5 cruise ship shore excursions I tried and instantly regretted

[@michelleridgway7452]

We've been on over 80 cruises, and are Diamond Plus with Royal Caribbean. Due to my disability, we create our own shore excursions. We get a private taxi, so I can transfer out of my scooter chair and my husband can place the chair in the trunk. Then, we head to a 4 or 5 star hotel, preferably one that allows a day pass. There's usually very few guests and we enjoy the infinity pools and private beaches practically to ourselves. We pack snorkel gear for hubby and an inner tube for me!

[@vickyburton2434]

Have you ever had trouble getting back to the ship on time?

[@michelleridgway7452]

@@vickyburton2434 We set our phones. Since we're in our 60s, we always get back on an hour early. Ask your taxi driver for the exact time it takes to get to your destinations. We tip them well when they follow through. We've always planned our itinerary and get back to the ship early. Best wishes!🛳⚓️🚢

[@ashleynbjohnson7623]

Love this idea my hubby wears 2 prosthetics and this is an excellent idea

[@scottsmith7203]

YOUR POST IS LIKE AN UNSHARPENED PENCIL.... NO POINT!!!! BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME, GIRLFRIEND!!!!

[@sdmakeupandentertainment]

Good idea because I needed to take my wheelchair on an excursion in the Bahamas and one of the guys on the boat broke something on the side of my wheelchair while trying to fold it. I almost booked a private excursion last time but we didn't wanna pay $499.00 plus have to pay for our food, drinks, and anything else. They only cover our driver. I'm sorry but for that price they could at least give you vouchers for lunch or a drink. I was able to find an excursion I could go on that said "mild activity" so I went without my wheelchair this last time. My only complaint is that it was actually moderate activity and even my mom was having trouble with the standing and walking. If it says short distance it should be short. Having to walk several blocks several times over 4 hours is not minimal. They need to add more excursions for people who just want a relaxing day at the beach or 0 physical activity.

[@sdmakeupandentertainment]

I want an excursion where you get off ship, go directly to beach, are served lunch and drinks under your own umbrella and someone is playing music right there. No walking around, no standing. Hang out maybe 3 hours to 4 hours. Then you get picked up and get taken back to ship. The end. Oh dare to dream. Lol

[@dawnpowers7626]

I took a cruise to Bermuda with my daughter this past June. We took an evening tour on a "glass bottomed boat" to see the most northern coral reef. Not colorful, saw just grey fish. We also saw the tip of ONE shipwreck. The best part of the tour was seeing Norwegian Pearl lit up at night from the boat, but it was not worth the cost. The BEST excursion we took was a 5 hour tour of the island and it was because of our tour guide (whose name I can no longer remember). We were the last bus to leave the ship and he decided to do the tour in reverse, so NONE of the places we went to were crowded with other bus loads of people. Brilliant move on his part.

[@talon310calif]

None of the aruba shore excursions were appealing to us so we decided to visit the town on our own. However when getting off the ship, a lady caught our attention and told us she could give us an island tour. I know total crapshoot and could have gone really wrong. Instead it was an awesome tour and at end of tour she dropped us off at a great beach. She told us which bus to take back to the port. It all worked out great at half the cost of a cruise backed tour. I don't recommend this for everyone. For some overpaying for a sure tour is a better way to go.

[@ModernMyths]

After all the cruises I've been to. I have to say I have 3 that I was upset with. 1. Alaska Gold Panning. I did a tour in Skagway that did a train ride through the mountains, dog sledding, and gold panning. The Train Ride was amazing, the Dog Sledding was ok. But the Gold Panning was HORRIBLE! 1st beware the words "Everyone Guaranteed Gold". Pretty much they give you pans with dirt already in it. Then, after you shift through it and get 1 or 2 specks. That's it. You can't try again or try at the side of the river or anything. It was an hour long scheduled for it and everyone got done in 5 minutes. I did a couple others that let you do more. I just felt incredibly ripped off. 2. Falmouth Jamaica Waterfall climb. I did a Spelunking and Waterfall climb in Jamaica that made me feel disappointed. The spelunking was amazing but the waterfall was sad. Like your experiences Matt, it was just so overcrowded. Worse we had to climb the waterfall holding hands with everyone in a line up it. It felt like a preschool field trip then a shore excursion. Worse, we couldn't really enjoy the waterfalls themselves with 20 or 30 other tours doing the same thing. 3. St Maarten Dolphin experience. This one I have to say was the saddest and cruelest excursion I've ever seen and I'm so glad that I' didn't see it being advertised anymore the next few times I went there. I've one of those dolphin excursions where you meet the dolphins and interact with them and stuff. And on this one I went with my parents. We took an hour long boat ride to it (in super rough waters that EVERYONE got sick on). Then when we got there...... The best way I can describe it was that it was like a dog kennel. It was a literal square of chain link fence by the shore. Their noses were all cut up from them and it just felt so horrible. I still upset about it all after so many years. Then after that, we had to take the hour long trip back to the boat in the same rough waters that everyone got even more sick on.... Like I said, I'm so glad they stopped that shore excursion

[@daniellemaddie1921]

I just got back from a royal Caribbean cruise last week and as someone who was raised on a non touristy island in the Bahamas I was very frustrated with these shore excursions on all the southern Caribbean islands we visited. They were all tacky and didn’t give us an authentic experience of each island. For the prices we paid it wasn’t worth it. I guess because I’m used to residential Bahamas this why I don’t appreciate these excursions as much but either way I think anyone can agree that on these touristy excursions you don’t get a good feel for the places. With all that to say, I’d recommend just finding a taxi driver to drive you around to where you want to go and some quieter areas as well. We did this a few days on the cruise and not only did we see a lot more, it was also a lot cheaper as well.

