My wife and I have been on 8 cruises. We are limited to the east coast of the states because of her medical problems. We have departed from Baltimore, Charleston, Jacksonville and Miami. With the exception of Charleston and Miami the others are multiple times. The first cruises we did the excursions and for the most part were great. Expensive but great. I bought my wife her real diamond wedding ring in Freeport for our 30th anniversary. We go on a cruise now for the cruise. We have done all the sightseeing that we want and just enjoy the laid back port days. Sadly my sailing bride is no more, passing just over a year ago. I'm not sure it will have the same appeal anymore but I will go when I am able. It may be too bittersweet with memories. Only time will tell. Cheers Terry
I’m still sailing after my Husband pasted away nine years ago. My Friends either can’t afford to go or can’t or don’t want to travel. I decided that I’m at home alone 90% of the time so I might as well go for as long as my health holds up. People are friendly. Hope you make good decisions.
Terry. So sorry for your loss. Try somewhere different would be a tip. Eg alaska. Norwegian do single cabins but book early. Or rope a friend in and share a cabin.
@paulgerrard9227 thank you. That is what I had supposed I needed to do. Just by myself I can be a lot more flexible in distance and travel arrangements. Cross country by Amtrak would be nice but I could do 3 cruises for what it would cost. I do have a lot more options now.
@janiekcarney5482 thank you. I myself am at the same point in life. Other than a cat, there is nothing really keeping me at home. I'm a disabled veteran so as long as I keep track of the facilities near to me it should be fine. Maybe we shall cross paths some day. I'll treat you to a hot cup of tea at least. Cheers
Terry, I am so sorry for the loss of your lovely bride. I've been divorced for 33 years and cruise with my adult son (he's raising 3 kids on his own and needs the break), or with friends. I leave in a week on my first solo cruise on the NCL Bliss. I have booked a solo balcony cabin, so I will have access to the solo lounge and meetups with other solo cruisers for dinner, excursions, etc. I am looking forward to it, and plan on doing more solo sailings! I agree with Paulgerrard9227 - Try somewhere different like Alaska or Mexico. Start making new memories.
I stayed on board with my family on carnival breeze back in May while in Cozumel and we had the entire on board water park completely to ourselves! Then we had the main pool all to ourselves for hours. It was lovely. As soon as people started joining, we hopped off, went shopping in the port for a couple of hours, and came right back. It was the perfect day.
We went on a Princess Cruise in January/February of 2024. By the time we docked in Cozumel, I was very tired. I slept in. I left the ship and was looking around the dock area taking pictures when I saw a cruise ship coming in. I took my rollator walker as far out on the dock as I could. Then I sat in to watch the ship come in to dock. I took some photos. It was a nice sunny day with a breeze. Very relaxing. Then I went back on the ship, stopped at the International Cafe for a light lunch, and went out on the balcony to watch the local boat traffic and eat. Then I took a nap. It was a great day.
I met one experienced cruiser who worked out a smart compromise- she stayed on board until around noon, so she was able to use the pool & sun deck and have a light lunch, while also avoiding queues for the shuttle bus on departure. She'd often ask people who were returning from port to give tips on their experiences that day!
That's what I'm doing in twi weeks on the med cruise - getting off at Lisbon briefly, staying on the ship in Cadiz, meeting my aunt in Málaga and Gibraltar then staying on in Barcelona and renting a cabana and a massage deal 👍👍👍
@@soniauk4284what a shame, Lisbon is wonderful, so much to see. I met a lot of really kind folk there. More than anywhere in the world. Cadiz is a very old city and is the port for beautiful Seville, a must see in Spain.
As veterans of 40+ cruises, my wife and I have "Been There, Done That" and bought all the tee shirts, so now we stay on board when in port. It is like having our own private yacht, with a couple hundred people to wait on us. We will be going to St. Barts this November and we will be getting off there. Can't miss that!
I find the on board part of a cruise boring and have no interest in the vast majority of cruise entertainment (trivia? Art auction? Hairy chest contest?) and find sea days painfully dull. I’m there for the ports, not the towel folding demonstration.
Thank you Gary, I learned from a recent cruise that it is possible to get excursion exhausted. To go out every day on long excursions is exhausting and expensive.
I didn't stay onboard on a port day but I came back to the ship early. As you said, the port wasn't in a great area and there was a lot of things to do on the ship that were usually crowded so I got to do the water slides and some other things. Whilst in line for the water slide, I was talking to an 11yr old whose parents were in port and her Nan was waiting at the bottom of the slide for her. She asked if I'd done this before and I had to admit that my hesitation was the crowd of people at the bottom. I'm plus size and arthritic...I didn't want a million people standing around watching me getting back to my feet so I said I hoped I could stand back up again at the bottom. So I had my slide and when I got to the bottom, she had waited for me in case I needed help getting up! I had a better day that day and any port could have offered!
We were Falmouth Jamaica this past September went out of the”safe area” gates, found our guide from our 2018 trip to Falmouth, and toured around with him and had a fantastic time! We felt totally safe with him. Everybody knew him and didn’t bother us at all. 👍🏻🇨🇦👍🏻
I noted one of your bloggers suggested checking out ports, and going back for a proper visit to the ones they liked. I, as a shuttle bus driver, have many times recommended this idea to our visitors. Our town is a winner even with 20/30 somethings! Note, I say town, lots of our visitors ask about the city, our population being less than 5,000! If you have never been on a cruise before, you soon realise that you have less than eight hours on the ground in most ports, so plan well. If you can pre-book with local operators, not on board ship, you can save yourself lots of money. An example: Locals pay $35.00, booked on the ship $175.00! Cruise ships are mobile cash registers!
Oh dear, now my secret is out, lol. I just love enjoying the ship with fewer people. I tell everyone how great the port is and encourage them to see everything they can. ;)
We have spent a month or more in Barcelona, southern England, Aruba, Bonaire and Honolulu after short visits on cruise ships. Next year, we’re going for a month each in Lima, Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Ushuaia after visiting during a cruise in 2015/16!
We did the same,go on cruises see places we really like and went back later in year for a holiday,all over the world fantastic,we have two cruises booked April and August,and 4 holidays in between ,
We did a 'relocation cruise' from Sydney to Hawaii, with three stops (NZ's Auckland, and two in French Polynesia) so LOTS of sea days. There is only so much specialist and general knowledge for TRIVIA.... the seemed to be the only entertainment. No Specialist Lectures.... :-(
Yeah, I think it’s a bit ‘patchy’ just now. Went to Norway in June, Stavanger, Olden etc and was made to feel very welcome. Walked round Stavanger in a group for a couple of hours and felt no resentment, and saw no stickers. So I think it might be an issue, but not a very big one just now.
Absolute nuts. A cruise is a floating velvet prison, I can’t wait to get off! in the 4 cruises I have taken, we are usually amongst the very first to disembark from the ship and explore the port and surroundings. Where the dock is far from the city, I pre-organise a taxi (almost never taking the ship excursions) - and where there is an overnight stay we get a local hotel so we can enjoy the local evening., and get away from the masses, Good point about the multiple ships however, avoid.
Ocho Rios is a port that can get sketchy fast! You don’t have to walk far from the ship, and suddenly find yourself being swarmed. Great advise all around…thanks for the great tips once again!
Thanks for the heads up, that stop is on our itinerary. My original plan was to walk over after lunch and browse in the port area and then walk back. I’ll stick to that plan.😏
I had that experience at Ocho Rios as well on a cruise. I don’t care for cruising so I never did it again. Too many people, really stupid entertainment, and far too annoying.
I’ve heard you recommend “what’s in port” before but I hadn’t checked it out until now. It’s a great resource! My partner and I are going on a cruise through Asia and we know very little about the ports we are stopping in, particularly in Vietnam. This website was super helpful for making the decision to book excursions or stay on the ship.
Hi Gary, I think you raised excellent points and for me, the idea of extracting as much value as you can from the pkg price you paid by staying on the ship makes a lot of sense.
I can understand having to stay onboard if it’s dangerous not to. I don’t understand it ever being a good thing. The benefit of traveling by ship is seeing different places without having to pack/unpack several times. I don’t see the point if I don’t get to experience anything of the destination.
That’s why cruising has a reputation for being for old people that don’t really want to see anything or go anywhere. I think that’s fine but for cruising to appeal to a younger market, staying on the ship is totally pointless.
I am leaving in a week for a 5 day cruise. I am staying on board in Cabo San Lucas. I've been there before, so it is my chance to relax either on my balcony or any other place on the Bliss. I have 10 books downloaded on my Kindle! Reading is a passion and I don't get a lot of chances in day to day life to just relax and read, especially in a beautiful setting.
2 years ago I went on a cruise that stopped there. I stayed on board as I wanted the quiet time. Also since I was traveling solo I wanted to save where I could. There was a couple activities hosted on the ship that I was glad I stayed behind for.
