> Cruising Questions & Advice > Top tips > ship excursions

If you miss the boat you will need to find the port agent they will organize catch up
You will organize payment
The cost makes an excursion seem cheap

Having cruised for the last 6 years & mostly taken ships tours, we decided to 'go it alone' from the Queen Victoria when we docked in Izmia last year - what a mistake that was. The taxi driver appeared to give us a really good deal for a morning tour, however, whilst taking us to the agreed sites, he only allowed us 20 mins at each & then on the return, refused to take us back to the ship & dropped us 1 mile away at a market! Having recently recovered from knee surgery, this was a disaster re walking so far.... in future we'll stick to the ship tours - at least you can guarantee safety and usually value for money.

Thankyou all for your good Advice. Decided to stick to the ships tours if we go on any

I would always recommend the newcomer to cruising to play safe and go with the cruise tours, but for me the very thought of queuing up at various stops to get on and off a coach fills me with horror.
It’s not just the cost, it’s the sheer freedom of DIY that overrides any financial savings.

I know for many the thought of missing the ship would be too much to bear but I have yet to get close that situation in 65+ cruises, the times I have been on a train returning to the ship and half the damn crew are on the same train! As for the cost of missing the ship and having to make your way to the next port, I reckon I can save a good couple of hundred quid on every cruise by DIY, enough to cover the cost of a flight, train etc. should I be standing dockside as the ship departs.

One trip that stands out in recent years was Alexandria to the Pyramids by taxi, a DIY trip that strikes fear in the hearts of many. We got a driver who spoke excellent English, stopped for refreshments on the road to Cairo, done the museums that the tour done, were able to drive to each of the Pyramids saving time and money, went to a proper local restaurant for a great meal, the tour bus went to a hotel, no thanks, stopped at a local shopping mall on the way back into Alex, beat the tour buses home by hours, did everything they did and more, got onboard for our evening meal, got back off again to do some portside shopping. Why do people make such a big deal of this particular trip?

As I’ve said before I wouldn’t want to do the cruise tours if they were free, but everyone to their own.

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Wilba

Wilba - As always, an interesting reply and a good story. Think most people would like to try DIY but lack the confidence. Your amazing 65+ cruises must give you all the confidence needed
to cope with any situation that might arise.
Cheers
Mal

Hi!, I don't think the 65+ bears much relevance as we stopped doing cruise tours after the first or second cruise. When you consider all the cruise ships across the world there must be tens of thousands of people doing their own thing every year.

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Wilba

I agree, it is so much easier to book the ship's tours. We choose ours carefully, only taking a tour if we have been to the port before and there's nothing we want to see, or if the only alternative is an organised trip e.g St Petersburg. We have never been disappointed in a trip and found the full day to Peterhof with city tour and lunch in an old Palace hotel to be good value.

Two of mine that particularly stand out were Nanking and then Sharm el Sheik. At the former we had had to sign a disclaimer in order to go on our own. Great day out and saw everything we particularly wanted. The 6 mile trishaw ride back to the jetty was interesting to say the least, particularly as I was navigating with a tourist sketch map and the pedalman, at least 65 years old, spoke no English. The gangway had gone when we arrived at the jetty and a substitute was quickly found by commandeering a plank of wood. Royal Naval experience saved the day.

We have not done that many cruises but rarely go on the ships tours, the number of times we have seen a snake of cruise passengers being marched through a town while we are sitting down with a coffee only re enforces my feeling that I prefer to go it alone. I accept that sometimes tours are the sensible option and you do get guides who can enhance the experience but we do some research before we go and if it is a port that is nice and handy for the ship then what can go wrong! I am fanatical about getting back to the ship with plenty of time to spare and touch wood so far so good..Carol

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