We are going on a cruise. Is it more cost efficient to buy excursion/activities at shore or in advance?

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Kristina L

You have a number of options on shore excursions and each has pros and cons.

1. Purchase them ahead of time on-line from the cruise ship.
Pros: You get what you want without fear that it will fill up.
You get the assurances that the boat will wait if you the
excursion is delayed (traffic, flat tire)
You have the comfort of knowing that the agency doing
the excursion is licensed, bonded, professional etc.
Cons: You pay more

2. Purchase them from the ship during the cruise.
Pros: You get the same assurances and professionalism.
You can be a little spontaneous and do something
unplanned.
Cons: You still pay more
You risk excursions getting filled up.

3. You can deal directly with the tour group when you get to your
destination.
Pros: You can save some money
Your options aren't limited to what the cruise ship offers.
Cons: You aren't guaranteed professionalism, licensed etc
If your excursion is delayed, the boat WILL NOT wait for
you (the biggest reason I book through the cruise)

But different people have different opinions. Personally, I'd rather pay the extra money so the cruise knows where I am, and if I'm going to be late. You never know when a flat tire will ruin your trip.

stealingxstardom

i took almost the same cruise youre taking last november.
the on boat excursions were about triple the price than the onshore ones.
try talking to people that live and work on the islands and they will usually point you towards places that are cheap.
and you can always barter with the people on shore.

Crabby

Your question seems to have two parts.
The cost will be less if you wait until you reach the shore and book your excursion on your own.
The efficiency should be greater if you book the excursions from your cruise ship. You may be given priority for disembarking from the ship. The cruise line will already have a business relationship with the tour guide or excursion site and will have considered your safety.

Barkley Hound

Excursions will always be cheaper if bought on shore. You can even find shuttles to take you to major tourist attractions. The major problem is that if you go on your own and for some reason the tour returns late you can miss the ship. When booking an excursion on the ship it will wait since they keep track of all tours.

In Ensenada I took a ship tour for $29 to see a blow hole. My sister took a shuttle to town and found a trip to the same site for $15. The tours were in the morning so there was at least a 4 hour grace period at the end.

My main advice is to not book a tour on your own unless there are hours left at the end in case of a delay.

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Bill in Kansas

The best way is buy them online from a third party site
try shoretrips.com

hotttravel

The cruise line excursions are usually more expensive. You can get good deals once you get to port sometimes but not always. It also wastes your time when you could be doing something fun if you have to go around and haggle with them to get something to do.
I always book my excursions with www.shoretrips.com. They are smaller groups of people and usually less than the cruise line. They dont have all of the same excursions either. If your cruise changes itinerary and you do not stop in a port where you had excursion then you do get a refund. This company is totally reliable and they only use reputable tour companies.

bluedreams1810

It really depends. Some ports, it's better to buy the excursions from the cruise line, others at the port. I've been on 2 cruises- about to go on my 3rd- we prefer to buy them through the cruise line. This way we are guarenteed to be doing the excursion we want to do. You can try looking up each port online though. They usually have discussion boards about each port. I've never been to any of those ports so I can't help you there. have fun!!

Yupp, im that girl! =)

it is the same price to buy excursions at shore and in advance. but, i would buy them in advance because sometimes if they are very popular it may get 'sold out'.

Happy 2 help! :)

daniella

i been on quite a few cruises and have learned the in's and out's---everything you can purchase before hand,GET IT---once you get on the cruise there's no turning back&&that's when everything becomes a rip off.definitely get it at the shore---save you time&money.have fun-cruises are extremely relaxing,but be careful you can easily put on 10 pounds haha

bye,
daniella

tman

well if you wanna make sure that you get in you wanna do it in advance but they might get canceled and you dont get fefunds. so if you wait until your there then you now if their canceled or not but you might be to late... i know this from expierience

rockfish

always on board ship. may be sold out at the port. more expensive with shore based tours. have been on your cruise. its a good one. be sure to wear comfortable shoes. take bottled water.

Dismayed

From my experience better to buy ashore you can barter that way otherwise it can be a bit of a rip off. I haven't done the cruise you are going to do but I hope you have a great time.

Ashlee N

it depends where your going....

but the easiest thing is to but it in advance but sometimes they dont allow you to do that.

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