Shore Excursions

[Joe33472]

We’re booked on an April 2024 transatlantic on the Odysessy to Rome.  I subscribed to the roll call and there is a lot of discussion in that forum about excursions.    This cruise will be our first cruise in probably 30 years and our plan right now is just to do our own planning on the ports and just to do a little bit of sightseeing, shopping, and eating out at each port.    Is this a bad plan?   I’m starting to have FOMO.  

 

I’m sure doing shore excursion or not is a lot about personal preference, kinda like Chops vs. Giovanni, but after reading that thread it seems to me that more people like Giovanni’s than Chops and it brought up a lot of good information about the two restaurants.   So, I’m wondering what opinions are about shore excursions and if it’s better to book those directly with RCI.   Does it enhance the overall cruise experience or is it just exhausting?   We’ll be spending some time in Europe after the cruise, so we were kind of looking forward to just getting off the ship and looking around.  Do we need guided tours and excursions?  

[Funky Fusion FoodsJ]

35 minutes ago, Joe33472 said:

We’re booked on an April 2024 transatlantic on the Odysessy to Rome.  I subscribed to the roll call and there is a lot of discussion in that forum about excursions.    This cruise will be our first cruise in probably 30 years and our plan right now is just to do our own planning on the ports and just to do a little bit of sightseeing, shopping, and eating out at each port.    Is this a bad plan?   I’m starting to have FOMO.  

 

I’m sure doing shore excursion or not is a lot about personal preference, kinda like Chops vs. Giovanni, but after reading that thread it seems to me that more people like Giovanni’s than Chops and it brought up a lot of good information about the two restaurants.   So, I’m wondering what opinions are about shore excursions and if it’s better to book those directly with RCI.   Does it enhance the overall cruise experience or is it just exhausting?   We’ll be spending some time in Europe after the cruise, so we were kind of looking forward to just getting off the ship and looking around.  Do we need guided tours and excursions?  

It really depends on you.  If you’re comfortable finding your way around and doing some research ahead of time on your own is great.  When we travel places and want to see things and don’t want to do all the planning or figuring out transportation and everything we’ll schedule an excursion.  We generally don’t use the cruise line excursions unless they happen to be the only one’s available for the sights we want to see.

 

 

[Joe33472]

55 minutes ago, Funky Fusion FoodsJ said:

It really depends on you.  If you’re comfortable finding your way around and doing some research ahead of time on your own is great.  When we travel places and want to see things and don’t want to do all the planning or figuring out transportation and everything we’ll schedule an excursion.  We generally don’t use the cruise line excursions unless they happen to be the only one’s available for the sights we want to see.

 

 

 

Thanks for your thoughts.  I'm pretty good at navigating, taking public transportation, and figuring this out on my own, so maybe we'll just stick with our own plans.  

 

Why do you generally not book the cruise line excursions?   Is it a value thing?  I'm thinking that the cruise lines are subcontracting with local providers and are probably getting a cut, so the prices must be somewhat inflated for that reason.   Or is it just better to use a local provider?    

[villageidit]

Depends on the ports for your cruise. Ports like Malaga, Cartagena, Ajaccio (Corsica) there is much to see and do near the dock. You can easily walk off the ship and do most sights on your own. In Barcelona the port is slightly further from the main tourist areas. If you book the disembarkation tour in Rome for the Vatican and Coliseum with airport drop off be prepared for a rushed day. We had approximately 10 min inside St Peters after an hour wait in line. Then a tardy passenger almost cost us the stop at the coliseum. Practically had to run from the bus to the coliseum to make our entry window. It worked out though and we enjoyed our time there. 

[Joe33472]

5 minutes ago, villageidit said:

Depends on the ports for your cruise. Ports like Malaga, Cartagena, Ajaccio (Corsica) there is much to see and do near the dock. You can easily walk off the ship and do most sights on your own. In Barcelona the port is slightly further from the main tourist areas. If you book the disembarkation tour in Rome for the Vatican and Coliseum with airport drop off be prepared for a rushed day. We had approximately 10 min inside St Peters after an hour wait in line. Then a tardy passenger almost cost us the stop at the coliseum. Practically had to run from the bus to the coliseum to make our entry window. It worked out though and we enjoyed our time there. 

 

Thank you!  This makes a lot of sense.   Glad to hear that there is a lot to do near the dock for Malaga and Cartagena.  That's a huge help since that's two of our stops.     I'm going to check out if we need something in Ponte Delgada.   I'm familiar with La Spezia and getting to the Cinque Terre, so we're going to do that on our own.  We're going to be staying in Rome, so no excursion needed there.  

