How do I book excursions on my own???

[2ndtimecruising]

My wife and I are about to cruise for the 2nd time. The first time was a 7 night cruise in the Caribbean where we booked all of our excursions through the cruise ship. We are about to go on a 12 night Mediterranean cruise. We've heard alot of people say book excursions on your own to save money. I'm wondering if anyone can give us any more information on how to do this? How do you know what excursions are available and how do you go about booking the excursions? Do you get off the boat at port and see what companies are standing at the dock or do you plan all of this ahead of time. If so owhere do you start? I really just have no idea how it all works if you don't book them through the cruise ship. Any help or information would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

[RevSmith]

I go down to the ports of call section of the port I wish to book a tour and ask away...everyone is always very helpful and will guide you completely through the entire process.

[familycruzer]

My best advice is to visit the ports of call boards here at CC and do some major research. Find out who are the most popular guides and read reviews on them.

[suezyq50]

Go to the port link you are traveling to. There are lots of tips.

I found lots of info there. Specific vendors are given, with comments, websites, how to contact them, etc. We have never had a problem booking our own.

[FL_Cruiser64]

My wife and I are about to cruise for the 2nd time. The first time was a 7 night cruise in the Caribbean where we booked all of our excursions through the cruise ship. We are about to go on a 12 night Mediterranean cruise. We've heard alot of people say book excursions on your own to save money. I'm wondering if anyone can give us any more information on how to do this? How do you know what excursions are available and how do you go about booking the excursions? Do you get off the boat at port and see what companies are standing at the dock or do you plan all of this ahead of time. If so owhere do you start? I really just have no idea how it all works if you don't book them through the cruise ship. Any help or information would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

 

I always print out the ships shore excursions to have an idea what's available and what the prices are. The I go on CC Ports-Of-Call section and see what other members did and what they recommend. I search based on their recommendations, compare prices and then book via internet or telephone.

 

It is not hard to do, just a little more time in research involved.

 

The advantage:

 

you definitly safe money and time and you have more fun because a lot of times you are in a smaller group than the cruise ship groups are.

 

Good luck to you.

 

PS: Do not forget to post your experiences. You too become a valuable resource.

 

;)

[GMoney]

Good for you for being willing to step out and plan your own excursions. While it means more work up front, I think you will find you'll have a better time in the long run with the flexibility and control that comes with planning your own tours.

 

You'll really want to plan up front and have arrangements made before you get to port. This will save time, money and energy in the long run, and will help guarantee you get what you want.

 

I did 24 nights on Brilliance in June. Start by listing the ports; in some places, there may be things you know you want to do right off the bat. Then figure out if you can do them on your own, or if you need a guide. For example, if you stop in Livorno, it's easy to plan a trip to Florence (to see the museums) or Pisa on your own. In Naples, for example, it might be a better idea to hire a guide to see the Amalfi coast.

 

As others mentioned, the port of call board here is great. I planned 75%my Med and Alaska trips based on CC feedback. You can supplement by getting a guidebook - Rick Steve's is great, but there are others that may suit you. Other resources include Trip Advisor, and Google searches to see what come up.

 

Some other variables:

 

> Leave lots of time for planning. It sounds like you might be going soon. If so, you'll want to hustle a bit. If you aren't going in the peak tourist season, you might have more flexibility.

 

> Be willing to refine and change your plan in the early stages.

 

> Know your ports. For example, the popular Florence museums are closed on Mondays. Cannes shops are closed on Sundays. Read up on things so you don't make plans and then get disappointed.

 

> When in doubt, book with the ship to make sure you get to see what you want. If you then find am independent tour, you can usually cancel the ship tour within certain windows with no penalty.

 

> Know the risks. You are assuming certain risks by planning your own tours - for example, the ship won't wait for you if you return late, train strikes can interupt your travel, etc. These aren't reasons do avoid independent tours - just know what you are getting into and have a back up plan. Also be sure to know your tour operator's cancellation policies.

 

Have fun with your planning and your cruise!