CRUISING (Ocean & River)
Incredible amenities designed for a variety of passengers.
Table of Contents
I. Intro
II. The Ocean Cruising Description
III. General Ocean Cruising Factors
- Traveler's Anxiety:
- Loneliness:
- Cruise Ship Size:
- Guests & Crew numbers:
- Guest Age:
- New Friendships:
- Wardrobe:
- Luggage:
- Planning & Logistics:
- Cabins:
- Food & Restaurants:
- Perks:
- Amenities:
- Where Cruise Ships Can Go?:
- Seasonal Dates:
- Advertised vs Actual Days:
- Cruise Length:
- Excursion "Shop Steering":
- Tier 1, 2, & 3 Sites & Activities:
- Sensible Itinerary:
- Tailored Specialty Cruises:
- Company Reputation:
- Price & Extras:
- Cruise Book Agreement:
- Eco Friendly:
IV. On-board Cruising Options:
A. Self-entertainment:
B. Ship's Perks/Diversions:
C. 3rd Party Local Shore Excursions
1. Guest's Booked Local Excursions FACTOR
2. My world-wide booking platform review
3. Guest Booked Local Shore Excursions:
b. Choosing an Ideal Local Tour:
VI. Guest Designed "Self Guided Walking Tour" of Ship's Port Sights & Activities.
Cruising is divided into
Ocean Cruising & River Cruising
Ocean Cruises
Ocean Cruise ships are enormous ocean liners with 1000’s of fellow passengers & crew .… sailing the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea & other major waters for days, months or even years (onboard retirement plans).
A brief extravagant lifestyle experience most passengers seldom experience in their real lives.
Whether your first Cruise or one of many, IT should be one of your life’s highlights. It's important that it be a most fulfilling experience possible for the money you budget. The following information should help you choose a Cruise Package at your ideal quality vs. price.
For many cruising tourists or ‘cruisers’, cruising is an escape from the humdrum monotony 
or grinding pressure of their daily lives AND a reward for sacrifices they have made for their children & family over decades. For others, perhaps the thrill of living a millionaire movie star’s life for a few days.
The most important attribute of cruising to most folks, particularly, 1st-time tourists, is that a cruise can be worry-free, well planned & organized, & professionally guided to fulfill your travel dreams for the energy & budget you have.
Couched midst a mind-boggling array of amenities & activities appealing to all ages & fitness levels, priced from relatively inexpensive to luxury.
Show up on time with luggage, some pocket change & you are off.
Your Cruise Company does all the rest … if you wish.
II. The Ocean Cruising Experience/Description:
Ocean Cruising is a mix of 2 totally different experiences:
A. ocean or big sea sailing AND B. in-port sightseeing options.
A. Daily Ocean sailing & “at-sea” days:
➥ On-board Initial Experience:
Once settled into your cabin, unpacked & relaxing from long flights & ship’s boarding process, you’ll then strikeout on a wandering walkabout of your vast ship, marveling at its colossal size, modern sophisticated design & construction. 
Awed by seemingly endless amenities, activities & attractions appealing to all ages & fitness levels, priced from relatively inexpensive to luxury. Soon you lean at the ship’s railings gazing at the watery world surrounding you.
Scand ???
Within hours your ship puts out to sea en route to your next port.
Cruise ships invariably depart port in late afternoon sailing all night to arrive at the next port and its Shore Excursions. Often, however, a cruise ship spends more than a full day at sea i.e. a ‘sea-day’ usually far from land with only endless ocean vistas sailing to the next port-of-call. 
(VID Embed: from Scand Cruise: early morning port entry) Yes convert DV to MP4: 1) , 2) import, 3) port arrival; unique on board activities
Eventually, you’ll settle into a deck chair with a cool drink savoring the expansive ocean views you have dreamt of, then, …. fall into conversation with a few of the 1000’s of other passengers. 
Life is good!
Depending on your cruise package’s itinerary, your next day may be either a sea-day or sightseeing your next port of call.
A sea-day is a minimum 24 hrs at sea usually far from anything interesting to see other than sea birds and the occasional seal. ….
While NOT a 'sea day' you can get the idea.
Unfortunately, your endless ship wandering exploration, endless unlimited buffet dining, or deck chair lounging pretending you are enjoying a book you could have read at home devolves into an ever-increasing boredom desperately hoping for diversion. 
Boredom may kick in, prompting you to abandon the freebie amenities & indulgences and seek out the ship’s more tempting Premium options, which abound depending on the ship & size. Good or ill, your diversions will come from the innumerable included & Premium cost options.
V. In-port Shore Experiences (jump link)
III. General Ocean Cruising FACTORs:
NOTE: Some Cruise Factors may have one or more links taking you deeper into that Factor’s content making you even better informed.
