No Excursions at all?

Are there folks who take NO excursions on their cruise - not with either the cruiseline or independent operators? Is it a budget consideration or do you just like staying onboard? Do you get off the ship at the ports at all?

 

I'd love to know the philosophy behind that; thanks!

For us it depends on the itinerary and the ship. Our last cruise was our first time on Princess, but it was our 3rd time in Grand Cayman (last time was last August) and 5th time in Cozumel (last time was last October). In Cozumel we grabbed a taxi and went off to Paradise Beach for a few hours. In Grand Cayman we stayed on the ship. Each cruise is different. There are some ports I will book an excursion through the ship if they have one we really want to do and can't get elsewhere (ie Screaming Eagle Jet boat to Isla Pasion in Cozumel) or if I don't feel comfortable going off on our own or with an independant company at that port (ie Ochos Rios). There are some ports I will book an excursion independantly(ie Theris Dixon Tours in Roatan). There are some ports we decide to stay on the ship (ie Nassau). And there are some ports where we just go off and do our own thing (ie San Juan). I research each port and then we do what interests us for that cruise.

If it is a new port for us I usually research it well. Then we decide on a tour and book it through an independent. If it is a repeat port we play it by ear. After 15 cruises we have enough savvy to do it on our own.

We are like so many others on here. It depends on the port - if we've been there many times (i.e. St. Thomas, Nassau) we'll stay on the ship. For new ports, we'll book independent excursions if something interests us. Our next cruise we have 2 new ports that we'll probably do something in and 2 repeat ports that we may do something new. We're still new to the independent excursions, but I won't do it any other way - they are just so much more personal and unless you are in Alaska, so much cheaper. We have stayed on the ship once, but mainly because there wasn't anything at that port that really interested us.

I doubt there's nothing more (vacation) disappointing than going on a ships excursion that is listed as "blah blah tour with shopping". What that means is you go with 40-50 other people on a bus, slowly drive to a place of interest and have 10-20 minutes to take pictures. Then you pile back onto the bus (someone is always late and holds up the bus) and are taken to a shopping area where they state you have 30-45 minutes to shop in a cheesy tourist area, where there are tchotchkes you can purchase right next to the ship... And someone is always late and holds up the bus. Repeat same at the next port.

Unless it is a tour that we can't do on our own, we prefer to book a private excursion. We've had some wonderful times, met great locals, tasty meals and get to stop where, when and for how long we want to stop.

I'm not a beach person (one day is long enough for me) and I definitely don't want to go shopping on vacation.

So far there is only one port I wouldn't bother with. That is Ensenada, Mexico. The short west coast cruises are attractive because of price and little travel time, but we've been so many times it just isn't what we strive to do. There are too many land locations around here that are more interesting than 3/4/7 days on a cruise ship.

Some of our best memories are when we were able to just walk off the ship. Even in Livorno, we were able to experience how people live there by walking around, checking out their indoor and outdoor markets. Same thing in Bergen...I do NOT remember anything about our morning bus tour, but have wonderful memories of our afternoon exploring.

Money has nothing to do with our choices. We've done ship and outside tours. We used to feel we had to tour every location, but would come home from the cruise totally exhausted. It's a VACATION!! I try to plan that if one day we are on an organized tour, the next day is a walk off the ship and explore day.

We missed Alhambra in Spain because the day prior was an all day in Seville. That's OK....when looking for a future cruise, I will keep that in mind so we can hit it the next time!

Guess I'm a little different than most on this thread. I view the ship as my transportation and hotel, I can't imagine going to Rome, Kusadasi, or Quebec City and not getting off the ship. I don't repeat cruises to the same ports (other than Alaska). Each cruise I have taken has included the different ports/areas that I wanted to visit.

On our Med cruise, we did a combination of DIY (which was a big bust), ship excursions and private excursions (joined with others on our Roll Call). I don't mind being with 39 other people on a big bus, it sometimes makes me feel a little safer (Kusadasi, Turkey was a good example). We are two elderly ladies with mobility issues and just didn't feel safe being on our own in a foreign land and not knowing any of the language.

We did do 3 days in Rome on our own pre-cruise and 3 days in Venice on our own post-cruise and had a blast.

