How to Get the Most for Your Time and Money in Port

One of the most exciting parts of cruising is the fact that you get to visit many ports of call you would not normally get to see on your own. All sorts of exciting tropical and historic islands and countries. Unfortunately, though, you never really get to spend a long time at any of the ports (except for those rare overnight stops). What is the best was to maximize your time and money in the ports?

With so many different ports of departure all over the world, the home port might be a location in itself that you might like to visit. Arrive a day earlier or depart a day later to really maximize your time there.

Before you get to the ship, preferably around the time you book your cruise, you should figure out what you are going to do when you are in port. Research local events for the day you will be in the port, perhaps a sports match or a special cultural event. Don't look up your options while you are onboard. Their online fees are very expensive, even as package deals!

Cruise lines offer all sorts of tours and excursions which may or may not be a good deal for you. Is a trip to a nearby tropical beach with a complimentary rum punch really worth the $76 they are charging? Probably not. However, you can either take a taxi to and from the beach for, say, $18 each way, or you can book the same tour through a tour provider such as shoretrips.com or viator.com, which has some great deals of their own, many of which the cruise ships do not offer!

With all of the online maps and trip websites available, you should be able to figure out how long it would take to get from the docks over to wherever the site is that you are waiting to see. You might not be able to stay long at one beach, but another beach might save you an entire half hour of travel time!

Instead of taking a cruise tour, or a taxi that may overcharge you, why not opt for the local public transportation options that are available at or near the port? For $2, you can go the same place that a $16 taxi ride, or a $60 cruise tour would take you! (rates vary, of course)

If you do decide to rent a taxi, try to get it for a half- or full-day rate. You will save quite a bit of money that way, especially if you wanted to see a few things around the island. If you prefer driving yourself, on the other hand, make sure you have an international driver's license and know the local driving rules, such as driving on the left side of the road in many areas.

Some ports have most of the ship desiring to go to the same place or area. If you are one of the large mass, in this case, avoid the local cramped taxis and crowded buses and opt for a private car and driver to help you beat the crowd. You will save a lot of time, money, and save your mind! Book it in advance, of course.

Sometimes, doing things on your own, however is too expensive. If that is the case, opt for the ship's tour instead. You could save money since they get group rates, and you might even be able to get into placed you wouldn't normally be able to get into!

Also, some events and locations are available to the public ONLY through ship tours. If so, you must book it early, preferably before you get to the ship, even when you book the cruise, or at least no later than the moment you get onboard, or the excursion window opens!

So, now that you are ready to have the time of you life OFF of the cruise ship, let's get that cruise and the shore excursions booked! Just go to www.kingarthur.myttn.com today and we'll get you there! And save you the time, money, and effort!