1.Traveler’s anxiety: IMO, all travelers (me) 
suffer some anxiety, but ocean cruisers justifiably suffer much less once safely onboard their giant ship & acclimated a bit.
2. Loneliness: is our mind’s feeling of being unattached or unwanted, but Cruise ships
mix you with 1000s of others. You have to TRY HARD to be alone.
3. Cruise Ship Size: differences between large vs medium vs small.
Large Ship: great many amenities, diverse fun, but crowded with less service.
Medium Ship: intimate balance between amenities & personalized service,
Small Ship: intimate, personalized service, or where adventurous destinations & interaction are key.
4. Guests + Crew numbers: range between 100s to ~9000.
5. Guest Age: All ages; unless age-tailored (adults only). Guest age
may not seem relevant, but it actually is. 
An elderly couple’s
calm, 
relaxing cruise vision might sorely conflict with a cruise
ship dominated by partying youth & young families. Not an
indictment of either; merely a practical consideration.
6. New Friendships: Thousands of exuberant 
strangers of various ages & cultural backgrounds mix together in dining & many other activities If someone is boring you have several 1000 more guests yet to meet., You must be an "Introvertus maximus” not to make new friends. 😃
7. Wardrobe: Casual dress: ideal woman’s ”capsule wardrobe.” & men’s smart casual PLUS more formal wear for formal dinners if required.
8. Luggage: most suggest 1 suitcase/peep for 3-5 days; 2 max for longer trips. Tip crew!! Benefit: carry on & off only once.
9. Planning & Logistics: Very little required once you have CAREFULLY chosen your ideal cruise package based on your knowledge of all these Cruise Factor. YOU just book your flights, before & after hotels (if needed) & pack.
Research & planning are logically required if you will independently travel before or after the cruise.
10. Cabins: Well appointed; but variable upgrade charges for views, balcony, and suites.
11. Food & Restaurants: Main dining room locally authentic meals AND 24/7 endless buffet OR a variety of extra-cost specialty dining options AND in-port self-guided walking tours local options.
12. Perks: Loyalty programs, booking incentives, upgraded or luxury packages: room level, dining specialties, unique activities.
13. Amenities: VP Boarding, Seating, access, Food and Beverage Packages, Special Events or Shows, Merchandise or Souvenirs, Extended Hours or Night Cruises, Photo/Video Services, & large or excess luggage handling.
14 Where Cruise ships can go?: Cruise ships can navigate to virtually any connected navigable body of water around the globe; every continent including Antarctica.
This freedom gives access to haunting Antarctica, Caribbean’s islands warm beaches, Mediterranean’s classical historic ports of Italy, Greece, Spain, France etc.; USA: Alaska’s natural beauty: glaciers, fjords, & wildlife; Northern Europe (Baltics); Asia-Pacific’s Japan, Australia, and SE Asian/South Pacific countries & islands: Tahiti and Fiji.
15. Seasonal Dates: select season & schedule matching your goals.
16. 'Actual’ travel days vs advertised: 1st & last days are usually short arrival & departure days, so don’t think of them as FULL days.
17. Cruise Length: average is 4 to 21 days (although trending shorter), YET
Royal Caribbean’s 274 days, 150 destinations in 65 countries. Wow!
Cruise Lengths depend on several factors:
a. your travel motivation & intensity.
b. what you want to see & do,
c. and how much energy you have
d. your time & money budget ➡︎➡︎➡︎⇒⇒
Dig Deeper.
18. Excursion’s “Shop steering’: are undisclosed or dubious time-wasting, impromptu Excursion stops at retail shops or factory sites, but unlikely cuz because Cruise companies curate well.
⇐⇐⬅︎⬅︎⬅︎
19. Tier 1 ,2, & 3 Sites & activities: choose a country or city that has your most desired Tier 1 sites & activities.
20. Sensible Itinerary: Your cruise experience will be mostly on-the-ship punctuated by occasional shore excursions & driving to very busy tourist sites. Cruise ships usually are limited to each port's allotted dock times.
Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
21. Tailored Specialty Cruises: ... usually small, highly personal & with tailored agendas, ....
Relationship Cruises (Family) Adults only All-women / All-men;
Sports: ship/shore Expedition Cruises Volunteering
Hobby Activity Luxury Boutique Age or Lifestyle Specific
Special Occasion Educational & Cultural Eco & sustainability
Specialty or Narrow Focus: Religious, Themed Shopping, Gastronomic (food), Genealogy, Christmas Markets Getting-Back-To-Your-Roots; Curious, esoteric, or silly trips; Dig Deeper.
22. Company Reputation: I can’t find many cruise company reviews.
23. Price & extras: usually based on “What is included in price?”: Inclusive (all inclusive) vs partially inclusive vs exclusive; but research ‘hidden costs’ Dig Deeper.