 

I'm feeling much better that I'm not booking all of these excursions. 

 

Thanks again!   

[OCSC Mike]

3 hours ago, Joe33472 said:

Why do you generally not book the cruise line excursions?   Is it a value thing?  I'm thinking that the cruise lines are subcontracting with local providers and are probably getting a cut, so the prices must be somewhat inflated for that reason.   Or is it just better to use a local provider?    

 

I can't speak for the OP or Europe but I use independent providers in the Caribbean for more options, personalization, smaller group size, and better value.

 

You have the subcontracting part right. In Alaska, we did 10 days on land ourselves pre-cruise and had a dog sledding excursion cancelled due to weather. We really wanted to do it so we tried to replace it on our own during a port stop but had to go through Royal as we couldn't find any other availability on such short notice. We even figured out the exact company they were using for that town but we couldn't book direct b/c their openings were contracted out to RC. So we ended up paying extra (it was a "we may never go back" type trip so we weren't skipping anything).

[Funky Fusion FoodsJ]

5 hours ago, Joe33472 said:

 

Thanks for your thoughts.  I'm pretty good at navigating, taking public transportation, and figuring this out on my own, so maybe we'll just stick with our own plans.  

 

Why do you generally not book the cruise line excursions?   Is it a value thing?  I'm thinking that the cruise lines are subcontracting with local providers and are probably getting a cut, so the prices must be somewhat inflated for that reason.   Or is it just better to use a local provider?    

As stated by other posts, excursions through the cruiselines generally are not as intimate and more a larger “herd” type of experience.

[mapleleaves]

Cruiseline excursions seem very expensive when you compare the same itinerary done as a DIY.

In Livorno the cruiseline offered 'Florence on your own" which was essentially a bus ride to Florence and it was $100 compared to our 10E train ticket.  Granted we had to get ourselves to and from the train stations at each end, but easily done.

 

Many people don't want to be bothered with researching the town, sights to see, transportation options, admission tickets, etc.   And they're willing to pay for that convenience.    I prefer DIY....  I go where I want to go, see what I want to see, and move at my own pace. Plus its cheaper.  And I really enjoy the research.

 

The only place I've used a tour and it was private tour, was for the Amalfi Coast from Naples. I knew a car would be a better option for negotiating the coastal roads, plus I had a very specific itinerary to follow for the day. We could have found people from our Roll Call to share the cost, but it was nice just being the 4 of us. 

 

There are circumstances where a ships tour is the best option.  ie Santorini is a cluster, so a ships excursion is a way to avoid the 2-3 wait for a cable car up the cliff.  Or sometimes a ships excursion will give you priority entrance to a particular sight.    

 

[SRF]

On 10/8/2023 at 9:12 AM, Joe33472 said:

Is it a value thing?  I'm thinking that the cruise lines are subcontracting with local providers and are probably getting a cut, so the prices must be somewhat inflated for that reason.   Or is it just better to use a local provider?    

 

In some cases it is a big diffference, but in other cases I have found the company and priced directly and the ship booking cost was less.  So you have to shop around.

 

The one advantage to booking a ship tour is, they will hold the ship longer if your excursion is late returning and if you miss the ship, the cruise line is responsible for getting you hooked back up with the ship.  Not a huge risk, but some people want the piece of mind.

[RonaldL]

Frequently a cab will cost about half what the ships tours cost.  On one trip we negotiated a very reasonable price for a cab tour but the driver did not know where to go.  We told him to follow the tour bus and it worked out well.

[Mary229]

Europe is very easy to do on your own if you do the research.  I use ship excursions for far flung places I want to get to in a limited time, specially priced museum passes, other specialty visits and if I have a free excursion perk. There are plenty of private guides, taxis, Ubers and car services. 

[Hlitner]

Some of us simply do not like the herd mentality found on large group tours/excursions.  There are some places (such as remote China) where there might not be an alternative.  But in places like the Caribbean and Europe, there are few problems for those of us who enjoy just doing our own thing.  This is not a right/wrong issue, but simply a matter of one's preference, spirit of adventure, and willingness to do some pre-cruise homework.  

 

Hank

[shipgeeks]

OP, assuming all the ports will be new to you, I suggest you might find Rick Steves book on Mediterranean Cruise Ports helpful, primarily in setting out what some highlights are in each port, and perhaps more importantly, how close things are to the cruise port.  As some have noted above, some can easily be DIY, even on foot, assuming you are reasonably mobile, meaning you need neither a cruiseline excursion nor a private one.

