Shore excursions are one of the most common parts of a trip that cruise passengers take an extra credit card hit on. From guided tours to private beach clubs, shore excursions can help make the most of your time in each port your cruise visits. You don't need to book a shore excursion at all -- you can simply get off the ship and walk around or explore on your own. But going on an excursion can certainly be a worthwhile experience.
You might have dozens, or even hundreds of options to choose from for shore activities. But all can be broken down into two general categories -- those sold directly by your cruise line and those sold through local or third-party companies.
As an avid cruiser, I've done both and have had good and bad experiences with each option. Neither is necessarily a bad way to go. One of my favorite shore excursions I've ever done was a resort day pass in St. Kitts I booked through a third-party travel site. But another all-time favorite was a guided tour of top attractions in Jamaica that I booked directly through Carnival while on one of their ships.
With that in mind, here are some things you need to know about buying shore excursions from the cruise lines versus through other companies.
Cruise line shore excursions can be more expensive
Shore excursions booked directly through the cruise lines can be more expensive than comparable (or even identical) alternatives. As an example, on a future cruise booking, I can buy a shore excursion to a resort with a waterpark in the Bahamas through my cruise line. But it's $19 cheaper per person if I book it directly through the resort itself. Booking directly or through a third party can certainly be easier on your personal finances.
Advantages of booking shore excursions through the cruise line
This isn't an exhaustive list, but here are some of the biggest reasons you might want to book your shore excursions directly through your cruise line:
- Variety: There are often dozens of shore excursions listed for each port through your cruise line, and it would take you hours to research so many available choices.
- Convenience: Shore excursions offered by the cruise line have already been researched. They are designed to fit into your time in port, and the tour operator will typically meet you right when you get off the ship and provide transportation (Note: This appears to account for the $19 difference I mentioned earlier).
- Peace of mind: Shore excursions sold through the cruise line are designed to get you back to the ship well before it leaves. But if something happens and you're running late (a tour vehicle breaks down, for example), the cruise line will either get you back to the ship on time or wait for you. Anyone who has watched "pier runner" videos on TikTok or YouTube knows that the ship will not wait for people who book private tours and get delayed.
- Safety: Cruise lines carefully select which excursion operators they are willing to do business with. In some foreign countries visited by cruise ships, safety standards aren't quite what they are in the United States, so booking through the cruise line ensures the tour or excursion meets its safety requirements.
The bottom line
Booking a shore excursion can be a great way to enjoy a relaxing day at a private beach, see the highlights of a destination in just a few hours, or learn about another culture. Before you decide to book a tour or activity through a local tourism company or a third-party travel agency, it's important to understand the reasons you might want to consider booking an excursion directly from the cruise line instead.