Great topic and very helpful information. I find that experienced repeat cruisers do excursions upon first visit, but then opt simply to hop off for quick shopping, or not at all. Just returned from Mexican Riviera cruise. First time. Only booked 1 excursion for 3 ports. Did not really have any regrets - each Port had negatives (extreme panhandling, dirty and unsafe conditions) so it was a reminder than the cruise experience is more about the Ship than the locales.
My wife an I increasingly stay on board the ship. We have been to all the ports, several times each and the ships are more and more becoming the destination. We do get off the ship at the cruise lines private beaches/islands. Just having a relaxing beach day.
I agree with all your tips. The more I cruise the less imperative it is for me to get off the ship. As I’ve done everything I wanted to and there are many things my health won’t allow me to do. With the huge Royal Caribbean ships they have so many things to do that I cannot do everything I want to do. I love the ICON!! The Wizard of Oz if first rate. They built the stage expressly for the musical. The stage moves up and down. People swing over the audience. They have a 17 piece live orchestra. Outstanding. There was another show and I didn’t know anything about the topic. I think it was based on a comic book!! It was fascinating. I was clueless the whole time but totally amazed. I like having new experiences.
I've lived in Cozumel several times for months at a time. I know people there and am familiar with the island as a whole. I've never encountered anything bad, except the sidewalks. However, I hardly ever go near where the cruise ships dock, too expensive, when I have I guess I haven't been labeled as a cruiser and not bothered. Full disclosure, I'm a white American male. (I can speak some Spanish). I can't speak for the other ports mentioned, but follow your gut, but don't act like a tourist. Thanks Gary, great info, congrats on your 450k, you deserve more.
„The ship is the destination it‘s own.“ That’s it! Thank you for all your very informative contributes on cruises. Your reviews moved me to book a Carrabean cruise on Europa 2. And I am very looking forward to it espacially with respect to days on sea…
But isn't it the idea that you are cruising to that destination to experience that destination? If all you want is to stay on the ship it would be best to book repositioning cruise for cheap.
@@trainsplanesandotherthings5187 Maybe even better to leave the ship in the port of origin. Imagine how much cheaper it could be if they eliminated the engines altogether.
Recently, I was on a Norwegian cruise in Europe with a big group of family members. Most of us got off in Livorno and did an excursion, a small group decided to stay on board the ship thinking they would enjoy the amenities. Unfortunately, many of the activities and amenities were closed on the port day. Those of us who got off had a great excursion and loved going to an off beat ranch to eat cheese and drink wine while those who stayed on board the ship were extremely disappointed. This is a good video, but one has to realize that not all ships and cruise lines are the same and not everything on the ship is going to be open on a port day.
And of course closing down venues on the ship on port days encourages people to buy expensive excursions while also saving the cruise line some money on staff and maintenance.
@@Sashazur- The staff gets paid the same whether the venue is open on port day or not. The shops and casino are usually not allowed to be open, it is not something the cruise line determines. They would much rather you spend your money on board than at an independent store in port.
Fantastic advice. When we visited the Alaskan ports, we were overwhelmed by the number of passengers in every port, and it wasn't even peak season. Cruise lines need to be responsible for avoiding overtourism; otherwise, they will continue to exacerbate the problem as passenger numbers take a cruise accelerate.
Your weekly tips are appointment viewing every Saturday. We are going on a carnival cruise (no judging) in a few weeks and did not know about some of the web sites you referenced. This video is really going to help me plan. Thank you.
I can see the cruise companies charging for staying on board on Port days. They'll call it something fancy like "On Board Day". Remaining passengers cost $$ which is what drives these cruise lines
We frequently embark out of Galveston because it is close. Same ports almost all the time. So we use those cruises to recharge and mainly stay on the ship or just get off for lunch in the port area.
I live in southern France near Toulon. There is absolutely no way I (or anybody I know) will set foot in or near Marseille. It's certainly the most dangerous city in Europe and I'm surprised cruise ships still dock there.
'Join us on one of our luxury cruises, pay a fortune for excursions and/or get mugged in 8 different city's' Probably not the best of holiday company taglines.....
we got off the ship in Cozumel to get some of those delicious fish tacos at the end of the pier and while we were waiting for our tacos 3 local men were standing behind us when the wife said come on lets go to the ship. Stunned i said ok and when we turned to walk a woman got in my wifes face and started yelling at her in spanish. Well my wife is Puerto Rican and returned the favor with a lot more heat. On the way back to the ship she told me that they were talking about robbing us. Never again.
lol I'll bet that was something to see. Some Russian scammer types were bothering a friend and his girlfriend in Egypt. His girlfriend is Ukrainian (Russian-speaking) and she lit into them. He was like, "what did you say?" Her: "I give them big scandal."
I can relate to your story…….it was back in the early 1990’s (indeed, a long time ago) and my husband and I went on a Carnival Cruise and we docked in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and we were getting off the ship to walk around. When we got off there were a few Jamaican police officers and my husband took me by the arm and said let’s just stay on the ship and relax. I didn’t understand until he asked me if I noticed the weapon the Jamaican police had……he said they had AK47’s hanging on their shoulders and if a Glock wasn’t good enough we sure as hell didn’t need to be walking around Ocho Rios.
If someone wants to rob you they will. They dont make a meeting about it. Plus Cozumel is just great. Just relax, be careful and enjoy. Dont live in fear.
Excellent video and I agree with all of it except I have never had to pay for any food at any private island stop. My rule was always if we have not been there before we do an introduction sightseeing tour, early as possible, and then get back on the ship in time to have a late lunch, then relax the rest of the day. Then if we have been to the port before there is no need to go sightseeing again. So we may spend a short time browsing around the secured port area, like Falmouth Jamaica, or St Thomas, and then get back on the ship.
My family and I have stopped disembarking at most ports for several reasons. Mostly, the key reason is that while most folks disembark, it leaves the ship nice and vacant. Smaller crowds, plenty of space to relax and not feel crowded. I still have a picture of a promenade that looked completely empty while we were in port. Another big reason was a bad experience we nearly had in Nassau, in that we very nearly got mugged. We avoided getting mugged but it did starkly remind us that Nassau was originally a pirate port and that some of that history persists. While we know this isn't the case in every port, it did leave us a bit shy afterwards. We mostly cruise nowadays for the comfort of the ship itself, and less about the destinations. The port of call would have to seriously entice us for us to disembark.
I am so sorry that you stayed onboard in Marseilles as there are many excursions into beautiful Provénce that are so worth doing. Aix, Antibes, and dozens of others.
LOVED Marseilles! We took the city bus up to the cathedral, and then back down to the town center where we had a nice lunch and visited the open air market.
I was in Barcelona and Palma in September, and didn't have any issues at all. Both lovely places! I did book cruise ship excursions in each location, don't know if that made a difference. I will say, I spent a lot of money in Barcelona and Mallorca, so they should be glad I was there, LOL.
Yes staying on board on port days can be really nice when the ship is relatively free of people. Lots of places to relax and things that you can do are a lot easier to find and use like pools and Jacuzzi's etc. This obviously makes sense when you have perhaps already visited the main places of interest in certain ports on previous cruises etc. It's not that long ago that virtually all ports and places were relatively safe with no real issues. These days the list of places to avoid or must have a rear gunner when going ashore seems to be rising alarmingly. The world is becoming a weird and dangerous place!
Good video! We are on Rhapsody of the seas in a few weeks. Trying a very small ship for the 1st time. Only scheduled excursions for Barbados and st Lucia because most of the excursions are early morning and we don’t feel like setting alarms on vacation. My husband was diagnosed with cancer last year and we want to try and make this the best vacation. We need to relax a little too
Cruise companies used to provide free shuttles into port destinations. On a recent Princess cruise to Alaska passengers had to fork out USD15 for a 10 minute bus ride to Victoria. There are no taxis or Uber !
It’s a nice flat 20 minute walk (1.6 km or less than mile) into town (depending on where you’re going). We walk it all the time, one thing I love about Victoria is how walkable it is. There’s also transit for $2.50 a ride. We usually leave the car and walk everywhere. Last time we were there the car was parked for 4 days.
I don’t think I would bother going on cruises with ports that were problematic. If I have to stay on board, I don’t think its worth it. I don’t mind a sea day to relax and recover but not more than is absolutely necessary. Relaxing in a cabana is my idea of being bored to death. I am in my 70s. I would imagine that the younger crowd would only find benefits to remaining on board in order to get smashed.
@@AlexTaylorLee I'm inclined to agree, but the private island is becoming the thing. I wonder if we'll start seeing more cruises that are just home port -> private beaches for a couple days -> back.
@AlexTaylorLee sometimes we are restricted by dates and have no interest in the ports or excursions especially if we have travelled there recently. We still enjoy cruising but enjoy different things about it on different days.
We cruised in September and port was 106⁰. That sounded miserable so we stayed on board especialy bc our pprts changed due to weather. We honeymooned in Rome, Italy. Pickpocketing is rampant. We governed ourselves accordingly. Sometimes the juice is worth the squeeze. Sometimes its not.
