Admitting to total paralysis on choosing excursions.

[dancingfish]

I guess I am like a little kid... I want to do it all! but know that I can not.  We are booked on a short cruise that will take us to Cozumel and Costa Maya.  I review all the offerings and I just can't seem to pull the trigger.  Dolphins sound fun, a day at the beach sounds fun, Ruins sounds interesting! ---->>>> Whats a girl to do?  

 

Anyone else freeze up when it comes time to choose? How do you make your choices?? 

[Clarea]

3 minutes ago, dancingfish said:

 ...

Anyone else freeze up when it comes time to choose? How do you make your choices?? 

 

Flip a coin, then go on another cruise and choose a different excursion.

[dancingfish]

HAHAHA! 

 

[breezy_carol]

I had serious FOMO while planning our recent Alaska cruise.  I had picked what husband and I wanted but then had second thoughts after reading what others were doing.  Sometimes you just have to chose, know you can't do it all, know you'll enjoy what you picked, then stop reading these boards.  LOL

Edited September 4, 2019 by breezy_carol

[Ashland]

You might be able to do more than your think if you book privately and not with the cruiseline.

Check out your roll call for not only some suggestions but to possibly join in private group ones.

Best of luck and enjoy !!!

[Priszm]

This past April I was on a Cuba cruise that ended up with a stop in Cozumel (all ports were supposed to be Cuba, we ended up 2 Cuba and Cozumel).  My partner and I did the Amazing Secret River excursion and it was amazing! The only thing we didn't really like was having to wait to get back over to Cozumel, we would have been happy taking an earlier ferry back. 

[billslowsky]

A ruins tour from Cozumel includes a ferry ride and more time than ruins tour from Costa Maya.  

 

But it also comes down to what you're going to do at the other port.  If one has something you really want, book the ruins from the other place.

[matj2000]

There is no need to do planning ahead of time.

 

Why not just figure it out when you get there?

[skittlesdfw]

18 hours ago, dancingfish said:

I guess I am like a little kid... I want to do it all! but know that I can not.  We are booked on a short cruise that will take us to Cozumel and Costa Maya.  I review all the offerings and I just can't seem to pull the trigger.  Dolphins sound fun, a day at the beach sounds fun, Ruins sounds interesting! ---->>>> Whats a girl to do?  

 

Anyone else freeze up when it comes time to choose? How do you make your choices?? 

I just remind myself that there's only one excursion per port that I can do... and pick what I think is best! If I like that port enough, I'll try and find another cruise in the future that lets me go back there.

Case in point: 

 

I went to Costa Maya for the first time in 2016.  I wasn't super looking forward to it, because the official excursions from Royal weren't very remarkable. Eventually, after doing a LOT of research, I went with the CruiseCritic recommendations and visited Maya Chan Beach Club.  

It was, without question, one of the BEST port days I've ever had!  

My family is already talking about our 2021 cruise, and we are thinking of another sailing out of Galveston, specifically so we can go back there.  

[dancingfish]

Thanks folks!

I actually thought about Maya Chan- but have waivered on spending the day at a beach drinking or doing something I can't do at home.  Again indecision is killing me. 

I would love to do the secret river but I am not sure my husband could manuever the rocks/walk to get to the water portion.. Getting old stinks!

 

[Ashland]

31 minutes ago, dancingfish said:

Thanks folks!

I actually thought about Maya Chan- but have waivered on spending the day at a beach drinking or doing something I can't do at home.  Again indecision is killing me. 

I would love to do the secret river but I am not sure my husband could manuever the rocks/walk to get to the water portion.. Getting old stinks!

 

"Getting old does stink" but it's better than the alternative.

Enjoy whatever excursion you end up opting for...I'm sure it'll be great fun !!

[FirstAnthem]

The ports and excursions are my favorite parts of a cruise—I love the planning! When we choose we try to choose different types of excursions in every port so we aren’t just doing the same thing in a different place. That being said, snorkeling seems to make its way into many of our excursions. I agree with many comments above—nine times out of ten you will have fun no matter what because you are somewhere new and different. So when you pick something, stick with it and know that next time you cruise to that port you can try something else. Any excursion is fun because no matter what you are getting a taste of that country. 

[johnjen]

What's even worse is the practically every day price checks on excursions. On our recent cruise, I saved us over $400 just by checking the pricing fluctuations on the RCL website on 7 excursions where I'd cancel the booking then re-book at the cheaper rates.

[SuiteLady]

I am always anal when it comes to excursions.....I start researching at a year or more out....I read reviews and get opinions on here from others who have done them....then I also try to do something that is not readily available for me to do here!  It always works out well and although some are better than others, I have never (knock on wood) had a terrible excursion!  Just for the record, I have done one's through Royal and also private....I'm sure you will have a great time in whatever you decide to do!!

Edited September 5, 2019 by SuiteLady

[dodgestang]

What is something you can do at the port location that you can't do anywhere else?

 

Dolphins?  Almost every port in Caribbean has that

Beach Day?  EVERY port has that

 

Ancient civilization/ruins.....that's few and far between

 

That's how I approach things

Edited September 5, 2019 by dodgestang

[Queen of Oakville]

Am I the only one who read the thread title and thought the OP was completely paralyzed and wanted to book an excursion with a high level of activity?

[cb at sea]

Book what interests you!  If EVERYTHING is what you want to do, you'll have to return again!  Perhaps, a land vacation would suit you best, so you can do multiple things in one place.  You simply can't do that on a cruise.  Write down all your choices on slips of paper, and pull one out of a  hat!

[cruiselvr04]

Almost 40 cruises and have pretty much enjoyed every excursion,  some more then others.  I do the research then discuss 2 or 3 of my top options with the DH and he picks usually.  Or I tell him we’re going back to our favorites like Maya Chen, or Puerto Mari beach.  Even now we never just wait till we get there....we have at least an idea of what we’re going do.  We know what we don’t want too. If it has the word panoramic in it, it means a bus ride and we don’t want to see anywhere from the windows of a bus. And while I’d love to just stay on the ship once in a while he has to get off and do something even for a couple of hours.

 

Do your research and get out there and have fun!  Don’t be afraid to do your own thing either or a local tour with proper research.  We use ship tours occasionally but typically not.  We are going to try the Aruba submarine in November thru the ship. If we don’t do a beach we want something out of the ordinary. Use the ports of call here and search TripAdvisor too for ideas on things to do.