Gourmet Lunching: El Gaucho, Aruba's best Argentinean restaurant, is located in an atmospheric old-town house on the east end of Oranjestad (open daily for lunch and dinner from 11:30 a.m . All you need to know is who is participating in the excursion, and a form of payment. Read on to learn more about available guided tours and extraordinary Bermuda island tours. Select your itinerary below to see shore excursions for that cruise sailing, or call: 1-866-578-7508 or 1-954-449-6309 between 9-5 Eastern time for expert advice to help select the best excursions for you. While on a cruise to Greece earlier this year, for example, I booked a 5 hour tour to Shipwreck Beach, named one of the worlds most beautiful beaches. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. We have tried Private Journeys twice (in Belize and Curacao), and think it is a great choice for anyone that wants to tour at their own pace, and like the benefits of what Royal Caribbean provides. We ensure that you are the first off the ship in order to maximise your adventure time. One benefit of booking tours through Royal Caribbean is that you can reprice the tour until 48 hours before the cruise. Looking at Princess Cruises shore excursions in Grand Cayman, a 2.5-hour stingray swim costs $60 per person, a 5-hour scenic island drive costs $80, and a 4-hour, two-tank scuba dive costs $170. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Full payment is required when reserving a shore excursion. Take your adventure underwater and discover a whole world thats teeming with life. It means youre out the money in advance and it can be difficult to use onboard credit to cover the cost of excursions booked online. $ 450. view 1 date. Take your adventure underwater and discover a whole world thats teeming with life. World's Best Shore Excursions - Perfect for Cruise and Land-Based Travelers, PISA, GUIDED FLORENCE & A TASTE OF CHIANTIa PREMIUM Shared Van Tour, View All ALASKA & PACIFIC NORTHWEST Excursions, PRIVATE: TOUR THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO, View All UNITED STATES LOWER FORTY-EIGHT Excursions. Royal Caribbean allows guests to book their excursions up to a few prior to the beginning of the sailing. One of the problems is that this large boat tends to scare some of the fish away, as its loud motor roars through the pristine waters. Related: What to do if Royal Caribbeans shore excursions are sold out. Just like a group tour, these tour operators are vetted and organized by the cruise line. Check out Intelligent Cruiser here for a better cruise vacation. Updated selling resources, training and tools to power your sales and promote Royal Caribbean's Cruisetours. Be sure to consider your fitness level (and the fitness levels of others in your group) before booking an excursion to ensure you will be able to complete the tour successfully and without too much struggle. Some third-party operators will customize a tour for you or your group, so you can spend the most time at the places you most want to see. A. Royal Caribbean shore excursions involving flights, trains, overnight stays, special events, and Private Journeys must be cancelled at least 30 days prior to sail date. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Whether youre on a cruise line sponsored or independent shore excursion, a best practice is to tip your tour guides at the end of the tour. In the weeks and months leading up to your cruise, you and your Private Journeys representative will custom craft a tour for you and your family. 13 Biggest Mistakes Made by Carnival Cruise Passengers [Carnival Tips], Carnival Bringing a Fourth Cruise Ship to Galveston, Texas, 10 Things You CAN Pack on a Cruise, But Shouldnt, 10 Biggest Cruise Tipping Mistakes You Can Make, 10 Biggest Differences Between Carnival and Royal Caribbean, These 5 Cruises to Europe Could Be Cheaper than Flying, What is the Best Cruise Line for Alaska in 2023? VIEW OUR LATEST E-BROCHURE. Related: 12 must have Royal Caribbean tips & tricks for families. Because passengers on these cruises are typically traveling longer to reach a destinationand likely picked the cruise solely for the ports themselvestheyre more likely to book shore excursions. All rights reserved. Currently, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean are not allowing unvaccinated guests mainly children under age 12 to go ashore in many ports unless theyre on a specific ship-sponsored shore excursion deemed a bubble tour. These are special tours with extra precautions taken to protect unvaccinated travelers from the local population, and vice versa. But in reality, the fish are usually too far from the boat, the glass is usually scratched and hard to see through, and you dont see as much marine life and coral as you would think. Once youre sure you want to book a particular excursion, its best to book the tour as soon as possible to lock in the best price and ensure the tour does not sell out. However, the center is compact and has many highlights, including sights, restaurants and cafs within walking or cycling distance. LOOKING FOR AN ACCESSIBLE SHORE EXCURSION? And venture deeper into nature literally as you explore the magnificent Lipa Cave in Montenegro. I use many factors to decide whether to