[@E1234]

Can you recommend a nice quiet beach?

[@E1234]

Are taxis pretty close to port?

[@mercyrodriguez5780]

To go on a pool, we rather stay on the ship, I’ll go to the beach, we have been cruising since 1986, have visited every island in the Caribbean, one of the best excursions we took, was in Falmouth, we were on Princess, they took us to an old Estate up on top of a mountain, it had been the home of the old founders of the island, it is a museum now, we stood on a terrace and it was so high that we could see the curve of the earth, it was breath taking.

[@rodneyelylesrealestate]

Our worst excursion ever was horseback riding in Jamaica. It looked great, riding through clear blue water. It was actually a dangerous ride through an unattractive area of beach with horse poop all around us! I had not anticipated swimming through horse poop on horseback. The guides were pushy for tips and the whole experience was just awful!

[@Severine1020]

We went to Falmouth in March 2023 on the Odyssey. We did the River Rafting tour. We had ages 10 thru 70 and we all loved the tour. Also enjoyed the lunch and pool at Good Hope Estate after the rafting tour.

[@kevintemerowski5271]

Mr.Sanchos is fantastic. Been there twice, never an issue.

[@kendeas3697]

Spot on with Walt Disney/Universal. There’s no way to enjoy what those parks offer in such little time.

[@HercadosP]

I really wonder why people even do that "shore excursion"

[@sdmakeupandentertainment]

There's no way to enjoy it even get your money's worth if you're not on a cruise with the overcrowded lines and lack of fast passes and accommodation. I would never try that.

[@XxXxXOzoneXxXxX]

@@sdmakeupandentertainment Disney in a whole is terrible now,

[@bryantsteury8910]

We live in Tampa and the only way it was remotely worth the time/cost was annual passes where we could go on days we wanted (read: sick days during the week) and take one park a day to make sure we saw everything. Trying to do everything in one week or god forbid a long weekend is undoable

[@kmcbride2988]

Thanks for the video. Have you ever gone to Progresso? Any opinions?

[@JessieGerhardt]

I was recently on Harmony (Sept 25 - Oct 2) that had a Falmouth, Jamaica stop. I chose the Accessible Ocho Rios to Konoko Falls because I read that it was not as overcrowded as Dunn's. I think two tour buses of about 16 people each ended up going - so it was not crowded at all! Yes, it was an hour ride there but the amazing tour guide talked the entire way about the fascinating history, culture, religion, economy, etc of Jamaica. The sights along the way were absolutely stunning. Once there, we had a short walk through the rain forest with a guide that showed us different plants, followed by a small zoo of native animals, and then a climb up some absolutely gorgeous falls. On the way back, we stopped for lunch with a choice of jerk pork or chicken (both were good!) then shopped at a local souvenir shop that also served rum, punch and coffee samples. Jamaica was the hands down highlight of an absolutely wonderful cruise and I highly recommend this excursion.

[@wickedlady4180]

>"Accessible excursion" >gets excited >"walk through the rainforest" >nice...lied to again

[@michelleridgway7452]

We've been on over 80 cruises. I am an incomplete quadriplegic in a scooter chair. Most buses won't take my scooter chair. Then, I have no way to ascend the bus stairs. I also am unable to scooter around the rain forest, nor the rocks near the waterfall. I usually read the excursion description, and based on that, as well other research, can determine if an excursion is truly accessible.

[@wickedlady4180]

@@michelleridgway7452 I'm not in a wheelchair/scooter (yet, but likely soon), but need a walker to get around. I dream about cruising but am really concerned about not even being able to navigate the ship, let alone an excursion. I've seen many excursions that claim to be accessible, but almost every one has a section that is too physically demanding for me in my condition.

[@kisa4375]

I was literally on that same cruise! I should have done that excursion 😭

[@sclark503]

We were on that cruise as well - We did the Go Native Jamaica tour thru RC and it was by far the worst shore excursion we've ever been on!

[@TheJonas973]

I went to San Juan, Puerto Rico a couple years ago with my family and we did a self guided tour using a map of the city and Del Morro Castle which was great so I knew exactly where to take my girlfriend for her first time in PR when our MSC cruise docked there last year. What I thought was funny is that we were basically followed by an MSC walking tour excursion (a tour which I saw was about $35 pp) and all they did differently was have a guide tell them about the history of the castle which you can read on various plaques throughout the trail. So these people basically paid for a tour they easily could've done on their own. I always advise people to research their destinations before sailing so they have an idea of what they want to do and it makes it easier to determine whether you should book through the ship or not.

[@Pibbie]

That's funny you say this. We signed up for the Mofongo & Mojito Tour (not fully reading it) and we thought it was just food/drink tasting and ended up in 2 hour walking tour around the city we didn't know we were doing. Ugh. Last 20 min was the Mofongo & Mojitos. We should have read the excursion better. Probably the same one.

