Shore excursions can make up a fairly big piece of what is known in the cruise trade as “onboard spending”. That term simply means everything you spend on the cruise above and beyond the basic fare and taxes – things like alcoholic beverages, gambling, spa treatments, optional dining, duty free shopping, and shore excursions.

There are three ways that cruisers typically arrange shore excursions:
• Purchase them through the cruise line
• Purchase them in advance through an outside shore excursion company
• Walk onto the pier and wing it with a local taxi company or tour operator

While a number of community boards posters advocate “winging it” this practice is not for the faint of heart. After all, you are jumping into a cab or mini-bus with absolutely no guarantee of minor things like licenses, insurance and safety record. So, let’s eliminate the Russian roulette shore excursion method and concentrate on the first two.

There is a definite advantage of purchasing the excursions offered by the cruise line. They offer a high degree of reliability, operational oversight and the company is required to have proper insurance. But in the last several years, a second option for shore excursions has surfaced – private shore excursion companies based in the U.S. that offer a selection on shore excursions in the most popular ports in the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe. These companies put potential operators through a vetting process as intense as the cruise lines (and in some cases, they use the same exact tour operators as the cruise lines!). They allow you to pre-purchase the excursions prior to departure via online booking. Departure and quality is guaranteed. The key difference is these private companies can offer shore excursions choices similar to the cruise lines at prices that are often 15% to 35% lower than if purchased onboard. And because they generally accommodate smaller numbers their operators typically use smaller vehicles vs. giant motor coaches making the overall experience more personal.

One of the up and coming operators, the Shore Excursion Group counts most of the top cruise retailers in North America as clients and serves several thousands of cruisers per year. They have the most user friendly web site and competitive prices. The company is owned by two former executives of a major cruise line. To assist you in researching your shore excursion options, we have created a link to their web site: www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com

At Meet On Cruise we are all about giving our members good information and options. We want you to enjoy your cruise vacation to the fullest. And, in the meantime, if we can save you some money that is a bonus. So, no matter where you choose to arrange your shore excursions, it’s always a good idea to review all the options first.

Please share your experience with the various shore excursions options on our community forums.

Happy Sailing,
The Cruise Professor