Do You Do Excursions on a Short Cruise?

[LuCruise]

DH and I booked a short 3 night cruise in the summer.  It's a (belated) celebration birthday cruise for us, plus we are 2 points away from Diamond so this will get us there (i.e. let's us enjoy Diamond for our Dec holiday cruise).  

 

I know this varies completely, but am wondering if others even bother booking excursions when it's such a short cruise.  We tend to cruise more for the ship-life than the stops but it feels funny not getting off.  This cruise is Navigator and stops at Ensenada Mexico.  Never been there but there are a couple tours that are an option (mostly food/alcohol related).  

 

How about others?  Do you bother doing something at the stop when it's such a short cruise?  Or do you just enjoy the ship?

[GJustice]

We usually get off if it's a port we've never been to before, otherwise we enjoy having the run of a mostly vacant ship on port days 🙂 

[OCSC Mike]

Sometimes we don't even do excursions on a long cruise. We've been around the Caribbean enough and enjoy what the ship (and Coco Cay) has to offer. As you said, this will vary depending on personal preference.

 

Congrats on Diamond! When we were exactly 4 points away we booked the cheapest 4-nighter we could find to reach it before going on another longer cruise.

[LuCruise]

11 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

Sometimes we don't even do excursions on a long cruise. We've been around the Caribbean enough and enjoy what the ship (and Coco Cay) has to offer. As you said, this will vary depending on personal preference.

 

Congrats on Diamond! When we were exactly 4 points away we booked the cheapest 4-nighter we could find to reach it before going on another longer cruise.

Thanks!  Unfortunately we couldn't fit in a short cruise before our son turns 18 (so he keeps Diamond status), but exactly...that's how we ended up booking one our of Los Angeles when Florida is closer to us.  The price was right and the dates worked.  Looking forward to the 4 free drinks on the next regular length one.

[Weluv2cruise2gether]

Depends on the port and what they have to offer for excursions

[Tree_skier]

2 hours ago, LuCruise said:

DH and I booked a short 3 night cruise in the summer.  It's a (belated) celebration birthday cruise for us, plus we are 2 points away from Diamond so this will get us there (i.e. let's us enjoy Diamond for our Dec holiday cruise).  

 

I know this varies completely, but am wondering if others even bother booking excursions when it's such a short cruise.  We tend to cruise more for the ship-life than the stops but it feels funny not getting off.  This cruise is Navigator and stops at Ensenada Mexico.  Never been there but there are a couple tours that are an option (mostly food/alcohol related).  

 

How about others?  Do you bother doing something at the stop when it's such a short cruise?  Or do you just enjoy the ship?

I don't bother with excursions at Ensenada. I have been to La Bufadora and shopped the stalls I was one and done with that.  The last time all we did was get off late and take the shuttle bus into town.  We wandered the shops for a little while then went back to the ship.  Next time I won't get off the ship.  At Catalina I go play mini-golf and wander the a few shops then head back to the ship.  Next time at Catalina I'll probably do that again because I have GK's with me but otherwise I'd stay on the ship.  If I was on short cruise out of Florida it'd probably be different since it would stop of Cococay. 

[LuCruise]

36 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I don't bother with excursions at Ensenada. I have been to La Bufadora and shopped the stalls I was one and done with that.  The last time all we did was get off late and take the shuttle bus into town.  We wandered the shops for a little while then went back to the ship.  Next time I won't get off the ship.  At Catalina I go play mini-golf and wander the a few shops then head back to the ship.  Next time at Catalina I'll probably do that again because I have GK's with me but otherwise I'd stay on the ship.  If I was on short cruise out of Florida it'd probably be different since it would stop of Cococay. 

Thanks.  Never been to Ensenada.  Is there stuff right at the port such as at Cozumel?  Or you need to take a shuttle?

[smokeybandit]

Ensenada isn't really a touristy town like Cozumel. Just a regular town with some tourist options.  There's nothing right at the port. You have a 5-10 minute walk into town, but a shuttle is available.

If you like tequila, there's a fantastic tequila store.

[Another_Critic]

Doing a repeat (exact same ports) of a TA this year, so no plans to venture away from the ports this time.

[lovesthebeach2]

We don’t book many excursions, and never do on short cruises, for us usually these are out of a Florida and we’ve been to them all. On European cruises we will book some, but not at every port.

[LuCruise]

1 minute ago, smokeybandit said:

Ensenada isn't really a touristy town like Cozumel. Just a regular town with some tourist options.  There's nothing right at the port. You have a 5-10 minute walk into town, but a shuttle is available.

If you like tequila, there's a fantastic tequila store.

Thank you!  Was wondering about that but good that we can walk into town or take a shuttle.

Funny enough, one of the excursions that we are potentially looking at is a Food and Tequila Walking Tour.  One of the pros too is that it is only 2.5 hours and offered two times in the morning so even if we book it, we'd still get the afternoon on ship.  Just not sure we would want Tequila at 9:30am in the morning...lol.

[KmomChicago]

3 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Ensenada isn't really a touristy town like Cozumel. Just a regular town with some tourist options.  There's nothing right at the port. You have a 5-10 minute walk into town, but a shuttle is available.

If you like tequila, there's a fantastic tequila store.