[@rovermiles1]

All of my Royal Caribbean excusions have met or exceeded expectations. I can only recall one excursion with another cruise line that was a little bit on the disappointing side. The reason I book excursions through the cruise is to not have a day where not getting on the right bus to a destination kills a port day. Some might look at these excursions and have a better idea, but the economy of scale and careful vetting g done by Royal Caribbean has kept me and countless others sated for the taste of adventure at a price that is very affordable.

[@gbgentleman]

I absolutely loved the ATV excursion in Aruba. Expensive, but my kids and I loved doing something we normally wouldn't do and seeing a place in a way most tourist never will.

[@appleforever6664]

We did a 7-night stay at WDW first and then a 7-night Disney Cruise. Best trip ever!

[@Rhuidian]

The wife and I took our first cruise in December out of Port Canaveral. One Shore excursion was the Jeep tour on Nassau. The excursion made it sound like this great ride with each group getting their own Jeep to drive. Drive on the beach and all that (as pictured in the excursion ad). Not so, as we were grouped with another couple, and I got crammed into the back of a wrangler TJ. Anyone familiar with those 2000's wranglers knows that the 2door offers limited space. It's a tight squeeze for a 5'11" guy like me. It was a fast paced drive through the streets with only 3 stops. One at a cave filled with bats, one at a beach, then to lunch.

[@Rhuidian]

P.S. Love your videos. Your do's and don't's has good tidbits on what to expect for our first ever cruise.

[@nyisles130]

I did not enjoy Thrill Waterpark at Coco Cay. When I left there to go to Oasis Lagoon, I found my happiness at Coco Cay. Lesson learned.

[@jackiebyers3424]

I agree. The water park was too crowded for me and the water slides had long lines. I did two and went to the wave pool for the remainder. Many teen boys were rude and ran past me on the stairs to get up to the top of the slides. They can have it. I’m old and slow!

[@TripBloggers]

We did an excursion to Disney World on the Disney Magic out of NYC. It was amazing. The ship got in at 6am and left the next day at 2am so we had an entire day in the park and they provided us anytime Fast Passes, hoppers, transportation, and park passes all included with our cruise fare. I wish that itinerary still existed.

[@3FishProductions]

went on a cruise and had a catamaran and snorkeling excursion and got extremely sea sick I will be doing another one but make sure if you even get remotely motion sick just plan ahead get prescription motion sickness medicine and make sure to take the medicine ahead of time.

[@allenuic]

Taxi experience in the Caribbean islands had always ruined my impression of those destinations. So I decided a few years ago to spend a little more on private or semi-private tours for much better experience.

[@mikewhite5919]

Recently got back from Nassau. Taxi ride cost $5 (each and I was with my wife) and they want to fill the taxi. I found out if I give them $20 (total, for both my wife and I), they would take me right away!!

[@Lifted0311]

@@mikewhite5919 thats what we did. we took a taxi to the fish fry area and just threw him $15 to leave right away. might be a lil over paying, but i also realize their income on the island isnt the greatest, so i dont mind helping out

[@ayu6737]

@@mikewhite5919 o

[@slimpickens01]

Caribbean taxis and shuttles are part of the 'adventure'......especially out of Montego Bay😂😂😂

[@demcduff]

This is really good that you posted this. Good to know!

[@thomasallen6980]

Forget the cruise excursions, find a taxi and do it for a quarter of the cost. Everyone has their fingers in the till. Yeah there is a risk to it but if it is a beach trip or a "free day" forget the tour. I guess they can put it on your credit card but if you dont have the cash for a trip, maybe you should get your priorities in order.

[@tonydiaz4097]

First time I hear the St. Thomas taxi story without you ranting or using the word taxi mafia. lol. So glad you’re finally letting it go.

[@AxelQC]

We took an Uber to and from Kennedy Space Center. It was convenient and easy. The drivers were chatty and gave us useful information. Both were RCL regular cruises, so they knew what we were doing.

[@kathryncashner3294]

My hint would be to look at what you can do on your own and what it will cost...and if you plan to go on your own, arrange the time so you are there either before or after the cruise group. Examples-Butterfly farm in St. Thomas. The cruise group was complaining that all the butterflies were asleep or hiding. We arrived about 10 minutes before the cruise line group left. As soon as the noisy crowd disappeared, the butterflies were everywhere and we had a great time. Another was Totem Bight State Park in Ketchikan, AK. THe cruise line had a $50 excursion. We did a little research and found that there is no fee for the park, volunteer guides as well as "explore on your own" handouts, and a public bus for $1 each way (I understand it is now $2). The cruise group stayed together with their guide and got a cup of hot chocolate in the shop at the end. We were with a group of 10 people with a great guide and it cost us $2 each. Our guide wouldn't even take the tip I tried to give him! I don't know how much the hot chocolate would have cost. Yes, there is the issue of being back on time if you go off on your own, so do be aware and allow plenty of time to get back. Also, at Mendenhall Glacier in AK, there is a public bus that lets you out at the side of the road, about a 15 minute walk from the parking lot where the cruise line excursion bus lets you out...for about 25% of the price of the excursion. If you can handle a little more walking, you can save serious money.

