Here are a few of our favorite excursions. If youre disabled and not able to walk for long distances this could be the perfect excursion for you. Started June 21, 2021, By I need to call my TA tomorrow and get my booking number and try to get into the purchase shore excursions page and see if that helps. Not only was he full of useful knowledge of the history of St. Maarten but he allowed us to stop and enjoy a few sites along the way. Some cruise lines, such as Viking and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, include the cost of basic shore excursions in their cruise fares. TPG values it at $1,600. However, dont assume you have to book a shore excursion directly through Royal Caribbean. A shore excursion could be a sightseeing bus tour, a guided visit to a museum or historic site, an athletic activity (like a hike, bike ride or snorkel outing), a day at the beach or a cooking or dance class. For example, on an upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise, the line has been advertising up to 30% off select tours reserved ahead of the sailing. Some can accommodate passengers with mobility issues or other disabilities. If both tours are booked through Royal Caribbean youll receive a refund for the second tour, but this may not be the case with independent tour providers. Also, if you have a particular interest, the ship might not offer a tour for the activity or attraction youre excited about. St. Petersburg, Russia, for example, requires a visa for any cruise passengers who step on shore but choose not to take an organized tour. In each port you visit, Royal Caribbean provides a variety of shore excursion options for guests of all activity levels, interests and ages. *PLEASE NOTE ShoreTrips is an independent provider of shore excursions. In the event a tour is canceled, a full refund will be provided to the guests onboard account. Download our cruise ship brochures. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Royal Caribbean Blog. When I was in St. Maarten I hired a taxi driver for a tour of the island and it was a wonderful experience. Dedicated pre-cruise and onboard specialists are available to assist you. + In the unlikely event that your tour is significantly delayed, well make all the arrangements for you to return to the ship at the earliest opportunity at no expense to you. Guests . You can book your tours online in advance, or have your travel agent do it for you. (9 Areas Compared), Carnival to Send Newly Upgraded Ship on 14-Day Transatlantic Cruise, Royal Caribbean Updates Perks in Loyalty Program. Youll likely want to tip more for customized, private tours consider 5 to 20% of the cost of the tour. Looking for more information about Events at Sea? Simply log into Royal Caribbean's site, find your cruise booking and purchase your tour before the sailing begins. Local Cruises 2017 - 2019. Powered by Invision Community. The Shore & Land Excursion brochure is in PDF file format only by specific ship and sail date. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. 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. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Instant Real Time Pricing Cruise lines offer a full schedule of shore excursions to help you make the most of your time in port. Cruise shore excursion prices vary widely depending on the cost of living in the cruise destination, what type of activity is involved and whether its a full- or half-day tour. Ready to follow where adventure leads you? Alternatively, you can wait until youre on the ship and book your excursion in person at the shore excursions desk. But to any real horse enthusiast the experience is usually lack-luster. Check here before booking an award fare. Swim with sea turtles and manta rays, float over vibrant reefs, and explore colorful coral forests on a snorkeling excursion designed to bring you up close with the oceans most beautiful natural treasures. Related: What to do if Royal Caribbeans shore excursions are sold out. Still need help? All rights reserved. There are two primary means of booking a shore excursion: online via Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site, or onboard the ship at the shore excursion desk or via the app. On top of being overly expensive when booked through a cruise line, its hard to really immerse yourself in a city and experience the tour when youre more concerned about maneuvering and avoiding potholes in the sidewalk. It did list my upcoming cruise http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/shoreExcursions/downloadBrochure/, Thanks for your reply - it might be my device in that case as it still says there are no voyages Ill try another! Tours are more prone to sell out on cruises to bucket-list destinations like Alaska or popular cities in the Mediterranean. And venture deeper into nature literally as you explore the magnificent Lipa Cave in Montenegro. The top reasons to book a Shore Excursion are because it is . Dont just see the world experience it. Theyre not going to sell many excursions that way! Just tried to go on to the Royal Caribbean main site and got the "Access Denied" message so I would say chalk it up to the funky IT that . Anybody else experience this? Just like the beach, the pool was well-maintained and it looked as good as it felt. Related: 12 must have Royal Caribbean tips & tricks for families. Whether you dream of trailblazing through the Alaskan tundra, learning how to whip up traditional Mediterranean dishes on the Greek isles or sampling rum at centuries-old distilleries in the Caribbean, youll find the world is brimming with full day adventures and nobody takes you deeper than Shore Excursions. A dream excursion for one passenger can be a nightmare to another. Guests who wish to sightsee independently or sightsee outside of Royal Caribbean shore excursion hours must obtain an individual Russian Tourist Visa before leaving home. You may cancel purchase(s) made via Cruise Planner up to forty-eight hours prior to the cruise departure date. Our new interactive brochure will make it easy to view all of our cruises to the Caribbean, Alaska or Europe. On one of our Stockholm shore trips, tour the awe-inspiring Royal Palace or shop in the fascinating old town of Gamla Stan. There is plenty of seating by the pool, but very little shade to be found. CC Help Jenn Better still, should an unexpected problem occur (traffic, a medical emergency), the ship will not leave port until all of its own tours have returned. The excursions and guided tours designed to take your getaway to the next level from locally taught culinary classes and land tours infused with culture and history, to adrenaline-amping outdoor thrills and off-the-grid exploration. The benefits to a cruise line's shore excursions are that they depart from and return to the ship; you dont need to figure out where to meet a guide in a port youve never visited before. Onboard Experience; Ports; Air & Ground Transportation; Shore Excursions; Order a Brochure; Extend Your Vacation; Groups; CRUISE DEALS. Just let us know the ship and sail date you're interested in and the brochure will include detailed information about all of the excursions that are available. If you struggle with mobility, check to see if theres a lot of walking on uneven ground like cobblestones. . I find that the more I cruise, the less I take ship-sponsored shore excursions because they dont offer exactly what I want. . Even a local taxi driver can point you in the right direction and take you to all of the best shopping locations in town. Two brothers started Cruise Fever in 2011 when they decided they couldn't stop cruising so they might as well write about it. Outside of these tips, make sure you read the fine print to check what is and is not included on a tour. All you have to do, is show up. Take your adventure underwater and discover a whole world thats teeming with life. Be sure to note the fitness level required and dont try to take on more than youre able to do. Shore excursions can run anywhere from $50 to well over $500. Powered by Invision Community. Thanks in advance! A shore excursion is a group tour or activity aimed at cruise travelers who can only spend a limited time in each port theyre visiting on their itinerary. To give an example of how varied prices can be, here are a few sample prices you may see for Royal Caribbean excursions: Juneau. View All Cruises Begin by selecting your cruise information. Royal Caribbean International (RCL) shore excursions. cruzgryphon, February 8, 2017 in Royal Caribbean International, Just wondering if anyone has been able to download shore excursion brochures from the following link: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/shoreExcursions/downloadBrochure/. Jon got hooked on cruising after his first cruise on his honeymoon, and today he is always looking for cruise deals and reading information about the cruise industry. Because you can simply hire a local driver to take you to that exact same beach for a fraction of the cost and without having to wait for rides. Royal Caribbean allows guests to book their excursions up to a few prior to the beginning of the sailing. The easiest way to book a shore excursion is to do so before the cruise on Royal Caribbean's website. Here's where I shared a spreadsheet to automatically generate the cruise planner URL for any given sailing. 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. Tip non-guide drivers roughly $2 per person in your party. All rights reserved. A shopping excursion will not necessarily take you to some unknown quadrants of the port of call that no one else knows about. Learn more. They might even point you to a better beach or a better spot at the beach that most of the tourists dont know about. For consecutive sailings, guests of drinking age are allowed to bring one (1) 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne for each individual sailing. 8. For example, if youre considering a bus tour, make sure you understand how much time will be spent sitting on the bus and how much time will be at the destination or attraction, whether you will be looking at or going inside key attractions and whether theres free time to explore. 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. 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. When you explore Europes ancient cities, every arch and alleyway tells a story. Bahamas Freeport Great Stirrup Cay Nassau Barbados Bridgetown Belize Belize City Harvest Caye Bermuda Hamilton Kings Wharf Royal Naval Dockyard St. George Bonaire . However, the center is compact and has many highlights, including sights, restaurants and cafs within walking or cycling distance. Another reason not to book multiple excursions in one port is that shore excursions can be tiring. This one might be tempting for those of you who love to shop while on vacation. Think we will just wing it when we get off the ship. Related: What you can do if your cruise cancels port calls? Adventure doesnt just happen onshore there are countless marvels waiting to be discovered just below the waterline. 18.4k. DOWNLOAD THE SHORE EXCURSIONS BROCHURE. Any time you see labels like Panoramic Sightseeing or City Overview Tour it very well could be that you will have to take most of your pictures through a bus window. You can browse each individual excursion category or check out our. Outside of the current welcome bonus, youre only earning higher rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so its not a great card for other spending categories. We ensure that you are the first off the ship in order to maximize your adventure time. Jon can be reached at. Royal Caribbean International (RCL) shore excursions. They can also be purchased through independent operators or third-party tour sellers. Some of the most amazing memories you create on your cruise will happen at shore, so avoiding the overrated activities will not only save you time and money, it might just save your vacation. Additional bottles will be stored by the ship and delivered, one bottle at a time, to the stateroom on the first day of each new voyage. However, the process of choosing and booking tours can be overwhelming for new cruisers. Jon lives in the foothills of North Carolina and wishes there were a cruise port that far inland. A map and a guidebook got me where I wanted to go. 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. What kind of shore excursion tours are offered on Royal Caribbean? Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. The fun of a cruise is equal parts what you do on board and what you do on shore. are listed in the fine print. Let us know here. In Sicily, you can bike across the rim of Mount Etna, which the ancient Greeks believed was home to the legendary Cyclops. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. 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. The problem comes into play when you booked a parasailing excursion with a large group. Sometimes these tour groups also are smaller than the large cruise ship tours which can carry 30 to 60 people in a bus so you will spend less time waiting for everyone. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? A. Departs From Sydney, Australia. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. What you can do if your cruise cancels port calls? Try selecting the print option from the website and when your printers dialog box comes up change it from your default printer to 'print to pdf'. And sure that can be a fun experience as well. Read our 10 rules for booking shore excursions if youd like more insight on this topic. Just know what youre getting before you book and read those reviews thoroughly. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. Each brochure is customized to a specific itinerary and includes information on all of the available excursions.