[Joe33472]

1 hour ago, shipgeeks said:

OP, assuming all the ports will be new to you, I suggest you might find Rick Steves book on Mediterranean Cruise Ports helpful, primarily in setting out what some highlights are in each port, and perhaps more importantly, how close things are to the cruise port.  As some have noted above, some can easily be DIY, even on foot, assuming you are reasonably mobile, meaning you need neither a cruiseline excursion nor a private one.

 

Thanks!  I love Rick Steves' guides and have quite a few.  I had no idea that he has cruise port books.  Just looked up the most current Mediterranean edition and not a single one of the ports that we are schedule to visit are in the book.  What a bummer.  

 

Another post above mentioned that there are a lot of things to do near the ports for Malaga and Cartenega, and I'm good with handling our own travel to the Cinque Terre from LaSpieza.  So, we only have to figure out something for Ponte Delgada.   I see some whale watching and dolphin cruises for that port, but I think that the last thing we're going to want to do after being at sea for 6 days is get on another boat.... 😄😄

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

Have you been looking at the Ports boards, here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2-ports-of-call/

[Joe33472]

4 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Have you been looking at the Ports boards, here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2-ports-of-call/

 

Thank you for the heads up!  I looked those forums awhile back, but haven't looked recently.  I'll definitely see if there is any good information for Ponta Delgada.    Otherwise, at this point, I think that we're going to skip the RCI tours and do the ports on our own. 

[Mary229]

9 hours ago, Joe33472 said:

 

Thank you for the heads up!  I looked those forums awhile back, but haven't looked recently.  I'll definitely see if there is any good information for Ponta Delgada.    Otherwise, at this point, I think that we're going to skip the RCI tours and do the ports on our own. 

If you want to leave town to go to the nature and volcanic sites up mountain I would suggest a ship tour.  This is one of those cases where you have distances to cover in a limited time with limited options.

[shipgeeks]

Well, I stand corrected re Rick Steves book.  I see that our old one does not have your ports, either.  I do know that we did those three ports on our own, on foot.  I probably looked up the places - not via a travel or tour company site - to get maps and find out more about what's there.

[Joe33472]

10 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Well, I stand corrected re Rick Steves book.  I see that our old one does not have your ports, either.  I do know that we did those three ports on our own, on foot.  I probably looked up the places - not via a travel or tour company site - to get maps and find out more about what's there.

 

I appreciate the heads up about the cruise port guide, as I didn't realize Rick had cruise port guides.   I'll probably pick up a copy as we'll likely get to some of the other destinations at some point. 

 

Glad to hear that you did these ports on your own.  We're definitely going to figure things out on our own and skip the ship tours.   

[Sea42]

I suggest getting the Rick Steves port guides thru your library. The one for Scandinavia was just about useless for our Norway cruise. Better to look for free and decide if it will be any benefit before you purchase any of his port guides.

[Mum2Mercury]

On 10/8/2023 at 7:34 AM, Joe33472 said:

our plan right now is just to do our own planning on the ports and just to do a little bit of sightseeing, shopping, and eating out at each port.    Is this a bad plan?   I’m starting to have FOMO.  

I don't think wandering the ports on your own is a bad idea necessarily, but how many times will be able to visit these cities?  I share your fear of missing out.  If you decide to wander on your own, definitely do your homework first.  

On 10/8/2023 at 7:34 AM, Joe33472 said:

So, I’m wondering what opinions are about shore excursions and if it’s better to book those directly with RCI. 

Shore excursions guarantee you'll see the highlights of a given port.  You know you won't get lost.  Your tour guide has already smoothed the bumps in the road for you. 

No, booking directly with a small private tour guide is usually the best choice.  

On 10/8/2023 at 9:12 AM, Joe33472 said:

Why do you generally not book the cruise line excursions?   Is it a value thing?  

Booking with private tours is a value thing ... but not a money /budget thing.  Oh, yes, they tend to be cheaper, but the value is that private tours are BETTER.  The ship's tours tend to be large, cattle-call groups, and you'll be at the mercy of the slowest person in the group.  In contrast, the smaller, private tours tend to get you "out the door faster", so you're already halfway through your activity by the time the ship's tour arrives.  The smaller, private tours offer you more options (would you rather have an hour to shop in this area, or would you rather we visit that bar two streets over?).  

 

However, ship's tours have their place:  If you're traveling some distance from the port, if you'll be required to use multiple forms of transportation, or if you don't speak the language ... it might be best to stick with the ship's excursion.  But these exceptions are rare.  

