When you’re on a cruise there is usually a variety of shore excursions to choose from but how do you decide on what is best for you and your family? From sailing to snorkeling and visiting a jungle, shore excursions can be the best part of your vacation. Just keep in mind a few things to get your started on the trip of a lifetime.
Find out cost. Shore excursions can be as little as $20 and as much as hundreds of dollars. Usually on the cruise line’s website you can view price ranges and then a specific price once you view more information about the excursion.
Find out what is included so you can plan your day around each tour. Sometimes you get a meal and transportation with your excursion. A meal plan will usually let you know if it’s a bag lunch, a buffet or a barbeque. Equipment is another item to look for when deciding upon a particular trip. If you choose a snorkeling excursion, make sure that the equipment that you need is included.
Make sure the activity level suits you. Different shore excursions have different activity levels and you can usually check this out online or with the shore excursion desk. For instance if you want to take a bus tour of the city you’re visiting then that will require little physical activity. However, if you’re hiking through the jungle in 90-degree heat, you’ll want to be certain that you can handle it. Find out if you need to bring your own water or if it’s provided.
Get the times of the excursion. It’s a good idea to look at the schedule for each excursion and how long it will be. If you’re at a port of call for only 6 hours and your shore excursion is 4 hours long you won’t be able to explore the port of call on your own. You also will need to know what time to be at a certain location for your tour. If you’re a late sleeper you don’t want to take a shore excursion at 8:00 AM and risk missing the trip.
Make sure there’s room for everyone. Always check the capacity since popular shore excursions will be booked fast. You don’t want to risk missing out on the very thing you were looking forward to doing on your vacation.