24. Cruise Book Agreement: most publish own versions of such agreements, tailored to them, but generally the same broad themes. [plpk: sub-pil” xyz Kinds of (B): Dig Deeper.
25. Eco-friendly: huge cruise ships have a great detrimental ecological impact on ocean waters, coastlines & ports of call caused by belching diesel, polluting waters, AND over-running resources, infrastructure & Tier 1 tourist sites.
In response to critical public concerns, cruise companies have been pursuing various mitigating initiatives.
BEWARE: Greenwashing! Dig Deeper.
IV. On-board Ocean Cruising Factors:
On-board ship days can be divided into two broad realms: 1) self-entertainment AND ship’s free & Premium diversions.
Cruise ships invariably depart port in afternoon sailing all night to arrive at the next port and its sundry Shore Excursions. Often a cruise ship will sail 24 hours between ports-of-call usually far from land with only endless ocean vistas.
Once settled in your cabin, within hours your ship puts out to sea to your next port. Depending on your next day's itinerary, you may be either an at-sea day of even more sailing, OR an in-port Shore Excursion.
You will likely relax in your cabin for a few minutes and then strike out to explore your cruise ship with a
wandering walkabout of the vast ship, marveling at its Elegant 'premium' dinners with new friends.
colossal size, extravagant lighting, modern design & construction, and seemingly endless amenities, activities & attractions. Soon you lean at the ship’s railings gazing at the watery world surrounding you, searching for animals & birds.
Eventually, tho, your wandering search slowly devolves into an ever-increasing boredom desperately hoping for diversion. Fortunately, your diversions will come from the innumerable included & extra-cost options.
Diversion comes from a seemingly unlimited array of free facilities and paid-for experiences; lounging in deck chairs, the sea breeze on your face, soaking in various pools, exercising in weight rooms, or attending art auctions (you 
don’t have to buy.)
1. Ship Exploration:
a. Deck lounge chairs:
b. Walk interior & decks: for views.
c. Interior Lounges & libraries
2. Cabin:
a. Relax: read, etc.
b. Starlink’s internet access: —free, like air.
c. Enjoy ocean views
Engine Room
B. Ships’s Perks/Diversions:
1. Free: 24hr buffet.
2. Premium:
a. Themed or specialty cafes
b. Premium alcohol, coffee & wine packages
c. Engine Room tours: Maybe Premium ship's engine
room tours for $100 -$150 for brief look because
extremely noisy & potentially dangerous.
d. Off hours Room Service.
e. More elaborate dishes,
e. Cooking classes, wine tastings.
3. Exercise Room: a. Free: machines etc,
b. Premium: fitness trainer :
advanced or specialized.
4. Spa:
a. Free: steam room,
b. Premium: massage, facials, &
salon services.
5. Specialty Activities: 
a. Art auctions, etc.
Free: attend
Premium: purchase
b. Novel Athletics: generally free
Rock climbing walls,
Ice skating rinks, or water
parks
6. Shopping:
a. Free: window shopping
b. Premium: if buy something 😀
7. Stage shows/Performances:
a. Free: nightly
b. Premium: special shows etc.
8. Miscellaneous Premiums:
a. Chakra Balancing Bed @ $45/½ hr
b. Professional photos:
c. Casino Play losses: (Note: Ship eventually wins (LOL),
d. Retail Purchases: obviously,
e. Room Upgrade Fees:
f. Laundry Services:
After much time at sea you will look forward to the freedom and novelty of your ship’s port visits and Shore Excursions to the notable foreign cities & sites you have dreamed of.
Realistically, cruising is mainly an on-board ship lifestyle & activities punctuated by Shore Excursions whenever your ship puts into port. Less than 25% of a cruise’s total time is in-port Shore Excursions to & at tourist sites.
FYI, in contrast, Large Bus Tours tourists spend 1) 30-40% of their total tour time at tourist sites & experiences, AND 2) 40-50% of their total time on related travel time: (long & short drives between tourist sites. Just so you recognize the difference.
Shore Excursions allow you to visit many foreign sights & activities without long & frequent bus rides AND without the intense pre-trip research & planning that I do as a solo independent traveler. Exceptions: shore excursions to Rome etc have long drive times.
Your 1st true exposure to a foreign culture comes on your 1st in-port day’s Shore Excursion, curated by your Cruise Company for its worthwhileness, quality, safety & reliability.
Your Shore Excursions will travel safely thru the countryside or city to some famous Roman or Greek site or an authentic local cooking class, etc. Your choices are limited only by ship’s in-port hours.
Cruise companies AND private tour companies design their Shore Excursions packages to include a variety of sights & experiences that historically appeal to most cruiser’s diverse wants & budgets.
