One of the most exciting parts of any cruise is getting off the ship at the various ports and going on a shore excursion.  I remember when I took my first cruise. I started reading about all the fun and exciting ship sponsored shore excursions. But there are other types of shore excursions besides what the cruise line offers.  So here’s the question: Ship Sponsored or Independent Shore Excursions | Which One Is Right For You?

Ship Sponsored Shore Excursions

The most convenient way to book a shore excursion is through your cruise line.  Other reasons to book through your cruise line are:

• The excursions are carefully vetted and validated for quality and reliability. From their experience with thousands of passengers, cruise lines offer excursions that they know their passengers will enjoy.
• You can apply any onboard credits you have toward the cost.
• The ship guarantees to wait for you, even if your tour is delayed and you are late getting back to the ship.

Here are two tours we booked through our cruise line on when we went on an Alaskan cruise. Both were excellent and worth the cost.

White Pass and Yukon Route Railway Tour

5 Reasons to See Beautiful Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC

Shore Excursions With Independent Providers

[bctt tweet=”Did you know that you can book a shore excursion in advance through an independent provider? #shoreexcursion #cruise” username=”MySideof50″]

Did you know that you could book a shore excursion in advance with an independent provider through sites like Shorefox and Viator? Here are some reasons to consider booking through an independent provider:

• They have different types of tours that may not be available through the cruise line.
• Sometimes they offer the same tours as the cruise line but for less money.
• Their tours often have fewer people than those offered through the cruise line.
• You can read detailed reviews and see photographs from travelers who have taken these excursions.
• You can find providers who guarantee that you’ll get back to the ship on time OR they will pay for you to get to the next port to get back on the ship.

Going on an Alaskan Cruise? Get my Ultimate Packing List Here

Shore Excursions With Private Guides

• Private Guides take individuals or small groups around to the main sites and are able to tailor your tour toward your interests.
• Choose guides with some type of accreditation through the local tourism board or tour guide association.
• Book in advance rather than negotiating with someone who comes up to you when you get off the ship.
• Do your research. Go on message boards on sites like CruiseCritic.com where you can ask for recommendations on guides from experienced cruisers.
• You can also research private guides by contacting the local tourist office in the city where you’ll be touring.

Hop-on Hop-Off Bus Shore Excursion

Many ports have a bus line like this operated by operators like City Sightseeing or Big Bus Tours that are reliable, have quality information and good prices.

• You can usually purchase tickets and get on near where you disembark the ship.
• With these tours, you’ll get a map of the city, transportation to key sites and recorded commentary.
• You can get off at the sites you want to see and get back on to go to the next destination. These buses run on a frequent schedule, so you don’t have to worry about long waits for transportation.

Self Touring Shore Excursions

You can have a custom tour experience without spending a lot of money by doing a self-tour.  I’ve done two of these on our Alaskan Cruise with great success:

4 Fun Things To Do In Ketchikan

Juneau, Alaska Shore Excursion

• If you decide to go the self-tour route, research your destination to find the must-see sites and the most cost-effective way to get there.
• Read advice on cruise forums and cruise travel reviews to get the best information on your destination.

With so many options, take the time to look into each one.  You’ll certainly find the best shore excursion at each port for you!

 

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Packing for An Alaskan Cruise

The Cruise Beverage Package | Is It Worth It?

 

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When you put down a substantial chunk of change for a cruise, you may be surprised to find out that although it’s all-inclusive, the one thing it doesn’t include is beverages – other than your basic tap water, coffee and tea.  You incur additional charges for any alcohol, bottled water, soft drinks, fruity frozen mocktails or specialty coffees you consume. So should you purchase a Cruise Beverage Package?

When you first start researching your Cruise Beverage Package and see the  PRICE PER DAY PER PERSON  you may say NO WAY! I’ll just pay as I go. There is NO WAY I will drink that much.  And that may be true.

But before you decide, take a look at the average price per beverage when you purchase them a la carte:

• Glass of wine $9-10
• Cocktail – $12-17
• Bottled Water – $4
• Specialty Coffee – $5-7
• Soda – $4-5
• Beer – $6-10

Then see if any of these scenarios apply to you:

1. You don’t want a steep and unknown beverage charge at the end of your cruise. If you are on a budget, purchasing a drink package “up front” will save you an unexpected bill at the end of your cruise.
2. You drink bottled water. Or you may want to take bottled water with you when you leave the ship for a shore excursion. Think you’ll save money & just pick up a bottled water at the 7-11 as you walk off the ship? There is not a 7-11 when you get off the ship. And for some shore excursions, you may want to have a bottle of water with you.
3. You enjoy coffee shop style beverages. If you like these specialty coffee drinks in the morning, as an afternoon pick-me-up or after dinner, you can really run up a bill. Think the price of a Starbucks each time you get one. And since you will likely pass their Starbucks like coffee bar several times a day, you’ll be drinking more of them than when you are at home. Why? Because you are on vacation!
4. You drink soda or juice. Or you are traveling with kids who will be ordering a soda everywhere they go on the ship.
5. You enjoy a mocktail or a fruity frozen concoction. There’s something about being on a cruise that just makes it impossible to resist these fun drinks.
6. You enjoy beer, wine or a cocktail.

Before you decide NOT to purchase the Cruise Beverage Package, add up the cost per drink per person per day and see what your estimated cost will be. Even if your number is under the price but close, get the beverage package. You will be drinking more of whatever it is you drink on a cruise. The average number of beverages is 6-7 per day on sea days. Less on the days you are on shore excursions.

Get My Alaskan Cruise Packing List Here!

What to look for before purchasing a beverage package:

Look at the choices.  Some cruise lines make it easy and give you just 3 choices:

• A package that includes all types of beverages that aren’t included with your cruise price.
• A soda package
• A coffee package

Some even offer additional packages:

• Wine & Beer only

And then some really break it down to the brand of liquor you prefer.  Are you someone that absolutely has to have a certain brand of liquor in your drink? Then look for the package (if offered) where that brand is included.

Purchasing a wine or beer package? Is that by the glass or by the bottle? Is that the house chardonnay? What type of beer is included   – domestic or imported?

Are you a Pepsi drinker but only Coca-Cola products are served on the ship? If they don’t have the soda you drink, no point in buying a soda package.

For cocktails, drinks up to a certain price point are the only ones included. For example, your package includes drinks that cost up to $10. But you want to order a drink that costs $11. You will not be allowed to pay the $1 difference. The entire $11 will be billed to your cabin if you order your drink.

Have a different drinking style than your cabin mate?  Some cruise lines require cabin mates to purchase the same beverage package. If you and your cabin mate have different drinking preferences, this may not work.

Ask your cruise line to answer specific questions about the price per drink and what brands are included in each package. It may not be on their website but you can call and ask.

Want to know all the details including what’s in the “fine print” for each cruise line’s beverage packages?  See Cruise Critic’s post: Bottoms Up! A Guide to Cruise Lines All-You-Can-Drink Packages.

Cruise Critic also has a great forum for asking questions answered by experienced cruisers.

Wondering what to pack for your Alaskan Cruise?  Get my packing list here!

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