So each person has to determine what is best for them. Fortunately there are many choices to be had to please any traveler.

Are there folks who take NO excursions on their cruise - not with either the cruiseline or independent operators? Is it a budget consideration or do you just like staying onboard? Do you get off the ship at the ports at all?

 

I'd love to know the philosophy behind that; thanks!

I cruise based on the itinerary. After 87 cruises, I don't care about the ship, so I always have plans for off the ship. I have no budget restrictions which allow me my choices. :)

We frequently skip getting off the ship in ports we've been to before. Out of all of our cruises, though, we have never stayed on the ship the whole time. The closest we've come to that was on our Carnival cruise to Nassau with my 85-year-old mother-in-law. The ship was originally supposed to go to Freeport as well, but skipped it due to high winds. We ended up getting to Nassau a day early and overnighted at the dock. We had not planned to get off the ship until she decided she wanted to do a little bit of shopping. We were on land about an hour.

I get a guidebook on places we are not familiar with...and then, we do our own thing. We seldom do any excursions...but we do generally get off the ship and do something! The exception would be places we've been many times...we may stay on the ship and enjoy the lack of passengers on days like that.

You don't have to pay someone to show you a good time, unless you're too lazy to do a bit of research on your ports! That's the key!

There really are reasons other than money for not doing shore excursions.

Some have mobility issues and take a cruise just for the enjoyment of being on the ship.

Some have been to a port so often there is nothing they want to do or do again.

Some love to just walk around in some ports.

Some hate the port and have no desire to get off the ship.

Some find the excursions offered by the ship or independents leave too early.

LuLu

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All good points I hadn't thought of; thanks.

Those who mentioned staying on the boat on port days to have the pool/spa/etc. to themselves - that is mighty tempting!

Are there folks who take NO excursions on their cruise - not with either the cruiseline or independent operators? Is it a budget consideration or do you just like staying onboard? Do you get off the ship at the ports at all?

 

I'd love to know the philosophy behind that; thanks!

In safe places we just take off on our own, with maps. Did it in Norway, Greece, Venice, Victoria, Puerto Rico, Santa Barbara, Copenhagen...

Took tours when we didn't think we can venture off on our own: Costa Rica, Caribbeans, Mexico.

I hardly ever do any excursions. For me, I cruise to relax and play it by ear for what I feel like doing. I don't want every day planned out at certain times or have to wake up at a certain time when I'm on vacation. I have to do that when I'm at work. (lol, it's basically the same reason I like anytime dining too). The rare occasion that I do an excursion, I book it the day before on the ship. For the most part, I am happy just to go into port and wander around the shops or maybe a nearby beach.

Only done 2 cruises so far and have done 1 excursion. It was a city tour ending at the airport. The tour itself ending up being a disappointment as it was a rush from start to finish- not at all what was advertised and since friends were on the same excursion but different bus they had a great one. Did get us to airport. Now the only port I've stayed on board was Victoria, and that's only because I live there! My next cruise is Alaska. Checking our excursions but probably do my own thing

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All good points I hadn't thought of; thanks.

 

Those who mentioned staying on the boat on port days to have the pool/spa/etc. to themselves - that is mighty tempting!

We stayed onboard once and spent an hour on the water slide. Just the two of us. It must have been quite a sight for the crew. A sixty year old chunky man trying to knock the water out of the pool. I was splashing water 15 feet high. Then we homesteaded a hottub.;)

It just depends. I try to research each port and if I hear of something interesting, I'll tell hubby. And now, with the Internet, it's easy enough to google each port and add to what you read in guide books.

I did a quick addition of how many ports we've been to (including duplicates) in our 11 cruises. Give or take a couple of ports, we've been on 7 excursions booked through the ship, and one we booked at the pier (plus there was one ship's excursion that got cancelled due to weather). Hubby didn't care for the one booked at the dock, so he's happy to book ones through the ship when we want to do a tour. I also get ideas for places to visit on our own by reading where the ship's tours go. And we have been in a taxi a couple of times when hubby decided to negotiate a city tour with the driver.

But about 75 per cent of the time, we haven't booked anything. Do a little shopping, go to a beach, see some sights.

