Part of the fun of taking a cruise is being able to see different places when you dock at the various ports of call. Each ship’s itinerary is different and it is up to you to choose a cruise according to the places you want most to see.
Your cruise brochure, on-line web search or travel agent can tell you what ports the ship stops at, and what the best sights to see are. The ship line you choose to cruise on tries to pick ports that have things of interest for their passengers to enjoy. They encourage excursions to enhance your cruise experience.
It is best to plan the excursions you wish to take early on in your cruise experience, and sometimes even before you leave home. Some tours tend to be more popular and will often book up fairly quickly. Sometimes you can book excursions ahead through your travel agent but if not plan to book the excursion you want to take during your first day on the ship so you won’t miss out.
Excursions and additional tours are not included in the price of your cruise. These are counted as extras. Of course, you can still disembark at each port of call you visit, but in order to take one of the excursions, you must book in advance and pay extra. Each excursion is priced differently, according to the value and complexity of the tour involved. If booking an excursion package on-board the ship, you will need to have your credit card ready.
The variety of tours and excursions available on any ship will typically have something of interest that will appeal to any passenger. Common excursions can include snorkeling or diving trips, visits to historic sites, shopping ventures to specialty stores, craft markets, or artist shops, museum trips, sports events like playing at notable golf courses, horse back riding, swimming at beach locations, hiking, rain forest canopy adventures, or visiting any number of other interesting tourist sights.
Some excursions even offer the cruiser to visit a private island that the ship line may have exclusive access to. This type of excursion can really be a fantastic experience. You can swim or walk along a secluded beach with very few other people on it, and the ship line will usually supply a lunch or barbeque to go with it.
When booking an excursion to add onto your cruise experience, you must follow the guidelines set up for that particular tour. If it dictates a specific time for departure, it is necessary for you to be on time, for leaving the ship or returning to it. With so many passengers, schedules are important and are strictly adhered to. It is not uncommon for late passengers to be left behind.
Adding an excursion or tour to your cruise will only tend to make your trip more enjoyable. Discovering the ports of call you visit and all they have to offer will definitely add excitement to your travel experience.
Leave a Reply