We have just returned from a 2 week voyage on Queen Victoria. There were six ports of call and for once, we only went ashore three times. It was simply wonderful to enjoy the almost empty ship, when all of the facilities were still open. Peace and tranquility. At one port on the island of Mykonos, we went ashore and the experience was simply dreadful. The island has a population of around 10,200 people. The day we arrived, there were five ships in port, with more people than the entire population of the island. It was awful. In future, we look forward to spending more time on board.
You hit the most important point! Growing sizes of ships is ruining many ports around the world. The days of quality cruising are fading. People new to cruising sadly have no idea. I wish there was an imposed world regulation that limited passenger capacity. The Icon of the Seas is the death knell to the future of pleasure cruising. Sad.
We are just about at the end of a 17 day cruise including visiting 4 Hawaian islands. We stayed on board at 1 of the islands and going on excursions at the other 3. Perfect balance. We really needed to stay aboard on the last island. At one of the islands we were told that the ship We are on, Holland America Koningsdam is the largest ship to tie onto the dock instead of tendering from offshore. Great relaxing time.
Very informative video. One warning is that ships will often close activities for maintenance, casinos are closed as are most shops. Ditto for restaurants.
I cruise to mostly be on the water. Ports are a secondary attraction, as the time in port (8 hours or less) really doesn’t give you an opportunity to explore and enjoy a destination. Factor in transportation time to and from the destination makes it even less desirable to me, imho. If I want to really enjoy a city, I want to book a min of 2 nights, up to week in a house rental (to get more of a flavor of what the area is like.) Cruising is all about the ship and being on the ocean for me - and that’s my focus.
Gary, I think your advice is most appropriate for folks who just love cruising for its own sake. Being a mostly land-based traveler (and travel advisor), the primary reason I would choose a cruise is if it offers a creative and interesting itinerary that would be difficult if not impossible by land. Two of the best cruises we took were around the Baltic Sea (before St. Petersburg dropped off itineraries for good reason) and another around Sicily and Malta. If most of the ports on a cruise look like places to skip, my best advice would be to look for a cruise with a more interesting itinerary. If your major interests are destinations like Rome, Florence, or Hanoi (for instance), those are better explored by land with several days devoted to each city. Just my 2¢!
Gary: Going on a cruise ship is definitely not the same Post-Covid. Popular ports are crowded, and not tourist friendly...except for emptying your wallet. One pays a small fortune for these trips, and staying on board sometimes is preferrable. If the destination ports don't want me spending my tourist dollars there, then the heck with them. The ships these days (currently have booked Viking and Regent) are really nice. You're correct that the destination in these cases IS THE SHIP.
Reality is that as a cruise ship passender you aren't financially viable for a destination. You don't book a hotel (employment for a Variety of people), you spent less on food than a Land tourist, excursions are partially done by cruise ship not local guides, etc. There have been several studies and cruise ship passengers spent a fraction at destination compared to other tourists. So yes, its probably money they can miss on if it means less crowds for more "premium" tourists that stay locally.
Good info and great resources (websites) to help with planning my next cruise. I was 50/50 on the ports that I got off on on my last cruise (Royal Caribbean, Feb 2020). When I stayed on, it was because I couldn't find anything interesting to do for an excursion and wanted to relax and finish a book I brought along. Good times not having to be somewhere. Also, sad that some people at the ports are being resistant to cruise passengers. I feel like if they don't like the extra traffic (and the tourism dollars) then have the local governments make restrictions on the number and frequency of ships docking. The idea of don't be rude goes both ways! Cheers!
We did a 14 night cruise with Cunard this month, Istanbul to Southampton, and on one stop in Mykonos there were FIVE huge ships (including our own) docked. To say what was once a sleepy charming port (certainly daytime in October) was utterly mobbed would be an understatement. I first holidayed there in the summer of 1994 and back then you maybe had one or two ships per week and most days there were none. When thinking of that island now two words come to mind ‘Paradise Lost’
Just because the named city is a bit away from the port doesn't mean there aren't fabulous places to visit which are closer - Civitavecchia itself is worth a stop and Cerveteri & Tarquinia are fascinating. At Livorno there's Lucca, Pisa etc and Ravenna and Trieste are easily worth a few days in their own right.
We call staying on the ship "roosting". It's like a sea day, only better because there are fewer people on board. The ship is our destination, so we roost most cruises.
As always you have the best and most relevant information. I enjoy watching your content so much especially because you always show so many beautiful scenery. I truly live vicariously thru your travels. You are so talented and blessed. I love what you just said about the flow rider. I went on it twice and felt stupid flying all over the place. I'm gonna do what you said next time.
We did this back in '99, when we won a four-day Caribbean trip on a Disney ship. We had two kids and we're feeling overwhelmed, and had no interest in being jostled by tourists so we didn't get off the ship at the ports (we did get off at their private beach). Best four-day vacay we ever had.
I stayed on Symphony of the Seas in Nassau on our sailing over the summer. We weren’t interested in paying for any excursions, and once we saw rain in the forecast we decided it would be best to not bother going into town to explore on our own. We ended up with the whole solarium pool to ourselves and our friends, we got excellent speedy service from the staff who only had us and a few others to worry about, and we still enjoyed the warm weather while staying sheltered by the glass roof during the rain. We talked to someone who booked an expensive resort day pass - they left early because they were wet and miserable. Definitely the right choice!
A good port to avoid is Santorini in Greece. You either have to take a donkey to the top of the mountain, a tram, or walk. The wait for the tram is easily 1.5 hours and it’s a chaotic wait with people butting in line. The donkey ride to the top is so cruel for the animals. And walking is definitely not an option unless you are in great shape. No bathrooms along the way if you walk you will be walking in donkey poop and smelly urine for an hour or so. It’s a horrible port of call.
Really helpful advice, even for this experienced cruiser. Always travelling on small ships is, I find, a real benefit.Also, I never get off when I know there are a lot other ships in at the same time.
Very good point. The enormous leviathans now trundling about can sometimes be a real pain when it comes to the inevitable invasion by the thousands of people on board! We met some fed up Americans during a Caribbean ABC cruise that were really fed up with all the waiting around trying to get back on board their ship. We were on a smaller ship and were able to simply drift in and out as we wished! 😉 👍
@@KCtaurus80 I am sure you will! If you are a bit fed up with loads of people in the bars and entertainment etc then this will be a welcomed alternative! Obviously there will be less to do on sea days but you should be able to slip neatly into a nice routine which is much more relaxing. The smallest ship I have ever cruised on was the old Pacific Princess (original Loveboat) back in the late 80's. A fantastic little ship with only 500 guests on board. Very friendly environment too. Have a fantastic time and I have my fingers crossed that you enjoy it. 😉🤞
I usually cruise to Alaska. I always get off to do excursions like whale watching, pulling up crab pots and eating crab legs, riding train in Skagway. I LOVE it.
I'm disabled in a wheelchair and going on any excursions is just too difficult. I have no interest in the ports anyway, for me the real holiday is on the ship on the sea. There is much to keep me amused on the ship and I have no need to go ashore.
On our Oceania Vista cruise from Istanbul to Rome, one of our ports was Kos...which, to me, had nothing to offer other than walking around. You make a really great point about doing your research on each port to see what they do and don't offer that would interest you and then compare that to tour offerings. As for getting the most out of your package/add on's - you're being thrifty....not cheap and frugal is an ugly word :)
Great video Gary...I try to always get off at ports I haven't been to, but soooo many cruises make stops in Ensenada and Nassau that I never get off at those ports anymore. Ensenada especially has almost nothing to do, and literally nothing around the port itself that would be of interest. Nassau is also tiresome because many cruises reroute there even if you aren't scheduled to go there (like a recent Symphony of the Seas cruise I took that was going to go to Labadee Haiti but rescheduled to Nassau due to Haitian turmoil OR cruises that have rerouted to Nassau because of bad weather in other ports) and more than a dozen times is more than enough to see everything. ...And I agree that on a huge ship like Symphony with lots of amenities, it's much easier to actually use some of them like water slides with more than half of the (more active) guests off the ship.
Even when we've traveled on a cruise line with inclusive excursions, I get worn out and just want to relax onboard. Also, there are some ports where I just don't feel safe and don't feel the need to venture out on my own. When we went to Livorno, on the second day we took a train into town (away from the crowds), and hung out at a brewpub for the afternoon. On Caribbean cruises, we don't need to go to the beach daily. Now, more than ever, the ship has become the destination and the primary attraction.
Excellent video. Thank you. Can I add a personal experience about one topic you did not cover: the weather? I was on the Hurtigruten and we stopped in Kirkenes when it was minus 30-something. I missed the taxis so, being appropriately dressed, decided to walk it. It was less than a mile and a sunny day. I got perhaps 100 metres before I decided that this was actually rather dangerous and turned back.
I don’t cruise often, do I guess I’m in the minority, here. I go on a cruise to see different places, just like I go on a driving vacation to see new places. What’s the point of spending all that money if you’re not going to get off the ship to see new things?
Agree That’s why I cruise rarely The idea of travel is to see and experience, otherwise why to travel? Unless they have no idea as to the history of the places. The best travel is to stay in the country/city and explore.