Shore Excursions design focuses on quality, safety, guide expertise, site & experience variety & all-passenger access (handicapped, infirm).
In-Port Shore Experience FACTORS
1. Ship’s Port Arrival & Departure: Cruise Ship’s MUST dock on time & MUST depart on time defined by on several factors including regulations, tides, weather, econ & eco concerns, security & safety. Dig Deeper.
Copenhagen all-night saiol & early arrival.
2. Ship’s Limited ‘Berth Time’: restricts both ship & private Shore Excursions and guest’s self-guided walking tours…. on-site visit time & worthwhileness, particularly if long travel distance. Often docked 8-9 hr between 7 AM to 9 AM & departing around 4 PM to 5 PM. Some may stay overnight or remain only 4-5 hr. Confirm Berth Time relative to Shore Excursions ambitions.
Ships most often arrive in early morning & depart late afternoon.
Early morning arrival in Oslo, Norway
Example: Civitavecchia is the cruise ship port for Rome Shore Excursions. It is 80 km from Rome requiring bus’s 1½ hr round trip bus ride which may severely limit your available on-site times. Dig Deeper.
Typical Shore Excursion with much driving & constant lecturing of facts enroute to sites.
3. Available Start & End Shore Excursions Times: Limited Ship’s ‘Berth Time’ defines & rigidly limits Shore Excursions time: Dig Deeper.
Oslo, Norway's Shore Excursion to Viking Ship Museum.
4. Late “Return to Ship” DANGER: If you miss your ship’s mandatory Departure Time, very expensive to catch up at next port. [LINK] YT Cruise grp clips ??? ]. Major Risk: Late ship return:
Suggestion: Don’t book more than 1 Shore Excursions/ day unless positive you have plenty of time to return to ship on time.
5. Safety & Security: Safer, more secure access to dicey sights/activities.
Anecdote: St Petersburg’s “The Cheese Cake Palace (Catherine’s Palace) GYPSY benign assault: On a Baltic Cruise, but for some reason without a guide, we were standing as a group of 8 fellow travelers waiting outside for it to open when we were assaulted by a family of gypsies poking & grabbing at us. I immediately warned everyone to be CAUTIOUS. One gypsy touched me and I intuitively karate-chopped his arm away and he backed off.
6. Shore Excursion CAUTIONS: Your 1st true exposure to a foreign culture comes on your 1st in-port day’s Shore Excursions, curated by your Cruise Company for its worthwhileness, quality, safety & reliability.
Your Shore Excursions will travel safely thru the countryside or city to some famous Roman or Greek site or an authentic local cooking class, etc. Your choices are limited only by ship’s in-port hours.
a. Rushed shore excursions: Too little time for too many sites equals a tiring, rushed superficial experience AND risk of ‘late return’.
Immediate driving tour with constant irrelevant drivel, IMO
b. Distracting Guide Commentary: large, rushed tour group’s
guide commentary at chaotic crowded Tier 1 sites may be boringly ‘canned’, distracts from your reflections, and may not be easily heard UNLESS a Tour Earphone System is used. Small group Guides can be more intimate & flexible.
c. Crowded Tier 1 & 2 tourist sites: long entry wait times & jammed with multiple large, noisy, jostling tourist groups.
7. ’Shop-steering” visits: Unlikely for ship’s Shore Excursions, but possible if self-booked. Confirm with on-shore booking company.
8. Authentic Local Culture Visits: May be your 1st true exposure to a foreign culture, but often faux, Americanized unless Shore Excursions or self-guided walking tour.
9. Local Guides: with deep site expertise: history, 
culture, & local stories may have greater expertise & insight. Can be highly motivated & respected experts on their local turf. Cruise operators may consistently use a tested local private guide to complement your tour guide.
10. “support local economy’: cruise ships inject massive income into ports-of-call: tourist’s local purchases, all sector job creation, port fees & taxes, good local infrastructure.
11. Eco-friendly: huge cruise ships have a great eco-impact on local areas belching diesel, polluting waters, overrunning resources, infrastructure & Tier 1 tourist sites …despite recent pro-eco agendas
BEWARE: Greenwashing: [jlk: eco-friendly)
Man frantically waves at boat he MISSED. Expensive to catch up to at next port.
C. 3rd Party Local Shore Excursions:
Most cruise ship ports, if not all, offer Shore Excursions either by local guides, local tour companies or through national online booking companies (think Air BnB-like). (see below)
40-50% of cruisers might engage in independent activities, which include tours not organized by the cruise company.
Often, in-port local Shore Excursions providers AND local guides offer more numerous, diverse, special focus & less expensive Shore Excursions.
