06-29-2013, 10:06 AM
Yes, shore excursions are expensive. However, if you do a self-guided tour, you will be left behind if you don't make it back to the ship in time before it leaves for the next port. If you book an excursion through the ship, on the other hand, the ship will wait for you if the excursion runs late. That guarantee has saved me several times when a tour ran late due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Having said that, though, I usually do a self-guided tour at least half the ports.