Ship tours or independent tours?

Tours sold by your cruise line

If a tour you bought from the cruise line runs late, the ship is generally expected to wait for it. That's the main thing you're paying extra for.

• Usually pricier than the same activity booked on your own.
• Often bigger groups, and on tender days ship tour guests usually go ashore first.
• Billed to your cabin, so there is nothing to pay in port.

Tours you book yourself

Independent tours are often cheaper, with smaller groups and more choice. But the ship has no obligation to wait if you are late.

• Good operators plan around ship times and build in a buffer, and reviews tell you if they rush or run late.
• Some tours come with a return-to-ship promise. On our listings, the "Worry-Free Shore Excursion" badge marks tours sold with one; open the tour on the booking site to see exactly what it covers.
• Tell your guide your all-aboard time when you meet them, not just when you booked.

If you do miss the ship

It happens, and it is expensive. You pay for getting to the next port or home: last-minute flights, a hotel, and shipping your things if you end the trip. Missed cruise days are not refunded.

• Call the ship or the cruise line's emergency number right away. It's on your daily planner; save it in your phone before you go ashore.
• Find the ship's port agent, the local company that handles the ship in that port. If the ship has sailed, they may have your passport and medications.
• Without a passport, flying out of a foreign port gets much harder, which is one more reason to cruise with one.

How to choose

• Short port day, tender port, or a long drive (mainland ruins, a ferry crossing): a ship tour or a return-guaranteed tour is the safer pick.
• Long day, beach or town close to the pier: booking yourself usually saves money with little risk.
• Whatever you book, plan to be back at least an hour before all-aboard.