This is interesting timing. I'm sailing on Icon of the Seas on the 26th for the 3rd time. Western Caribbean is the itinerary, and I've done it many times. I will only be getting off the ship at Perfect Day at Coco Cay. I'm going to enjoy the ship, my non-alcoholic drink package, the casino and my 5 free Diamond+ alcohol drinks per day. Can't wait. 😂
Good advice when on a cruise, but makes me wonder what is the point of travelling to different locations if you only experience being onboard the ship?
We certainly do this now, we first started doing it on our second Nile cruise, we were surprised at how much more relaxing the whole cruise was. We now leave the ship around noon, although frequently don’t get off at all.
I can definetely relate to port excursions being too expensive. On somr NCL's it's 100 USD to get to the next town with no tour just a bus there and back. I couldn't see myself staying on a ship all day but I certainly don't feel obligated to get up at the crack of dawn and fit a full day in. Nothing much is ever open in port before 9am and I don't want to get mixed up with commuter traffic in ports. As such I'm more likely to go out between 9-10am be be back around 3pm.
Great video Gary! I wish I knew this before I scheduled a half day excursion to Bruges. Complicated and time consuming to get in and out of from our cruise ship.
This is great advice if you cruise regularly and/or are visiting a port for the second or third time. However, for Australians who have travelled 24+ hours just to board a ship for a cruise in europe or the USA, there is little chance you will visit this port again and hence not so good to miss the port.
I always remain on board throughout the cruise, Being at sea is sufficient for my simple needs. A good book, a cold beer, a plate of caviar by the pool etc. etc. Warm climes only of course!
I agree wholeheartedly! Early 70’s here and have never had any desire whatsoever to take a vacation on a crowded “floating hotel”. And I can’t think of anything more boring than looking out at ‘water’. Give me mountains and desert any day! Or interesting historical cities to explore!
Thank you for the tip of finding out before we go, how many mega ships are in port at the same time as our wonderful 700 passenger AZAMARA ships. We stayed on board recently in Santorin, too many mega ships in town. I just pretend it is a SEA DAY. Sea days are pretend days at the beach, without getting sand in my bathing suit, sand between my toes, sand getting in the sheets....Beach with no sand, lots of shade, quiet, peaceful. While on an Azamara cruise some years ago, across the Atlantic from NYC to northern Africa, they changed the ports and we went to Spain instead. The ports were deemed NOT SAFE and I was glad the cruise line refused to go there.
I just got off the Viva. Beautiful ship! Rome/Civitavecchia to Venice/Ravenna. We've been to Italy many times so opted out of the Italy excursions. I don't find long bus tours fun. The ship was really nice, when most passengers are on excursions.😂 Did 3 excursions in Malta, Corfu, Croatia. Hated the Corfu one, loved the ones with more walking and less bus.
What’s the point of a cruise if you just stay on board? Did our very first 10 day Caribbean cruise with NCL earlier this year; and it’s also our last! Tbh we don’t know what the appeal is! Overcrowded, line ups everywhere; 9 hrs at a port is not enough time to see and experience much, every port had 4-6 cruise ships at the docks and it was a nightmare onshore, boarding day was a nightmare and disembarkation on the last day was equally painful! Being herded around like sheep! No thank you never again, an all inclusive resort for a week is 10 times better and more relaxing!
With the exception of Alaska, I don't really care about the ports and would be just as happy to relax and hang out on the ship. In the Caribbean and Mexico, all the ports have the same exact shops anyways.
The best part of cruising is staying on board during port of call days. Great video but don’t advise everyone to do it or you’ll spoil it for the rest of us.
I go on a cruise to visit places I can't get to any other way being a non-flier. I research aspects of the ports to be visited included crime and safety issues and, providing there is nothing too outragous, always go ashore mainly in ships' excursions but occasionally by myself. Perhaps I've been very lucky but I have never encountered anything that threatened me.
NCL now has a port in Ketchikan Alaska that was 20 minutes to get into the main downtown of Ketchikan but going back was bad because it took us an 1 hour to get on a bus and another 20 minutes to get back to the port.
We are in our middle 70’s and have been to 57 countries. We are finding staying on board or limited visits is the way to go for us. Most of the ports have been visited before.
My first skipped port was the second time visiting Nassau. We also stayed aboard rather than tender to Santa Barbara on another trip. At this point, I'm one week out from a cruise to the Hawaiian islands so that will be five straight sea days to Honolulu landing there on the 74th anniversary of that "day of infamy". Four island ports then five more sea days to Ensenada. If we get off at all on that last stop, it will be to browse the leather goods and other stuff you find a short walk from the port.
I haven't gone on a proper cruise, but when I have been on vacation by general and it's not roadtrip type, I'm one who stays at or around the hotel a majority of the time and go on few to none of the offered excursions. I don't fly for 4-6 hours only to have to set alarms all the time and spend my vacation on a damn bus and only seeing places for like 5 mins! You'll find me by the hotel pool, basking in the sun, sipping on a diet soda! If I'm not by the pool, I'm usually found in some shop close to the hotel (I'm not much of a beach goer and don't like swimming in sea water as I'm terrified of jellyfish and other sea living critters, plus finding seas disgusting due to too much pollution. Add the risk of dangerous under water currents to the mix...)
Talking recently with a group of friends who are all devoted cruisers, we all wondered how long it’ll be before the normal cruise involves just sailing around without the ship necessarily stopping anywhere. Scenic cruising - that’s it.
On our last 11 night cruise in the Med we didn’t get off once. We were in The Retreat so enjoyed making use of all the luxury facilities and included food and drinks. Was one of the most relaxing holidays ever 😀
Thank you for sharing your port research sites. I know you have shared them before but I couldn't find the older video. I have shared this with my travel companions and saved it this time. I'm looking forward to my Nov Panama Canal cruise and want to make sure I'm making the most of our other stops.
I am at about 65 days of cruising, I have also gotten to the point that I won't be spending for a shore excursion (even with excursion credits most of the time) unless there is a specific draw for the port. I was a little disappointed last time we called on Costa Rica, our ship was moored at the freight terminal, and the only way we could leave was to take a coach from the ship (It wasn't too far of a walk to the gate, less than a kilometer.) The coaches never showed up, I gave up after waiting an hour with NO coaches and nobody knowing where they were and went back to the ship. It is nice to have the ship less populated.
My wife and I have been on 8 cruises. We are limited to the east coast of the states because of her medical problems. We have departed from Baltimore, Charleston, Jacksonville and Miami. With the exception of Charleston and Miami the others are multiple times.
The first cruises we did the excursions and for the most part were great. Expensive but great. I bought my wife her real diamond wedding ring in Freeport for our 30th anniversary.
We go on a cruise now for the cruise. We have done all the sightseeing that we want and just enjoy the laid back port days.
Sadly my sailing bride is no more, passing just over a year ago. I'm not sure it will have the same appeal anymore but I will go when I am able. It may be too bittersweet with memories.
Only time will tell.
Cheers
Terry
I’m still sailing after my Husband pasted away nine years ago. My Friends either can’t afford to go or can’t or don’t want to travel. I decided that I’m at home alone 90% of the time so I might as well go for as long as my health holds up. People are friendly. Hope you make good decisions.
Terry. So sorry for your loss. Try somewhere different would be a tip. Eg alaska. Norwegian do single cabins but book early. Or rope a friend in and share a cabin.
@paulgerrard9227 thank you. That is what I had supposed I needed to do. Just by myself I can be a lot more flexible in distance and travel arrangements. Cross country by Amtrak would be nice but I could do 3 cruises for what it would cost. I do have a lot more options now.
@janiekcarney5482 thank you. I myself am at the same point in life.
Other than a cat, there is nothing really keeping me at home. I'm a disabled veteran so as long as I keep track of the facilities near to me it should be fine. Maybe we shall cross paths some day. I'll treat you to a hot cup of tea at least.
Cheers
Terry, I am so sorry for the loss of your lovely bride. I've been divorced for 33 years and cruise with my adult son (he's raising 3 kids on his own and needs the break), or with friends. I leave in a week on my first solo cruise on the NCL Bliss. I have booked a solo balcony cabin, so I will have access to the solo lounge and meetups with other solo cruisers for dinner, excursions, etc. I am looking forward to it, and plan on doing more solo sailings! I agree with Paulgerrard9227 - Try somewhere different like Alaska or Mexico. Start making new memories.
I stayed on board with my family on carnival breeze back in May while in Cozumel and we had the entire on board water park completely to ourselves! Then we had the main pool all to ourselves for hours. It was lovely. As soon as people started joining, we hopped off, went shopping in the port for a couple of hours, and came right back. It was the perfect day.
We went on a Princess Cruise in January/February of 2024. By the time we docked in Cozumel, I was very tired. I slept in. I left the ship and was looking around the dock area taking pictures when I saw a cruise ship coming in. I took my rollator walker as far out on the dock as I could. Then I sat in to watch the ship come in to dock. I took some photos. It was a nice sunny day with a breeze. Very relaxing.
