You’ve booked your cruise and are ready to set sail but there’s one thing left to decide – shore excursions. When you stop in port you have a few options about what to do. You aren’t required to get off of the ship, but chances are you’ll want to.  You can opt not to book anything and simply explore the area on your own or book an independent experience.  Or, you can plan ahead of time and book a ship sponsored shore excursion. H aving a great day at port is important and so is getting the most for your money.

5 Tips for Selecting Cruise Shore Excursions:

Ship Sponsored vs. Independently Booked Excursions

This is often the biggest question people ask. If you book an independent excursion you’re taking a risk. If you don’t make it back to the ship in time, the ship will leave without you. If you’re on a ship sponsored excursion that runs behind; they will wait for you to get back. However, you also will pay more for the ship sponsored shore excursion. Additionally, the companies working with the cruise line strive to keep up a level of service to continue that relationship.

That being said, reputable companies make their living catering to cruisers. It’s not good for business if you miss the ship or leave a bad review.  If you want to book an independent excursion, research the company and read reviews from other travelers.  We have found many independent excursions to be just as popular as ship sponsored that go to the same area, for less money.  On our upcoming Alaskan cruise, we have booked 2 independent excursions and 1 through the ship.  The one through NCL was about $150 more even with $100 excursion credits, but we couldn’t book independently for our required timeframe.

Just be sure to leave enough time to get back to the ship if something goes wrong!

Age and Activity Level

Not all shore excursions are well suited for everyone. If you’re traveling with little children you may find your options are even more limited. Excursions with a lot of physical activity or walking may not be a good choice for those who have a stroller to push or who have mobility issues. Take this into consideration when you’re choosing what to do. You’ll find the difficulty level and any requirements listed with the excursion details.

We wanted to plan a snorkeling adventure during one of our cruises.  We had a difficult time finding companies that would allow children, even though my kids are experienced swimmers and snorkelers.  We finally found a reputable company and my kids ended up spending more time in the water than 50% of the other adults on the excursion!

Price

For many people what to do boils down to how much it’s going to cost. You may not want to pay hundreds of dollars per person to do a shore excursion one day after you’ve paid for the cruise. You may also discover that there’s one activity during one port day that’s a higher cost but something you really want to do. This means the other port days you go for a less expensive option or just explore the port on your own.

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The cruise industry is booming.   It’s continued to grow over the years, and isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.   Over 31 million people cruised in 2023 with 35 million projected to sail in 2024!   Fleets are also expanding like crazy with new ships coming out every year.   With all the new and veteran cruisers setting sail, I thought it would be the perfect time to go over some first time cruise tips to help make your next voyage a success.

I’ve put together a range of quick tips from things to do before you sail to things not to do while your enjoying the ship and amenities.  Let us know if you have any other tips to share!

Cruising Do’s & Don’ts – First Time Cruise Tips

General –

:: Do pre-book your shows and speciality dining reservations.

:: Do complete your luggage tags and pre-cruise documents before getting to the port.

:: Don’t go on a European cruise line and expect American type cuisine and shows. And vice versa. Foods & activities are generally tailored to the region of travel.

:: Do choose a stateroom in the middle of the ship if you tend to get seasick.  For more ideas on cabins, I’ve previously shared “how to pick the perfect cruise staterooms for your family”.

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Picking which cruiseline to sail with and which itinerary suites your needs is hard enough without the added stress of having to pick the best stateroom category.  This decision can make even veteran cruisers sweat. My husband and I argue about this every time we cruise! Factors such as budget, size and location can help aid in this tough decision. To help new cruisers pick the best category, we’ve put together a list of pros and cons for each, as well as a comparison of sizes of NCL’s inside and balcony rooms. Hopefully these cruise vacations tips will help you pick the best stateroom category.

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I have a friend planning her first cruise.  She was shocked to learn about all the “extras” she’d have to consider. She thought cruising was like an all-inclusive resort – just on the water. But that’s not really the case, with the exception of river cruises and luxury cruise lines.

The first thing to note is that it is possible to take a cruise and not spend a penny more than your cruise fare, taxes and gratuities. However, there are a lot of additional expenses you need to to be aware of that can add up quickly. The good news is that you can purchase some of these add-ons in advance, as a package, to help alleviate the shock of a high shipboard account balance at the end of your cruise.

Cruise fares may seem quite high, but they do include almost everything you need for an awesome vacation. Your accommodations, transportation, food and entertainment are provided at one cost. When you breakdown everything that’s included, a cruise can be a budget friendly way to travel.

The cruise fare includes:

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