Common Types of Cruise Shore Excursions – Every Option Explained
on Mar 26, 2026, Updated Apr 08, 2026
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On our recent cruise from Rome to Barcelona, we tried just about every type of cruise shore excursion available, and I’m not kidding. My husband and I love to explore, especially in Europe, so I was excited to try some new activities and revisit some favorites.
The most common types of shore excursions on cruises include: cruise line bus/boat tours, walking food tours, cooking classes, self-guided walking tours, app-guided tours, hosted dinners, and private transfers. Each one suits a different travel style, budget, and destination, which is exactly what this guide breaks down.
But first, a quick note. As a travel writer, I sometimes have the opportunity to try a variety of tours and activities and share my honest thoughts. Some of the experiences below were hosted or provided at no cost, and this post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you book through those links, at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own, and I only recommend experiences I genuinely think are worth your time.
Each tour taught me something different about making the most of our limited time ashore, and I hope this helps you choose some amazing activities for you and your family.
If you’ve ever stared at a shore excursion booking page and felt completely overwhelmed, this post is for you. Here’s my honest breakdown of every type of cruise shore excursion, what each one is actually like, and how to choose the right one for where you are in your trip.
8 Types of Cruise Shore Excursions (With Real Examples)
Over the course of our trip from Rome to Barcelona, my husband and I tried eight different types of shore excursions. Here’s an honest look at each one.
Rome – Arrival Day Hosted Dinner
When traveling to a far-off place, one thing I always do is make sure we have dinner plans on our arrival day. I love spontaneity on vacation, but there is a time and a place for that. Being hungry and exhausted from a red-eye flight is not it.
When the folks at The Tour Guy reached out to offer us some of their tours on our trip, I knew exactly what to do. On our arrival day in Rome, we had just enough time to check into the hotel and make our way to the meeting point for our Four-course Roman dinner with wine pairing.
I chose this format for a couple of reasons. First, we love a food tour, but the idea of walking all over Rome after a long flight wasn’t appealing to me. We wanted a great experience, but seated, thank you.
I loved the wine pairing aspect, too. Our guide was a Roman native and gave us some really great information and background on each course and the surrounding area. The food was phenomenal, and the wine was perfect. Since it was the off-season, we had him all to ourselves, but this tour typically has up to 12 people.
Who is it for? A seated dinner with a guide is a great introduction to a new city after a long day of travel. Not only do you get a great meal, but having a guide to teach you about the location and history of the food sets the tone for the rest of your visit.
Rome – Self-Guided Churches Tour
On our second day in Rome, we only had the morning to explore before heading to the cruise port. I found this Facebook post about a free self-guided walking tour of churches. After verifying that these were indeed real churches, I added them to a Google map, and we followed the plan.
We also added the Basilica of Sant’Eustachio to the list because our guide from the night before had told us about it as we passed by.
We opted out of going inside the Pantheon this time. It was such a lovely morning, and each church was more beautiful than the last. We grabbed a coffee to sip on while we wandered the streets. It was low-key and perfect.
Here is a list of churches we visited and the Google map I made:
- Chiesa del Gesù
- Sant’Ignazio di Loyola
- Santa Maria sopra Minerva
- The Basilica of Sant’Eustachio
- San Luigi dei Francesi
- Sant’Agnese in Agone
- The Pantheon
Who is it for? A free walking tour is a great way to spend a couple of hours seeing some of the lesser-visited churches in Rome. Especially, if you don’t need the extra information a guide can provide and just want to enjoy the art and architecture. They are all beautiful, and one even has Caravaggios! It’s a great low-budget activity if you are looking to save money.
Florence – Pasta Cooking Class
When we were in Florence a couple of years ago, we had the boys with us, and a cooking class didn’t make the cut since we wanted to see several museums and other sites.
This time, I knew exactly what I wanted: pasta, wine, and tiramisu.
