What to Expect in a Shore Excursion as a First Timer

Shore excursions can be exciting, especially if this is your first excursion. With thousands of enriching shore excursions to pick from, you can go on cruise holidays and visit new destinations every day. You can select some of the best shore excursions and can john smaller groups for a more personalized experience.

Most cruise passengers prefer a shore excursion where they get the opportunity to explore the city or port for a couple of hours. If this is your first time on a cruise, you need to have some valuable firsthand information. 

• Shore excursions carry different names, and some of the most common names used for them include cruise excursions, cruise shore excursions, and land excursions. So, do not get confused when you come across those terms.

• Plan in advance and book early as some excursions are very popular, and you may not get the best deals. Moreover, if you are well organized and do everything in advance, you will face lesser confusions later on.

• It is essential for you to know exactly where the cruise line will dock as there could be several places, and these could be several kilometers apart. So, be careful and plan your day as the information gets available at the last moment.

• Make the most of your shore excursion and leave as early as possible to avoid the peak times. If you have booked a reputed excursion, you will be allowed to go firsts as they are more organized. Remember to get the information regarding what time you need to be back on board in advance.

• Try to cover the most distant spots first during the cruise shore excursion. That will give you some idea of how much time you can spend there and plan the excursion in a more organized manner and try to cover the maximum highlights of the cruise port.

• While Shore Excursions allow you a complete experience, one can ask for specific types based on their interests. For instance, cultural excursions are about experiencing the local heritage, while shore excursions take you to the most spectacular natural spots on earth. Likewise, there are water excursions and culinary excursions.

• Check the return timetables and book the tickets for a bus or train in advance to avoid the long queue at a counter. You should do that immediately when you arrive at your destination to stay better organized and know which bus or train back.

• Return on time and always keep an eye on the time. As the cruise lines are bound by time slots, it is not a good idea to be late and miss the cruise line that will not wait for you forever. So, keep some buffer time, and it is always better to arrive a bit early rather than late.

• Visit the local tourist information center and carry some useful telephone numbers along. After you never know when things might take an unpleasant surprise. It is a good idea to have the numbers of your travel agent, the cruise line, and the insurance company.