Then I went back on the ship, stopped at the International Cafe for a light lunch, and went out on the balcony to watch the local boat traffic and eat.
Then I took a nap. It was a great day.
I had a funny idea you were going to pop over and see if you could get on that ship as a joke. Just a laugh.
I met one experienced cruiser who worked out a smart compromise- she stayed on board until around noon, so she was able to use the pool & sun deck and have a light lunch, while also avoiding queues for the shuttle bus on departure. She'd often ask people who were returning from port to give tips on their experiences that day!
That’s exactly what I do! That way less crowds and you get an idea from people coming back of what it’s like 😊
That's what I'm doing in twi weeks on the med cruise - getting off at Lisbon briefly, staying on the ship in Cadiz, meeting my aunt in Málaga and Gibraltar then staying on in Barcelona and renting a cabana and a massage deal 👍👍👍
Same
@@soniauk4284what a shame, Lisbon is wonderful, so much to see. I met a lot of really kind folk there. More than anywhere in the world. Cadiz is a very old city and is the port for beautiful Seville, a must see in Spain.
So she wasted the day which is already limited for time as it is.
As veterans of 40+ cruises, my wife and I have "Been There, Done That" and bought all the tee shirts, so now we stay on board when in port. It is like having our own private yacht, with a couple hundred people to wait on us. We will be going to St. Barts this November and we will be getting off there. Can't miss that!
For me the point of the cruise is to stop at places I haven’t seen. I want to go ashore and explore.
Otherwise, you're just going on a long boat ride!
I find the on board part of a cruise boring and have no interest in the vast majority of cruise entertainment (trivia? Art auction? Hairy chest contest?) and find sea days painfully dull. I’m there for the ports, not the towel folding demonstration.
And only so much food and drink you can have in a day. I like max one sea day per cruise to relax but more than that seems like a waste of time.
Thank you Gary, I learned from a recent cruise that it is possible to get excursion exhausted. To go out every day on long excursions is exhausting and expensive.
So true!
I didn't stay onboard on a port day but I came back to the ship early. As you said, the port wasn't in a great area and there was a lot of things to do on the ship that were usually crowded so I got to do the water slides and some other things. Whilst in line for the water slide, I was talking to an 11yr old whose parents were in port and her Nan was waiting at the bottom of the slide for her. She asked if I'd done this before and I had to admit that my hesitation was the crowd of people at the bottom. I'm plus size and arthritic...I didn't want a million people standing around watching me getting back to my feet so I said I hoped I could stand back up again at the bottom. So I had my slide and when I got to the bottom, she had waited for me in case I needed help getting up! I had a better day that day and any port could have offered!
@cijmo - What a sweet girl. Somebody certainly raised her well.😊
Staying on board during port days are the most relaxing cruise days!
We were Falmouth Jamaica this past September went out of the”safe area” gates, found our guide from our 2018 trip to Falmouth, and toured around with him and had a fantastic time!
We felt totally safe with him. Everybody knew him and didn’t bother us at all.
👍🏻🇨🇦👍🏻
I noted one of your bloggers suggested checking out ports, and going back for a proper visit to the ones they liked. I, as a shuttle bus driver, have many times recommended this idea to our visitors.
Our town is a winner even with 20/30 somethings!
Note, I say town, lots of our visitors ask about the city, our population being less than 5,000!
If you have never been on a cruise before, you soon realise that you have less than eight hours on the ground in most ports, so plan well.
If you can pre-book with local operators, not on board ship, you can save yourself lots of money.
An example: Locals pay $35.00, booked on the ship $175.00! Cruise ships are mobile cash registers!
Oh dear, now my secret is out, lol. I just love enjoying the ship with fewer people. I tell everyone how great the port is and encourage them to see everything they can. ;)
@@cruisingforone ditto! 👍👍👍👍👍👍
sorry !!!
Best spa days!!
Can't understand that, go & see the places it goes too. Bonkers.
I met a couple on a cruise who use cruises to sample destinations, and the next year they will fly to their favorites for an extended visit.
That’s what we have always done and have gone back to many ports as a result
We have spent a month or more in Barcelona, southern England, Aruba, Bonaire and Honolulu after short visits on cruise ships. Next year, we’re going for a month each in Lima, Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Ushuaia after visiting during a cruise in 2015/16!
Fine approach: discovering Ziujatenajo was great.
We did the same,go on cruises see places we really like and went back later in year for a holiday,all over the world fantastic,we have two cruises booked April and August,and 4 holidays in between ,
This is why I love transatlantic cruises.
Yes!!!!!
We did a 'relocation cruise' from Sydney to Hawaii, with three stops (NZ's Auckland, and two in French Polynesia) so LOTS of sea days. There is only so much specialist and general knowledge for TRIVIA.... the seemed to be the only entertainment. No Specialist Lectures.... :-(
We loved our cruise to Norway and never felt unwanted.
Yeah, I think it’s a bit ‘patchy’ just now. Went to Norway in June, Stavanger, Olden etc and was made to feel very welcome. Walked round Stavanger in a group for a couple of hours and felt no resentment, and saw no stickers. So I think it might be an issue, but not a very big one just now.
Absolute nuts. A cruise is a floating velvet prison, I can’t wait to get off! in the 4 cruises I have taken, we are usually amongst the very first to disembark from the ship and explore the port and surroundings. Where the dock is far from the city, I pre-organise a taxi (almost never taking the ship excursions) - and where there is an overnight stay we get a local hotel so we can enjoy the local evening., and get away from the masses, Good point about the multiple ships however, avoid.
Ocho Rios is a port that can get sketchy fast! You don’t have to walk far from the ship, and suddenly find yourself being swarmed.
Great advise all around…thanks for the great tips once again!
Thanks for the heads up, that stop is on our itinerary. My original plan was to walk over after lunch and browse in the port area and then walk back. I’ll stick to that plan.😏
I had this experience in Casablanca, returned to the ship on the next shuttle bus. Good tip to stay on board.😊
I had that experience at Ocho Rios as well on a cruise. I don’t care for cruising so I never did it again. Too many people, really stupid entertainment, and far too annoying.
I’ve heard you recommend “what’s in port” before but I hadn’t checked it out until now. It’s a great resource! My partner and I are going on a cruise through Asia and we know very little about the ports we are stopping in, particularly in Vietnam. This website was super helpful for making the decision to book excursions or stay on the ship.
Hi Gary, I think you raised excellent points and for me, the idea of extracting as much value as you can from the pkg price you paid by staying on the ship makes a lot of sense.
you can also push through a protest line. it's not your fault. the cruise line brought you there.
I can understand having to stay onboard if it’s dangerous not to. I don’t understand it ever being a good thing. The benefit of traveling by ship is seeing different places without having to pack/unpack several times. I don’t see the point if I don’t get to experience anything of the destination.
That was before the locals were taught they were being taken advantage of by rich American tourists....
@derkong7114, if that's what you're worried about, then don't cruise. Just vacation at a nice resort hotel somewhere.
That’s why cruising has a reputation for being for old people that don’t really want to see anything or go anywhere.
I think that’s fine but for cruising to appeal to a younger market, staying on the ship is totally pointless.
I am leaving in a week for a 5 day cruise. I am staying on board in Cabo San Lucas. I've been there before, so it is my chance to relax either on my balcony or any other place on the Bliss. I have 10 books downloaded on my Kindle! Reading is a passion and I don't get a lot of chances in day to day life to just relax and read, especially in a beautiful setting.
2 years ago I went on a cruise that stopped there. I stayed on board as I wanted the quiet time. Also since I was traveling solo I wanted to save where I could. There was a couple activities hosted on the ship that I was glad I stayed behind for.
Enjoy your well deserved R&R !
Great topic and very helpful information. I find that experienced repeat cruisers do excursions upon first visit, but then opt simply to hop off for quick shopping, or not at all.
Just returned from Mexican Riviera cruise. First time. Only booked 1 excursion for 3 ports. Did not really have any regrets - each Port had negatives (extreme panhandling, dirty and unsafe conditions) so it was a reminder than the cruise experience is more about the Ship than the locales.
My wife an I increasingly stay on board the ship. We have been to all the ports, several times each and the ships are more and more becoming the destination. We do get off the ship at the cruise lines private beaches/islands. Just having a relaxing beach day.
We got a villa at Great Styrrip Cay on NCL. WE could have stayed for a day or two. The highlight of the cruise!
I agree with all your tips. The more I cruise the less imperative it is for me to get off the ship. As I’ve done everything I wanted to and there are many things my health won’t allow me to do.
With the huge Royal Caribbean ships they have so many things to do that I cannot do everything I want to do. I love the ICON!!
The Wizard of Oz if first rate. They built the stage expressly for the musical. The stage moves up and down. People swing over the audience. They have a 17 piece live orchestra. Outstanding. There was another show and I didn’t know anything about the topic. I think it was based on a comic book!! It was fascinating. I was clueless the whole time but totally amazed. I like having new experiences.