. 1. Guest’s Booked Shore Excursions FACTORs: [plpk: sub-pil” xyz Kinds of ]
a. Pre-trip Google Search: makes Local Excursion research & booking almost as easy as booking thru your cruise company.
b. Convenience: Less convenient than Ship’s Shore Excursions, BUT often greater variety & lower price; sometimes same tour & guide. CAUTION: Late Return issue
c. Greater Site/Experience Variety: 3rd Party Shore Excursions companies may offer greater variety &/or lower costs, (ShoreExcursions.com) Dig Deeper.
Greater Site/Experience Variety
1. All Tier 1,2 & 3 tourist Site & Experience Classification: The travel industry often classifies travel sites & experiences as:
Tier 1: …. usually globally recognized & revered sites:
- Paris’ Eiffel Tower, Peru’s Machu Picchu & Beijing China’s Forbidden City….
Tier 2: …. lack the global prestige, but are nevertheless significant sites in their regions
or country:
- Italy’s Herculaneum buried at same time as Pompei
- Esoteric Reykjavik, Iceland’s Penis Museum (really? Really!!! 😀)
Tier 3: IMO, are either uninteresting, very minor or very niche & not worth the
average cruisers time & money.
2. Specialized Experiences: (French cooking class, hiking trails)
3. Esoteric interests: Edinburgh Penis Museum
4. Authentic Local Culture: unlikely, unless Shore Excursion is specifically designed OR your self-guided walking tour.
Anecdote: Albania’s Kruja’s Castle: Arriving early before tourists I roamed the castle grounds and, then, entered the original preserved residential area. Soon I was met by a gracious young man who ... uninvited ... accompanied me … tossing out tidbits of local history. He & his aged mother actually lived there. Don’t get much more authentic.!
5. Group Size: Super high cruising demand & Tier 1 & 2 site popularity equals large tour group size.
TIP: purposely select small or private-guide tours with: 1) priority access tickets, 2) nimble movement, & 3) silent/private Tour Guide Audio System …. or immediately jump-ship on landing, grab a taxi & get to a Tier 1 site before others.
6. Local Guide: maybe long time residence, intimately 
aware of local sites and experiences as well as great source of information for your own self guided walking tour and good local, no tourist restaurants restaurants
7. Booking Tips: book through reputable local in-port companies or use independent booking platforms like Viator which can offer both quality, safety & savings, …. BUT MUST GUARANTEE:
a. NO Shop Steering
b.’on-time ship return.” Ship’s don’t normally wait for late non-ship Shore
Excursion’s late passengers.
[close] ?????????? Should be at VERY end of this entire section?/////
. 2. My Review Research of world-wide booking platforms: Note: My Review research after ONLY 15 minutes of online research & from personal experience:
1. Shore Excursion Group: mostly positive; On Time Ship Rerturn guarantee PLUS $1,000 USD per
customer for inconvenience of missing ship.
2. Get Your Guide: mostly positive
3. Tours by Locals: mostly positive except for full group prepay requirement; “… think
Viator, but a lot better run…”, with both clients & guide support, & dispute
Remarkable piece of shit resolution service that works. Guides are curated before being listed.
CRITICAL Guarantee: If late to boat … guarantee to, “ arrange for and cover the costs of overnight accommodation and transportation to your next feasible port-of-call.”
4. Trip Advisor & Viviator (TripAdvisor company): AVOID, unreliable & overpriced.
TIP: read a page or 2 of reviews on these organizations, BUT NOT reviews on their site
7. Late Return: Reputable 3rd Party Shore Excursions operators usually guarantee “on-time return”. Check all Reviews. Dig Deeper.
8. Price: Pricing Strategy: Often competitively lower price to compete with Cruise Ship’s similar or identical offers, perhaps greater booking convenience AND most important: Ship’s Late Return guarantee.
9. Local Guides: Local folks-turned-guides & local tour companies may have a highly developed knowledge of everything local — sites, history, culture, & local stories & can offer specific & unique Itineraries or will craft one for you. May also guide cruise ship’s shore excursions
10. VIP Site Access: private access:
Anecdote: Mandawa, India’s painted Havelis (homes): Jumping on the back of my Nawalgarh guide's motorcycle for a 60-mile loop to Mandawa, Fatephur & other small town's to visit the many remaining beautifully painted exterior & interior old residences of wealthy Silk Road merchants. Even more exciting, we were welcomed into private living quarters of several of these havelis.
.
11. Safety & Security: More reliably safe than solo access to dicey sights/activities.
12. Dining: included if necessary (e.g.: lunch on 6 hr excursion)
aaa 13. Peer-to-peer local private host & guide: Peer-to-peer is a relatively new option rapidly growing as travel demand has shifted from ‘destination’ to ‘experiential’ based vacations.
Reuters Events: destination to experience-led vacations, Dig Deeper.