[@erikagholston6610]

I agree with the Disney/Universal tip. We went 3 days early to go to the parks then went on a Disney Cruise. I had a great birthday that trip.

[@thomasgeurtz1194]

20 days until HAR MO NY. Let’s go

[@travelcampexplore166]

Only one we ever regretted was the Beach club at Coco Cay. The experience would probably have been great if they had somewhere to eat where you would not get rained on but the weather took a turn while we were there and they have no roof on their pavilion. People were trying to eat while there was torrential rain coming down. We went back to the ship and did not eat. It rained from about 1130 am until about 2pm. Royal did not give us full credit for it either. They said we could have gone back to eat at 2pm. Right after coming all the way back and getting soaked. No thanks. I would not recommend that excursion unless they change the pavilion. We did a full review on our channel and you can see just how bad the rain was.

[@jessicadevoto6864]

My late husband and I visited Falmouth on a Disney cruise in 2017, and we did an excursion called High Tea at the Good Hope Estate, which we liked. Yes, it was a long bus ride, but when you get there, you get a beautiful tour of the estate, some scenic views, and a delicious meal. I don’t know if Royal Caribbean offers this tour or not, but I’m sure you could also book it privately.

[@soshiangel90]

my mom did this exact same tour on our first cruise in 2015 and she loved it. I skipped it only because I'm not a fan of tea and instead did a horseback ride.

[@jessicadevoto6864]

@@soshiangel90 I'm not a huge fan of tea either, but they did have some good Earl Grey. I think my husband got a mint tea that he liked. And they do have other things besides tea. As I recall, the meal we got was jerk chick, cucumber pesto sandwiches, fruit, and pastries. If you ever go again, you might give it a whirl. I'll bet horseback riding was fun, though!

[@sarahmaser5129]

Royal Caribbean did offer an excursion to Good Hope Estate when I cruised to Jamaica back in 2018, but tea was not offered. The Estate was beautiful but the outing did lack a little something.

[@joycehardy9422]

I’ve done that same tour with RC, but they haven’t had it offered since Covid

[@joycehardy9422]

@@sarahmaser5129 when I booked the tour there was a choice of 2….seeing the estate only or another tour that included the tea.

[@beachymamaadventures]

Aww I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy Mr. Sanchos. We go almost every time we’re in Cozumel and have never had a bad experience or felt over crowded. We’ve been with friends who enjoyed it as well. Everything is subjective though, just like you said in your video. I enjoy your videos Matt, keep up the great content!

[@joanbjornas682]

Good to hear! We are going there next month👍

[@GunnerHillTX]

I think it's 'luck of the draw' with that place, depending on the dates, weather, and how many ships are in port.

[@kenstrong1]

We were just on Wonder of the Seas a couple months ago and it appears that Margaritaville, Falmouth has closed... and it looks permanent. The gift shop is completely emptied out, closed signs on all entrances, and from the ship we could see that the pool looked rough like it hadn't been used or maintained for at least a few weeks. We actually did plan to give it a try, along with lots of other disappointed passengers.

[@markdrewterry]

I would note that we took the Margaritaville Snorkeling & Beach Party in Jamaica and loved it and would recommend it to anyone interested. The snorkeling there was so-so, not tons of things to see, but the party on the catamaran on the way to the private beach was great and the beach party was fun. The idea was to kind of funnel the guests back to Margaritaville, but we'd had enough rum and sun and just headed back to the ship.

[@phlydude]

Dunns River Falls - way over crowded, pushy guides, pushy shop people and going up the falls in the form of a human chain is not my idea of fun. I'm convinced that if I take a cruise that stops in Jamaica again, I simply won't get off the boat for more than an hour or so and that is just to walk around the port area.

[@lashandafrancis3183]

Hey Matt. I dare you to try St John on your own again. If you come during high tourist season there is a ferry that leaves Downtown charlotte Amalie to St. John you could skip the taxi fiasco altogether. Also, Redhook is a tourist destination in itself with many boat charters that could take you snorkeling in St. John as well.

[@GerardPinzone]

I never understood doing a Disney or Universal shore excursion. By the time you get to walk down Main Street, do you have to turn around and go back?

[@TheMeloettaful]

Ain't that the truth lol 😂! It seems so pointless, and a huge waste of money! Better to save those for land vacations at another point in time, and do something else.

[@danasandoval624]

Completely agree!! You wouldn’t have time to ride anything.

[@michaelalbrecht9468]

I did it. It was terribly expensive for only four hours of being in the park, but it was still a top highlight of the trip.

[@jaewilliams9443]

I’ve done Universal both ways. I didn’t mind it as a cruise excursion. It was a rainy week day so I’m guessing less people. We were able to do a good amount of rides and attractions

[@beachmom2001]

If the ship gets there early it can be a long enough day but the ships rarely get there early leaving from Cape Liberty

[@joycebeard7218]

When my family and I went to Falmouth, we took a tour of Rose Hall. Stopped for a little bit of local shopping and back to cruise. We loved it.

