I use many factors to decide whether to take a ships tour, an independent excursion or just explore on my own in port. Started August 27, 2021, By *PLEASE NOTE ShoreTrips is an independent provider of shore excursions. Company changes 2023 Certain destinations have complex visa requirements that make it tricky for cruisers to explore on their own. Lastly, We ensure that you are the first off the ship in order to maximise your adventure time. No refunds are made for failure to use all of the described services included in the excursion price. One benefit of booking tours through Royal Caribbean is that you can reprice the tour until 48 hours before the cruise. is a travel editor for TPG, with a focus on cruise travel. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Any time you see labels like Panoramic Sightseeing or City Overview Tour it very well could be that you will have to take most of your pictures through a bus window. Royal Caribbean shore excursions involving flights, trains, overnight stays, special events, and Private Journeys must be cancelled at least 30 days prior to sail date. Whether youre on a cruise line sponsored or independent shore excursion, a best practice is to tip your tour guides at the end of the tour. Many first-time cruisers may think they have to book an excursion in every port they visit, but there are plenty of ways to enjoy time on shore without spending extra on shore excursions! Cruise shore excursion prices vary widely depending on the cost of living in the cruise destination, what type of activity is involved and whether its a full- or half-day tour. One of the things I really enjoyed during my trip to Barcelona, Spain was how many free tours are offered around the city. No hidden costs for transfers or entrance fees - the price you see is what you pay. Horseback riding excursions. Related: Guide to picking the perfect Royal Caribbean shore excursion. We use luxury vans. Shore excursions can help you discover even more at each incredible destination. All rights reserved. You can book tours for family and friends as well. Guests . These excursions have you covered. Some shore excursions might be totally worth the long drive. Expand Your Vacation. Be sure to communicate which types of excursions youre interested in with your group. Our new interactive brochure will make it easy to view all of our cruises to Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska and Asia. Ready to follow where adventure leads you? Once in your sailing, select the Shore Excursions tab. Have an overnight in port? One of the problems is that this large boat tends to scare some of the fish away, as its loud motor roars through the pristine waters. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Royal Caribbean International (RCL) shore excursions. I canvassed TPGs cruise team and we agreed that we give roughly $5 to $10 per person for half-day tours and $10 to $20 per person for full-day excursions, adjusted for service and quality. There is a dedicated shore excursion desk onboard the ship (usually near Guest Services), where you can speak with staff members, view pamphlets of available options and ask questions. After all, your cruise ship will take you to different ports of call toexplore on your own and you do not want to miss out all that you can do while in the area. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. And after you see on the cruise lines website that the ship will arrange transportation to the beach it seems like a winner. Get Royal Deals; Contests & Promotions; Upcoming Events; BEFORE . Find a sailing that's on the same itinerary as yours on Royal's website then enter its information in the spreadsheet. Is anyone able to post a link to the excursion brochure for Anthem of the Seas, 15th May 2022, Norwegian Fjords from Southampton? Other restrictions may apply. Ahead of its 2020 goal, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced it now offers1,400 sustainable tours are now available, A major component to a cruise vacation is exploring and enjoying the ports of call your cruise ship will visit. View our 2019-2020 ebrochures for: 2019-20 Wordwide Cruises. Enrollment required. If you're having trouble, you can complete our e-mail form and one of our representatives will contact you. This might mean booking your excursion from a 3rd party, and as this activity can be quite pricey that might be a good idea anyway. Celebrating a special occasion, chasing a lifelong dream, or looking for ways to rediscover a favorite destination? Believe me, its not hard to find the hot shopping spots when youre in port. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. If you are dependent on oxygen or require oxygen therapy, you must supply your own oxygen, and meet certain requirements prior to boarding the ship. Once youre sure you want to book a particular excursion, its best to book the tour as soon as possible to lock in the best price and ensure the tour does not sell out. It boggles my mind why someone would want to book an excursion to get a tour of a local museum when they can just walk into the museum and do it themselves. I was interested in taking the Goldbelt Mount Roberts Tramway in Juneau, and found that the cost for the exact same experience was $59.99 when offered by Royal Caribbean and $45 to book directly on the Goldbelt Trams website! If youre in Costa Maya, Mexico you will see some wonderful Mayan ruin excursions you can enjoy. As I already mentioned above, beach escapes and shopping excursions can all be done on your own. We have tried Private Journeys twice (in Belize and Curacao), and think it is a great choice for anyone that wants to tour at their own pace, and like the benefits of what Royal Caribbean provides. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. TPG values it at $1,600. You dont need permission or a shore excursion ticket to explore the many wonderful museums in the world. The key to getting the most from your cruise shore excursion is to know what you want and make sure the tour description matches your expectation. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. If youre traveling with friends or family on a cruise, be sure to communicate your shore excursion interests with each other before booking. What if the computer I'm using does not have a "Print to PDF" option? Smart cruise advice, cruise deals, and breaking news. It's working for me for a June cruise, but I no longer see the option to download a PDF file. This rule has a few exceptions. Today. I just typed the terms "excursion brochure" in the RCI search bar and the first entry was for the below link. Youll be able to ask the staff there any questions you have about the tours, and the charges will be added to your final cruise bill. Our Destination Insiders leverage extensive knowledge and years of travel expertise to hand craft one-of-a-kindprivate tourswith you in mind. Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? I'm still struggling to view any shore excursion brochures despite having tried on multiple devices! Just realize that might be the only activity you can enjoy in port. Enhance your Royal Caribbean cruise with a unique shore excursion from ShoreTrips. Or maybe you want to add a few to the list, knock yourself out. Shore excursions can help you discover even more at each incredible destination. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. Please contact our Access Department at 866-592-7225 for additional information. If not, just leave blank, How to book a Royal Caribbean shore excursion, Royal Caribbean now offering custom shore excursions, Top free Caribbean beaches for a Royal Caribbean cruise, Guide to picking the perfect Royal Caribbean shore excursion. You can customize an existing tour that catches your eye, or work with an Insider to create anexclusive tourexperience thats completely unique to youor a small group. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Simply log into Royal Caribbean's site, find your cruise booking and purchase your tour before the sailing begins. Some of the most amazing memories you create on your cruise will happen at shore, so avoiding the overrated activities will not only save you time and money, it might just save your vacation. Powered by Cruiseline.com. 18.4k. Guests who wish to sightsee independently or sightsee outside of Royal Caribbean shore excursion hours must obtain an individual Russian Tourist Visa before leaving home. Unleash your inner explorer and discover bold new ways to connect with the people, culture and places around you as you cruise from one unforgettable port of call to another. where I can find laundry services on the ship? Our team personally tests every tour in a destination to select only the best shore excursions for your Royal Caribbean cruise adventure. Some shore excursions are targeted at families or can easily accommodate children. All rights reserved. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. The tour required a 1-hour bus journey across the island to reach the boat. Wonder of the Seas itineraries and information. Dedicated pre-cruise and onboard specialists are available to assist you. As a side note, many cities have free museums you can enjoy as well if youre cruising on a budget. In this article I will give my subjective opinion on which shore excursions arent as great as they seem in the brochure or website. World's Best Shore Excursions - Perfect for Cruise and Land-Based Travelers, PISA, GUIDED FLORENCE & A TASTE OF CHIANTIa PREMIUM Shared Van Tour, View All ALASKA & PACIFIC NORTHWEST Excursions, PRIVATE: TOUR THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO, View All UNITED STATES LOWER FORTY-EIGHT Excursions. The main benefit of booking right away, though . I tipped the guide at the end and still saved a ton of cash over booking a paid tour. We hate spam as much as lounge chair hogs. But if you really want to ride a Segway, you can rent one on your own for much cheaper than booking through the cruise line. Updated selling resources, training and tools to power your sales and promote Royal Caribbean's Cruisetours. Considering others in your group is extra important if youre traveling with young kids. Many first-time cruisers are afraid to venture off on their own when it comes to shore excursions. There is an Related: Visiting Shipwreck Beach in Zakynthos, Greece. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. No matter where your journey takes you, these experiences will make every moment memorable. The easiest way to book a shore excursion is to do so before the cruise on Royal Caribbean's website. Note: Participants must be at least 7 years of age, be physically fit and able to walk on rugged terrain for approximately 1.5 miles.Persons with back problems, limited mobility or any major health issues should not take part in this tour. I cant tell you how many times Ive heard cruise travelers compare their days onshore when back at the ship, only to see a couple wish they had chosen something more brag-worthy. From there, you can narrow down the results based on the port, interests, time of day, activity level, age, wheelchair accessibility and more. Enhance your Explorer of the Seas cruise with a unique shore excursion from ShoreTrips. When I was in St. Maarten I hired a taxi driver for a tour of the island and it was a wonderful experience. Related: Is it better to book excursions through the cruise ship? beaches and delight *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. Related: 10 rules for booking shore excursions. When should I book my Alaska shore excursion? The pictures and description of the activity might look amazing, but in reality it could leave you wanting more. are listed in the fine print. Sometimes these tour groups also are smaller than the large cruise ship tours which can carry 30 to 60 people in a bus so you will spend less time waiting for everyone.