Cruise ship advice.

You can book your own excursions. However, the cruise ship WILL NOT WAIT for you if you book the excursion and you're late. They will wait for excursions booked through them.

Gummies shouldn't be an issue. I pack mine in with my medicines.

Yep. That is the risk you take by not booking excursions with the cruise ship. If you book through them, getting you back to the ship on time is their responsibility. If not, it is your responsibility. And they will leave you.

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Here they are, and much cheaper. But you may have to find transportation and you will be 100% responsible if youre late.

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We booked a kayak trip in Ketchikan a few years ago. It was great.
They advertise:
-Not affiliated with any cruise line
-Never had anyone miss the boat

Going on another this summer with the same outfit.

The ships are pretty strict about carrying on alcohol and anything that is obviously illegal. They won’t bother your smoking supplies. However, they are also very strict about smoking/vaping in designated areas only. Do NOT vape on your balcony, in your room, or outside of those designated areas. If you are caught, you’ll pay like a $500 fine and can be removed from the ship at the next port.

Since you’re a first timer, I suggest booking your excursions through the cruise line so that you can get a feel for how a port day works without worrying about being left at the port (even though it’s extremely rare). Watch your alcohol intake on shore. Most people who miss the ship miss it because they’ve have been drinking and lost track of time.

If you decide to do a private excursion, vet the business on Trip Advisor before booking. I do not work with any private excursion company that has less than 5 stars. They must communicate regularly with me and demonstrate they work frequently with and understand the needs of cruise passengers. Also, keep your watch tuned to the ship’s time all week, not the local time in the ports. Typically, the ship time will be the time zone where the ship begins the cruise. Make note of the excursion business’s time zone and adjust their times to match the ship time. Always, always, always stay on ship time.

I NEVER book an excursion with locals at the port when I arrive. Ever. That’s the easiest way to get scammed. If I need a ride to a beach or to a location, I will grab a cab. Reputable cabs will be waiting at most ports.

Resorts for a Day and Resortspass are great services for purchasing a day pass to an all inclusive resort near your port of call. You will be responsible for transportation to and from the resort, but I’ve never had a problem getting transportation when I’ve done this. The resort will see you as a potential future customer and will treat you as such.

Not sure where your ports are, but I recommend pre-planning excursions in Jamaica, Nassau (unless you just want to shop by the port), Bonaire, Belize, and La Romana. There’s just not much to do near those ports or the locals are very aggressive.

If you’re stopping in Cozumel, there are several beach clubs that are well known and affordable: Mr. Sancho’s (party atmosphere), Playa Mia (families), and Nachi Cocom (limited entry, more subdued). You can go online to their websites and purchase a pass. You will need to pay for a taxi to the club and back to port.

On our Alaskan cruise I was sitting on my balcony and could smell someone smoking weed on theirs. I'm guessing they bought it in port as they had cannibas dispensaries at every Alaskan port we stopped at.

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2. Are there excursions avalible at the port or do they all have to be booked through the cruise lines...

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I always book not from the cruise ship. You can find a lot of better excursions for much cheaper by booking on your own. Usually smaller groups and lots of addons you won’t get with cruise ship excursions.

Downside is you need to be time aware and schedule your excursions responsibly because like said above, the ship will not wait for you like it will for one booked through the ship.

TripAdvisor is a good place to check for reviews on excursions you are considering. I’ve had a lot worse percentage of getting bad excursions by going through the ship than using high rated TripAdvisor ones.

Good deal. I was a bit grumpy last night.

I’ve never seen any dogs boarding the ship. I think the USA customs have them on return though. But someone please correct me if I’m wrong.

Kitties at the Kitty Hotel... Old Lady packed.... Have a great weekend baws.. Thanks

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You can book your own excursions. However, the cruise ship WILL NOT WAIT for you if you book the excursion and you're late. They will wait for excursions booked through them.

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But if you book with reputable tour companies on shore, they never miss getting you back. I rarely do excursions with the cruise line. They generally cost more. There are generally a lot more people. I've actually been on a non-cruise line excursion with folks who booked through the cruise line and paid $25 more. Reputable tour companies promise to get you to your next port for free if you get left. They allow plenty of time and you don't miss boarding.

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Google the tours. They really never miss.

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It does happen but its pretty rare.

I've dealt with many who had to find alternative transportation.