Before I get into the class info, I do want to say that our ship was docked in Livorno, which is an hour and a half away by train. A trip like that is something I would never do in a normal cruise day, but we docked overnight, so on the first day, we felt comfortable enough to make the journey since we didn’t have to be back at any specific time. I do not recommend venturing far from your ship on anything other than a cruise line-booked excursion.
I booked this class myself through GetYourGuide. I had never booked through them before, so I wanted to see how they compare to other services, plus, they had the class and the time we needed.
First of all, the food prep was so fun, and we definitely got our money’s worth. There were around 10-12 people of various ages, and the whole process, including eating, took about 3 hours. Our chef was highly skilled and had a fun sense of humor. If there was a downside, it was that he was British, not Italian, as I had assumed he would be. The food (and unlimited wine) made up for it, though!
Who is it for? If you are interested in cooking, this class is for you! Our class had a family with young teens, some people in their mid-20s, and a few oldies like us. It was great. We started by making the tiramisu, then spent the bulk of our time preparing two types of pasta. Then we ate it! If you have already seen the main sites in your destination, a cooking class is a great alternative.
Genoa – GPSMyCity App-Guided Tour
Another company that partnered with me is an app called GPSMyCity. They create walking tours similar to the one I put together, but the sites are all mapped out, and as you go to each one, the app provides information you can read or listen to. There are free options in the app as well as a subscription-based service for even more.
This is a great option for walkable ports where you don’t really know where to start. In Genoa, our only objective was eating pesto. Other than that, we were excited to learn more about this port city and its history. It was easy to walk off the ship and into the city, so it was the perfect day to test it out. It was also a Monday, which means most museums are closed. Having the app meant we could still see some great sites that were open. Did you know Genoa is the birthplace of Christopher Columbus? That’s his house in the bottom right corner above.
Our app-guided walking tour took us to ancient frescoes, a classic church, an old palace, and one of the most beautiful views of the city. The map was easy to use, and I really appreciated the history we learned in each place. It was nice to go at our own pace, stop for lunch, and continue exploring until it was time to reboard the ship.
Who is it for? GPSMyCity is great for people who want a combination of structure and freedom. If you want to do a little more than wander aimlessly, but aren’t interested in committing to a group excursion, this is a great option. It’s also nice to see the stops in the app ahead of time to get an idea of what you’ll see. It’s appropriate for all ages as long as they don’t mind the walk.
Nice, Monaco, Monte Carlo – Windstar Bus Tour
The first of two bus tours booked through Windstar started in Nice, France. The bus was waiting for us as soon as we walked off the ship, which was really convenient.
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If you have never been on a bus tour, it’s definitely a structured affair. Each guest will be given a headset to listen to as the tour guide describes your surroundings. The guide begins as soon as you board the bus, so even the drive is part of the tour. Also, if there are any cruise itinerary changes, the cost of a tour booked through the cruise will be automatically refunded.
We made our way up the coast through Nice and into Monte Carlo and Monaco before returning to the ship. We had time to explore each stop, take photos, and do a little shopping. It was a great way to cover a lot of ground in a short time and get a taste of the French Riviera.
Bus tours are great for those with limited mobility, though there is still a fair amount of walking involved. My tour was covered by Windstar, and we sprung for Jerry’s ticket so he could come along. It was a really fun day.
Who is it for? If you want to see a lot, learn a lot, and let someone else do the legwork, a bus tour is for you. I recommend booking through the cruise line to be sure you return to the ship on time. In the event of traffic or delays, cruise lines will wait only for their own excursions, not those of third parties.
Barcelona – Windstar Gaudi Bus Tour
This was our first visit to Barcelona, and like so many others, Gaudí’s architecture was at the top of our must-see list. We booked another Windstar excursion (mine was covered, and we paid for Jerry) for our first afternoon in Barcelona.
Our tour took us to three Gaudí sites: Casa Milà, Park Güell, and Sagrada Familia. Like our tour the day before, we were walked to the bus and handed our headsets before setting off into the city.
