Are Non-Cruise Line Excursions a Smart Way To Go | A Real Look at This Option
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- Опубліковано 1 кві 2024
- Jamie from Sharon at Sea Travel talks about booking Excursions Outside the Cruise Ship!!!
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Of those passengers left in Africa, there was a paraplegic, a pregnant woman and elderly individuals with heart conditions. They also were supposed to be back by 3 at a tender port. They were in a third world country without a lot of tourist infrastructure. Those people left behind should not have been on a private excursion and if they were determined to go should not try to get back for the last tender, they should have been back 2 hours before the last tender. I'm all for private excursions, I do a mix of both. It's dependent on where I am, the conditions of the country and if English is widely spoken. I appreciate the private tours usually cost less and are in fact more private but people need to exercise common sense about their individual situations.
Thanks, great comment. There is a time and place for non cruise line excursions, and this may not have been either.
Cruising....Every day a different country, and you bring your hotel and your dining room with you.
We used Shore Excursion group on ports we've never been to, we used them in Alaska and the reposition through the Panama Canal. Plenty of time for the excursions, local companies with insurance and the back to the ship guarantee. We highly recommend them.
I am taking my 1st cruise in December with wife, son and his family (6 of us). I did alot of research and booked our excursions with companies highly recommended by UA-cam influencers. I feel confident that we will be on the right path.
Enjoy your 1st cruise. Sounds like you did your research and are ready to go...
We used Real Deal Tours in Roatan. He was incredible and adjusted the tour for us and what we wanted. They also worked with another group on our cruise to set up an excision for them. Perfection.
Great to hear!!!
Making it back to the ship on time is purely the passengers responsibility.
My hubby and I just did probably our 20ish cruise. We always book our OWN excursions. We have done some fabulous things at ports, saved a lot of money, and we’re always mindful of the time we had to get back. People are so hung up on that last part. As adults, we are in charge of ourselves. I have no regrets. Always do your due diligence on any event you book on your own. They want to make you happy! We have our own excursions booked for our fall cruise once again. Great video, enjoyed it.
We never book a cruise ship excursion.
My most memorable excursion was part of my first cruise. St Thomas. I did the Skyride to Paradise Point. Not only was St Thomas the most beautiful port in my opinion (at least thus far in my cruising career), but getting up that high made the landscape that much more beautiful. But also, under the category of no good deed goes unpunished: as my group was getting back into a gondola to descend back down to the cruise ship, I noticed that someone that had just gotten off had left their pocketbook in the gondola. A lady came sprinting around the platform as we were circling towards the far side of the platform to start going back down. I leaned out to hand it to her, and as she was taking it from my hand, the door of the gondola shut with me still leaning half way out of it. I was stuck, no, I was clamped into place. But we were still on top of the platform, a split second from beginning the descent. A couple other people inside with me had to rip the door open, and then the whole ride stopped. An employee came over and was going nuts screaming, WHAT HAPPENED?! WHAT HAPPENED?! We explained the situation, then he shut the door, re-engaged some safety latch below the gondola, and the ride started moving again.
We agree, we hired a taxi for the day and we had a great time, invited him to join us for lunch and got back to the ship in plenty of time.
The first time we went to Cozumel we took a chance and went to the taxi stand. We asked the taxi driver where to go for a relaxing beach club. He recommended Paradise Beach. Because of that experience when in Cozumel taxi to Paradise Beach is a must do.
Specific to Roatan, I’m super interested in the folks at Real Deal. I don’t normally go on private excursions. We do a little shopping or take a ship excursion. We are going back to Roatan in November and we very likely will be booking with your friend there. Thanks! Sounds like a great idea.
We have done many of your ideas. Worked like a charm! 🖖
Agree with you. My exception is when I cruise solo. I don't want to be left behind by myself. Way out of my comfort zone.🥴
I agree 100% with Jamie. We cruise a lot. In the beginning we only booked ship excursions but for the last 15 years we book our own. I think we have a better time for a better value. It is not for everyone if you are scared you will miss the ship and you will worry about it all day book with the ship. We are comfortable enough now that for instance when we go to St. Thomas, we take a ferry to another island St. John and spend our day there. Life’s an adventure and I live it that way.
