As you’re reading this article, more than likely you’ve already booked your cruise ship vacation or at least considering it. If this is the case, be prepared for regular emails from your cruise line suggesting which shore excursions they believe you should consider at each port.
It’s perfectly normal for cruise lines to try and sell you a few tours. And ultimately, as a new customer who just recently chose a 3-7 day vacation with these people, it may seem like the next logical step to also book a shore excursion with them. This may not always be the best option and that’s why we’re here to share with you 5 things your cruise ship simply won’t tell you about shore excursions.
Missing your boat is NOT a problem
Ok, so this is the #1 statement often made by cruise lines to passengers to get them to book shore excursions sold on the ship. What you need to know is that tours offered at a destination’s cruise port are designed for cruise ship passengers and their schedules. In many cases, the same tour that is booked on the ship takes additional passengers who booked independently. You all depart and return at the same time, the only difference is that you probably paid more than the person sitting beside you, but the likelihood of missing your boat because you didn’t book on the ship is highly unlikely.
They take up to 50% of what you pay for a tour
If your cruise line is putting a lot of effort into convincing you to book a particular tour from the ship, there’s a strong chance that their profits from that tour is quite high. It’s important to understand that no matter what the tour costs, the amount that actually goes to the local tour operator is considerably lower than what you’re paying. So if you want to actually contribute to the growth of a local business, it’s best to just book independently.
You may actually get a whole lot more if you don’t book on the ship
Most of the time when you buy a tour from a large operator onboard, you become just one number among many. Scheduled shore excursions bought from the ship can be crowded and extremely impersonal because they are capitalizing on quantity rather than quality. In most cases, when you book with a smaller tour operator, your guides often provide a more personalized and authentic experience of the destination. So because you’re part of a smaller group, you may get to stop at that chocolate shop or souvenir store on your way back or you might even get a complimentary meal included in your price.
Tours offered by the ship are limited to less than 5% of the tour operators at a destination
It’s a tough pill to swallow, but did you know that cruise lines work with less than 5% of the tour operators at a destination port? This means that when you book on the ship, you are contributing to the wealth of the same people who profited last week, and the week before that, and the week before that. Unknowingly boxing out the majority of those who work in the same line of business.
It’s safe to step out of the designated tourism zone
Every country has crime. Just as when you are in your home country, it’s important to always stay alert and conscious of your surroundings. Don’t whip out a wad of cash in public or follow a stranger into a deserted alley. Those activities will result in you getting robbed at the very least, but then again that could happen in any country. So feel free to step out the tourism zone and experience the country, that’s afterall why you came off the ship in the first place.
There are a lot of things that your cruise ship either can’t or just simply won’t tell you about shore excursions. They aren’t all bad, but they are definitely factors that contribute to you making an informed decision about one tour over another. We hope you find this information helpful and that it helps you to think twice before jumping into booking your next tour.
Have a great vacation and if there is something you wish you’d have known before your cruise vacation, feel free to share it in the comments below.
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