Group size of excursions

[mgrace56]

Hello, we are sailing NCL Getaway to Western Caribbean in March. I am looking at excursions and am wondering what the size of the groups are for the excursions offered by NCL. I'm sure it depends on the specific excursion but things like snorkeling or zip lining is particularly what I'm curious about. I generally prefer a smaller group so trying decide if I should just book outside of NCL. Thanks!

[MotownVoice]

Unfortunately for you, it sounds like, excursion operators (generally speaking) don't make any money keeping their tour groups intimate and close knit. 

In fact, if a particular excursion doesn't get enough response and they don't book above a certain capacity it gets canceled.

That probably doesn't answer your question as thoroughly as you need it to be, but if you're willing to pay the extra money to get a smaller group then booking on your own seems like a no-brainer.

[sanger727]

Cruise line excursions are not going to be small group unless they are marketed as small group. For snorkeling I think they usually rent out an entire boat and fill it. I personally would book independently. I've had some fantastic excursions in the caribbean that were booked independently. Specifically in grand cayman we booked a tour that included stingray city. We ended up in a small boat with a total of 5 people plus the guide. Our guide was great and facilitated a ton of interactions with the sting rays for us. A bit after we pulled in this huge double decker boat pulled in (had at least 60 people on it) and he told us that was a cruise line excursion (not sure which cruise line). They didn't have anywhere near enough guides for the number of people they had and our guild ended up helping a few of them that wandered our way. We also booked an ATV trip in St martin. It turned out there was only one company that ran ATV trips there so they did the independent and cruise line trips. We initially were put in a group with one of the cruise line trips (it was probably 30 people).... and it was frustrating because it was constantly slowing down and stopping for the people who weren't comfortable on the ATV. The told us that at the first stop to stay with the ATVs and our real guide would come by. Wasn't sure what that meant, but sure enough at the first stop a guide with 5 or 6 other ATVs came by for us and we broke off with them. It ended up being a much nicer trip where we went around the entire island and off roading up a giant hill that that large group wouldn't have made it up.

[smplybcause]

While there's exceptions, most excursions booked by the cruise line have you being transferred from the ship to excursions in those large passenger buses. The ones that hold 50/60 people. So there's likely to be at least that many people on any one you pick. 

[mgrace56]

Thanks, that is what I thought the case may be! I would rather pay a little more and book on my own and know we are going to have a smaller group.

[BostonGal35]

you are much better off with independents if you want a small group experience.  this is key for us, especially on european itineraries.  we saw 10x more stuff in St Petersburg, for example, than the folks from the ship excursions did - and for half the cost.