Love this post! We don't like to go with the standard sights that are focused on by many of the options offered by the cruise lines. If it's something like the Eiffel tower that really, I can see in books and on tv, I don't need to stand in front of it. Our idea of what to see in many of those locations. I would much rather take a cab to the areas we want to see or find local toue guides to take me to see their country or city. Thanks for boosting the other options for cruisers
I am ALWAYS back aboard at least one hour before sailing.
We used AAA for a excursion one of our first years and can’t believe we didn’t realize we could miss the ship.
We better shoot Sharon an email, she is pointing that finger and giving us a face!!!🤣😂 Very well said! I knew most of that due to the fact that I ve seen 99.7% of your channel! Lol Never a dull moment. So awesome!! Keep it coming!!!
Thanks Jamie, great advice. We will definitely look at your friend in Roatan.
Thanks Jamie great advice. We have used Johan before and it was great.
The timing of this video is........... interesting.... Especially given the news that NCL "abandoned" 8 passengers due to them being late and on a private tour. I have no issues of doing your own thing in port, but jebus make sure you leave plenty of time to get back to the ship ON TIME.
Good show last night 🎉
I would consider booking an excursion outside the cruise line. if I was on a small island like Cozumel.
Some of my best times in port have been venturing just past the hub bub of people selling things and finding a local cab and haggling for a personal tour. Bermuda is an ideal place if you have an overnight. If you have a group of six or eight, seek out an gentleman in Bermuda shorts near his van. He'll charge an hourly rate and give you an excellent personal tour that will be far cheaper and better pp than a cruise tour, he'll gladly stop as long as you want when you want (you'll still be on the clock of course) and show you things you won't see on a bus tour. In Lisbon, the subway is not far from the port and can take you many places which can also be walked to if you're fit. Overnight in Amsterdam, in the city, you can walk back from the city, might be a good walk but not a disaster. Sydney, great public transit. On and on. I have quite a collection of subway cards now. It is getting so you can really just use Apple pay many places.
Apple pay?? I don't even know what that is??
Do you have an iPhone? Basically they have their own credit card (Goldman Sacks) and you can add your other cards to your Apple wallet. Crazy easy. Travel abroad and make a purchase in a foreign currency, you'll know what the conversion to US dollars was on your phone in seconds if you have phone service. Pretty much any payment outlet that lets you "wave" your credit card lets you wave your phone and you can pick which of your cards you want to use. If you use the Apple card, you get 2% cash back that can go into a savings account earning over 4% interest. No CC number to steal, I have no idea what mine is, no statement, I pay it via the phone linked to my bank account. A few states let you store your DL. Works in most countries I've been in lately. I was skeptical at first but love it now. Use face ID or have a solid PIN and I think it is more secure than a wallet full of credit cards. A search on UA-cam will flood your brain with info. @@tduck828
Great video ❤❤❤❤
My mom and I are going on our first cruise in February. I'm renting a car in Curacao so we can go to the western side of the island for a massage at the beach. My mom is in her 80's and I will be 60. I've booked our other excursions outside the cruise line, it's much cheaper and I love to do research so it's been fun. Can't wait for the trip.
Rule of thumb when booking excursions ship or independent is make sure your return time is much earlier then the ship is to depart/boarding time. i book thru cruise ship when return time is close to boarding and book private when there is lots of time for incidentals that might happen. we have also rented our own car and did our own thing. we just made sure we were back in plenty of time to reboard.
I can't believe that people would get so mad at you about the little ducks. You have great videos, don't listen to those snowflakes. The littlest things will trigger them
Thank you....
People who share ducks are not snowflakes...cruising used to be filled with happier people... not name callers.
Thank you
I'm going on the Carnival Jubilee on April 20th and I have booked a couple independent excursions and 1 through the cruise ship. I enjoyed your video.
Thanks Judith!!!
We are going on a eastern Caribbean cruise in May. We looked at independent excursions and cruise line excursions. For similar excursions, all the cruise line excursions were slightly less costly. We were surprised. You should always check both.
Hey, Jamie, very good video. I've been cruising for a number of years and for the past 10 years. I have cruise and did excursions with outside dealers and things. I've done on my own. Where I researched and found public transportation in the port that I was in and I made sure I left with more than 2 hours to get back to the ship so far no problems. I have used resorts for a day.Short excursions for a day with some pick you up.Or you have to take a cap on your own which was pretty good.
Things happen save now pay later.