[@bigmikes1603]

St John's on your own was just our ride to St John's. Then one of the truck/taxi things to Trunk Bay. Maybe the most beautiful place we've visited in this part of the world. Felt like I paid for two excursions, but I did not regret a single dollar. Beautiful and almost nobody there. Secondly, when we got off the ship, we got a rental car and drove straight to Disney. Spent 6ish hours there before heading to the airport to catch a 7:30 flight. It was a great day as well, though a bit pricey as we didn't pre-plan or pre-purchase Disney tickets.

[@wanjones7141]

Now it seems , Disney requires a lot of pre-planning, you have to make a reservation and purchase a ticket. So, I don't know if you could even go the same day anymore.

[@gillianwv]

Nassau. Anything at Nassau. I don’t remember seeing or hearing bad things about it, but it is now our new worst thing. Like, on a scale from 1 to Nassau, how terrible are the fries. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@cinoclav]

Agreed. Bahamas in general leave quite a bit to be desired.

[@MagarBoy47]

As a native Jamaican I agree there's not much activities in Falmouth. I'd advise you to go either Montego Bay or Ocho Rios.

[@stevelefort6357]

I agree on Mr Sanchos. We were very disappointed with the food and limited size of the beach. We left after about an hour.

[@blindpanthervlogs]

I actually enjoyed Mr. Sanchos when I went. It wasn’t an excursion for us because we had gone downtown earlier that day, then we got a taxi and asked the driver to take us to a sandy beach, and that is where he took us. It was fun. I enjoyed having the tacos and swimming in the ocean

[@robandcheryls]

I drove from Orlando to the ‘Kennedy Space center’. We were on vacation from Canada. It was one of the highlights of my life.

[@michellelong1487]

Hi Matt, When we went to Falmouth,Jamaica a couple years ago,we did the excursion thru RCL to The Good Hope Plantation and loved it! We had a Great tour guide,he was very funny and had alot of lil random tips and knowledge.

[@annette069]

Last year we did the "Costa Maya Triple Play: Jungle Bike Ride, Cenote Swim, and Stand-up Paddle Board" and it was terrible. The bike ride was on very poorly maintained tandem bikes - we had to wait while they pumped up the tires and did minor repairs to some of the bikes. The actual ride was maybe 10 minutes down what was basically a dirt road to the "cenote", which was essentially a lagoon-shaped pool. As in concrete sides, water filtration system, fake waterfalls etc. The only saving grace to the experience was the bit of beach time, and I'm not really a beach person but I did elect to pay for a massage on the beach. I most definitely would not recommend that shore excursion.

[@MarkLeonWatson]

I totally agree with your review of the RCL Blue Waters Beach Escape excursion at the Falmouth, Jamaica port. I chose that excursion for a July 2022 cruise, and immediately regretted it upon arrival. It was overcrowded. It was understaffed. The staff was overworked and their stress levels were showing. It was difficult to get chairs, and it was also difficult to get the inclusive drinks because of the crowds, large lines, and lack of staff. The beach was dirty with trash visible in the sand, some of which was sharp broken plastics. The swimming area was full of seaweed, wasn't pleasant to swim in, and had urchins hiding in the weeds. Surprisingly the food was good, but I wouldn't consider it 5 stars.

[@sueb9126]

We did the Bites and Sites this past summer in BC. The description did not make it sound that it is a total walking tour. Also the Bites was one appetizer at one of the 2 pubs that we stopped at. Our ship docked late on Sunday evening and a lot was closed!

[@staceyg.]

I agree, we took the same tour....the problem is that it was at 5:30 I believe...and we were starving at the end of the tour and then left abruptly to find a restaurant that was open to feed us. We too, were disappointed, as we have taken other food tours and this was not the same.

[@madlorraine16]

Rome excursion to Vatican and colosseum. The excursion was amazing but promised a 5 star lunch. Worst lunch I had. At $330 pp I was mad, but our tour guides were amazing. My daughter left the restaurant and got us pizza and brought it back into the restaurant. No more excursions with food included. I will do it on my own.

[@adrienne641]

The taxi situation in St. Thomas is frustrating. Packing everyone in only to discover we all had different destinations was maddening. It’s more like a city bus and not a taxi service

[@SOSO-pp7qc]

Pre-Civid, two different times we took a ferry to St Johns from Chatlotte amalie. The ferry back took us to RedHook and it was easy to get a shared cab.

[@mothrab05]

Old San Juan bus tour....the traffic was so bad becuase of construction we asked the bus driver to let us out, several families followed we had a better time ok foot 👍

[@robertfoerster566]

Cozumel, I always got to Nachi Cocum beach club, guaranteed seating and palapa and they have a limit for each day for guests. Food is included as are drinks $50 -$60 per person. Just a bit further down from Sanchos. :) Wonderful quieter beach break and food has always been great. They even explained the cook makes the nacho chips (for example) fresh daily!

[@michaelalan1270]

we've been on many shore excursions from a ship in the Med and almost all were a waste of time for the same reason-spend half the time on the bus and the guide always stops the tour at some place for a long time to get people to shop and they get a kickback from the stores. You can get local guides for less than half the price.

[@stevek7068]

Worst experience: Hop On Hop off bus at Cartegena Colombia through Royal. Why? our time in port was so short, and the traffic so bad, that all I had time to do was take the guided walking tour and get back on the bus. There were 14 stops, but that's the only one we took and we still arrived only 45 minutes short of departure. Best experiences: Taxi tour in St. Maarten. We prearranged with Ramone in Taxi 222 and he was a great guide. He was fun, funny, prompt and it was a great experience. I highly recommend his tour. Sea Plane tour in Ketchikan Alaska. We went in to the National Park and it was absolutely spectacular.

