Booking shore excursions at the right time is one of the most important parts of planning a successful cruise vacation. Reserving tours too late can severely limit your options or result in paying more for popular activities.
From booking directly with the cruise line to planning your own day ashore and finding a reputable third party, there are several ways to secure the perfect excursion experience. While each comes with its own benefits, one key factor remains the same: you don't want to wait until the last minute to research your port of call.
We spoke to Jeff Cohen, the Vice President of Marketing at Shore Excursions Group, to find out exactly when you should book excursions, especially to popular seasonal regions like Alaska and Europe. The tour expert gave insight into why timing is everything when planning tours, as well as why you shouldn't be scared to book with an independent operator.
Cruisers are booking their shore excursions earlier than ever before
According to Cohen, cruisers are planning their tours earlier than before. Not only that, but they're looking for deals and discounts.
"Shore excursions sell out quickly across all popular cruise ports, but especially in destinations like Alaska and Europe, which feature immersive excursions and activities," he says.
Once-in-a-lifetime tours that sell out especially quickly include Helicopter/Glacier Flight Seeing tours and Dog-Sledding excursions in Alaska and historic tours in major European ports such as the Amalfi Coast in Naples, the Greek Isles, Rome, and Barcelona.
Cohen advises cruisers to book their tours after reserving their cruise to ensure they get their first choice of activity in each destination. Following the pandemic, he noticed that passengers began booking their tours 3-4 weeks earlier on average.
Paul Kiritsy, President & C.E.O. of Shore Excursions Group, added that the typical cruiser makes their shore excursion bookings 10 weeks before Caribbean cruises and 14 weeks before Alaska and Europe.
"This booking curve continues to shift outward, as an increasing share of guests book excursions very soon after they’ve booked their cruise...To avoid missing out, we recommend booking as early as possible, [preferably] 6 months prior, so [your] preferred tour is booked at the preferred time," he advises.
Additionally, cruisers are prioritizing experiences and travel over material purchases, so they're spending more on vacations. This means they're also spending more on shore excursions, which Cohen believes "...are the most fulfilling part of a cruise vacation."
"The most popular and top-rated shore excursions sell out quickly, especially with customers booking excursions further in advance than ever before," he says.
For guests cruising to the Caribbean, popular ports to keep an eye on include Cozumel, Nassau, Grand Cayman, Roatán, and Costa Maya.
Read more: 9 things you have to book in advance for cruise vacations
What happens if you book shore excursions too late?
Cohen says, "Some shore excursions can be booked within a few days of sailing, though availability is likely to be extremely limited, so planning ahead and booking shore excursions soon after the cruise booking is completed is the ideal approach."
However, Kiritsy issues a harsher warning for last-minute planners:
"Waiting to book at the last minute risks missing out on most popular tours entirely and/or missing out on preferred departure times, especially on busiest days, since these sell out most rapidly – in some cases 6+ months in advance of the tour."
Benefits of booking with a third-party versus through the cruise line
Many cruisers, especially first-time sailors, tend to book their tours directly through the cruise line. First, it's easy to browse the available options through the line's booking portal, and second, you're guaranteed to make it back to the ship on time.
However, Cohen argues there are benefits to booking excursions with an independent operator, particularly Shore Excursions Group.
"[We offer] significant savings with prices up to 40% lower than the cruise lines, higher quality and smaller group tours from a hand-curated portfolio providing a more immersive and personalized experience, 24/7 traveler support, and proprietary technology providing itinerary-specific shopping and our industry’s strongest guaranteed return to ship policy," he explains.
Read more: I watched two people get left behind on a cruise
Additionally, Kiritsy says that in the extremely unlikely event that their tour delays your arrival and you miss the ship, they'll arrange and pay for your accommodations, meals, and transportation to the next port of call. "We will [also] pay you an additional $1,000 USD per customer for the inconvenience," he adds.
Third parties typically mean you have a wider variety of options, as they can offer more authentic and unique activities for smaller groups.
However, it's important to carefully choose your third-party and do proper research before giving any independent operator your hard-earned money. Over the last 16 years, Shore Excursions Group has successfully delivered more than 4.9 million tours and received a 4.7 out of 5-star rating from more than 49,200 reviews.
Curious about Shore Excursions Group's offerings? Check out their options here. There are over 4,500 tours in over 300 ports worldwide! Plus, you can easily search for the excursions available during your cruise by selecting your cruise line, ship, and sail date.
Editor's note: While it costs nothing to book through this secure link, we receive a commission for each reservation.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she traveled frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas during her freshman year of high school. Having sailed on nearly 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
