Excursions
Tours and attractions worth booking — and the ones the ship charges triple for.
27 articles
Honningsvåg Shore Excursions: Six North Cape Tours, Plateau Time or Hall Ticket
Six North Cape tours leave Honningsvåg for the same plateau, and what separates them is how long you get on top and whether the North Cape Hall is in the price.
Cozumel Shore Excursions: Which Six Are Worth Booking
Cozumel is a diving island, so the real question is not which tour is prettiest but what actually sails on your day — the six excursions worth their price, and who has the power to cancel them.
Nassau Shore Excursions: Which Six Are Worth Booking
The cruise port opens straight onto Bay Street, so a Nassau city tour competes with a free walk — here are the six excursions that still earn their price, and who each one suits.
Are San Juan Shore Excursions Worth It? Do the Clock Arithmetic First
San Juan calls run 8 to 11 hours, the bookable trips run 3.75 to 12, and one of the most popular only happens after dark, so the verdict is mostly arithmetic.
Swimming Pigs from Nassau: What You Actually Get on a Cruise Day
The famous pigs are in the Exuma Cays, 143 km from Nassau, and they are not a port day. Here is what you can actually book, on Rose Island, and how the two options differ.
Maho Beach from the St. Maarten Cruise Pier: Four Ways to Get There
Maho Beach sits at the end of Princess Juliana's runway, and there are four ways to reach it from the cruise pier. Here is what each costs and who each one suits.
St. Maarten Shore Excursions: Which Five Are Worth Booking
St. Maarten is a walkable port, so the honest default is not to book — and here are the five excursions that still beat a free beach, and who each one suits.
Best Mediterranean Shore Excursions 2026: What to Book in Each Port
One pick per port, with the review counts behind it. Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Messina, Ravenna and Split, and the cheap tour that beats the famous one.
Florence and Pisa from Livorno: What Actually Fits in a Port Day
A city shuttle, a bus, two trains and one honest timetable: what Florence, Pisa and Cinque Terre really cost you in hours and in euros from a Livorno cruise call.
Best Canary Islands Shore Excursions: Island-by-Island Guide (2026)
The top shore excursions for every Canary Islands cruise port — Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and La Palma. Prices, tips, and honest advice on booking independently vs through the ship.
Norway Shore Excursions: Ship vs Independent — What's Worth It?
Honest port-by-port price comparison of cruise ship excursions vs booking independently in Norway. Real prices, family savings breakdown, and local advice on when to skip the ship tour.
Kayaking the Geirangerfjord: Can You Do It on a Cruise Port Day?
Everything cruise passengers need to know about kayaking in Geiranger — guided tours, rentals, what you see from the water, timing with your ship, difficulty level, and booking info.
The Perfect Day in Flåm: Railway, Fjord & Hidden Gems
Hour-by-hour itinerary for cruise passengers with 6–8 hours in Flåm. Flåm Railway, Nærøyfjord cruise, kayaking to Undredal, the Fjord Farm, and honest budget advice.
Hear Grieg
Troldhaugen is Edvard Grieg's lakeside villa outside Bergen — daily lunch concerts, the composing hut, and exactly how to get there from the cruise terminal.
Norway in a Nutshell from Flåm Cruise Port: What You Can Actually Do (2026)
Can you do Norway in a Nutshell from a cruise ship in Flåm? The honest answer: not the full tour. Here is what you can realistically fit into a port day.
Ålesund Hop-On Hop-Off Bus: Route and Stops
HopOn AS runs the only hop-on hop-off bus in Ålesund: a 70-minute loop from Skansekaia and the one route that stops at Atlanterhavsparken.
Bergen Funicular (Fløibanen): How to Skip the Queue as a Cruise Passenger
The honest guide to riding Fløibanen from a cruise ship — when to go, whether pre-booking actually helps, and how to avoid the 90-minute queue nightmare.
Bergen Hop-On Hop-Off Bus: The Cruise Passenger Guide (2026)
Bergen has two rival hop-on hop-off buses, and the one sold on GetYourGuide is Gray Line, not City Sightseeing. Stops, prices, hours and when it is worth it.
Budget Excursions in Norway: Using Local Ferries as Cruise Passengers
Norway's public ferries let cruise passengers see the fjords for NOK 80–150 return — a fraction of shore excursion prices. Routes, operators, and honest advice.
Cruise Excursions vs Going Independent in Norway: When Each Makes Sense
Should you book through the ship or go independent in Norway? The honest answer: it depends on the port. Here is a port-by-port breakdown with real price comparisons.
Dalsnuten: The Local Alternative to Pulpit Rock That Cruise Passengers Don't Know About
Preikestolen draws 300,000 hikers per year. Dalsnuten — the mountain Stavanger locals actually climb — draws a fraction of that. Similar panoramic views, a more manageable hike, and no queue for the bus.
Flåm Railway Tickets: Book Direct at vy.no
The station is a 5-minute walk from the pier. Book Flåm to Myrdal return at vy.no instead of the ship — midday departures sell out in summer.
Geiranger Beyond the Village: 5 Ways to Actually Experience the Fjord
The Geiranger village is small and touristy. The fjord is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Here are 5 ways to close that gap in a single port day.
Geiranger Hop-On Hop-Off Bus: Is It Worth It? (2026 Guide)
Geiranger's hop-on hop-off bus is the easiest independent way up to Flydalsjuvet viewpoint. Stops, prices, hours and whether it beats a ship excursion.
Can You Hike Pulpit Rock on a Cruise Stop? The Honest Answer
The complete timing guide for hiking Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) from a cruise ship in Stavanger. Ferry, bus, hike times, and what happens if you miss the boat.
Stavanger Hop-On Hop-Off Bus: Cruise Passenger Guide (2026)
Two rival hop-on hop-off buses wait at Stavanger's cruise terminal. Stops, prices and hours for each, and why only one of them goes to the Iron Age Farm.
Tromsø Hop-On Hop-Off Bus: Cruise Passenger Guide (2026)
Stromma's double-decker runs year-round in Tromsø — the only Norwegian HOHO that operates in winter for Northern Lights cruises. What it covers, whether it's worth it, and how to use it in both summer and winter.