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Guided tours in ports of call cost extra, but they are often the best way to get a nutshell view of a destination and make the most efficient use of your limited time ashore

Shore excursions used to be limited to city tours and venues that offered folkloric dances by local troupes. Today’s excursions are almost limitless, and are very active, encompassing crocodile hunting in the Amazon, kayaking in Alaska, elephant riding in Thailand, or flying over Moscow in a MiG jet (fare $28,000). It’s easily possible to spend far more on shore excursions on than on buying the cruise.

Most excursions are escorted by ship’s staff, who will usually carry first-aid kits. If you explore independently and need medical help, you could risk missing the ship when it sails. Unless the destination is a familiar one, first-time cruisegoers are probably safer booking excursions organized by the ship and vetted by the cruise line. Also, if you have a problem during a tour, the cruise line should be able to sort it out on the spot.

If you do go it alone, always take the ship’s port agent and telephone numbers with you, in case of emergencies (they are normally printed in the Daily Program). Allow plenty of time to get back to your ship before sailing time – the ship won’t wait. Make sure your travel insurance covers you fully.

Note that if you book tours on your own, and it’s a tender port where the ship has to remain at anchor offshore, you will need to wait until the ship’s organized tours have been offloaded – which can take two or more hours aboard some of the large resort ships.

How tiring are excursions?
Most tours will involve some degree of walking, and some require extensive walking. Most cruise lines grade their excursions with visual symbols to indicate the degree of fitness required.

Are there private excursions?
Yes, aboard some of the more upscale ships such as those of Hebridean Island Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Sea­Dream Yacht Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line and Silversea Cruises, you can have shore excursions tailored to your specific needs. But even large resort ship lines like Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) can book something special under its Freestyle Private Touring program.

What if my first choice is sold out?
Some excursions do sell out, owing to limited space or transport, but there can be last-minute cancellations. Check with the shore excursion manager on board.

What should I take with me?
Only what’s necessary; leave any valuables aboard ship, together with any money and credit cards you do not plan to use. Groups of people are often targets for pickpockets in popular sightseeing destinations. Also, beware of excursion guides who give you a colored disk to wear for “identification” – they may be marking you as a “rich” tourist for local shopkeepers. It’s always prudent to wear comfortable rubber-soled shoes, particularly in older ports when there may be cobble­stones or other uneven surfaces.

How can I make a booking?
Aboard some ships, where shore excursions can be booked before the sailing date via the internet, they can sell out fast. So book early. Payment aboard ship is normally made via a ship’s central billing system.

If you need to cancel a shore excursion, you usually need to do so at least 24 hours before its advertised departure time. Otherwise, refunds are at the discretion of the cruise line, and refunds of pre-paid tickets booked over the internet can take a long time to make and incur currency losses. In many cases, you will be able to sell your ticket to another passenger. Tickets do not normally have names or cabin numbers on them, except those that involve flights or overland arrangements. Check with the shore excursion manager to make sure it’s okay to resell.

How can I know which are good?
If it’s your first cruise, try to attend the shore excursion briefing. Read the excursion literature and circle tours that appeal to you. Then go to the shore excursion office and ask any other questions you may have before you book.

A few helpful tips:
* Shore excursions are put together for general interest. If you want to see something that is not described in the excursion literature, do not take it. Go on your own or with friends.
* Brochure descriptions of shore excursions, often written by personnel who haven’t visited the ports of call, can be imprecise. All cruise lines should adopt the following definitions in their descriptive literature and for their lectures and presentations: The term “visit” should mean actually entering the place or building concerned. The term “see” should mean viewing from the outside – as from a bus, for example.
* City excursions are basically superficial. To get to know a city intimately, go alone or with a small group. Go by taxi or bus, or explore on foot.
* If you do not want to miss the major sightseeing attractions in each port, organized shore excursions provide a good solution. They also allow you to meet fellow passengers with similar interests.
* In the Caribbean, many sightseeing tours cover the same ground, regardless of the cruise line you sail with. Choose one and then do something different in the next port. The same is true of the history and archaeology excursions in the Greek Islands, where the same ancient gods will put in frequent appearances.

What if I lose my ticket?
Report lost or misplaced tickets to the shore excursion manager. Aboard most ships, excursion tickets, once sold, become the sole responsibility of the buyer, and the cruise line is not generally able to issue replacements. 

GOING ASHORE INDEPENDENTLY – AND SAFELY

If you hire a taxi for sightseeing, negotiate the price in advance, and don’t pay until you get back to the ship or to your destination. If you are with friends, hiring a taxi for a full- or half-day sightseeing trip can often work out far cheaper than renting a car – and it’s probably safer. Try to find a driver who speaks your language.

Exploring independently is ideal in the major cruise ports of Alaska, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, the Mexican Riviera, the Canary Islands, the Mediterranean, Aegean ports, and the South Pacific’s islands. If you don’t speak the local language, carry some identification (but not your passport, unless required), the name of your ship and the area in which it is docked. If the ship is anchored and you take a launch tender ashore, observe landmarks near the landing place, and write down the location. This will help if you get lost and need to take a taxi back to the launch.

Some small ships provide an identification tag or boarding pass at the reception desk or gangway, to be handed in each time you return to the ship. Remember that ships have schedules – and sometimes tides – to meet, and they won’t wait for you if you return late. If you are in a launch port in a tropical area and the weather changes for the worse, the ship’s captain could well make a decision to depart early to avoid being hemmed in by an approaching storm; it has happened, especially in the Caribbean. If it does, locate the ship’s agent in the port – he’s likely to be carrying a walkie-talkie – who will try to get you back.

Planning on going to a quiet, secluded beach to swim? First check with the cruise director or shore excursion manager, as certain beaches may be considered off-limits because of a dangerous undertow, drug pushers, or persistent hawkers. And don’t even think of going diving alone – even if you know the area well.

Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2010