[@michaelulrich]

Having done the WDW excursion in June, I can agree. I especially would not recommend it if you are not a WDW veteran. My wife and I have been to Disney almost every year, and we knew what we were getting for the money. We had 3 1/2 hours at Magic Kingdom, got in 4 rides, some shopping, and meeting Mickey, but that was it. The 1 day ticket was like $130 each plus the cost of the shore excursion transfer. Next time I would take it and just go to downtown Disney for a little Disney fix.

[@jeffdinter600]

It depends on where I am going but usually even if it's a foreign country I will try to do the most research that I can online and if it's somewhere like Alaska I will contact the Better Business Bureau in that particular City and get information from them on tours that I can do by myself without booking them through the cruise line. We did that years ago when we went to Alaska and we found a short Excursion that we did by ourselves that visited a fish hatchery and Eagle Preserve and at that time it was only $10 a person. And the best thing was it was right there when we got off of the ship. Was not part of the cruise shore excursions that were offered from the cruise line

[@chrisrobertson8214]

Falmouth- White River tubing was a great experience that we really enjoyed! 1-5-23 Oasis cruise we have the St Kitts island train ride lined up and we are excited!

[@jmert_5859]

Love your videos. Always look forward to new ones. We are catching Symphony on 11/18/23, so excited.

[@jamielorence4792]

We have been to Mr Sanchos 10 times. We have a time share in Cozumel "Sol Melia". Even when we stay there for the week, we take a day for MR.S.

[@KateD]

Thanks for the tip about Kennedy Space Centre. I was going to book the excursion but we’ll simply hire a taxi instead. So good to know!

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

Have fun!

[@joeo7693]

What to do at Falmouth, Jamaica? Stay on the ship and enjoy a relaxing, all expenses paid day at the port. 😎

[@amandablack9026]

A drive to the river rafting tour was so different and fun!

[@Cjaz84]

In belize the monkey river eco tour was amazing. All others were not great but when you are wanting to go to a major tourist spot it is nice to have transportation.

[@jenniferchadwick111]

I love Mr. Sancho's!! Definitely enjoyed the adult area and not the kid friendly area!!

[@cindylou4055]

We went zip lining in Falmouth. It was excellent. Small Group. Just bring bug spray.

[@tamarar4387]

Agreed do not do Disney excursion. I did it and got to do 3 rides for $200 I think it was.

[@mtmdc2]

I had a totally different experience at Mr. Sancho’s. Went there spring 2022 and it was great. Not overcrowded. Food wasn’t superb but good. Service was incredible. Don’t be dissuaded from Mr. Sancho’s by this video. They are well worth the money.

[@GunnerHillTX]

It's 'luck of the draw' with that place, depending on the time of year/dates, weather, and how many ships are in port.

[@dena-mo118]

The one time we did Disney World on a cruise was on a Disney ship out of Galveston. Included a hopper pass for the day as part of the cruise. No extra expense there. Not sure I would do this any other way. When we did it, we were told this was unusual. I think they changed the itinerary, and included this instead. We did opt for an extra excursion at the end of the day. We were in a private area to watch the ending fireworks. Had seats and some snacks and ice cream. Had optimum seats for the fireworks and even gave us glasses that would make Mickey faces at the end of every firework tail. Pretty fun! We then got escorted back to our bus to head back to Port Canaveral. Be on the lookout if this is ever offered again.

[@hollishan]

On our last cruise on the Oasis in August, we did KSC (We've been there before and wanted to go back). At the time - the excursion was sold out. We found out the day before we arrived at Canaveral that they were adding on more busses so they could take more people. The problem was by the time we arrived in port AND at KSC we only had two hours before the Space Center closed at 5:00pm. So, we (me, my spouse, my nephew and his wife) all opted for the Atlantis exhibit. We noticed that one of the busses did not get an entry ticket (those were handed out on the bus) so there were a few angry people who had to go back to their bus and wait in line again to enter the center. While we absolutely adore KSC - on reflection an $80.00 ticket wasn't really worth 2 hours.

[@jewishjedi]

Thanks for the KSC advice. We did the RCI tour bus before, and five hours was just the right amount of time for my kids, but there's no listed excursion for our upcoming (April) trip on Anthem. I hadn't really thought about just Ubering over and I think that'll be our plan now.

[@vickyburton2434]

I just think there is not enough time given to explore most places! I wish the ship would spend the night so we could attend a great night time island celebration.

[@louisetvancouver6161]

Thanks Matt , I agree about Falmouth and Margaritaville being overcrowded. The ship would be less crowded since most would be on an excursion so ship it is for us next time visiting Falmouth. 😎👊👍

[@harrietsmallwood6743]

1) I love Mr Sanchos. Never had a bad experience even with it being a little crowded. 2) I took the Kennedy Space Center tour through Royal and it was completely underwhelming. Any itinerary with Port Canaveral on it is a hard pass for me 3) I totally agree on beach break excursions.

