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Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Gain an understanding of how Halifax recovered and rebuilt following a devastating explosion in 1917 that leveled more than a square mile of the city. Two ships colliding in the harbor – one carrying munitions for World War I – caused the blast and resulting tsunami that killed more than 2,000 people. After pausing at a memorial bell tower dedicated to those who lost their lives in the tragedy, you will visit the Hydrostone Market, a collection of shops that was built on ground zero for the explosion. It is a fine example of early 20th-century urban planning, much like the Halifax Public Gardens reflects Victorian Age horticultural principles. As you will see, city hall boasts a Victorian architectural design and survived the explosion.
The Cozumel City Tour By Trolley
However, in popular cruise ports, there are often representatives waiting at the port or at a tourist office who can book you on same-day tours if space is available. Alternatively, you can wait until you're on the ship and book your excursion in person at the shore excursions desk. You'll be able to ask the staff questions about the tours, and the charges will be added to your final cruise bill.
Are shore excursions included on a cruise?
The easiest way to get to them is with tours sold by your cruise line, which typically include the services of tour guides who are experts about the destination. Not all shore excursions involve busloads of tourists dutifully following flag- or umbrella-waving guides. You will find these types of sightseeing tours, as well as athletic endeavors overseen by dive masters or hike leaders. However, some tours simply bring you to a destination where you're free to explore until it's time to meet the bus to go home. Others feature guided components, followed by an hour or two of free time. Some take up all your time in port, while others are just a few hours of an all-day visit.
Let's Take A Selfie - Halifax & Dartmouth
And you might meet shipmates whose company you'll enjoy back on the ship. The downside to booking tours in advance is that some cruise lines require that you pay for the tours in full, rather than putting them on your final cruise bill. It means you're out the money in advance and it can be difficult to use onboard credit to cover the cost of excursions booked online. A shore excursion is a group tour or activity aimed at cruise travelers who can only spend a limited time in each port they're visiting on their itinerary. Katakolon, Greece, is a small town with a nice strip of beach – and a landmark attraction about an hour away. Cruise passengers make the trip to ancient Olympia to see the site where the Olympic Games debuted in 776 B.C.
I went on 5 Norwegian Cruise Line sailings last year: These are my 15 best tips - Cruise Blog
I went on 5 Norwegian Cruise Line sailings last year: These are my 15 best tips.
Posted: Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Allow me to take you through the basics of cruise shore excursions, so you can learn to have the most fun no matter what your budget is. Athens is a fascinating city with both ancient and modern attractions. While half-day tours will get you to the famous Acropolis, we recommend a full-day experience so you can see and experience more. Shore excursions in the Mediterranean highlight must-see experiences such as fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Some of the wonders you travel to see – the ruins of Pompeii, the Roman Colosseum and Michelangelo's David in Florence – are nowhere near the pier where your cruise ship will dock.
Food For Any Taste. At Any Time.
Our award-winning ships are designed for you to enjoy as you choose while cruising to beautiful destinations around the world. Add a wide range of superb dining options and spectacular entertainment and you’ll experience your best vacation ever. That may be true in some cases but I printed out all the excursions when I made our cruise deposit and many just 'disappeared' before I made any reservations. I compared notes and found many of the water activities had been eliminated. I don't have any overlapping reservations since I booked only one excursion on each island.
Excursions That Cover Highlights vs. More Immersive Excursions:
If you struggle with mobility, check to see if there's a lot of walking on uneven ground like cobblestones. You'll likely want to tip more for customized, private tours — consider 5 to 20% of the cost of the tour.
We took an enjoyable excursion to Oia and a winery, and it ended in Fira with time on our own before returning to the ship, taking the cable car down to the tender dock. We had no problem as our ship was the only one in port that day. Based on recent reports with multiple ships in port, the wait for the cable cars can be very long. Read up a lot on this port before deciding on what to do. For Naples, our travel agent told us not to miss the Amalfi coast, and my friend wanted to see Pompeii. So we picked a long, full day excursion that went to both places.
To give you the skills to make the most of your days in port, read on for our advice on what to expect from shore excursions and maximize the fun on your cruise vacation. Whether you're on a cruise line sponsored or independent shore excursion, a best practice is to tip your tour guides at the end of the tour. Exceptions are if tips are included in the price or if you're visiting a country with a non-tipping culture, where offering cash would be awkward. Shore excursions are a great way to make the most of your time in port, but you might get the most value out of a mix of guided tours and independent exploration. Choose the best option based on your budget and interests, and remember to look at both ship-sponsored and independent tour and activity options. And if you feel like staying on board one day while your ship is docked in a port that doesn't interest you, that's okay, too.
Las Ramblas, the city's famous boulevard, is a long walk or quick shuttle bus ride away. For us, the must-do shore excursion is to see the extravagant creations of architect Antoni Gaudi, including his La Sagrada Familia Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where construction has been ongoing since 1882. If you want to explore Florence, look for cruises calling in Livorno, Italy, or another port in Tuscany.
However, you do run the risk that a popular tour might be sold out by the time you're ready to book. The benefits to a cruise line's shore excursions are that they depart from and return to the ship; you don't need to figure out where to meet a guide in a port you've never visited. Better still, should an unexpected problem (traffic, a medical emergency) occur during your outing, the ship will not leave port until all of its own tours have returned. Depending on the booking situation, various excursions are also offered in German, Spanish, French, Italian or Russian (minimum number of 30 participants). Please see the detailed information for your shore excursion on board.
Most travelers rely on carrying a copy of their passport in ports, leaving the originals locked away safely in their staterooms. There are some cruise lines that hold your passports for you throughout the cruise. In those cases, you should carry a copy with your photo ID. With few exceptions, you are free to walk off the cruise ship and do your own thing. However, if you prefer guides or easy transportation, a shore excursion is probably for you.
The knowledge and efficiency of tour operators vary, and some tour offerings are simply duds. You'll also pay a premium for letting the cruise line arrange your day. Ship-arranged excursions also tend to have broad appeal, so if you're interests in a given port are more specific or niche, you may want something outside of the cruise line's offerings. See Halifax’s main attractions at your own pace by riding around town in a motor coach that allows you to get on and off whenever you please at the places that sound most intriguing. The vehicles make continuous loops around Halifax, following a route with more than a dozen stops.
Livorno - Italy Tours - Florence and Pisa - These places were so much more beautiful than I ever imagined. Pisa was laid back free time to wander the square, a perfect was to spend the time. The Florence walking tour was good but the sites so amazing I barely listened. I opted to not see the real David and used my free time to wander Florence alone.
It's not difficult to imagine life in ancient times while exploring the remarkable ruins of Pompeii, the ancient Roman city buried by ash from Mount Vesuvius in the year 79. The ruins — the forum, baths, temples and decorated villas — appear frozen in time. If you are going this route, we recommend you go with the Colosseum, an amphitheater that once held as many as 50,000 spectators and where you can well imagine life in ancient Rome in all its (gory) glory. In Old Town, you'll climb to and walk along the defensive walls that appeared on the show in the Battle of Blackwater Bay, as well as in other scenes. Other GOT sights in Old Town include the Jesuit Staircase, where Cersei began her Walk of Shame (season 5) and an area near St. Dominic Street, where market scenes for the show were filmed.
I sailed the Epic in October and had some of those ports. It was the most amazing trip and honestly there is so much to do you almost can't go wrong. They know how to tour in Europe and you will see the most amazing sights... From Messina, we took an excursion to Taormina that was transportation only, and we had several hours on our own to walk around the very picturesque town. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear.
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