Private excursions are the only way to go. I have taken private excursions from France, Iceland, St. Petersburg, Russia...all over the world! You WILL NOT see everything from a ship excursion-big bus cattle call than you will in a private car or van.
Good Morning Jamie
Good morning!
I have been on an excursion with Real Deal Roatan and it was awesome
Mark of Marks Tours in Jamica is great.
Honestly, I’ve never had a good tour through the cruiseline. Best have been private. I’ve only had one disappointing private excursion and another person organized that.
Interesting timing for this video, in light of that highly publicized recent fiasco with the group that missed their departure in South Africa, 😊. That was a total hot mess, but the cruisers made some serious mistakes. EDITED TO ADD: I just read that NCL is going to reimburse them for that portion of their travel expenses from the next port in Gambia (where the ship could not dock due to low tides) to the next one that in Senegal. The expenses they incurred getting to Gambia are not being reimbursed, of course.
That is for sure....That's why we tell people to do your research. It's unfortunate but they should have known the time of the last tender before getting off the ship.
👍!
I only do a cruiseline excursion if the trip is a long commute or unsafe area.
Same!!
Visiting Alaska in May. I would like to know a lot more about that Bonfire Bay tour. Their website doesn't seem to want to speak of pricing.
Insert obligatory nasty comment about how triggered I am here. ;) We usually will only do one excursion per cruise if at all. Personally, I enjoy being on the ship in port unless there is something specific we are going to do.
LOL
We thought those who ran to the ship were practicing for a marathon so we cheer them on like we do for a track event. I guess we were wrong. Should we not cheer anymore? 😉😉
There are a few ports that you will always see pier runners but this is due to their own negligence.
Hi. Are you following the folks in Africa??
Yes, it's unfortunate. We don't know all of the details but from what we read, sounds like the tour company did not have a back to ship guarantee. Looks like NCL is going to help out and reimburse some of their costs to catch back up with the ship, which is pretty nice of them.
@@SharonatSeaTravel and then they pass that cost onto everyone else that cruises ! That's BS
They are reimbursing from yesterday till today. Read the full article or just watch, island time or just don.......
I think that's what "some" means JuanCarlo..and for the record, we get our news from the same places that the other channels you mentioned do.
My friends and I don’t do excursions every time we go no a cruise and we have been on 7 and next year will be 8
Maybe one day. I am too inexperienced at cruising. Scheduled for my third cruise in June (from Galveston to Cozumel and Progress). There others were a local cruise (from LA) and Alaska. But this is my FIRST time in that part of Mexico. I am not comfortable yet with going on my own. I could see that if I went somewhere a few times and have the lay of the land. I have purchased one cruise line excursion (most of the day), but will walk around Progresso on my own that day and be back at the ship 2-3 hours or more before departure time. Too many horror stories listening to cruise content creators to do it another way. But thanks for your advice. It has a point for the experienced traveler. BTW, we get insurance when we book our cruise. In a sense, at least part of the higher price of a guaranteed excursion is the same as insurance (they will pay if there is a problem).
Thanks for the comment Thomas..good plan, as you get more familiar with cruising, or at lease a certain port, then maybe try having a go on your own.
Btw. My first cruise was local. Out of Los Angeles area on Carnival. 4 day cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada.
I am familiar with Catalina island and booked our own excursion. It was my best trip to that island taking us places others could not go. With familiarity I can relate to what you said.
I have booked outside of the cruise lines for excursions, but I'm also very careful. Look at the eight out of Africa, who miss getting back on the ship…
They sure did time that well to go with the video!!! lol Thanks for watching Bill!!!
Any suggestions for tours at the ABC islands? We are sailing on the Horizon May 11th. Only our second cruise so we really are newbies 😂
ISLANND B the salt flats
Second cruise and first time to these ports, look at the cruise ship excursions first, then look at Shoreexcursioneer.com for ideas on what to do in each port. Also, join a Facebook group for that cruise to see if folks are chatting about what they might be doing.
Thanks so much!! Getting so excited. Cruising has been the best for me and hubby of 35 years. If I would have known how much more I liked him when we cruise, we'd cruise 24/7!!
I wonder what the 8 passengers stuck in Africa think about that now.. would have been way less through the cruise line
Well, the news this morning is that they reboarded the ship yesterday. If they used a company with a back to the ship guarantee, they would not have had to do everything themselves.
So why do some people miss the ship?. I just don't want the stress. I always our cruise excerdions from the cruise ships.
