Shore Excursions

Going on a cruise?  Looking for a few fun/exciting shore excursions at your various stops?  Here's some good advice you can take to the bank. 

DO NOT book your shore excursions through your cruise line.  You'll pay too much...nearly every single time.

Instead, book your shore excursion in advance with Shore Excursions Group...it's easy and you'll keep more money in your pocket.  Check it out HERE.

How Much Are You Prepared To Spend?

Whatever your budget, dollar for dollar, cruising provides one of the best values for your vacation budget.   While popularly priced cruises are not technically “all-inclusive” your fare will include your traveling resort delivering you to new exotic locations daily, gourmet quality multi-course meals, some non-alcoholic beverages, room service, and a myriad of entertainment options from splashy Vegas-style production shows to piano bars and pretty much everything  in between.  

Expenses NOT typically included in the cost of your cruise are gratuities, adult beverages and soft drinks, shore excursions, specialty restaurants, casino, personal shopping expense, and ground transportation to and from the pier.  That being said, if you move into the realm of the luxury cruise, and most of these expenses (other than casino & personal shopping) will be included as well.

Theme Cruises Offer Options for All Interests

Have you ever wished for an entire week to get away from it all and focus –really focus --  on your particular hobby or special interest?   If you’ve ever wished for a serious block of ‘quality time’ to indulge your passionate pursuit, a theme cruise just could be the perfect vacation for you.

The variety of theme cruises is all but endless.  Whatever the interest, chances are that someone has planned, or is in the process of planning, a cruise event for fans and followers.  What’s more, you will find these ‘affinity groups’ on all types of cruise ships, from budget friendly lines to the most luxurious cruise ships.  Group sizes range from small & intimate with as few as a dozen staterooms to groups of several thousand involving entire ship charters.  Some currently popular cruise themes include:

Consider Carnival

In 1972, Ted Arison launched a single converted trans-Atlantic liner with the dream of making ocean cruising accessible to the average vacationer.  Their rather inauspicious start, as conveyed by one of their Business Development Managers, included the fact that Arison initially had the funds to paint only one side of the Mardi Gras -- and that they promptly ran aground on a sandbar leaving the port the morning of their first voyage.  As the saying goes, they've come a long way, Baby!   Today Carnival is the largest and most successful cruise line in history.  In 2010 Carnival hosted almost 4 million paying passengers aboard 23 ships sailing from over 20 ports throughout the world.

Cruising: is it time to move up to luxury?

Are you accustomed to cruising in suite category accommodations aboard lines such as Celebrity, Princess, and Azamara? If so, it might be time to explore the potential for upgrading to a luxury cruise for your next vacation. Depending on preferences, destination and other factors, the luxury option could prove to be the far better value and experience for your cruise vacation.

Are you a luxury cruiser?: ‘Luxury’ denotes different things to different people and not all premium cruise passengers long for a luxury cruise. If you enjoy the more upscale accommodations and service that your grand suite affords but thrive on an activity-centered onboard atmosphere complete with water parks, climbing walls, Vegas-style production shows, and huge casinos – Regent or Crystal are likely not your cup of Mariage Frères tea. On the other hand, if an intimate cruise environment featuring 5-star cuisine, personal & intuitive service, and intriguing onboard enrichment programs strikes a chord, you may be one of those cruisers ready to move a step up to that luxury product. If so, you will find your fellow travelers are generally well-traveled and sophisticated, and your itineraries likely to include intriguing, less frequented ports of call.