booking your own excursions and using taxis

[ncrn2014]

Hello all. Wanted to ask some of the seasoned cruisers a question about not booking an excursion through the cruise ship and your experiences with that. We are not new cruisers. This upcoming cruise will be our 6th cruise but I am starting to get tired of the excursions through the cruise line. That being said, I am paranoid of getting left behind on the island and for that reason, have continued to book through the cruise lines. This upcoming cruise, going to the southern caribbean, I am thinking of branching out a bit. How risky is it to just get a taxi and get to a tourist site or local beach. Are the taxi's reliable on the islands? If you set up a return pickup time are they reliable to come back? Any advice would be great. I am thinking of doing my first step out on Aruba since we don't have to be back on the ship until late, leaving me plenty of time to get back to the ship. Advice please. Thanks so much

[OCruisers]

We have been cruising a very long time and do like using the ship's excursions in the Caribbean when they offer something we want at a time that suits us.

 

Taking a taxi to a beach on-our-own is our other option and we have never had a problem doing this.

 

Really think you'll be fine doing either! :)

 

LuLu

~~~

[Viv0828]

We have cruised about 100 days and we have never taken a ship excursion. We decide what we want to see and do before we leave. We hire a cab driver at the port, ask for additional suggestions and sightseeing tips and off we go! We always arrive back in port at least 2 hours before we are scheduled to leave. We have seen some fabulous places the cruise excursionites will never see!

 

 

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[Cruisin' Chick]

Most of the time we go on our own based on my research. We always have a decent map and guide book and always bring the ship's newsletter with as it lists the time to be back on board and the name of the port agent. We double check our watches against the ship's time and we never go too far away from the port.

 

See if you can google names of taxi companies for your port and program into your phone. And often a taxi driver will give us their business card and have us call when we're ready to be picked up.

 

A couple of times my hubby has negotiated a city tour from a taxi driver.

[cb at sea]

We hardly ever use the cruiseline excursion...seldom use ANY excursion, in truth! A guidebook is your best friend. Get one.

 

There is NO reason at all to be "left behind"....you will set your watch (not your cell phone...that doesn't work!!) to the clock on the ship as you leave. You will always know what time it is!

 

Many islands have buses..cheaper and easier than taxis! You can come and go at your leisure. Get a guidebook...learn something about where you're going! It's worth the research!

 

We've NEVER missed the ship! You won't, either.

[Markanddonna]

I think the secret to getting back to the ship on a timely basis is to keep your alcohol consumption low. Senor Frog (or a similar bar) seems to have an influence on some passengers.

 

We almost always do our own thing or use a private tour company and have never had a problem. The closest issue we ever had was in Juneau on the 4th of July with the Blue Bus making its way through the uncharacteristic traffic. The 4th of July is a HUGE deal in Alaska.

[mom says]

Like many of the PPs, we prefer to either use a taxi or local tour operator. Usually you can do things much less expensively and with much smaller groups than with a ship excursion. We've never come close to missing the ship. When doing your research, spend some time on the ports of call forum. There is excellent info there for each island. TripAdvisor is a good site to use as a second opinion.

 

IMO, unless you are doing an excursion far from the ship, or in an area where personal safety is a real issue, ship excursions are for the ill-at-ease and the ill-informed.

[thinfool]

If it is any comfort.....

 

There are hundreds of threads here on CC expressing the same concern....missing the ship because of non-ship shore activities.

 

There are VERY, VERY few (almost non-existent) threads of actual ship-missing experiences, especially due to a non-ship excursion operator.

 

These folks know the issues and concerns of the passengers. They want to stay in business...so they are sure to have you back to the ship with plenty of time to spare. On a recent non-ship excursion in Puntarenas, Costa Rica our tour guide made it clear that they guaranteed we would be back to the ship 2 hours before sailing.

 

Obviously it does happen....vehicles break down, traffic jams happen....but not often, and they happen to ship excursions as well.

 

If your next port is close, the captain may well delay departure a little....if it is a long haul to your next port the captain will not wait for anyone, not even a ship excursion.