take a ships tour, an independent excursion or just explore on my own in port. If you're interested in a more in-depth sightseeing experience with a guide, this is probably not the best choice for you. Personally, I find that organized tours are best when the excursion is an activity I cant do on my own (such as kayaking, zip lining or a winery tour); when long distances are involved where I dont want to bother with public transportation or renting a car on a one-day visit; or when the culture is foreign enough that independent exploration would be tricky. I'm still struggling to view any shore excursion brochures despite having tried on multiple devices! Related: Is it better to book excursions through the cruise ship? Featuring videos and ship details, this is your first stop to start choosing where to explore next. Learn more. So why is it on my overrated list? The glass-bottom boat I was on showed its age all too well. If the tour takes place over lunchtime, check to see if a meal is included or if you have time to pick up something to eat. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Lastly, because when you book a Shore Excursion, you have priority. Select your itinerary below to see shore excursions for that cruise sailing, or call: 1-866-578-7508 or 1-954-449-6309 between 9-5 Eastern time for expert advice to help select the best excursions for you. Look through shore excursions to determine which work best for your family before booking to avoid problemsand tantrumsalong the way. This means you will be spending a majority of the time just sitting on the boat watching someone else have all the fun. Related: Avoid these mistakes when booking cruise shore excursions. It may take some time to rebuild a complete shore excursion portfolio once cruising resumes. However, dont assume you have to book a shore excursion directly through Royal Caribbean. Whatever your ideal adventure involves, Shore Excursions make it easy to immerse yourself in each vibrant destination you visit. . If not, just leave blank, Top 10 cruise ship shore excursion mistakes to avoid, 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own. Click on the name of a ship below to find the excursions available for each sail date. Private Journeys are at your service. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. I was very excited the first time I booked a glass-bottom boat tour in the Caribbean. Note: Participants must be at least 7 years of age, be physically fit and able to walk on rugged terrain for approximately 1.5 miles.Persons with back problems, limited mobility or any major health issues should not take part in this tour. Jon lives in the foothills of North Carolina and wishes there were a cruise port that far inland. Posted February 13. Many first-time cruisers are afraid to venture off on their own when it comes to shore excursions. Symphony of the Seas itineraries and information. Allow me to take you through the basics of cruise shore excursions, so you can learn to have the most fun no matter what your budget is. If its an activity, like snorkeling or a helicopter tour, read up on how much time is spent in transit and prep and how much time you will spend actually doing the activity. I canvassed TPGs cruise team and we agreed that we give roughly $5 to $10 per person for half-day tours and $10 to $20 per person for full-day excursions, adjusted for service and quality. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Let us know with a comment below so you can save us from the same mistake. Im still struggling to view any shore excursion brochures despite having tried on multiple devices! Best of Bermuda. . Or you may search this site for more information. If you want to explore on your own, youll need to go do the paperwork and pay the fee to get a visa before your trip. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. If youre in a group of twelve and each couple is in the air for about 8-10 minutes, you will spend the better part of an hour getting nothing more than a boat ride. After the tour, feel free to grab lunch, have a few drinks, or shop before getting back onboard. This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, at least $500 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. They can also be purchased through independent operators or third-party tour sellers. I emailed RC about it a month ago and no reply so I went onto their instant chat service. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Dive deep below the surface of the sea with a certified expert and weave through brilliant coral colonies, scour centuries-old shipwrecks and come face-to-face with exotic aquatic critters. And after you see on the cruise lines website that the ship will arrange transportation to the beach it seems like a winner. You can book your tours online in advance, or have your travel agent do it for you. The key to getting the most from your cruise shore excursion is to know what you want and make sure the tour description matches your expectation. Reading the fine print is a surefire way to ensure you wont encounter any surprises on the excursion. Youll be able to ask the staff there any questions you have about the tours, and the charges will be added to your final cruise bill.