I've lived in Cozumel several times for months at a time. I know people there and am familiar with the island as a whole. I've never encountered anything bad, except the sidewalks. However, I hardly ever go near where the cruise ships dock, too expensive, when I have I guess I haven't been labeled as a cruiser and not bothered. Full disclosure, I'm a white American male. (I can speak some Spanish). I can't speak for the other ports mentioned, but follow your gut, but don't act like a tourist. Thanks Gary, great info, congrats on your 450k, you deserve more.
„The ship is the destination it‘s own.“ That’s it! Thank you for all your very informative contributes on cruises. Your reviews moved me to book a Carrabean cruise on Europa 2. And I am very looking forward to it espacially with respect to days on sea…
But isn't it the idea that you are cruising to that destination to experience that destination? If all you want is to stay on the ship it would be best to book repositioning cruise for cheap.
@@trainsplanesandotherthings5187 Maybe even better to leave the ship in the port of origin. Imagine how much cheaper it could be if they eliminated the engines altogether.
So why not go to a holiday camp and forget the ship?
You might as well go to Butlins. See the world, nah I'll stay in the pool spa. Typical British logic.
Recently, I was on a Norwegian cruise in Europe with a big group of family members. Most of us got off in Livorno and did an excursion, a small group decided to stay on board the ship thinking they would enjoy the amenities. Unfortunately, many of the activities and amenities were closed on the port day. Those of us who got off had a great excursion and loved going to an off beat ranch to eat cheese and drink wine while those who stayed on board the ship were extremely disappointed. This is a good video, but one has to realize that not all ships and cruise lines are the same and not everything on the ship is going to be open on a port day.
And of course closing down venues on the ship on port days encourages people to buy expensive excursions while also saving the cruise line some money on staff and maintenance.
@@Sashazur- The staff gets paid the same whether the venue is open on port day or not. The shops and casino are usually not allowed to be open, it is not something the cruise line determines. They would much rather you spend your money on board than at an independent store in port.
We usually sail with Cunard and found the same 🙂
To be honest, a lot of the ships we use seem just as busy in port as at sea.
Fantastic advice. When we visited the Alaskan ports, we were overwhelmed by the number of passengers in every port, and it wasn't even peak season. Cruise lines need to be responsible for avoiding overtourism; otherwise, they will continue to exacerbate the problem as passenger numbers take a cruise accelerate.
Your weekly tips are appointment viewing every Saturday. We are going on a carnival cruise (no judging) in a few weeks and did not know about some of the web sites you referenced. This video is really going to help me plan. Thank you.
@joshwiggin9372 -
Carnival Cruise has stepped their game up. They are no longer the "Days Inn of the Seas" like they were back in the 80's and 90's.
No judgment...I like your humor! We have been on Carnival and have never seen a problem.
I'm glad I got my cruising done before it all turned to effluent.
I can see the cruise companies charging for staying on board on Port days. They'll call it something fancy like "On Board Day". Remaining passengers cost $$ which is what drives these cruise lines
You hit the nail on the head!
@@Sashazur I hope they are not reading this!
Yes, beyond the gates of the confines of the port in Falmouth, Jamaica the feeling in the air changes dramatically.
We frequently embark out of Galveston because it is close. Same ports almost all the time. So we use those cruises to recharge and mainly stay on the ship or just get off for lunch in the port area.
I live in southern France near Toulon. There is absolutely no way I (or anybody I know) will set foot in or near Marseille. It's certainly the most dangerous city in Europe and I'm surprised cruise ships still dock there.
Yes and this is nothing new. My mom had her purse snatched there by people on a motorcycle back in the 1980s.
'Join us on one of our luxury cruises, pay a fortune for excursions and/or get mugged in 8 different city's'
Probably not the best of holiday company taglines.....
I wondered about that myself. Marseille ? Euh... ben non !
@@Lloyd1885cities
we got off the ship in Cozumel to get some of those delicious fish tacos at the end of the pier and while we were waiting for our tacos 3 local men were standing behind us when the wife said come on lets go to the ship. Stunned i said ok and when we turned to walk a woman got in my wifes face and started yelling at her in spanish. Well my wife is Puerto Rican and returned the favor with a lot more heat. On the way back to the ship she told me that they were talking about robbing us. Never again.
Just had something similar happen in Nassau earlier this month
lol I'll bet that was something to see. Some Russian scammer types were bothering a friend and his girlfriend in Egypt. His girlfriend is Ukrainian (Russian-speaking) and she lit into them. He was like, "what did you say?" Her: "I give them big scandal."
I can relate to your story…….it was back in the early 1990’s (indeed, a long time ago) and my husband and I went on a Carnival Cruise and we docked in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and we were getting off the ship to walk around. When we got off there were a few Jamaican police officers and my husband took me by the arm and said let’s just stay on the ship and relax. I didn’t understand until he asked me if I noticed the weapon the Jamaican police had……he said they had AK47’s hanging on their shoulders and if a Glock wasn’t good enough we sure as hell didn’t need to be walking around Ocho Rios.
If someone wants to rob you they will. They dont make a meeting about it. Plus Cozumel is just great. Just relax, be careful and enjoy. Dont live in fear.
That is so sad, I used to enjoy walking Cozumel…I love Mexico and it is getting horrible!
Excellent video and I agree with all of it except I have never had to pay for any food at any private island stop. My rule was always if we have not been there before we do an introduction sightseeing tour, early as possible, and then get back on the ship in time to have a late lunch, then relax the rest of the day. Then if we have been to the port before there is no need to go sightseeing again. So we may spend a short time browsing around the secured port area, like Falmouth Jamaica, or St Thomas, and then get back on the ship.
My family and I have stopped disembarking at most ports for several reasons. Mostly, the key reason is that while most folks disembark, it leaves the ship nice and vacant. Smaller crowds, plenty of space to relax and not feel crowded. I still have a picture of a promenade that looked completely empty while we were in port. Another big reason was a bad experience we nearly had in Nassau, in that we very nearly got mugged. We avoided getting mugged but it did starkly remind us that Nassau was originally a pirate port and that some of that history persists. While we know this isn't the case in every port, it did leave us a bit shy afterwards. We mostly cruise nowadays for the comfort of the ship itself, and less about the destinations. The port of call would have to seriously entice us for us to disembark.
Had the same experience in the same place earlier this month
Man I’m sorry to hear you had that experience
The world does not get better behaved
I am so sorry that you stayed onboard in Marseilles as there are many excursions into beautiful Provénce that are so worth doing. Aix, Antibes, and dozens of others.
LOVED Marseilles! We took the city bus up to the cathedral, and then back down to the town center where we had a nice lunch and visited the open air market.
@@lindabriel6991m
I was in Barcelona and Palma in September, and didn't have any issues at all. Both lovely places! I did book cruise ship excursions in each location, don't know if that made a difference. I will say, I spent a lot of money in Barcelona and Mallorca, so they should be glad I was there, LOL.
Me personally the reason I'd want to cruise is because everything I want to relax and enjoy myself is at most a ship's length away.
Yes staying on board on port days can be really nice when the ship is relatively free of people. Lots of places to relax and things that you can do are a lot easier to find and use like pools and Jacuzzi's etc. This obviously makes sense when you have perhaps already visited the main places of interest in certain ports on previous cruises etc. It's not that long ago that virtually all ports and places were relatively safe with no real issues. These days the list of places to avoid or must have a rear gunner when going ashore seems to be rising alarmingly. The world is becoming a weird and dangerous place!
Good video! We are on Rhapsody of the seas in a few weeks. Trying a very small ship for the 1st time. Only scheduled excursions for Barbados and st Lucia because most of the excursions are early morning and we don’t feel like setting alarms on vacation.
My husband was diagnosed with cancer last year and we want to try and make this the best vacation. We need to relax a little too
You will enjoy those destinations
Cruise companies used to provide free shuttles into port destinations. On a recent Princess cruise to Alaska passengers had to fork out USD15 for a 10 minute bus ride to Victoria. There are no taxis or Uber !
It’s a nice flat 20 minute walk (1.6 km or less than mile) into town (depending on where you’re going). We walk it all the time, one thing I love about Victoria is how walkable it is. There’s also transit for $2.50 a ride. We usually leave the car and walk everywhere. Last time we were there the car was parked for 4 days.
NCL offered a free shuttle to St. George in Bermuda last year, on the opposite end of the island from the Dockyards. It was very much appreciated!
There were dozens of taxis at the port in Victoria, you needed to turn right when leaving the port
I don’t think I would bother going on cruises with ports that were problematic. If I have to stay on board, I don’t think its worth it. I don’t mind a sea day to relax and recover but not more than is absolutely necessary. Relaxing in a cabana is my idea of being bored to death. I am in my 70s. I would imagine that the younger crowd would only find benefits to remaining on board in order to get smashed.
Well said, why bother to cruise if one is not getting off at ports?!
@@AlexTaylorLee I'm inclined to agree, but the private island is becoming the thing. I wonder if we'll start seeing more cruises that are just home port -> private beaches for a couple days -> back.
