays and also make sure your last one does not put you in jeopardy of missing departure.

 

Rather than trying to "squeeze in" as much as possible, I'd prioritize what you want to do most and go from there. Depending on what you are looking at, you don't want to be so tired from a morning excursion that you won't really enjoy an afternoon one.

 

Whatever you decide, have a fantastic trip!

Thanks for the feedback ! so we're going at a relatively non peak time (late October) do you think there still would be a risk of sold out excursions?

Yes, you can take multiple excursions in a port.

 

Since the tours are half day (I assume), neither will include lunch. The daughters may want to pack energy bars or similar to eat.

 

There is no guarantee the first cruise will be on time getting back. They might miss the second with no refund

Paul, good point about potentially missing the second. something to think about...