1. Relaxation on board a half-empty ship: to relish relative solitude, better amenity & special activities access (pool), and more staff engagement (cool!) Hour after hour of on/off-site walkabouts can be exhausting to some guests who will seek the solitude & relaxation of a ‘quiet corner.’ Dig Deeper.
2. Ship’s Optional Shore Excursions: Ostensibly, a prime reason for Cruising is to visit notable foreign countries, cities & sites. Ship’s offered Shore Excursions are your prime vehicle for doing that.
Shore Excursions allow you to visit foreign sights & activities without long & frequent bus rides AND without the intense pre-trip research & planning and full responsibility of the solo independent traveler.
Here are your insights —-
Cruise company’s offer an array of diverse historical & cultural sites & experiential Shore Excursions to satisfy foreign traveler’s ambition to visit foreign cities & their tourist sites.
While most Cruise operators don’t usually create their Shore Excursions, they do meticulously curate them for safety, worthiness, guide experience & overall guest satisfaction … because Shore Excursions are a customer’s prime booking consideration.
Guest reviews seem to endorse Shore Excursions as the “icing on the …’ extravagant luxurious cruising lifestyle.
Ship’s Due Diligence AND Shore Excursion FACTORS:
A. Ship’s Due Diligence Factors:
1. Professional Excursion Operator Evaluation: operators meticulously curate their Shore Excursions offerings for:
a. safety standards,
b. service,
c. safety, &
d. variety & worthiness of sights experience.
Shore Excursions selections are often based on the experiences that historically appeal to most cruiser’s diverse wants & budgets. all-passenger-access (handicapped, infirm).
Royal Caribbean: wide range of Shore Excursions tailored to various interests: adventure to cultural & curated local respected vendors.
2. Feedback Mechanisms: extensive customer feedback loop after Shore Excursions to validate or eliminate Shore Excursions providers. Grok confirms X posters approve of most Shore Excursions. Great effort is expended on upgrading and innovating Shore Excursions packages.
3. Excursions Standardization: consistency of guest experiences & satisfaction; guide’s knowledge & personalization, language fluency, & group size. But, Royal Caribbean: will customize Shore Excursions for small groups or individuals.
4. Activity Mix: large variety of sites & activities: cultural tours, adventure sports, & relaxation options; something at a price for everyone.
5. Training & Quality Control: mandated guide & local company training & guidelines to ensure service standards.
6. Customer Experience Management Teams: constantly developing new Shore Excursions, enhanced customer service, and prompt issue resolution to improve future offerings.
7. Insurance & Safety Measures: all activities covered by insurance; strict safety guidelines protect company & guests.
8. Shop Steering: Ships Shore Excursions: unlikely cuz well-curated,
B. Ship’s Shore Excursion FACTORS:
1. Start & End Times:
a. Morning Excursions: 8 AM to 10 AM or ASAP after ship docks, ending by early afternoon to allow boarding 12 PM to 2 PM.
b. Afternoon Excursions: Uncommon because 2 PM MAX return & final boarding times, but if offered: 1 PM to 4 PM, ensuring passengers on-time return for the ship's late afternoon or early evening departure. (*e.g. Rome Shore Excursions)
2. Variety availability: wide variety of well-curated excursion, but Local In-port Options may be greater & different
3. Marketing thoroughness, & transparency: that clearly aligns with & validates guest expectations.
4. Specialty Options: e.g. National Geographic Lindblad Expedition’s Alaska cruises offers expedition cruises focused on education, eccology, and adventure.
5. Customization: Royal Caribbean’s great variety of exclusive, personalized & customized Shore Excursions tailored to various interests: adventure to cultural & curated local respected vendors. for small groups or individuals.
6. Specialization: educational, environmental, adventure, & more serious cruises (Nat’l Geo’s Lindblad Expeditions
7. Habitually late Excursions guests:
a): inconsiderate boors reduce everyone’s on-site visits.
b) late ship return is very expensive ‘catch up” ($1000s)
8. Exclusive Access: Shore Excursions’s negotiated exclusive access to sites or services, not publicly available. 
➩ ➩➩➩➩
Anecdote: All Saints Church London,
9. Authentic Local Culture: unlikely, unless Shore Excursions intentionally focus or …. your self-guided walking tour.
10. Pricing Strategy: Fairly priced compared to similar /identical On-Shore Excursions, activity uniqueness & service level, site access exclusivity, amenities, group size & dining options.
11. Back-to-ship guarantee: e.g.: Royal Caribbean's promise: back-to-ship guarantee AND authentic cultural immersion
12. Extra Costs: entry fees, meals, other transport, etc. etc. etc.
13. Price-match Policy: against local Shore Excursion operators' prices to reassure Guest’s booking ship’s Shore Excursion.
