No Excursions, No plans, no...nothing.

[Winterstale]

Anyone ever do this? Just cruise with NO plans in place? What did you end up doing?

 

We're going to Grand Cayman, Belize, Roatan, and Cozumel -- it will be our first time at GC and on the advice of friends who have been there a few times, we're thinking of renting car...but not planning on anything definite.

 

We've been to Belize, Roatan, and Coz and are happy to wing it in all three places...

[SeagoingMom]

Not exactly, but close! And we did it on our W. Caribbean cruise, too. Because our Princess ship stopped at Mahogany Bay in Roatan, we planned nothing --just got off the ship and walked to the beach. Because we had heard good things about the Money Bar in Cozumel, we simply got off the ship and took a cab there to snorkel (with our own equipment). We did book a stress-free ship excursion in Belize to snorkel the reef. But this is the only cruise we have taken where we did not book an excursion in most ports. We had a great time -- because we deliberately booked a cruise with 4 sea days and only 3 ports, and because of our non-planning of excursions, it was as relaxing a cruise as we have ever taken. That was our goal for that cruise, so it was a success! I may actually have spoiled myself for ever again over-planning my cruises and stressing over excursions ! (We'll see about that...:rolleyes:)

[lostdart1]

I live on St Thomas......for me taking a cruise is about the ship. Many Caribbean ports I do not get off the ship............I love having the boat to "myself".

[Shmoo here]

Anyone ever do this? Just cruise with NO plans in place? What did you end up doing?

 

We're going to Grand Cayman, Belize, Roatan, and Cozumel -- it will be our first time at GC and on the advice of friends who have been there a few times, we're thinking of renting car...but not planning on anything definite.

 

We've been to Belize, Roatan, and Coz and are happy to wing it in all three places...

 

Well, sort of. But our cruise was just a 4 night cruise to Catalina and Ensenada. We booked it on a Thursday night and departed on Monday morning. So not really much time to plan anything.

 

Well, I guess our plan was pretty much to do things as they came up. In port, we got off the ship for a little while and walked around. And onboard, we did book the Behind the Fun Tour. Beyond that, we just relaxed, read, played cards.

[Cruising Golfer]

It's that way every time we cruise. Next cruise will be different, making many plans for Italy and Greece!!!:cool:

[go is my middlename]

We went to Belize in May. We met some new friends at breakfast and went with them cave tubing. The new friends book the excursion on the internet with a company cavetubing.com, butts up. It was cheaper than carnival and we all had a great time.

[buddylover]

We try to take cruises with new itineraries (which is getting harder as time goes on...LOL) so we almost always want to get off and see the "new" places.....but we just "wing" it, like you say, in the ports we've been too. We've never stayed on the ship, but on our upcoming B2B, we are repeating a few islands and may just do that!! Like someone else said, have the ship to ourselves.

[rarasnake]

Yes, that is how we cruised last time. We had no great plans on doing anything but we already had heard there wasn't much to do or miss being in Freeport and Nassau...

 

Next trip will be to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Nassau, so major plans will be going into what we will be doing while in port. We don't plan anything for Nassau but Grand Turk and HFC will have plans....

[Velvetwater]

Yes....and this was a 12 day Europe...we had St Petersburg planned and that was it.

 

We had some literature to read on other ports so discovered for ourselves...it was most excellent.

 

Sometimes its best to see where the wind takes you that day.

[OCruisers]

Not everyone likes to have set plans and are happier to just "wing it". :)

LuLu

[PSkinner]

Dh and I did this on our Magic cruise in March. It was a last minute cruise so we had nothing planned. BEST VACATION EVER! So relaxing.

[RuthlessBoss]

Another no planner here. Once in a while I'll grab a tour once off the ship. When I had my cruise partner, we booked randomly at the dock.

It drives me nuts to read about people booking and planning many months in advance. I know, some are planners, but it leaves the mystery behind and the potential for cancellations etc. Then, they get all upset about it.