@AlexTaylorLee sometimes we are restricted by dates and have no interest in the ports or excursions especially if we have travelled there recently. We still enjoy cruising but enjoy different things about it on different days.
We cruised in September and port was 106⁰. That sounded miserable so we stayed on board especialy bc our pprts changed due to weather. We honeymooned in Rome, Italy. Pickpocketing is rampant. We governed ourselves accordingly. Sometimes the juice is worth the squeeze. Sometimes its not.
Sometimes due to stuff beyond everyone's control the ports change last minute or mid cruise.
Gary this is one of the most informative videos I’ve ever seen on RUclips ever .. saved this one to my travel folder Thank You ❤❤❤❤❤
We have just returned from a 2 week voyage on Queen Victoria. There were six ports of call and for once, we only went ashore three times. It was simply wonderful to enjoy the almost empty ship, when all of the facilities were still open. Peace and tranquility. At one port on the island of Mykonos, we went ashore and the experience was simply dreadful. The island has a population of around 10,200 people. The day we arrived, there were five ships in port, with more people than the entire population of the island. It was awful.
In future, we look forward to spending more time on board.
Great advice - over tourism has become a real problem though the ever increasing size of cruise ships just adds to the problem.
You hit the most important point! Growing sizes of ships is ruining many ports around the world. The days of quality cruising are fading. People new to cruising sadly have no idea. I wish there was an imposed world regulation that limited passenger capacity. The Icon of the Seas is the death knell to the future of pleasure cruising. Sad.
@@donmartin986 but it's ok for YOU to go cruising... of course....
stay at home then- problem solved.
I love my lazy days onboard during port calls. Great video topic! I might steal it in the future! :)
This was a well balanced practical video and so informative. Thanks Gary ❤
Agree, I learned a lot.
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching !
If you go on a cruise and stay on board, what's the point of going on a cruise? Just go to a resort, lie around the pool, drink, eat, etc.
Exactly
It's crazy. I can't believe people would spend the whole time on a ship. I would want to spend as much time as possible in the ports.
How about a cruise to such a place? I think it is coming.
You can get on a cruise to nowhere. Though they are usually only a few days long
Exactly my point
We are just about at the end of a 17 day cruise including visiting 4 Hawaian islands. We stayed on board at 1 of the islands and going on excursions at the other 3. Perfect balance. We really needed to stay aboard on the last island. At one of the islands we were told that the ship We are on, Holland America Koningsdam is the largest ship to tie onto the dock instead of tendering from offshore. Great relaxing time.
Very informative video. One warning is that ships will often close activities for maintenance, casinos are closed as are most shops. Ditto for restaurants.
I cruise to mostly be on the water. Ports are a secondary attraction, as the time in port (8 hours or less) really doesn’t give you an opportunity to explore and enjoy a destination. Factor in transportation time to and from the destination makes it even less desirable to me, imho. If I want to really enjoy a city, I want to book a min of 2 nights, up to week in a house rental (to get more of a flavor of what the area is like.) Cruising is all about the ship and being on the ocean for me - and that’s my focus.
Gary, I think your advice is most appropriate for folks who just love cruising for its own sake.
Being a mostly land-based traveler (and travel advisor), the primary reason I would choose a cruise is if it offers a creative and interesting itinerary that would be difficult if not impossible by land. Two of the best cruises we took were around the Baltic Sea (before St. Petersburg dropped off itineraries for good reason) and another around Sicily and Malta.
If most of the ports on a cruise look like places to skip, my best advice would be to look for a cruise with a more interesting itinerary. If your major interests are destinations like Rome, Florence, or Hanoi (for instance), those are better explored by land with several days devoted to each city. Just my 2¢!
Gary: Going on a cruise ship is definitely not the same Post-Covid. Popular ports are crowded, and not tourist friendly...except for emptying your wallet. One pays a small fortune for these trips, and staying on board sometimes is preferrable. If the destination ports don't want me spending my tourist dollars there, then the heck with them. The ships these days (currently have booked Viking and Regent) are really nice. You're correct that the destination in these cases IS THE SHIP.
Reality is that as a cruise ship passender you aren't financially viable for a destination. You don't book a hotel (employment for a Variety of people), you spent less on food than a Land tourist, excursions are partially done by cruise ship not local guides, etc. There have been several studies and cruise ship passengers spent a fraction at destination compared to other tourists. So yes, its probably money they can miss on if it means less crowds for more "premium" tourists that stay locally.
Good info and great resources (websites) to help with planning my next cruise. I was 50/50 on the ports that I got off on on my last cruise (Royal Caribbean, Feb 2020). When I stayed on, it was because I couldn't find anything interesting to do for an excursion and wanted to relax and finish a book I brought along. Good times not having to be somewhere. Also, sad that some people at the ports are being resistant to cruise passengers. I feel like if they don't like the extra traffic (and the tourism dollars) then have the local governments make restrictions on the number and frequency of ships docking. The idea of don't be rude goes both ways! Cheers!
We did a 14 night cruise with Cunard this month, Istanbul to Southampton, and on one stop in Mykonos there were FIVE huge ships (including our own) docked. To say what was once a sleepy charming port (certainly daytime in October) was utterly mobbed would be an understatement. I first holidayed there in the summer of 1994 and back then you maybe had one or two ships per week and most days there were none. When thinking of that island now two words come to mind ‘Paradise Lost’
Just because the named city is a bit away from the port doesn't mean there aren't fabulous places to visit which are closer - Civitavecchia itself is worth a stop and Cerveteri & Tarquinia are fascinating. At Livorno there's Lucca, Pisa etc and Ravenna and Trieste are easily worth a few days in their own right.
Lucca is one of my fave’s.
We call staying on the ship "roosting". It's like a sea day, only better because there are fewer people on board. The ship is our destination, so we roost most cruises.
As always you have the best and most relevant information. I enjoy watching your content so much especially because you always show so many beautiful scenery. I truly live vicariously thru your travels. You are so talented and blessed. I love what you just said about the flow rider. I went on it twice and felt stupid flying all over the place. I'm gonna do what you said next time.
We did this back in '99, when we won a four-day Caribbean trip on a Disney ship. We had two kids and we're feeling overwhelmed, and had no interest in being jostled by tourists so we didn't get off the ship at the ports (we did get off at their private beach). Best four-day vacay we ever had.
I stayed on Symphony of the Seas in Nassau on our sailing over the summer. We weren’t interested in paying for any excursions, and once we saw rain in the forecast we decided it would be best to not bother going into town to explore on our own. We ended up with the whole solarium pool to ourselves and our friends, we got excellent speedy service from the staff who only had us and a few others to worry about, and we still enjoyed the warm weather while staying sheltered by the glass roof during the rain. We talked to someone who booked an expensive resort day pass - they left early because they were wet and miserable. Definitely the right choice!
A good port to avoid is Santorini in Greece. You either have to take a donkey to the top of the mountain, a tram, or walk. The wait for the tram is easily 1.5 hours and it’s a chaotic wait with people butting in line. The donkey ride to the top is so cruel for the animals. And walking is definitely not an option unless you are in great shape. No bathrooms along the way if you walk you will be walking in donkey poop and smelly urine for an hour or so. It’s a horrible port of call.
Really helpful advice, even for this experienced cruiser. Always travelling on small ships is, I find, a real benefit.Also, I never get off when I know there are a lot other ships in at the same time.
Very good point. The enormous leviathans now trundling about can sometimes be a real pain when it comes to the inevitable invasion by the thousands of people on board!
We met some fed up Americans during a Caribbean ABC cruise that were really fed up with all the waiting around trying to get back on board their ship. We were on a smaller ship and were able to simply drift in and out as we wished! 😉 👍
We are trying a much smaller ship for the 1st time in a few weeks. We are hoping we will like it 🤞
@@KCtaurus80 I am sure you will! If you are a bit fed up with loads of people in the bars and entertainment etc then this will be a welcomed alternative! Obviously there will be less to do on sea days but you should be able to slip neatly into a nice routine which is much more relaxing. The smallest ship I have ever cruised on was the old Pacific Princess (original Loveboat) back in the late 80's. A fantastic little ship with only 500 guests on board. Very friendly environment too. Have a fantastic time and I have my fingers crossed that you enjoy it. 😉🤞
I usually cruise to Alaska. I always get off to do excursions like whale watching, pulling up crab pots and eating crab legs, riding train in Skagway. I LOVE it.
Getting off the Cruise Ship and explore other Countries is my desire. Good to spend a few $$ .
I'm disabled in a wheelchair and going on any excursions is just too difficult. I have no interest in the ports anyway, for me the real holiday is on the ship on the sea. There is much to keep me amused on the ship and I have no need to go ashore.
On our Oceania Vista cruise from Istanbul to Rome, one of our ports was Kos...which, to me, had nothing to offer other than walking around. You make a really great point about doing your research on each port to see what they do and don't offer that would interest you and then compare that to tour offerings.
