By browsing this site, you consent to the placement of these cookies. Few cruise ports in the World are genuinely unique, but Santorini is undoubtedly one of a kind. Receive insider offers directly from the cruise lines. When your Alaska cruise starts in Vancouver or Seattle, you might grow weary of organized cruise excursions by the time you reach Sitka. If so, consider it as the simplest solution. That's why most lines seem to offer the same tours, though prices often vary slightly. Amsterdam is easy to explore on your own. “If it’s Tuesday, this must be Belgium.” The title of this 1969 movie might have a familiar ring if you are on a cruise stopping at multiple ports or islands. The ports we cover on this website and in our books vary greatly, from quiet un--touristed ports such as Jost Van Dyke, where your ship will likely be the only one in sight, to superbustling tourist towns such as Ketchikan, Alaska, which is almost always jampacked with other ships. Talk with fellow Frommer's cruisers on our Cruise Forum. A 2-hour cruise Wildlife Scenic Cruise runs $125 per person, with a 3 person minimum. St Thomas is one of the most visited islands in the Caribbean and the most popular of the U.S. Virgin Islands Cruise Ports. The Best Advice for Touring Pompeii – On Your Own – From the Naples Cruise Port! How to Explore a Port Destination on Your Own. Maybe you want to explore on your own. If you can rally a group of four, then renting your own car can be a … Juneau is the capital of Alaska and its most popular (in terms of traffic) cruise ports in Alaska. Sometimes it's all about the destination and that is certainly true of cruise destinations. The cruise port you depart from and the amazing cruise ports you visit define your experience as much as what cruise line or cruise … Kiel, Copenhagen, Wuremunde(? Of the remaining ports which are the best options for exploring on your own? I stick with the ship excursions for Mexico and Alaska, but explore on my own (via golf cart, jeep or rental car) when in the Caribbean. On the other hand, you may find your own little nuances, things that an organized tour skips over as being too minor to bother with. And upon arriving at each port, shore excursions are the primary way to explore. He has numerous articles published in the financial industry and is now also focusing on writing about cruise experiences. In a conference call this week with The Points Guy and several other travel media outlets, MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato suggested the measure was critical to ensuring that passengers and crew don’t bring COVID-19 on board the ships after visiting a port. It can hold up to 6 ships at a time which amounts to nearly 20,000 passengers! Port restrictions for cruise passengers. Excursions can often fill up fast, especially on the megaships, so don't dawdle in signing up. When going the solo route, though, be sure you know exactly when your ship departs for the next port, because the captain won't wait forever if you're late, leaving you on your own to get to the next port of call. Do you book a ship excursion, explore on your own, or stay on the ship? We will be embarking on a cruise departing Rome on June 20th with stops in Santorini, Athens, Mykonos, Chanda (Crete), Malta, Messina, Naples and Florence. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a14fd19e842915b031034855b1a19bd3" );document.getElementById("c47cc4a99f").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Bryce and his wife Jane have traveled extensively throughout the world, and have earned Diamond status with Cunard. We have already booked excursions in Athens, Naples and Florence. Many travelers walk off the ship, stroll along the main street, stop in a few jewelry stores, have lunch at an overpriced restaurant with indifferent service and head back to the ship. For example, Pisa is only 20 minutes from Livorno by train. The most comprehensive descriptions, reviews and videos on over 1,400 cruise ship shore excursions. The popular Atlantis submarine tour, for example -- offered at Grand Cayman, Nassau, and St. Thomas, among other places -- usually has an office/agent in the cruise terminals or nearby. Due to factors such as accessibility of local transportation, condition of roads, terrain, and the amount of time your ship is in port (which can range from 4 or 5 hours to 10 or more), some ports are easy to explore independently, others less so. If your cruise line is set up for prebooking before your trip, that's a good option. If you hop on your cruise line shuttle and buy your own tickets at the train station, €5 euros roundtrip, you can save about $85 per person. If a tour offered by your ship is booked up, you can try to book it independently once you get to port. Instead, we booked a Royal Caribbean sponsored excursion Old San Juan on Your Own – with airport drop off – for a fee of $39 per person. Receive insider offers directly from the cruise lines. For this charge, we received transportation from the cruise port to Old San Juan, a