When I booked my first cruise in years, I was overwhelmed with all the choices to make, before I even got to making decisions about which, if any, shore excursions to take. And, as anyone who has been on a cruise can attest to, the excursions you book through the trip are mighty expensive. I was concerned that all I had budgeted for my trip would not allow me to purchase any shore excursions.
Cruise lines have gotten savvy at ways to make you spend more. From drink packages, specialty dining and spa services, shore excursions are yet another way cruise lines try to get you to spend more with them.
Taking a look at the shore excursions for my Greece and Croatia cruise offered by my cruise line, I saw that none were under $100, with an average cost being about $150 per person. That meant if we even did two excursions during our cruise we would be on the hook for another $600, which seemed pretty expensive. If we did one per port, that would be about $1200!
Of course, the other option is booking tours through a third party, which is substantially cheaper. The only caveat being they cannot guarantee you will get back to your ship on time, leaving you vulnerable to being left behind as your ship sails off without you. Then you are left with the stress of getting to your next port.
As my search was continuing, I found a site called Shore Excursions Group. They were a fraction of the price of my cruise excursions and the best part was the guarantee that if you don’t get back to your ship on time they will pay the cost to get you to the next port. I also loved how you can search exactly by cruise and dates. They match your cruise dates and ports so you can clearly see they are on top of arrivals and departures.
I was emailed my tickets and was provided clear instructions on where to meet for pickups. But it is relatively easy as most excursions are just steps away from your ship. And operators are clearly marked. At other times they had a sign with my name to find me. Couldn’t have been more stress free.
5 Reasons Why Shore Excursions Group Is the Best Hack for Booking Cruise Excursions
1. Their Get-Back-to-Your-Ship Guarantee Ok, maybe that’s not the correct name, but you get the point. This tour group promises to get you back to your ship on time or they will refund the money of the excursion and pay to get you to your next destination.
2. More Affordable Than Cruise Lines Their excursions are much lower vs booking directly with a cruise line. This cost-saving option gives travelers more value for their money without sacrificing quality. Oftentimes, it is the SAME tour the cruise would book. This happened with our Blue Bay Tour.
3. Smaller Group Sizes When I saw the crowds from our ship lining up for the excursion I was so thrilled I didn’t book through the cruise. Our tours were much smaller in size, allowing for better picture taking. Unlike cruise line excursions that can feel crowded, Shore Excursions Group focuses on smaller group sizes, ensuring a more intimate and personalized experience at each destination. They even have the option for private tours if you want. We did a private safari in Athens and it was terrific.
4. Flexibility in Itineraries Shore Excursions Group provides flexible itineraries, including options that cater to different fitness levels and preferences. Whether you’re seeking a leisurely day or an adrenaline-pumping adventure, you’ll find something tailored to your needs. As I was looking through the options, each port had about 7 to 10 different options.
5. Customer Support They have a reputation for excellent customer service and transparent reviews, making it easier to find the best excursion. Their support team is readily available to assist if plans change or issues arise. I know because I had to call them about one excursion.
We had booked a tour to visit the Blue Bay in Kotor. It is the one excursion that I didn’t want to miss. It started at 6 pm and was to be back at 7 pm. However, our ship said it would leave at 7, so I asked the tour operator for their advice, which was to skip the tour and go back to the ship. My heart sank. However, I called Shore Excursions and got someone right away. I told her my situation and after a brief hold, she confidently told me to take the tour and guaranteed we’d be back on time. I thought it would be a good way to test their guarantee. Either way, we were safe: either we would get back to the ship on time OR they would get us to the next port safely. Spoiler Alert: we got back in time and our ship had mistakenly said we were leaving at 30 minutes early so we ended up having plenty of time to get back.
Overall, Shore Excursions Group will be my go-to for cruising shore excursions. Saving me money and being a seamless, stress-free cruise experience, I’m so thankful I found them!
