Shore Excursions - Advice Please...

[karjoe]

We are first time cruisers, we will be onboard the Emerald from the 9th April 09 (eastern caribbean). We are looking for some advice on booking shore excursions - although we believe it is more expensive with princess is it worth waiting and consider booking with the venders in ports.

 

As usual your help and advice will be more than welcome.:)

[mii]

We are first time cruisers, we will be onboard the Emerald from the 9th April 09 (eastern caribbean). We are looking for some advice on booking shore excursions - although we believe it is more expensive with princess is it worth waiting and consider booking with the venders in ports.

 

As usual your help and advice will be more than welcome.:)

 

You might consider going over to the Ports of Call board back on the home page and then scroll to whatever islands you are visiting. there is a weath of info over there. Tons of information.

 

Welcome to cruising and Cruise Critic. Cruising is very addictive.:D

 

Marilyn

[Toto2Kansas]

We are first time cruisers, we will be onboard the Emerald from the 9th April 09 (eastern caribbean). We are looking for some advice on booking shore excursions - although we believe it is more expensive with princess is it worth waiting and consider booking with the venders in ports.

 

As usual your help and advice will be more than welcome.:)

 

Take the cruise lines excursions into consideration, especially since this is your first cruise.

What we normally will do when visiting a port for the first time is to book several ships excursions just to get the feel for the islands we will be visiting. Then when we return to those islands again, we look deeper into private excursions.

 

If you decide that the private excursions are the way you want to go, make sure you will have plenty of time to return to the ship. Don't wait until the last minute as on a private excursion, the ship won't wait for you if you are late, and a fun day could turn into a nitemare if you missed the ship and it sailed without you.

 

Enjoy your first cruise!

[Host Caroline]

If you want a really great shore excursion try America's Cup Yacht Race in St Maarten or St John Champagne Catamaran in St Thomas... but do check port of call boards .. and consider your interests, if you want shopping, time, would rather do "beachy stuff" etc. Do you go to Antigua? Lawrence of Antigua does great island tour... 8 of us went last year and had a great time!

[NoGvmnt]

The first thing I would do is to check your Roll Call to see what other passengers on your cruise are doing as you are starting very late to be researching let alone reserving private excursions.

 

Here is the link to the April 9, Emerald Eastern Caribbean Roll Call:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=651163

 

Jim

[Nana G]

We are on this roll call and have been very busy discussing, booking and sharing excursion info. Come on over and join the fun. Great ideas and great friends being made!

Melody

[bubbadog]

I Agree with todo,might be easier the first time, to just go with princess,as it is a little more convenient:D

[afiremedic323]

where are you going ? and what do you want to do ?

[davidnsteph]

karjoe,

 

We usually book tours through the cruise line. To get what we want, we pre-book online on the Princess website.

 

All you need is your booking number from your cruise reservation paperwork. On the Princess website, go to "Cruise Personalizer". Then input your name and booking number, and reserve excursions.

 

DavidnSteph

[sunsetbeachgal]

My advice would be to do a combination of cruise line tours and maybe just not doing much here and there-take a cab to the beach or just walk around town (the port of call boards and the port review will tell you which ports have towns within a short walk). I think if you "over-schedule" yourself with too many tours, it will get tiresome!

[u2cruiser]

karjoe,

 

We look at Princess trips to find out what there is to see and do; decide which we like, then take private cabs from the port, which are readily available and know all the tourist trips. They will try to talk you into full day tours, but if you are clear about what you do and don't want to do they are usually ok.

 

For 4 of us, it worked out at a fraction of the Princess tour prices.

[Kinkacruiser]

Hi Karjoe,

I have found the Princess shore excursions are so easy to book online and then enjoy, as everything is done for you. I have dealt with private tour operators as well, but for the convenience, security, and knowledge that Princess has contracted the best local operators and guides to show you places, it would pay you to book some tours with Princess especially on your first cruise.

I hope you have a wonderful cruise too.

Cheers,

Anna