On our last cruise, we did go on the best excursion for the three of us (hubby, me and our teen, who's the hardest to please, but she enjoyed this one): a tour of places where films and TV shows have been filmed on Kauai. I did check the tour company's website and their price wasn't too much lower than what the ship charged and we got picked up and dropped off at the port. There were no stops for shopping (we have shopped on previous cruises at this port) and a nice lunch where the movie "The Descendants" had a couple of scenes filmed.

Of course, if you're planning lots of stops here and there, a tour (instead of spending lots of money for taxis or spending lots of time waiting for buses) might be worth it.

We have taken many cruises (have been on far more then 60) where we take no excursions. In fact, on one 62 day cruise that went to 2 continents (Africa and Europe) and had 23 ports, we took no excursions. DW and I love to do our own thing and truly dislike being cooped-up in a large bus with 50+ souls. We want to do what we want, when we want, with whom we want.

As to philosophy, we have been traveling all over the world for more then forty years. To us, a tour is often just a 4 letter word to be avoided. Over the years we have taken our share of excursions (both cruise line and private) with the basic tenant that we only take tours when we cannot reasonably accomplish the same task on our own. Our experience with cruise line excursions has been very negative...but our times with private excursions have been pretty rewarding.

I would add that one of my passions is helping folks on CC who want help in planning their own independent port (or land) days. A majority of our posts have been on the various Ports of Call boards with our primary emphasis on helping those who will be in Europe.

Hank

Like a lot of others here, we have taken a few cruises. Sometimes it may make sense to take an excursion. Other times not.

Ship excursions that we have taken.

Stingray City in Grand Cayman (Carnival Paradise) This was our first cruise and first excursion.

Xunantunich in Belize. Carnival Miracle. Because it is a 7 hour excursion and the ship was in Port for 7.5 hours. Took a ship sponsored excursion because the ship was to wait on us (we were on the next to last tender)

St Thomas with Godfrey. First non ship sponsored excursion. Found out about him on CC. Only problem was our ship left 1/2 hour before he thought it would and we almost didn't make it back. Godfrey himself was speeding through town. I was literally the last person up the Gangplank.

Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau Alaska. We just found a vendor at the dock and used them. Worked out fine.

Places where we did not take excursions because it didn't make sense.

Grand Turk. The beach is right there. There really is not much else to do for non-scuba people.

Nassau. Enough to do downtown without an excursion. Most excursions seem to go to Atlantis. Not interested.

St. Maarten. see Nassau

Cozumel. our least favorite port. Unless you want to lie on a beach or go to an all-inclusive, or shop, not much. I mean, I am on a ship that is all-inclusive with a pool. And I have seen Diamonds International enough in my life.

Ketchikan. Enough to do downtown.

Vancouver and San Juan. Love both enough that I have been there other than on a cruise ship. Same with Key West.

Places that I may book excursions that I have not made it to yet.

Colon, Panama. Great Britain, Baltics.

So, if we know a port, we usually don't take any excursions.

We're another "depends on the port" kind of traveler. I take a look at the port in Google Earth to see of we're docking at a town or in an industrial area. Industrial area you pretty much have to take a tour or at least some kind of transportation to get anywhere. Quite a few ports in Australia are like that. Plus some of the sights are a ways from the port area.

On our recent 19 day Panama Canal cruise we took 1 excursion - to a coffee plantation in Costa Rica (very interesting). A majority of the other ports we docked right at a town so we just went ashore, walked around, maybe got some lunch, a little shopping, etc. Nice relaxing days.

On our upcoming Great Britain cruise we're doing some ship tours and just going ashore to see the town in other places - again it depends on what's at the port.

I have taken a cruise and taken no tours either from the ship or from locals. I did this because I had been to the area several times and seen what I had wanted to see in the past. I also did it because I needed to relax more then spend time trying to fit in tours. I did get off the ship and walk around some on my own.

Like a lot of others here, we have taken a few cruises. Sometimes it may make sense to take an excursion. Other times not.

 

Ship excursions that we have taken.

Stingray City in Grand Cayman (Carnival Paradise) This was our first cruise and first excursion.