Edited February 14, 2014 by thinfool

[Underwatr]

I think the secret to getting back to the ship on a timely basis is to keep your alcohol consumption low. Senor Frog (or a similar bar) seems to have an influence on some passengers.

I was just thinking the same thing. It would be interesting to know how many people have been left behind due to an excursion taken in good faith that goes bad vs. those who stayed at the beach bar for "just one more" and failed to return in time.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We haven't done a ship excursion in years, and won't unless there isn't any other good option. We either book local excursions ahead of time (using these boards and other sources for recommendations), just get out and walk or take a taxi somewhere, or once in a while we pick up an excursion from the people who advertise on the dock. I have found taxis to be very reliable at coming back to get you.

 

So far, we have had good to wonderful experiences and absolutely no close calls on getting back to the ship. As noted, local tour operators do not want the bad press that would come from having customers miss the ship.

 

We don't drink, so that helps; also, we plan to be back at the ship at least one hour, preferably two, before it sails, as a margin of error.

 

I personally feel the risk of missing the ship is very, very low. I've actually never heard of it happening, although of couse it is possible--just not very likely.

[tip]

Like many of the PPs, we prefer to either use a taxi or local tour operator. Usually you can do things much less expensively and with much smaller groups than with a ship excursion. We've never come close to missing the ship. When doing your research, spend some time on the ports of call forum. There is excellent info there for each island. TripAdvisor is a good site to use as a second opinion.

 

IMO, unless you are doing an excursion far from the ship, or in an area where personal safety is a real issue, ship excursions are for the ill-at-ease and the ill-informed.

 

Very, very well said. I might add that ship excursions are also fine if you have money to burn!

Edited February 16, 2014 by tip

[mousey]

We have cruised about 100 days and we have never taken a ship excursion. We decide what we want to see and do before we leave. We hire a cab driver at the port, ask for additional suggestions and sightseeing tips and off we go! We always arrive back in port at least 2 hours before we are scheduled to leave. We have seen some fabulous places the cruise excursionites will never see!

 

 

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I agree that you will have some great experiences that you don't get from cruises ship excursions. The one thing to remember...it's very, very important that you keep your watch time the same as the ship's. Read the ship's daily newspaper (which they usually put in your cabin the night before) and set your watch to whatever time the ship will be on in any particular port. This is so important!!! I can't stress it enough. If you are going off on your own, be sure to know what time your ship is leaving port and make sure your watch is set for the same time at your ship's.

 

We've taken plenty of non cruise ship excursions and have never ever had any problems. That's because we always allow ourselves plenty of time to get back to the ship. We've never gotten back to a ship less than an hour before it is set to leave port. Never, ever, try to cut it close because any little thing, for example traffic, could make you late. The ship WILL NOT WAIT FOR YOU! :D

Edited February 16, 2014 by mousey

[cruiseapril]

We have done many good ship's excursions- mostly the less expensive ones.

 

However, when we are familiar with a port -we create our own excursions. We have done this in Curacao, Aruba, Grand Turk, Freeport, and even Nassau.

 

In Curacao and Aruba we like to go to the beach and have taken a taxi to the Radisson at Palm Beach in Aruba. We asked the driver to return at a certain time and he did.

 

So far, the taxi drivers in Curacao & Aruba (mostly vans) have been helpful and reliable. We found them reliable in Grand Turk, Freeport, and Nassau. Just our experience.

 

There are a few ports where we will only do ship's excursions like Dominica

and St. Lucia.

 

If you read the port forums, you'll get lots of info.

[Underwatr]

There are a few ports where we will only do ship's excursions like Dominica and St. Lucia.

Why those two? We did a private tour in St. Lucia and would plan to in Dominica.

[cruiseapril]

We won't do our own excursions in those ports.

Will do ship's or private tours.

 

Both Dominica and St. Lucia have many narrow, winding roads- so we only do organized excursions- not our own by taxi as we do in Aruba & Curacao.

 

Dominica is beautiful and wild- loved it. Did the Layou River tour with the ship- other member of our party also did the Aerial Tram with a ship tour.

