There’s one moment every cruiser dreads.
You’ve found the perfect shore excursion. Maybe it’s swimming beneath a Fijian waterfall, horse riding along a beach in Vanuatu or exploring ancient ruins in Europe.
You click “Book Now” on the cruise app and nearly choke on your cocktail.
How can a tour cost $350 per person when the same excursion appears online for half the price?
It’s a fair question and one I hear all the time.
After more than 250 shore excursions around the world, I’ve learnt that cruise lines charge a premium. But does that mean you’re being ripped off?
The cruise line mark-up is real
Let’s break it down – for the newbies and the seasoned cruisers.
Cruise lines make money from shore excursions.
It’s no different than selling drink packages, Wi-Fi and specialty dining. Excursions are a lucrative part of the cruise business. Cruise lines do the leg work and research so you, the cruiser, don’t have to.
They contract local operators, negotiate rates, package the experience and add their own margin before selling it to guests.
However, there is no set mark-up and, like everything else in this world, if something is popular, it’s going to be more expensive.
From the hundreds of excursions I’ve done, the price can be reasonable, but other times it’s eye-watering. Especially if you are travelling with a family, the costs quickly add up.
I’ve looked up identical tours while sitting onboard and found them selling direct from a third party, such as shoreexcursions.com or local operators for considerably less.
The downside is that you can literally miss the boat if you trust the wrong operator.
What are you paying for?
Despite the higher price tag, you’re buying more than just the excursion.
You’re paying for logistics, customer support and, perhaps most importantly, insurance against the one thing every cruiser fears (as I mentioned above)…missing the ship!
If your cruise-organised tour is delayed because of traffic, mechanical problems or bad weather, the ship knows exactly where you are. In most cases, it will wait or make alternative arrangements.
That’s a level of protection you simply don’t get when booking independently.
When I visited Egypt and travelled several hours from the ship to the Pyramids of Giza, I didn’t spend the day anxiously watching the clock. I knew the cruise line had coordinated every part of the excursion.
The police-escorted coach transported me from Alexandria as we couldn’t dock in Cairo, we had a security guard on board (who doubled-up as my personal photographer) and a reputable tour guide who haggled with the most notorious rip-off artists in the world – AKA Egyptian tour guides – and ensured I had my camel ride for the local price.
That peace of mind is difficult to put a dollar figure on. More so if you’re travelling solo and you’re a woman (I hated writing that last word, but unfortunately it’s the truth).
The South Pacific cruise that changed my mind
On my most recent cruise through the South Pacific I thought I’d do a mix of both – just to test it out. I booked a combination of shore excursions and some directly with local tour operators.
The ship-bought excursion in Port Vila – horseback riding on the beach – was everything I thought it would be. The tour was $US150 and I paid using the onboard credit the ship had generously given me.
I could not fault the excursion, the guides nor the transportation. My only feedback was that it was shorter than I thought it would be, but other than that, no complaints.
After chatting to the tour operator – who was so professional and friendly – I found out that there were longer options, with some including lunch.
Back on board, I jumped on their website and, lo and behold, a much longer tour and BBQ lunch was $AU165. However, this price did not include transfers.
Now was the mark up worth it? In my opinion, in this case, yes. It was my first time in Port Vila, the horse riding was at Etmat Bay (a good 30min drive) and the peace of mind of being returned to the ship in time was worth the extra money.
However, if I was ever to return, I would definitely look at booking a private driver and the shore excursion directly.
Now let’s talk about Fiji, one of my favourite places on earth. As I was more comfortable with Fiji having visited many time, I thought I’d use a local tour operator.
Rosie Holidays is well known, professional, have modern vehicles and KNOW Fiji, so I left my shore excursions and transfers in their very capable hands.
Every excursion was spectacular and seamless.
In Savusavu I finally ticked off a lifelong dream of swimming beneath a waterfall. In Suva, I found myself bouncing through the rapids of the Navua River in a traditional longboat before reaching another spectacular waterfall hidden deep within the rainforest.
And then on disembarkation in Lautoka, I entrusted Rosie Holidays to not only organise my transfers but also day trips during my stay.
From hotel pick-ups to exclusive village tours and a personal, guided visit of the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, every experience was perfect. I was even gifted a beautiful sulu.
What I loved about booking with a local operator was that I knew I was supporting the locals.
Booking directly often means more of your money stays in the destination rather than passing through a multinational cruise company.
Many independent tour companies are family businesses employing local guides, drivers and hospitality staff. This makes me feel good.
Buyer beware
Not every independent tour is a bargain.
Before booking, ask yourself:
- Does the company have recent, genuine reviews?
• Are entry fees included?
• What’s the cancellation policy?
• How far is the attraction from the port?
• Have they worked with cruise passengers before?
• Most importantly, will you comfortably make it back before all aboard?
The choice is yours
Here are my Honey Tips to help you make up your mind. I love a pro/con list..
- If the destination is a long way from port, the logistics are complicated or it’s somewhere you’ve always dreamed of visiting, pay extra for the cruise line’s organisation and protection. Also check if it’s a weekend/public holiday.
- If it’s a port you’ve researched thoroughly, the attraction is close by and you’ve found an outstanding local operator, book independently and happily support a local business instead.
- Don’t choose based purely on price, rather on value.
The real cost isn’t the extra $100 you might pay for a cruise line excursion.
It’s standing on the dock watching your ship disappear over the horizon because you tried to save it.
