Booking excursions directly?

[FaithTrustPixieDust]

We are planning our first family cruise . .actually not on DCL, but I thought this was the best area for my poll anyway. I'd love to hear your thoughts and personal experiences on booking cruise excursions yourself, rather than through the cruise line.

I understand that you can save a lot of money, but you run the risk of some unexpected delay and the ship may leave without you. If you book through the cruise line (whichever cruise line) the ship would wait for your group to return.

Having said that, what has been your personal experience in doing this?

Thanks!

[DizneyRox]

Define a lot of money? Flights out of third world countries can't be all that cheap, certainly more than the savings on any shore excursion I've seen...

I'd never think about an independent tour.

The ship WILL leave without you...

[Pirate Granny]

We did a Norwegian cruise and only booked through the cruise line, that said in Belise we had a pretty scarey expeirience (unsafe trail) and an unscheduled stop at a roadside bar....???

[lightyearfan]

me and dw have always booked our excursions threw Disney Cruise Line, we've never even seen an offsite that offers excursions, and truthfully how much do you really wind up saving?

Victor

3 day WDW trip with 4 Day Disney Dream Cruise to follow in Sept count down has begun

[Tink1]

For me it depends on the port, the port times and the excursion.

I have done both - booking through the cruiseline and independently


Nanc

[Basket Mommy]

On our June cruise on the Fantasy, we booked an afternoon at Maya Chan Beach Resort in Costa Maya, Mexico. We did that only after reading a few hundred glowing reviews on Trip Advisor and emailing back and forth with the owners. The owners are very aware of what time the ship arrives in and leaves from port, and they were super careful to make sure our taxi left in time to get us back to the ship with plenty of time before sailing. Maya Chan was probably the best part of our cruise (off the ship). I just wish Disney had docked in Costa Maya earlier so we could've enjoyed the beach longer (we docked around 12:30, got to the resort by 1, and left at 4:30.)

We also did the Dolphin Discovery tour in Cozumel, which we did book through DCL. Other people there had booked it on their own, but then they had to get their own transportation out there and back. It was worth the little bit extra to know that our taxis were waiting on us going and coming.

[NJGIRL]

We always book our Atlantis excursions on our own and save a couple hundred dollars. We have never had a problem and it was simple.

[waymickey]

We always book our Atlantis excursions on our own and save a couple hundred dollars. We have never had a problem and it was simple.

How did you do it? Also how did you get to the Atlantis taxi?

[FaithTrustPixieDust]

Thanks for your input. As I expected, a lot of varying opinions out there. Our ship will be at the port from 7 am until midnight, so we feel like there will be plenty of time to get back on the ship. Famous last words, I know. . . .
:mickey:

[NJGIRL]

How did you do it? Also how did you get to the Atlantis taxi?

You can just walk off the ship and there is a building with shops right there. Taxi's are waiting there. It was very easy, but make sure you ask how much the trip is before you get in.

As far as the Atlantis Excursion, we used the water park. We booked a room at the Comfort Suites, which is right next door across the driveway, and got 4 passes to the Atlantis water park. It cost about $250 for the room. Booking through Disney would have cost us almost $700 . We saved over $400.....I called the Comfort Suites directly.