[@StyrofoamTumor]

The bus tour in St Lucia, and a tour that includes a carpet factory in Ephesus (literally them trying to selling you a rug for an hour)

[@roughshot60]

Thanks for the update about Mr Sanchos in Cozumel. I was there January 2019. It was the first time I ever booked an excursion not with the cruiseline. I was nervous that it would be a bad decision. I was wrong it was fantastic...I had a blast. I'm scheduled to be on Serenade December next year. I'm doing a b2b and going to Cozumel twice. I was thinking Mr Sanchos again forvat least one of the port days...I'll rethink that strategy. Thanks for everything you do. I always find your videos and information entertaining and helpful.

[@BrianAlt]

Check out Nachi Cocum. They limit the crowds more than Mr. Sanchos does. Just realize that it's not as active a beach day. (Depends on what you're looking for.)

[@roughshot60]

@@BrianAlt funny you mention beach day. I'm not into hot sand or between my toes....I like swimming pools, swim up bars and hot tubs...thanks for the recommendation

[@BrianAlt]

@@roughshot60 Nachi has those. Along with the beach. 👍🏻

[@daniak7468]

Worst excursion for me so far was Dunn’s River Falls with Bamboo Beach Break. The tour operators were a bit sketchy (driving tour that had us stop in some random neighborhood that just had a convenience store for souvenirs and highly encouraged to get out to shop (I did not). They wanted us to leave all of our belongings on the bus at the falls and told us they would lock it (no way). We got to the beach stop way too late, and then food was served so slowly that they kept just giving people more rum punch to pass the time. At the beginning of the day the tour operators offered water shoes and waterproof cell phone holders but they wouldn’t take payment, said that they would get it later..then refused to leave the beach to return to the ship until everyone paid for those items..but at this point a good portion of the guests had too much rum punch to cooperate quickly, and even though everyone said they paid, the tour operators still wanted money from someone. We got back so late that there was no time for shopping, and we had to run to get back onboard.

[@nancynadler4918]

I agree about Falmouth. We did not find a good excursion there.

[@aesirtempest7506]

While I didn't plan it, the Jamaica Waterfalls excursion where you climb a river with some falls. It was just super crowded and little really to do.

[@jimroscovius]

We went to Dunn's River Falls on our first cruise and loved it. My wife and kids climbed the falls while I took the steps and took lots of pics. The downside was the long bus ride.

[@wanjones7141]

My worst was Navigator of the Seas 3 day cruise stop at Ensenada. Booked the La Bufadora tour. Took about 40 min to get there, Crowded and nothing but same shops on each side, had to walk to the end to see a little poof of water out of the blowhole, if you could even see it.

[@so4reelz]

Ensenada has been our most disappointing port to date and I think it will be hard to beat as the worst...lol

[@plr2473]

Oh man. La Bufadora is such a tourist trap now. The truth is there really is not much to do and see around Ensenada aside from eat good food, walk around, and perhaps some shopping.

[@EmersonBosworthJr]

It's unfortunate that your experience with Mr. Sanchos was bad. I went there about 7 years back and absolutely loved it.

[@GunnerHillTX]

Many things about cruising have changed 'post-Covid' - some good, some bad ... It's always been the 'luck of the draw' with that place though. It depends on the time of year/dates, weather, and how many ships are in port.

[@Lord.Kiltridge]

I have been on three cruises so far this year and I can assure you that I would never go on any of these excursions. I don't do busses, beaches, or overpriced beverages. I also don't go 'shopping' for trinkets or patronize places where people can pay for the privilege of cutting the line. My biggest challenge is finding a reason to get off the ship at all.

[@steveh5307]

Then stay tf home. Why are you even on a cruise?

[@keithmoore6334]

I totally agree

[@AH23323]

Some of us like to actually see the countries you travel to on the ship. 😜

[@Lord.Kiltridge]

@@AH23323 If you really want to visit the country, go there and stay someplace away from the tourist zones. Excursions generally don't show you the real country.

[@nursebeautifuldove3104]

What’s the point of cruising to another country if you don’t even want to see it 🤔

[@izziemckay2863]

Blue lagoon in the Bahamas. For many of the same reasons you mentioned, overcrowded and the amenities were not great. We did do the dolphin experience which was OK, but the time wasted at their beach was a disappointment.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Most Caribbean cruisers want a beach, or bar, or beach bar, and prefer to book through the line. Some cruise ports might have 12,000-20,000 cruisers ashore. So yea, expect crowds. There is, however, another way… …go off on your own, rent/hire a car or get a third party shore excursion and find a beach or beach resort that doesn’t have a contract with the lines. You’ll finally find the kind of beach you see in the brochures. You won’t miss the ship. Do not give in to cruise line fear mongering. Plan well, leave with plenty of time to get back, and don’t get drunk. In the Caribbean, more than half of all pier runners got lost in their cups at Senior Frogs or Jimmy Buffet.

[@bonnielogan6895]

We LOVE Mr. Sancho's!

[@lynetteromine6755]

On San Juan Puerto Rico. I booked an excursion that said we would go to the fort and castle. We got dropped off at least 1.5 miles down the road and a total of 20 minutes to run up a hill to see the fort and get back to the bus. The castle was... yep, we just passed the castle. We ended up at a buddies bar for over 2 hours. I would have liked that 2 hours at the fort or castle....