14. Quality Assurance: Royal Caribbean: promises immersive & accessibility experiences AND a ‘back-to-ship’ guarantee indicating a focus on quality, safety, and inclusivity.
15. Guide: professional, trained, screened, trained expert guide handles everything: logistics, your needs & personalized commentary.
Dig Deeper.
Optional Excursion’s Pros/Cons & Examples:
Variably priced Optional Shore Excursions (group discounts ?) allow guests to enrich their overall cruise experience by choosing from a variety of curated Optional Excursions. Of course, many tourists will have chosen their cruise package because of these sites & experiences.
PROs:
1. Well curated for quality & guide skills. Check all Reviews. if any.
2. Ideally scheduled’ for ‘on-time-return.’
3. Overall experience values
4. Guarantee ‘on-time -ship-return”
5. Occasionally, included in cruise packages:
Viking Cruises: 888-703-2664/-888-703-2664 1 complimentary
shore excursion in each port of call.
Typical example of Ship Shore Excursions offerings:
Norwegian Cruise Lines: 800 657 5773.
Can't install graphic
I did some simple research (10/1/2024) of 3 cruise companies:
1. Celebrity Cruises: exuberantly promotes individual short excursions, BUT without much detail, including price,
2. Viking Cruises: offers “One complimentary shore excursion in every port of call.” but gives no further complimentary Shore Excursions or paid for alternatives details.
3. Norwegian Cruise Lines: gives limited detail, total time & price
CAUTION: Do your due diligence when searching a cruise package’s Shore Excursions.
CONs:
1. Pre-trip Google Search may offer a greater variety of Local Shore Excursions
2. On-shore options may be less expensive.
3. Pre-trip Google Search makes Local Excursion research & booking almost as easy as booking with Tour Operator.
4. Usually includes all necessary transportation, but may NOT include meals or site entry fees. Enquire before booking.
5. Cruise operators may ignore more narrow focus options of limited interest to most guests.
lonely on-board guest
Exclusive access to All Hallows Church
trained guide
3. Guest Booked 3rd Party Local Shore Excursions:
Most cruise ship ports, if not all, offer Shore Excursions either by local guides, local tour companies or through national online booking companies (think Air BnB-like).(see below)
40-50% of cruisers might engage in independent activities, which includes tours not organized by the cruise company.
Often, in-port local Shore Excursions providers AND local guides offer more numerous, diverse, special focus & less expensive Shore Excursions.
A. Guest’s Booked Alternative Shore Excursions FACTORs: [plpk: sub-pil” xyz Kinds of ] ???
1. Pre-trip Google Search: makes independent traveler's Local Excursion research & booking almost as easy as booking thru your cruise company.
2. Convenience: Less convenience than Ship’s Shore Excursions, BUT often greater variety & lower price; sometimes same tour & guide. CAUTION: Late Return issue
3. Greater Site/Experience Variety: 3rd Party Shore Excursions companies may offer greater variety &/or lower costs, (ShoreExcursions.com
a. All Tier 1,2 & 3 tourist sites & experiences Dig Deeper.
FYI: Site & Experience Classification: The travel industry often classifies travel sites & experiences as:
4. Authentic Local Culture: unlikely, unless Shore Excursion specifically designed OR your self-guided walking tour.
Anecdote: Albania’s Kruja’s Castle: Arriving early before tourists I roamed the castle grounds and then entered the original preserved residential area. Soon I was met by a gracious young man who, uninvited, accompanied me … tossing out tidbits of local history. He & his aged mother actually lived there. Don’t get much more authentic.!
My visit to my motorcycle guide's friend's authentic family farm
still embedded in the old Nalwalgarh town.
5. Group Size: Super high cruising demand 
& Tier 1
& 2 site popularity equals large tour group size.
TIP: wisely select small or private-guide tours with:
1) priority access tickets,
2) nimble movement, &
3) silent/private Tour Guide Audio System …. or immediately jump-ship on landing, grab a taxi & get to top Tier 1 before others get there.
6. Booking Tips: book through reputable local in-port companies or use independent booking platforms which can offer both quality, safety & savings, …. BUT MUST GUARANTEE:
a. NO Shop Steering
b.’on-time ship return.” Ship’s don’t normally wait for late non-ship Shore Excursion’s late passengers. Dig Deeper.
7. Late Return: Reputable 3rd Party Shore Excursions operators usually guarantee “on-time return”.
Check all Reviews. Dig Deeper.
8. Price: Pricing Strategy: Often competitively lower price to compete with Cruise Ship’s similar or identical offers, perhaps greater booking convenience, AND most importantly: Ship’s Late Return guarantee.