 

Agree, Ensenada little downtown area is like 1/3-1/2 mile-ish walk and it's more authentic than Cozumel, no sanitized-for-tourists shopping plaza. Plenty of shops and some are set up for souvenirs of course but it's the same storefronts they have been running the local economy through for years.

[smokeybandit]

1 minute ago, LuCruise said:

Thank you!  Was wondering about that but good that we can walk into town or take a shuttle.

Funny enough, one of the excursions that we are potentially looking at is a Food and Tequila Walking Tour.  One of the pros too is that it is only 2.5 hours and offered two times in the morning so even if we book it, we'd still get the afternoon on ship.  Just not sure we would want Tequila at 9:30am in the morning...lol.

Is it the one where you stop at a cafe, candy store, tequila place and ice cream?

It was a fair tour for the price, though if you don't like tequila, it's kind of a waste of time (and a couple people on the tour I did didn't taste any). We sampled about 10 tequilas and mescals. 

[Tree_skier]

7 minutes ago, LuCruise said:

Thanks.  Never been to Ensenada.  Is there stuff right at the port such as at Cozumel?  Or you need to take a shuttle?

No you need to take the shuttle.  It is $5 per person for a round trip ticket.  Once downtown there a lot of the typical shops and restaurants.  Don't bother getting off early.  The first time we went to Ensenada we got off right away and headed downtown on the shuttle.  That was a waste.  A lot of stuff was still closed then.  If you getting off to shop I'd wait till 11 or so.  Enjoy a leisurely breakfast relax.

[LuCruise]

3 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Is it the one where you stop at a cafe, candy store, tequila place and ice cream?

It was a fair tour for the price, though if you don't like tequila, it's kind of a waste of time (and a couple people on the tour I did didn't taste any). We sampled about 10 tequilas and mescals. 

Yes that's it.  I like margaritas if that counts.. 🙂

Not sure I'd like it straight, but DH would.  Seems like a few things.  Thanks for explaining.  Good to hear first hand that you were on the tour.

[LuCruise]

6 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

No you need to take the shuttle.  It is $5 per person for a round trip ticket.  Once downtown there a lot of the typical shops and restaurants.  Don't bother getting off early.  The first time we went to Ensenada we got off right away and headed downtown on the shuttle.  That was a waste.  A lot of stuff was still closed then.  If you getting off to shop I'd wait till 11 or so.  Enjoy a leisurely breakfast relax.

Thanks for the info.  We probably would have gotten off early so good to know.

[smokeybandit]

Just now, LuCruise said:

Yes that's it.  I like margaritas if that counts.. 🙂

Not sure I'd like it straight, but DH would.  Seems like a few things.  Thanks for explaining.  Good to hear first hand that you were on the tour.

Cafe - chips and salsa/hot sauces and a soft taco (varied slightly differently than what the tour description said). Other food/drinks available for extra cost if you want.

Candy Store - a few tasty samples, though nothing we'd want to to buy.

Tequila Store - see above

Ice Cream - Just a corner shop, but it was quite good.

[KmomChicago]

Just me, but I would not book a walking tour in Ensenada. If you are thinking to say close you can walk around on your own and sample something as you walk by businesses that look interesting. 

 

If I were booking something there I would look at something that goes further away to see the blowhole at Bufadora or Califia Valley wine tour - it is the "wine country" of Mexico. 

 

Back to your original question, whether to book an excursion for us would not have anything to do with the length of the cruise but the destinations. If I am going to some port for the first and probably only time, I will check out the options and if something looks intriguing, pull the trigger. 

[LuCruise]

Just now, smokeybandit said:

Cafe - chips and salsa/hot sauces and a soft taco (varied slightly differently than what the tour description said). Other food/drinks available for extra cost if you want.

Candy Store - a few tasty samples, though nothing we'd want to to buy.

Tequila Store - see above

Ice Cream - Just a corner shop, but it was quite good.

Thank you!  This really helps.

[LuCruise]

2 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

Just me, but I would not book a walking tour in Ensenada. If you are thinking to say close you can walk around on your own and sample something as you walk by businesses that look interesting. 

 

If I were booking something there I would look at something that goes further away to see the blowhole at Bufadora or Califia Valley wine tour - it is the "wine country" of Mexico. 

 

Back to your original question, whether to book an excursion for us would not have anything to do with the length of the cruise but the destinations. If I am going to some port for the first and probably only time, I will check out the options and if something looks intriguing, pull the trigger. 

Great thanks.  I also noted La Bufadora Tour and Calafia Valley Wine Country as options.  

[smokeybandit]

1 minute ago, LuCruise said:

Great thanks.  I also noted La Bufadora Tour and Calafia Valley Wine Country as options.  

When we were there it was a couples cruise. That day the guys did the food tour while the ladies did the two winery tour where you drive around one of them in a golf cart. They enjoyed it.

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, LuCruise said:

How about others?  Do you bother doing something at the stop when it's such a short cruise?  Or do you just enjoy the ship?

The duration of the cruise is not a factor in making a shore excursion decision to us. We'll get off the ship and do something,,, even it is just walking around. Or a beach transfer. 

[time4u2go]

I always do something off the ship. I cruise for the ports, not the ship.

[lenquixote66]

Same as above