Xunantunich in Belize. Carnival Miracle. Because it is a 7 hour excursion and the ship was in Port for 7.5 hours. Took a ship sponsored excursion because the ship was to wait on us (we were on the next to last tender)

St Thomas with Godfrey. First non ship sponsored excursion. Found out about him on CC. Only problem was our ship left 1/2 hour before he thought it would and we almost didn't make it back. Godfrey himself was speeding through town. I was literally the last person up the Gangplank.

Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau Alaska. We just found a vendor at the dock and used them. Worked out fine.

 

Places where we did not take excursions because it didn't make sense.

Grand Turk. The beach is right there. There really is not much else to do for non-scuba people.

Nassau. Enough to do downtown without an excursion. Most excursions seem to go to Atlantis. Not interested.

St. Maarten. see Nassau

Cozumel. our least favorite port. Unless you want to lie on a beach or go to an all-inclusive, or shop, not much. I mean, I am on a ship that is all-inclusive with a pool. And I have seen Diamonds International enough in my life.

Ketchikan. Enough to do downtown.

Vancouver and San Juan. Love both enough that I have been there other than on a cruise ship. Same with Key West.

 

Places that I may book excursions that I have not made it to yet.

Colon, Panama. Great Britain, Baltics.

 

So, if we know a port, we usually don't take any excursions.

Your post actually made me feel better about not spending any money on excursions. I trying to booked a second (technically 1st trip before my planned Nov. one) and thought I should budget in an excursion from Carnival in one of the ports but now knowing that I shouldn't, that means more money to waste on alcoholic beverages. :D Which technically means whatever I do in Port Canaveral is my 1st excursion, just haven't decide yet if its Disney, Sea World or Universal.

Your post actually made me feel better about not spending any money on excursions. I trying to booked a second (technically 1st trip before my planned Nov. one) and thought I should budget in an excursion from Carnival in one of the ports but now knowing that I shouldn't, that means more money to waste on alcoholic beverages. :D Which technically means whatever I do in Port Canaveral is my 1st excursion, just haven't decide yet if its Disney, Sea World or Universal.

My vote is for SeaWorld. The others are best experienced over a couple of days rather than in a single day.

Although you did not mention Cape Canaveral. The history is amazing. And even though NASA is winding down, they do still have a few rockets that launch from there.

Also a single day trip and an excursion would work well.

I agree that tours are pricey but part of travel is doing something different. However, when my Dw and i cruised hawaii on carnival i was surprised most passeners selected free shuttles to walmart or a local souvenir shop. Maybe they had cruised too many times before but we went to a county fair in maui but missed out on the flower parade in honolulu due to a booked tour. I did go on a tour to the volcano but found robert tours were great and booked online. So looked for local fun like carnivals or parades. Look online for good tours . Never rent a scooter aka a donor-mobile and come home with new memories. By the way don't try and collect all the free charms unless you want to drive your husband crazy.

We usually do things in port, but our last cruise we had nothing planned, no shorex (private or ship) at all. We did a bit of wandering, but mainly we enjoyed the ship. It was the most relaxing vacation we have ever had. Will be doing fewer shorex in the future I suspect.

We have done cruises where we have done an excursion in every port, and others where we have done none. On our last cruise, we only did one excursion, and walked around the other port cities. Our next cruise is so port intensive, that we will probably do a mix of excursions, explore on our own, and not get off the ship. It just depends how we feel and what there is to do.

Its different in European ports but on our Baltic cruise we had no plans to buy excursions as we could walk and tour the ports on our own (no snorkelling etc anyway) but we had to book one in St Petersburg as the tour was the same price as a Visa.

I am happy to book an experience such as snuba/skyrope but I think tours are

a waste of money when its more fun to discover by yourself.

We have our first cruise in the Americas coming up and want to book skybridges in Costa Rica and Snorkel in Cayman but would not dream of buying a tour.

We like to to get a drink and soak up the atmosphere where ever we are instead.

As a Brit I find it odd that ships are destinations for Carribean cruisers...how can a ship compete with an exotic island and ocean water? Especially when you see that ships are generally similar in experience as islands are.

Takes all types I guess.