Shore Excursions

Shore Excursions & Events – Cruise Line vs. Privately Arranged

Whether you prefer to coordinate exclusive tour arrangements for your group or allow your guests the freedom to pick and choose tours that appeal to them, there are a number of options available.

Depending on the cruise line and itinerary you select, you can either make arrangements through the cruise line or independently through a local tour operator in the selected port of call. There are pros and cons to each.

Cruise Line Excursions: Cruise lines coordinate their shore excursion programs through reputable tour operators and offer a wide variety of the most popular sites and points of interest in each port of call. Their tours are all-inclusive and indicate if there are any optional costs (such as snacks), Their shipboard staff are available to direct guests to the appropriate transportation vehicles and answer any questions they may have.

Privately Arranged Tours: If you wish to offer excursions or special events exclusively for your group (i.e., private transportation with custom signage, exclusive venues, etc.), you may wish to make your own arrangements. (Note: some cruise lines charge a fee if you make independent shore excursion arrangements – be sure to look for such a requirement in your group/charter agreement terms.) Some cruise lines are set-up to handle customized tour requests, some are not.

Cost can be a factor in the choice you make, but if you wish to make your own arrangements be sure to select a reputable, licensed tour operator and/or DMC (Destination Management Company) and don’t focus only on price. The old saying “you get what you pay for” could become an issue you don’t need. Payment and attrition/ cancellation terms are also factors to consider when selecting excursion options.

For information on how to plan a customized shore event along with sample customized excursions and events, go to Events Ashore