[@webjammer1]

I would not get off the ship in Ocho Rios again. Konoka Falls was great, but being paraded through a maze of aggressive trinket sellers at the end of the tour, not so much. I find that not getting off at port is the best time to be aboard ship.

[@natashawile895]

We did the catamaran beach and margaritaville excursions, they took us snorkeling then to a beach that we thought was a private beach but ended up getting harassed by locals. I didn't mind them asking me over and over again if I wanted Marijuana and hair braids but a man sitting beside us was really nervous when a local got mad at him for refusing to buy the Marijuana and stood and stared at him, I thought he was going to attack him. We left our chairs and went dancing over by the DJ. We made the best of it, but was happy when the cat picked us back up.

[@jlmarr53]

We visited Trunk Bay on our own - Taxi from St Thomas to Red Hook, water taxi, taxi to Trunk Bay, lay out on the beautiful beach for *one hour*, taxi back to the dock, water taxi back to Red Hook, taxi back to St Thomas and we were one of the last on the ship. Bad idea. Would like to see Trunk Bay again but only if the ship has docked in St John, and unfortunately Royal Caribbean doesn't go there.

[@ClauJoe-kc6pw]

The stop in Port Canaveral needs better times. Right now for Symphony port hours are 1 to 8pm. Also prices are crazy. Wanted to go to Kennedy Space Center. Cost $159! Tickets from Kennedy’s website are $75. So Royal is charging $80 for a bus transfer. But only charging $44 for a transfer to Disney or Universal.

[@seanwalsh9605]

As soon as you showed the first photo of Mr. Sancho's my wife screamed in agreement. We went in March 2016. We're the type that love to experience culture along with some views and history but thought we could use a more relaxed beach day. Overall the ratings and proclaim did not live up to expectations, drink service was notably slow, food was mediocre as you mentioned. Because of our experience and what we typically like to do I doubt we'll ever voluntarily choose another beach "club" excursion.

[@slimpickens01]

Mr. Sanchos was lit in 09' and 14'. I'm still waiting for Club Med to make a comeback 😂

[@rapunzel1701]

Yes! Always do the cruise after the theme parks.

[@voicesofmarshians528]

On our Greek Isles cruise, we booked an excursion to go to the Acropolis and Cape Sunion. The Acropolis became overcrowded instantly because there were about 10 other excursions that were also there, which made getting out a huge hassle since there’s only one way up and one way down. And Cape Sunion is a 90 minute bus ride from Athens with very little payoff. There’s the Temple of Poseidon, but that’s about it. Wasn’t worth the 3 hours we spent on the bus. The coastal drive was beautiful though, and the lunch we had was really good as well.

[@michaellundy4330]

Spot on with the Disney advice. We actually did Disney World for 4 days then did Disney Cruise following the 4 days on land. Perfect way to wrap up a crazy busy and tiring time in the Parks. I would do this again if the opportunity arises. Love your informative videos,, thank you!

[@loveVanity6]

St. John isn’t hard to get to if you research beforehand to know where to get the $2 taxi to the ferry, leave the ship early and plan to leave St. John at least two hours before embarkation.

[@lainey7985]

I don’t like Jamaica at all, but if any cruise ships stop in Ocho Rios, and you’re in decent enough shape, climbing Dunn’s River Falls MIGHT be worth it. Once. That was pretty cool.

[@bettahalfofme6658]

I went to Mr. Sancho's in 2018 it was great not to overcrowded, going again in November because I'm with a group and suggested another place because they have a smaller number of guest allowed. Majority rules I'm sure I'll have fun but I know it's going to be crowded because there are 5 other ships in port. When I was there previously there were only 3 total. Going early and leaving early.

[@donnajones4120]

Went to Mr Sanchos in October it was bad every 5 mins someone was trying too sell you something tee shirts purses viagra amoxicillin the list goes on and on then they keep combining back carrying new things drinks and food forget about it the staff was so busy trying to upsell drinks took a good half hour a bottle of water we got a taxi and went back to the ship for lunch

[@mhedstrom]

We have learned over time to just not get off the boat in Falmouth. We use the pool onboard. It’s probably our least favorite place our cruises go to.

[@sandraschwan358]

Thanks for your comments, especially the one on Cozumel. I am going there this week and thought of going to Mr. Sanchos, but decided another resort better fit our needs. I think everyone is trying to recoup money lost post pandemic, and maybe that is why there is overcrowding and poor food quality at many places?

[@kaitlyncate7754]

The Fairy in Mexico!!!! I threw up EVERYTHING in my stomach going to the shore excursion. The worst thing about it was I had to ride the thing back again to get back to the ship. Also the street vendors in Mexico at the beach club.

[@princessdanieblue]

I agree with Mr Sanchos. I went last year with my 6 year old.

[@malloryjines5050]

Went to RCCL “island” of Labadee off northern coast of Haiti before Covid. Complete waste of time. They had food, but was out warm, drinks were in plastic cups and very crowded. This peninsula was gated off from the rest of the island but there were some sketchy people selling trinkets who would become almost aggressive if you didn’t buy. Stayed about an hour and went back to the ship. So much more to do on the ship. I believe they have their own island now and don’t use Labadee any more.