Shore Excursions: Ship Sponsored or Independent?

There are basically two ways to book a shore excursion:  through the cruise line or independently.  This can be a difficult decision for some people (especially first time cruisers), so I am going to try to break it down for you and list the facts, pros and cons of each.  I have done it both ways and here is what I have learned:

Booking through Disney Cruise Line

Facts:

• You reserve your “port adventure”, as DCL calls them, online through your DCL account when your booking window opens.  You can also book them on the ship at the Port Adventures desk, but selection will most likely be limited by that time.
• The cost is charged to your on board account, so you don’t pay for it until you are on the ship.
• You can cancel any excursions you have booked up to 3 days before you set sail at no charge.

Pros:

• Peace of mind that DCL has done all of the planning for you (including transportation to/from the port adventure).
• These excursions are vetted in advance and have been determined by Disney Cruise Line to have acceptable levels of service and quality.
• If the ship can’t dock at the port for any reason or in the case of a last minute itinerary change, DCL automatically refunds your money to your on board account.  There is no work on your end to cancel.
• If, after your excursion, you are unhappy with it or have complaints then you have some recourse and can convey your complaints to the Port Adventures staff.  You may receive a partial or full refund, or some other compensation, if DCL deems your complaints to be legitimate deficiencies in the service you received.
• If you are late getting back to the ship, the ship will almost always wait for you.  If for some reason they absolutely cannot wait for you and must leave, then DCL will leave a representative on the ground, make the arrangements, and pay the costs for you to meet the ship at the next port.

Cons:

• They almost always cost more money than doing the same thing on your own.
• They can be crowded.  You are usually in a large group of people so you may have the feeling that you are being “herded” around and it takes longer to get from point A to point B.  You will most likely have to do quite a bit of waiting around, especially at the beginning, and children sometimes have trouble with this.
• The minimum age requirements set by DCL are almost always higher than doing the same thing on your own.  Sometimes the place you are going does not even have a minimum age requirement, but DCL usually sets one anyway, and they strictly enforce it.
• The timing is less flexible.  You have to pick a start time from the choices set by DCL.

 

Booking Independently

Facts:

• You book your excursion directly through a tour operator via email or phone.
• Some tour operators require a deposit to be paid (via PayPal or credit card) at the time of booking with the balance due on the day of the excursion.  Others require payment in full on the day of the excursion (usually via credit card but sometimes cash).
• Cancellation policies vary by tour operator.  I suggest you check this carefully and get it in writing.

Pros:

• It is usually cheaper than doing the exact same thing through DCL.
• You are usually in a small group of people or even with just your own group/family.  Thus, it is a more personalized experience with less waiting.
• The minimum age requirements (if any) are almost always lower than DCL.
• You can often be more flexible with the start & ending times of your excursion since you are negotiating directly with the tour operator.

Cons:

• You may need to arrange your own transportation (usually a taxi) to and from the tour operator’s site if they do not provide it for you (some do, some don’t).
• If the ship can’t dock at the port for any reason or in the case of a last minute itinerary change, the tour operator may or may not refund your deposit (if you paid one).  Be sure to check their policy on this before booking.
• If, after your excursion, you are unhappy with it or have complaints then the only thing you can do is contact the tour operator when you get home.  Any type of refund or compensation is unlikely.
• If you are late getting back to the ship, the ship may or may not wait for you, depending on the circumstances.  If the ship leaves without you, you are responsible for arranging and paying for your transportation to the next port.

 

Those are my basic thoughts regarding booking excursions.  Like I said, I have done it both ways and have experienced some of the pros and cons with both methods.  I usually book independently mostly because of the flexibility to do exactly what I want to do, when I want to do it.

If you would like to read about some of our shore excursions, you can do that by clicking here.

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