Enjoy your port time, save some money and make this vacation a memorable one.
Think you can hop on your cruise ship without a thought and your time at shore will be taken care of? Think again. First time cruisers are often surprised to discover that port excursions are not included in their pre-purchased vacation package. Even veteran passengers sometimes miss out on port opportunities because of too little research or because they are nervous about exploring a foreign location on their own. Don't let this happen to you; follow these tips to maximize your fun at port.
Pre-Cruise Research
A little research is the first step towards an exciting vacation. This doesn't have to take a lot of effort, just a little curiosity. Start by looking up the destination of the cruise ship's excursion package. Does it appeal to your travel tastes? Also find out what other opportunities are available to tourists near the port. Are there other towns nearby? Any historic sites? Outdoor adventure opportunities, such as snorkeling, hiking or horseback riding? Is there a great local cuisine to sample, or are there noteworthy museums? Go where your interest takes you - not necessarily on the organized tour.
The internet and guidebooks are the two best tools for this type of research. If you are traveling on a well-worn path, as most cruise ships are, you will be at no loss for information if you simply google your destination, perhaps adding the type of activity you are interested in. Guide books are a good resource and may be more reliable than the internet, where it can be hard to distinguish fact from tall-tale. However, pick a guide book wisely. Lonely Planet and Let's Go are both good for those who decide to travel solo in their time at port because they are rich in practical advice. A good guide book will also help you learn the basics on the local language, something that may be important if you trek off on your own in a non-English speaking country.
Logistics
Obviously you must arrange your own guides, transportation and tickets if you chose to explore on your own. Your guide book will provide logistical advice for getting to most destinations and may be helpful in booking a guide in advance. But say you decide that the cruise ship excursion's destination sounds most exciting; should you automatically sign up? Nope, you still have options to consider.
Sometimes the cruise excursion is the right choice. If you are only at port for a very short time, if you are at port in a country where little English is spoken and you cannot get by in the local language, or if it seems in any way unsafe to venture off from the group, it may be best to take the excursion.
Often, it is best to go on your own. Cruise excursions are usually so crowded and slow that you waste time waiting for the group or get a neck ache from craning your head to hear the guide. You are less likely to experience your location authentically because, as part of the big tourristy blob, locals are less likely to interact with you. What's more, a cruise excursion is usually over-priced. Do a few of them and it will add up.
Figuring out how to get there yourself may save you big money and big headaches. Often, just grabbing a taxi will be far cheaper than the tour. You can also organize your own tour with local guides. Renting a car may be less expensive than the tour, depending on the country, and you can also enjoy exploring the local landscape with your own set of wheels. Many people are nervous about taking public transportation in a foreign country, but often it is quite easy. Be sure to read up on it in your guidebook, since protocol and efficiency of public transport differs from country to country. It shouldn't be difficult to find a method that works for you, since cruise ships ports are often major transit hubs.
What to See
You may have a few (or many!) possible port activities to pick from. Your decision will depend on your individual interests, but there are a few good rules to follow:
1. Hit the highlights. There's nothing worse than traveling all the way to Egypt and only realizing later that you forgot to see the pyramids. Make sure to see whatever it is that makes your cruise ship's destination special.
2. Ditch the tourist traps. If you are exploring town and see only fellow tourists around you, try a new neighborhood. It is far better to really see the city than to get caught up in the tourist shops.
3. Do something unique. At least once on your vacation, try to see something that nobody else in your group will see. A restaurant that caters to locals, a neighborhood that is out of the way, a country road that nobody walks down, a quirky museum that is passed over by the guidebooks - whatever your fancy. When you share stories with others who have been to the same destinations, you will always remember what made your trip unique and special.