There are lots of good ideas for tours on the Dominica forum.

 

St. Lucia has some very beautiful areas. We feel organized tours are safer. Again, lots of good advice on the forum.

[Hlitner]

We cruise over 70 days a year, have gone to 6 continents, and seldom to ever book an excursion. In the Southern Caribbean we never book a cruise line excursion (and we are in those waters at least once a year). But on the island of Bonaire we do book a private boat tour (on the Windward) since we like to drift snorkel and one must be on a boat to do that activity. On several southern Caribbean islands we simply use taxis, public transit, and even rent a car (have done this many times on Curacao and St Maarten).

 

Hank

[tip]

.....Both Dominica and St. Lucia have many narrow, winding roads- so we only do organized excursions- not our own by taxi as we do in Aruba & Curacao.

 

Dominica is beautiful ....There are lots of good ideas for tours on the Dominica forum.

 

St. Lucia has some very beautiful areas. We feel organized tours are safer. Again, lots of good advice on the forum.

 

We agree that both Dominica and St. Lucia are very beautiful islands. I would disagree that an organized tour is that much safer. It is a local who is driving! That being said, we have taken private taxi tours on both islands which were terrific!

[ncrn2014]

Thanks for all the encouragement. This will be our 6th cruise, but I think I might be comfortable enough to branch out on my own. It anything, I am confident to try something different in Aruba since we don't have to be back on the ship until late evening. We don't drink on the islands, so I don't think the "Senor Frogs" drunk will be a problem for us. :p

[jgawne]

And some of the non-cruiseline shore excursion companies offer absolute guarantees that they will get you back, or get you to the next port at their expense....and they've never had to do it. They are smaller groups and often lower prices, having cut the cruise line commission out of the price.

[fishforfun]

One of our favorite things to do on board is to watch what we refer to as runners--it never ceases to amaze me how many people come running as the gangway is being readied to taken in. That said we have rarely used the cruise lines excursions in most ports we have been in there is more than adequate time if you just watch the time. We have taken private tours in

Rome, Florence, Athens and several other ports where the attractions are very remote to the port and we have never had a problem biggest thing is to plan ahead. Some of our very best experiences have been through private taxis or drivers that you can almost always hire on the dock. Go and have a good time just remember the penalty is far greater than the pleasure of one more drink.

[Mist_ynight]

Back when Mazatlan was still on the Mexian Riveria itinerary I found out how to get to the nearest beach and we walked there. Getting past the cabbies took lots of "No thank you". We even walked down the grassy median to get away from them. Then we took a taxi to a market and back to the ship. Just to go to the beach on a ship excursion was $30-$40 and it took us minutes to walk there.

 

 

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[Hlitner]

Back when Mazatlan was still on the Mexian Riveria itinerary I found out how to get to the nearest beach and we walked there. Getting past the cabbies took lots of "No thank you". We even walked down the grassy median to get away from them. Then we took a taxi to a market and back to the ship. Just to go to the beach on a ship excursion was $30-$40 and it took us minutes to walk there.

 

 

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That is all fine and good, but we are wondering what your post has to do with the Southern Caribbean (which is the OPs question)?

 

Hank

[Mist_ynight]

That is all fine and good, but we are wondering what your post has to do with the Southern Caribbean (which is the OPs question)?

 

 

 

Hank

 

 

The thread is about booking your own excursion. I was telling them my experience. Just because it isn't about the Caribbean doesn't mean my experience isn't relevant.

 

 

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[Mist_ynight]

That is all fine and good, but we are wondering what your post has to do with the Southern Caribbean (which is the OPs question)?

 

 

 

Hank

 

 

Someone else mentioned Juneau and that's no where near the Caribbean. I thought these boards were for helping others and finding out information, not critiquing what others choose to share!

 

 

 

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[gooch47]

Even more amazing than the runners are the strollers (not the baby carriages LOL).

 

These are the ones who walk casually down the dock, often stopping to take photos, even though they are way past the time they we're supposed to be back.