As for getting the most out of your package/add on's - you're being thrifty....not cheap and frugal is an ugly word :)
Great video Gary...I try to always get off at ports I haven't been to, but soooo many cruises make stops in Ensenada and Nassau that I never get off at those ports anymore. Ensenada especially has almost nothing to do, and literally nothing around the port itself that would be of interest. Nassau is also tiresome because many cruises reroute there even if you aren't scheduled to go there (like a recent Symphony of the Seas cruise I took that was going to go to Labadee Haiti but rescheduled to Nassau due to Haitian turmoil OR cruises that have rerouted to Nassau because of bad weather in other ports) and more than a dozen times is more than enough to see everything. ...And I agree that on a huge ship like Symphony with lots of amenities, it's much easier to actually use some of them like water slides with more than half of the (more active) guests off the ship.
Even when we've traveled on a cruise line with inclusive excursions, I get worn out and just want to relax onboard. Also, there are some ports where I just don't feel safe and don't feel the need to venture out on my own. When we went to Livorno, on the second day we took a train into town (away from the crowds), and hung out at a brewpub for the afternoon. On Caribbean cruises, we don't need to go to the beach daily. Now, more than ever, the ship has become the destination and the primary attraction.
Excellent video. Thank you. Can I add a personal experience about one topic you did not cover: the weather? I was on the Hurtigruten and we stopped in Kirkenes when it was minus 30-something. I missed the taxis so, being appropriately dressed, decided to walk it. It was less than a mile and a sunny day. I got perhaps 100 metres before I decided that this was actually rather dangerous and turned back.
I don’t cruise often, do I guess I’m in the minority, here. I go on a cruise to see different places, just like I go on a driving vacation to see new places. What’s the point of spending all that money if you’re not going to get off the ship to see new things?
Agree
That’s why I cruise rarely
The idea of travel is to see and experience, otherwise why to travel?
Unless they have no idea as to the history of the places.
The best travel is to stay in the country/city and explore.
I like the “Ship as a Destination” approach. Unless the port is special an empty ship can be very fun!
Gary is a treasure! His commentary is brilliant.
This is interesting timing. I'm sailing on Icon of the Seas on the 26th for the 3rd time. Western Caribbean is the itinerary, and I've done it many times. I will only be getting off the ship at Perfect Day at Coco Cay. I'm going to enjoy the ship, my non-alcoholic drink package, the casino and my 5 free Diamond+ alcohol drinks per day. Can't wait. 😂
I always enjoy all the excellent cruise information that you provide us in your videos. They are definitely the best! Thank you
Good advice when on a cruise, but makes me wonder what is the point of travelling to different locations if you only experience being onboard the ship?
I agree. I don’t see the point of taking a cruise that stops in different places if you just stay onboard.
A very informative video. Thank you. What you shared makes a lot of sense.
We certainly do this now, we first started doing it on our second Nile cruise, we were surprised at how much more relaxing the whole cruise was. We now leave the ship around noon, although frequently don’t get off at all.
Really informative. I've noted a couple of the sites mentioned, as there is nothing I like more than being informed in advance. Thank you, Gary!
I can definetely relate to port excursions being too expensive. On somr NCL's it's 100 USD to get to the next town with no tour just a bus there and back. I couldn't see myself staying on a ship all day but I certainly don't feel obligated to get up at the crack of dawn and fit a full day in. Nothing much is ever open in port before 9am and I don't want to get mixed up with commuter traffic in ports. As such I'm more likely to go out between 9-10am be be back around 3pm.
Great video Gary! I wish I knew this before I scheduled a half day excursion to Bruges. Complicated and time consuming to get in and out of from our cruise ship.
Great review on
the real nitty gritty of cruising ….dont get gouged folks …the ports can be really quite shite
This is great advice if you cruise regularly and/or are visiting a port for the second or third time. However, for Australians who have travelled 24+ hours just to board a ship for a cruise in europe or the USA, there is little chance you will visit this port again and hence not so good to miss the port.
I always remain on board throughout the cruise, Being at sea is sufficient for my simple needs. A good book, a cold beer, a plate of caviar by the pool etc. etc. Warm climes only of course!
Top tip, don’t bother with cruising
Totally agree with you it looks like a chicken Qube no thanks
I agree wholeheartedly! Early 70’s here and have never had any desire whatsoever to take a vacation on a crowded “floating hotel”. And I can’t think of anything more boring than looking out at ‘water’. Give me mountains and desert any day! Or interesting historical cities to explore!
Thank you for the tip of finding out before we go, how many mega ships are in port at the same time as our wonderful 700 passenger AZAMARA ships. We stayed on board recently in Santorin, too many mega ships in town. I just pretend it is a SEA DAY. Sea days are pretend days at the beach, without getting sand in my bathing suit, sand between my toes, sand getting in the sheets....Beach with no sand, lots of shade, quiet, peaceful. While on an Azamara cruise some years ago, across the Atlantic from NYC to northern Africa, they changed the ports and we went to Spain instead. The ports were deemed NOT SAFE and I was glad the cruise line refused to go there.
I just got off the Viva. Beautiful ship! Rome/Civitavecchia to Venice/Ravenna. We've been to Italy many times so opted out of the Italy excursions. I don't find long bus tours fun. The ship was really nice, when most passengers are on excursions.😂 Did 3 excursions in Malta, Corfu, Croatia. Hated the Corfu one, loved the ones with more walking and less bus.
I was on that ship with you. Same cruise.
What’s the point of a cruise if you just stay on board? Did our very first 10 day Caribbean cruise with NCL earlier this year; and it’s also our last! Tbh we don’t know what the appeal is!
Overcrowded, line ups everywhere; 9 hrs at a port is not enough time to see and experience much, every port had 4-6 cruise ships at the docks and it was a nightmare onshore, boarding day was a nightmare and disembarkation on the last day was equally painful! Being herded around like sheep! No thank you never again, an all inclusive resort for a week is 10 times better and more relaxing!
With the exception of Alaska, I don't really care about the ports and would be just as happy to relax and hang out on the ship. In the Caribbean and Mexico, all the ports have the same exact shops anyways.
The best part of cruising is staying on board during port of call days. Great video but don’t advise everyone to do it or you’ll spoil it for the rest of us.
I go on a cruise to visit places I can't get to any other way being a non-flier. I research aspects of the ports to be visited included crime and safety issues and, providing there is nothing too outragous, always go ashore mainly in ships' excursions but occasionally by myself. Perhaps I've been very lucky but I have never encountered anything that threatened me.
NCL now has a port in Ketchikan Alaska that was 20 minutes to get into the main downtown of Ketchikan but going back was bad because it took us an 1 hour to get on a bus and another 20 minutes to get back to the port.
We are in our middle 70’s and have been to 57 countries. We are finding staying on board or limited visits is the way to go for us. Most of the ports have been visited before.
My father in law is in his mid 80’s and has visited almost 100 countries and gets off at every port even if he has visited them already
My first skipped port was the second time visiting Nassau. We also stayed aboard rather than tender to Santa Barbara on another trip. At this point, I'm one week out from a cruise to the Hawaiian islands so that will be five straight sea days to Honolulu landing there on the 74th anniversary of that "day of infamy". Four island ports then five more sea days to Ensenada. If we get off at all on that last stop, it will be to browse the leather goods and other stuff you find a short walk from the port.
I haven't gone on a proper cruise, but when I have been on vacation by general and it's not roadtrip type, I'm one who stays at or around the hotel a majority of the time and go on few to none of the offered excursions. I don't fly for 4-6 hours only to have to set alarms all the time and spend my vacation on a damn bus and only seeing places for like 5 mins!
You'll find me by the hotel pool, basking in the sun, sipping on a diet soda! If I'm not by the pool, I'm usually found in some shop close to the hotel (I'm not much of a beach goer and don't like swimming in sea water as I'm terrified of jellyfish and other sea living critters, plus finding seas disgusting due to too much pollution. Add the risk of dangerous under water currents to the mix...)
Talking recently with a group of friends who are all devoted cruisers, we all wondered how long it’ll be before the normal cruise involves just sailing around without the ship necessarily stopping anywhere. Scenic cruising - that’s it.
Where do you sign UP?
On our last 11 night cruise in the Med we didn’t get off once. We were in The Retreat so enjoyed making use of all the luxury facilities and included food and drinks. Was one of the most relaxing holidays ever 😀
Thank you for sharing your port research sites. I know you have shared them before but I couldn't find the older video. I have shared this with my travel companions and saved it this time. I'm looking forward to my Nov Panama Canal cruise and want to make sure I'm making the most of our other stops.
I am at about 65 days of cruising, I have also gotten to the point that I won't be spending for a shore excursion (even with excursion credits most of the time) unless there is a specific draw for the port. I was a little disappointed last time we called on Costa Rica, our ship was moored at the freight terminal, and the only way we could leave was to take a coach from the ship (It wasn't too far of a walk to the gate, less than a kilometer.) The coaches never showed up, I gave up after waiting an hour with NO coaches and nobody knowing where they were and went back to the ship. It is nice to have the ship less populated.