 

If you go on your own (or with a private tour), you're responsible for yourself.  Always know where you'll be going -- study the maps ahead of time.  Have cash money in your pocket so that if everything goes badly (you choose to ditch your tour and then you twist your ankle), you can take a taxi back to port.  Know the name of the port where your ship is docked.  Don't allow your party to split up.  Have a wrist watch and understand ship's time vs. port time.  Know what time your ship will sail and be back at the ship 2 hours before the ship sails; if this is your intention, even if you fall behind you'll still arrive in time.  

On 10/8/2023 at 2:53 PM, mapleleaves said:

Many people don't want to be bothered with researching the town, sights to see, transportation options, admission tickets, etc.   And they're willing to pay for that convenience.    I prefer DIY....  I go where I want to go, see what I want to see, and move at my own pace. Plus its cheaper.  And I really enjoy the research.

Agree!  I enjoy the research, but I get that everyone doesn't think the same.  

[edinburgher]

On 10/8/2023 at 5:43 PM, Joe33472 said:

Glad to hear that there is a lot to do near the dock for Malaga and Cartagena.  That's a huge help since that's two of our stops.     I'm going to check out if we need something in Ponte Delgada. 

Malaga and Cartagena are easy DIY port calls as you are already in the towns/cities. Cartagena in particular is very easy to walk around, as quite compact but has a few sites, museums etc worth a visit and it is mostly flat.

 

Malaga is much larger and requires more planning.

 

Ponta Delgada I am not familiar with at all.

 

Do search the internet for tourist information for all three, also Tripadvisor, YouTube etc, And check out the local official Tourist information websites as they are usually really good,but reading past threads and posts should give you lots of info.

To help you get started with these,

 

Ponta Delgada

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=ponta delgada&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=149

 

 

Malaga

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=malaga&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=465

 

 

Cartagena

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=cartagena&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=465

 

 

Edited November 26, 2023 by edinburgher

[BruceMuzz]

On 10/8/2023 at 10:12 PM, Joe33472 said:

 

Thanks for your thoughts.  I'm pretty good at navigating, taking public transportation, and figuring this out on my own, so maybe we'll just stick with our own plans.  

 

Why do you generally not book the cruise line excursions?   Is it a value thing?  I'm thinking that the cruise lines are subcontracting with local providers and are probably getting a cut, so the prices must be somewhat inflated for that reason.   Or is it just better to use a local provider?    

You are thinking that the cruise lines are subcontracting with local providers and taking a cut.

You are correct.

But you failed to think about liability insurance.

In many cases the local tour operator does not carry liability insurance. If you privately book a tour with him and something bad happens - good luck to you.

The cruise lines have a lot of experience with lawsuits from litigation-happy passengers. They typically require at least $1Million liability insurance for every passenger on every tour. Some lines require $2 Million.

Who pays for that liability insurance?

The tour operator pays first and then passages the cost to the cruise line.

The cruise line passes the cost to the people on the tours.

 

If you happen to go on a cruise line tour in Alaska, the liability insurance premium is not very high. But if you are on a tour visiting Dinosaurs on Komodo Island, or sailing amongst Crocodiles on the Amazon, that $1 or $2 Million Liability Insurance Premium will be quite high. Somebody has to pay it - that’s you.

But if you are fond of gambling - like me - you can skip the insurance by booking locally and save a lot of money.

Edited November 28, 2023 by BruceMuzz

[K32682]

I've done both and there is no one answer that applies to all situations. Whether to take a ship's excursion depends on the port, one's appetite for adventure and whether the ship excursion gives you something you can't easily obtain from a private tour.

 

Two points in favor of the ship's excursion is the boat will wait if you are delayed and if you are looking to meet other people on the cruise you know that everyone around you is on the same boat too. Points against the ship's excursion are cost, being herded like children in a daycare and often being directed toward shops or restaurant/bars who've paid an incentive for the stop.   

[crystalspin]

6 hours ago, K32682 said:

Two points in favor of the ship's excursion is the boat will wait if you are delayed

Slight correction: The ship will PROBABLY wait. But if they have to leave you (due to tides or other factors like the Panama Canal schedule) -- they will take care of getting you to a later port.

 

There was recently a road closure in Costa Rica that stranded pax from a cruise ship (maybe Princess?). There was a ship's tour and at least one private tour cut off from returning. The private tour had to figure out their own way back or home! (They all missed the Canal.) 

Edited November 30, 2023 by crystalspin