9. Local Guides: Local folks-turned-guides & local tour companies may have a highly developed knowledge of everything local — sites, history, culture, & local stories & can offer specific & unique Itineraries or will craft one for you. May also guide cruise ship’s shore excursions
10. VIP Site Access: private access:
Anecdote: Mandawa, India’s painted havelis (homes): Jumping on my Nawalghar private guide's motorcycle for a 60 mile loop to Mandala, Fatehpur and other small towns to visit exquisitely exterior & interior-painted ancient residences of wealthy Silk Road merchants, ....ultimately welcoming my guide & I into a few still occupied private residences. A real treat.
India's Mandawa beautifully painted exterior & interior havelies (homes)
11. Safety & Security: Safer than solo access to dicey sights/activities.
12. Dining: included if necessary (e.g.: lunch on 6 hr excursion)
13. Peer-to-peer local private host & guide: Peer-to-peer is a relatively new option rapidly
growing as travel demand has shifted from ‘destination’ to ‘experiential’ based vacations.
Reuters Events: destination to experience-led vacations, Dig Deeper.
Woman booking her own Shore Excursion!
B. How to choose your ideal Shore Excursions:
I chose many of my travel sites from a lifetime of education, public media, reading, videos, & even the news. Each tiny bit of interesting travel site or activity info was what I now call ‘Travel Buds’.
Like tiny rose buds, this near-infinite numbered ‘Travel Buds’ 
were potential travel ideas lying asleep in my mind 'under the snow' waiting for me to turn them into Spring’s travel targets. Same is true for you!
So how can you resurrect those Travel Buds? This can be an exciting personal research adventure in itself.
Very few Travel Buds that you can’t safely visit. You only have to discover them & decide how & when to make your travels a “genuine probability rather than just a mere day-dream fantasy”
Please re-read “2. Ship’s Optional Shore Excursions: " above jlk ??
1. My simple 7 step process :
List your desired travel sites, Google Search for more, prioritize and match to your ship’s port-of-calls that can access your site(s).
V. Guest designed ‘self-guided walking tour’ of port sights & activities. [jlk: Free time]
Your wandering, self-guided walkabout of discovery around an Old Town with a local cafe’s meal may be your most authentic engagement with a country or city’s actual culture.
Anecdote: Tallinn, Estonia: Bus or taxi can whisk you quickly from your cruise ship to Tallinn’s Old Town Square where you can either wallow in tourist kiosks or immediately start exploring surrounding streets for Tallinn's historical flavor & a local’s cafe.
Click link to go directly to FULL discussion of Local Shore Excursions: [jlk:]. ???
Guest-designed ‘free time’ opportunities can be the most rewarding, fulfilling & exciting Cruising experiences because you can shift into your independent travel mode by visiting a port’s sites easily & far less expensively on your own.
A. Self-guided Walking Tour FACTORS:
1. Freedom’s flexibility: pre-plan itinerary or just wander with whimsy.
Anecdote: Tallinn, Estonia: Bus or taxi can whisk you quickly from your cruise ship to Tallinn’s Old Town Square where you can either wallow in tourist kiosks or immediately start exploring surrounding streets for Tallinn's historical flavor & a local’s cafe.
2. Full personal responsibility: as price for flexible freedom
3. ‘On-time Ship Return’: ONLY you are fully responsible for On-time Ship Return; expensive catch-up.
4. Planning: Pre-trip/onboard internet (Elon’s Starlink) create a sequential site list of sites, etc. plotted
on Google Maps, or not.
5. Navigation: on smartphone use guidebook maps, GPSmyCity app or plot yourself on Google
Maps/Apple Maps —
6. Sites & activities: same Shore Excursion variety, but more logistically difficult to fit your limited time
AND YOU MUST self-guarantee On-time
7. Local Cuisine: find a local’s non-tourist restaurant.
8. Route Strategies: 1) Best: a loop from ship & back, 2) taxi to farthest point & wander back taxi out,
walk back, 3) "hop-on, hop-off" bus route; many buses run same route.
Anecdote: Yangon, Myanmar loop: take taxi to farthest site & then walk back from site to site to ship
Insert YT Myanmar vide here when published
9. Walking Tour Websites/apps: e.g. GPSmyCity smart phone apps,
10. Less expensive: little, if any, necessary expense
11. Curious Cultural Immersion: In Asia I often realized I was an invisible Caucasian wandering amongst the Asian multitude’s buying dinner at local outdoor markets & poking into antique shops, etc. I relished that.
Anecdote: Xi'an's Muslim Quarter, China amongst 1000s.
12. Miscellaneous: comfortable, broken-in shoes, hat, sun glasses, of course,
13. IMPORTANT TIP: always carry hidden emergency USD & local currency for snacks, etc.. pplk: money
Subscribe!
Join my mailing list to get new content notifications.