few hours on our own to explore and then transportation on to the airport. Hello and welcome aboard the Mediterranean Cruise Ports Easy travel and vacation guide! In these places, the shore excursions offered by the cruise lines are a good way to go. What could be easier? Does anyone have advice about these ports in terms of what to do on your own without a ship tour. This is a tour designed for those that would desire to explore Olympia on their own and spend as much time as possible experiencing it. Maybe that’s not you. In Alaska, as another example, Juneau's popular Mt. 6 Best Nassau Beaches From Your Cruise Port! All of the content (with the exception of the cruise news) is lovingly hand written by our travel writers.If you wish to use this content, please contact us. One of our favorite cities for independent exploring, it’s easy to reach Amsterdam’s history, museums and scenic canals from where your river cruise parks on the Rhine Canal. Located in the Northeastern area of the Caribbean Sea, St. Thomas is part of the Leeward Islands enjoying both a wonderful and reliable weather in the winter months. ), Helsinki, Tallin, St. Petersburg, and Norwegian ports. I've done all of the above and it mainly depends upon the port. Check Email. (Don't ask). (Rob O'Neal / Florida Keys News Bureau / Associated Press) Small Boat Harbor Phone: (907) 612-0345. However, they will ask: “What did you see?” and “Did you have a good time?” When you tell them about how you explored and immersed yourself in the local culture, they will want to come along on your next trip! Other options include contacting an outside company, such as Port Promotions (www.portpromotions.com), at least a few weeks before your cruise. Most lines list their shore excursions on their websites, and (with the exception of MSC, SeaDream, and most of the small-ship lines) allow you to prebook or prereserve them, either online or through a reservation form that comes with your cruise documents. Port Promotions currently has tours in the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, and Europe. Work on a Cruise Ship - Cruise Podcast - Does your ship offer a tour that provides a detailed overview, visits the major sights, stops for lunch and allows free time? We really haven't visited much of Mexico other than ports on the west coast and haven't been impressed, however, we had never been on the Yucatan Peninsula before and now find it worth doing. No other port provides such a spectacular setting as cruise ships anchor in an immense bay formed by a collapsed volcano, between the still-active crater and multi-hued cliffs. But as all cruise travelers are aware, St Thomas can also be hit by devastating hurricanes. Excursion prices are often (but not always) lower for kids. Because internet … For those who like a little sweat in their port visits, there are physically challenging options such as kayaking, horseback riding, mountain biking, ziplining, dog sledding, and river rafting. Shore excursions run the gamut, from snoresville bus tours and booze cruises to more stimulating options such as snorkeling, jungle walks, whale-watching, and glacier helicopter treks. As imagined, Juneau has a limited window for cruise … At some ports, you may spend a day or two before or after your cruise, which is why you’ll find on Port Profiles a section called Two Perfect Days. Galveston Island, TXGalveston is a tropical island in the Gulf of Mexico that you’ll cruise away from, … There's a decent selection of tours in all the regions covered in this guide (generally at least 10-20 per port), with the greatest number in Alaska, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. Maybe the ship’s tour is expensive. The top fly bridge is also available for the best viewing of all the sights. Cruise ship passengers can forget venturing off on their own when cruising resumes in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. How you spend your time in port can make the difference between a great cruise experience and a big fat disappointment. Most ports offer helpful tourist offices and are well-served by public transit. You can also simply be your own guide. June 13, 2019 June 10, 2019 by Bryce Sanders “If it’s Tuesday, this must be Belgium.” The title of this 1969 movie might have a familiar ring if you are on a cruise stopping at multiple ports or islands. In such cases, touring on your own could be an inefficient use of your time, entailing lots of hassles and planning, and possibly costing more. How you spend your time in port can make the difference between a great cruise experience and a big fat disappointment. All Things Cruise is dedicated to the joy of travel. You show up. How should you go about it? That was certainly the case when Alan and I sailed on Regent Seven Seas Mariner from Vancouver to Singapore. Specializing in ocean, river, ultra-luxury, small ship and expedition cruises. In almost every case, the cruise lines themselves do not operate the excursions; instead, they contract them out to operators in each