On very rare occasions, people do miss the ship, like the people in the news right now that missed it in Africa, but those cases are very rare. If the Cruise Line excursions work for you, then by all means, stay with them and enjoy. Thanks for watching, Larry!!!
Except for SaonTome & Principe !!
Well, if you are going to Africa and have a tender port, you might want to do a little extra research, that's for sure! Thanks for watching Steve!!!
Viator double billed us. They dropped us off a block away from the hotel. I had a wheelchair person, a scooter and all of our luggage to move to the hotel. They were mad at how long it took us for customs in Sydney. I called and they said they had been there already.
Unfortunately Jamie the Norwegian Dawn did not wait even though I believe the fair and decent thing to do by their paying passengers was to wait and to in some way facilitate their safe return to the ship ; because of this incident I’ll never book a private tour ( apart from maybe an overnight port ) it’s just too risky regardless of how rare being left at port may be.
David Young 39 Brisbane Australia.
They don't wait bc they get fined. Be on time and you won't have that problem.
If you book outside the Cruiseline for an Excursion you best be prepared if you miss your Ship !
Oh no poor Cruisers, if you can aford the entire Trip don't Start it !
Cruise ship excursions are usually for people who are; rich, love being with crowds, or are very fearful.
Really ask those poor people in Africa! Save a buck then it will cost you thousands. Kinda like insurance they we are told we have to have.
DUCKS...
I am surprised by your stance. The ducks don't really hurt anyone. Doesn't ruining my cruise so if it makes a small child happy that couldn't care less about a dollar bill so be it
That's exactly why our video states to do the research and book with a company with a back to ship guarantee. If this company had that, the tour company would be making all the arrangements to meet back with the ship. They were in an extremely unfamiliar place plus it was a tender port, which is much different that just docking at a regular port. As for the insurance, if they have the right coverage, it will reimburse them when they get home.
I guess you guys travel without insurance.
Actually, we do travel with travel insurance.
@@SharonatSeaTravel so excursions from a ship are insuring you to get back on board.
No, but in the event of an emergency, the Insurance might help to recover any lost expenses depending on the situation.
Jamie, this is all well and good, but what about the poor travelers who just got back from an outsider tour company excursion to catch the tender back to their cruise ship, but missed it due to their independent company having delays? They got no help and were stranded for days on a small African island. They had to spend over $5,000 before being able to reboard their ship.
This was very unfortunate, although it doesn't sound like they did their research before booking an outside tour. They should have known the time of the last tender before getting off the ship and when booking outside tours, the most important thing is to make sure they have a back to the ship guarantee. It was an isolated incident that rarely happens. It sounds like NCL is reimbursing them for their flights to meet back up with the ship.
@@SharonatSeaTravel Thanks, Sharon! What I don’t understand is why, when an NCL tender came to deliver to them their passports, he couldn’t just take the group back with him to their ship.
It's just worrisome that you may get left like that couple did in South Africa
That was an unfortunate and rare incident. The company they used obviously did not have a back to the ship guarantee which is always something you want to have when booking with an outside company. That is why research is so important.
With these 8 people everyone should learn, only do ship excursions, save 40 dollars to spend thousands that makes alot of sense. Huge mistake. Doing a non ship excursion is just as bad as traveling without travel insurance. Bad bad idea.
Jamie, while I agree with you but your timing is bad. What about all of those people that NCL stranded in Africa. NCL repeatedly made it hard for those people.
Its unfortunate but yes it happens, it was an extreme case(Africa) it was a tender port, they were late and they obviously used a company without a back to ship guarantee or else the company would have made all the arrangements for them.
Aren't you the guy that launched a vendetta against the cute little ducks? Now you're going to poo-poo on ship excursions right after 8 people got stranded in Africa by NCL? Are you trying to rile up the haters again? Didn't you learn anything after the duck video?
Asking for a friend
Not so much a vendetta as an alternative, more eco-friendly, suggestion. lol The timing of those people was a bit suspect, it's like the did it just to spite us!!!
@@SharonatSeaTravel I shared your response with my friends at The Firm. Atta wasn't buying it, and said that the ducks deserve compensation. He filed a class action lawsuit in the Cruise Court. Judge Doodles, a known duck sympathizer, has already levied multiple gag orders against SAST and her subsidiaries. Pearlman showed me her new golf clubs and then went out back to re-seed her lawn.