On a recent travel industry event I learned more about a cruise company called Celestyal Cruises.  One thing I love about this European cruise company is that they spend time overnight in select ports such Mykonos and Santorini, allowing for more cultural immersion and night life.  You will LOVE that.  What a wonderful and affordable way to see more of Greece while unpacking only once.

This article is on the Celestyal website and it gives great advice about booking their shore excursions.  The tips can apply for any cruise line, of course.   Please know that, in addition to all cruise line excursion options, there are several wonderful companies that offer experiences that can be customized especially for you and your travel companions.  Don’t be shy…just ask!

Do check out this wonderful company, as I hope to create a group experience for you very soon with them.

Here is the itinerary I am most interested to offer you.  7 Night Cruise Ιdyllic Aegean

Blog Entry from Celestyal Cruises Website 2019…click here for their online version.

Expert Tips for Booking the Right Shore Excursions

When it comes to shore excursions,  Celestyal Cruises offers something for every taste to enable all of our guests to make the most of their time ashore. One of the best things about choosing our tours is that everything is organized for you, so all you have to do is enjoy every moment you spend at each destination. But with so many choices to accommodate all types of interests, it can be difficult to decide which optional excursions you should book to truly enhance your cruise vacation experience.

If you need a little help choosing the right shore excursions, here are some of the main factors you need to take into account before you make any final decisions.

Have you done your research?

Although we offer what we believe to be the most popular shore excursions based on feedback from our guests, the last thing we want to do is take you on tours that you don’t actually enjoy. To avoid wasting your valuable time and money, you should research your cruise vacation destinations to discover the best things to do and see in each port. By including detailed tour descriptions and useful information about each destination on our website and in our brochures,  Celestyal Cruises makes it easy for you to do a little research.

What kind of excursion experiences do you want?

Maybe you like the idea of some chill-out time on a golden sandy beach. Perhaps you’re the type of person who prefers sightseeing or a historical visit to a famous cultural landmark. Think about what you’d rather do and see while in each port so that you can experience things you’ll love. Also, think back to when you booked your cruise and your reasons for picking that itinerary. Let’s say you’ve chosen our Iconic Aegean Cruise because you desperately want to visit Little Venice in Mykonos and the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion. You can book tours that will take you to these places first, then focus on the other destinations if you want to sign up for more excursions.

Do you have a cruise vacation budget?

No matter whether you have chosen a 3, 4, 5 or 7-night cruise, all of our cruises include a couple or a few selected tours at no extra cost. We also have a handpicked selection of pre-bookable tours in addition to excursions that are sold only on board to enable you to see the very best of our destinations. Now, we understand that you don’t want to miss out on exciting shore excursions just to save a little money but knowing roughly how much you can spend is an important part of planning your cruise vacation. With this in mind, we suggest you budget ahead for optional shore excursions. Since we offer a great range of tours at reasonable prices, we’re confident you’ll be able to find something to suit your budget.

Will you prefer half-day or full-day shore excursions?

If you like to explore destinations independently or with no one other than your cruise vacation companions and you still want to do excursions, we recommend you choose half-day tours that allow you time to do other activities without an itinerary. Some people prefer full-day excursions because they want to minimize the hassle of planning their port days, as well as make sure they see all the wonderful things the locations have to offer. Full-day tours aren’t for everybody, so be sure to check the duration of each excursion if you want some free time to go shopping, admire the scenery or visit local attractions on your own.

Final word

At the end of the day, you want to pick shore excursions you’ll enjoy from beginning to end and, hopefully, this advice should help you to do just that. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices and picked your favorites, you can reserve your shore excursions when you book your cruise, via the ‘Manage Booking’ section of our website or at the excursions desk onboard your cruise ship. And if you don’t want to take an excursion when you stop in port, you can either stay on your ship or explore the area on your own – the choice is always yours!

A Personal Note from Active Travel Pro

Ready to explore the Aegean Sea and other destinations that Celestyal offers?  Let’s go, and very soon!

Peace, Bobbie