individual port. You pay. We were ready to explore on our own. A Bar Harbor Cruise Port Itinerary on Your Own Rent a Car See the Town (s) Devour Fresh Seafood Visit a National Park Shop for Souvenirs Take Pretty Pictures Bar Harbor: A Visit to Remember Passengers will not be allowed to tour port towns on their own, and the same rule will apply to crew on the ships, too. Explore Athens On Your Own is a Disney Cruise Line Port Adventure in Piraeus, Greece, featuring a self-guided daytrip in Athens. Whether you prefer a 360 degree view from the fly bridge or choose the lower deck … Fat Salmon Charters Experience a spectacular Wildlife Cruise aboard Fat Salmon's fully equipped, twin engine vessel, Badly Bent. Best Cruise Deals and Discounts sorted by your dream destination. As you will recall, the purpose of these posts and video segments is to dispel the myth that expensive cruise ship shore excursions are the only way to enjoy port days in Alaska. Could port exploring be restricted when cruises resume? Here's what you need to consider when choosing an excursion. Sometimes a port's real attractions may be miles (sometimes a lot of miles) from where your ship is docked -- a common enough occurrence in Hawaii, Alaska, and Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, among other places. I find myself, uncharacteristically, going on a cruise. While the cruise lines themselves offer lots to choose from, you may opt to plan a tour independently, due to flexibility or price concerns. When you stop in posts, visit the local library for free internet access. Alaska Shore Excursions for a Family on Your Own. For more information see our. Other Industry Information, About AllThingsCruise - For The Media - Privacy Policy - Contact Us - Home, Check your travel agent's references by asking them to fill out a form here and you will get the report: AllisonTaylor.com. Both ocean and river cruises have land tour packages. Designed specifically for cruise ship passengers, CruisePortInsider provides all the info you need to know on each port, plus maps, port schedules, detailed shore excursion descriptions, "On Your Own" tips, videos and more. Coronavirus Cruise Port Updates (March 15, 2020) Freeport Cruise Port: 9 Most Popular Questions Asked & Answered; Booking Anti-Mafia Tours on Your Sicily Cruise Stops! Annually, it has over one million visitors by cruise ship. Jeff Arranging your own shore excursion will save you money over buying the ones offered by the cruise ship.. Cruisecritic is a good place to research. Victory I Cruise: Boarding Ship for Three-night Great Lakes adventure, Cruise Etiquette: People You Tip (and People You Don’t), 10 Things I Love About German Christmas Markets, 10 Things You’ve Always Wanted to Do on a Cruise. The popular Atlantis submarine tour, for example -- offered at Grand Cayman, Nassau, and St. Thomas, among other places -- usually has an office/agent in the cruise terminals or nearby. Consider these eleven tips. Welcome to Episode One of Alaska Cruise Ports On Your Own and On A Budget! Mediterranean cruise ports and best European cruise destinations. Over dinner, they remark: “All these islands are the same.” How can you make your experience better? Some ports are as easy as just … You need to research the individual ports and the attractions you want to see. When you return home, you aren’t going to brag to your friends about your travels. In each port review, we run through a sampling of both the best excursions and the best sights and activities you can see and do on your own. It looks like the island of Cozumel is one's best bet for weather, low crime, cleanliness and visitor amenities if one wants to visit for a week or so. I had a difficult time finding postings with such recommendations so I'm sharing the logic I used to make the decisions and the results of our choices. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Join our newsletter! If a tour offered by your ship is booked up, you can try to book it independently once you get to port. With that in mind, here’s our guide to doing your own shore excursions on your next cruise. We visited Santorini as part of a 12-day Greece, Turkey, Italy cruise in July on Celebrity Reflection.Before taking our trip, I researched quite a bit to determine whether to take cruise ship excursions or on-our-own excursions. Volcano crater in Santorini. Roberts Tramway is located just a few meters from the cruise dock, so it's easy enough to just walk over and buy a ticket yourself. Arriving in a port with time to kill and no clue what to do can speedily turn an otherwise enjoyable cruise into a miserable trip. Rent a Car and Do the Full Island. More…. Alaska Cruise Ports On Your Own and On A Budget: Ketchikan. ... that doesn’t mean you can’t conduct a family tour of your own to get a feel for the various ports on your cruise route. Frommer's, and carefully selected third parties, use cookies on this site to improve performance, for analytics and for advertising.

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