[losijon]

Kinda did this on the last one which was a 4 day to catalina and Ensenada. We did however decide in Ensenada to do a wine tour which was fabulous. But the rest of the time just played it by ear

 

 

.....................................................

Carnival Pride 7 day Mexican Riviera: September 2008

 

Carnival Inspiration 4 day Mexican Riviera: September 2013

 

Carnival Miracle 15 day Hawaii: coming October 2015

[my2monkees]

When I went on the Fantasy in Jan. I went with the plans of doing nothing (this was a total relaxation trip). My friend had never been to Freeport so we did get off the ship (just stayed at port) so she could do some picture taking and buy a few things for her kids.

 

This coming Jan. I will be back on the Fantasy (w/out husbands again) and don't plan on anything in Nassau but will get off the ship in Little Stirrup Cay - will enjoy the beach (no swimming as will probably be too cold) but just enjoy the ocean and maybe walking the beach

[092306]

We've done this in some ports we've been to before. Some ports are better with plans. We 've done no plans/excursions in Halifax and St. John, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Key West. It all worked out fine, though we got a lot more out of Puerto Rico with an excursion.

[evandbob]

Many of my cruises have been discovery tours to find out what the port is like, and whether I would like to return to it on a longer land vacay. Through this method, I've come to visit many isles and places that I may have been hesitant to book if I hadn't gotten a feel for it by a cruise stop. That's why when I get off the ship in a port, I don't hang around in the safe enclosed area, I get out into the country to see what it's like. Only time I've stayed on board during a port stop was due to bad weather. I can explore the ship on the sea days.

[laurenpie]

I am a little bit the same.

 

I am so full on in my trip pre and post cruise that I haven't really looked much at what shore excursions etc are available.

 

Only thing I know I am doing is in Puerto Vallarta, going to a resort. Other places, NO idea - will have a further look at the excursions available when I get on the ship, or just chill out at the beaches. :)

[clackey]

I did a lot or research on our first 3 or 4 cruises. Picked out tours, made reservations and did the whole beginner's process. Now we just go. If we see a tour that is of interest, we book it. If we want to stay on the ship, we do. You have to realize that we have been to most of the Western and Bahamian itineraries several times. When and if I get to go Eastern or Southern Caribbean, I will probably go back to the research phase.

[Lovefuninthesun]

Yes, we have done this frequently, especially if we have been to the port before. We just walk around and play it by ear

 

 

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[c&d]

Last cruise we booked 10 days in advance, we planned nothing did nothing, had a 4-j cabin loved it. Most relaxed cruise ever. We actually enjoyed each other company no stress.

 

First time we booked a 4-j and will probably book one again.

[surfjock27]

In all my past cruises we've done an excursion, through Carnival, in every port.

It was very organized, but very overwhelming to constantly be on time.

 

On our upcoming cruise (Breeze - 11/8 - St. Thomas, Antigua, San Juan, Nassau), we will doing just the opposite.

No plans, no excursions, just going with it.

 

I'm nervous because I'm a very organized person, but no harm no foul.

Bring on November!

[winddawn]

Anyone ever do this? Just cruise with NO plans in place? What did you end up doing?

 

We're going to Grand Cayman, Belize, Roatan, and Cozumel -- it will be our first time at GC and on the advice of friends who have been there a few times, we're thinking of renting car...but not planning on anything definite.

 

We've been to Belize, Roatan, and Coz and are happy to wing it in all three places...

Yes! In fact, sometimes I don't even get off the ship. I'm happy sunbathing, gambling, sleeping when I want, enjoying Carnival's great food and drinks, and watching the ocean. Just being away from work and responsibilities is enough for me to be happy.

[QJenk]

In grand Cayman, try the glass bottom boat or submarine ride. Its not through carnival. Prices were a bit high but very worth it. The place to sign up is right by the pier across the street from a Hard Rock Cafe

[IPlayWithString]

No plans?

 

BLASPHEMY! :O

[kelly.campbell]

We're a plan nothing family, but get excellent ideas from the crew. We've had excellent luck and memorable adventures. To each his own.

 

 

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