Our first stop was Casa Milà, where we toured the interior and went up to the roof for views of the city. We had some time in the gift shop and made our way back to the bus for the drive to Park Güell. In this case, the sites are a bit spread out, so transportation is needed, but I’m not sure a bus is the best way to go. There are a lot of traffic rules in Barcelona, so traveling by bus can feel very slow at times.
That said, we loved the park, and it was a gorgeous day. Our tour ended back in town at the magnificent Sagrada Familia, which did not include the inside portion. If that is important to you, make sure it’s included when you book. We were definitely satisfied with our tour because it was offered when we wanted to go and included Park Güell, which was the site I was most excited to see.
Who is it for? The same applies to this bus tour as the one in France. The bottom line is that buses are great for going a little farther than you would on your own and getting you back to the ship in time. It’s also nice for those who can’t or don’t want to do as much walking.
Barcelona – Walking Food Tour
Our tours started with food, so naturally they end with food! On our final night in Barcelona, we stayed in a hotel to catch an early morning flight home. A walking food tour with The Tour Guy seemed like the perfect feather in my Rome to Barcelona cap. A big thanks to The Tour Guy and our guides for hosting us on both of our tours.
Since we spent our first afternoon in Barcelona touring by bus, this time we wanted to walk. We chose the Barcelona Tapas Tour with Catalan Wine, which wove in and out of the old city streets and let us try some amazing tapas. In fact, two of our favorite foods from the whole trip were on this tour, namely the Spanish tortilla and padron peppers.
We started in El Born, where we met our guide, and again, while this is billed as a group tour, we were the only guests. Thank you off-season! We tried classic Catalan flavors, local Vermouth, drank from a porró, and snacked on jamón ibérico. Yum!
Who is it for? I am a big fan of walking food tours, and now my kids are too! It’s almost always something they request when we go somewhere new. If you have picky eaters or dietary restrictions, it’s a good idea to look at the types of food you can expect and read reviews carefully. Otherwise, it’s a great way to see the city through a local’s eyes and try some delicious and interesting foods.
Barcelona – Private Airport Transfer
But wait! There’s more! We had to leave for the airport at the utterly depressing hour of 6:30 am. I mean, the hotel restaurant wasn’t even open yet! I had planned to have a taxi pick us up, but the folks at Daytrip reached out to see if they could assist, and we took them up on their offer.
Daytrip is a car service that offers cruise port and airport transfers, and you can also book private tours. Our driver was phenomenal, and in our short trip to the airport, we wished we had spent a whole day with him. The vehicle was spotless, and he was local to the area and shared a wealth of knowledge with us. He would have made an amazing guide.
He arrived early at our hotel and was waiting for us in the lobby when we arrived with our bags. He gave us water and whisked us away.
Who is it for? A private car service can be a pricey addition, but I’d say it’s worth it if you have a larger group or want a more personalized experience. In our case, it was still dark when we had to leave the hotel, so having a trusted driver ready to take us to the airport in an unfamiliar place was comforting. There’s something to be said about peace of mind.
Common Questions
If you have limited time in port, I recommend booking excursions through the ship. In some cases, like docking overnight, you can book through a third party and not have to worry about missing the ship departure time.
Booking through a cruise line is going to be more expensive in general, but it comes with peace of mind knowing that if any delays happen, you won’t miss the ship. The vendors are also vetted.
If you are on an independently booked excursion and return late, the ship will not wait for you. Independent bookings are best kept short, close to the pier, and first thing in the morning, so you have several hours to make it back.
First-time cruisers should explore the excursions listed on their ship itinerary. They are the easiest, usually include transportation, and will get you back on board in time.
Cooking classes are great if you have the time! It’s a fun way to learn something new, and you get to eat your creations. A win win!
Tipping in America is generally expected but that isn’t always the case in other parts of the world, with the exception of tour guides. It is generally acceptable to tip your tour guide. A good rule of thumb in Europe is to tip 10-15% of the tour cost to your guide. It’s a good idea to keep some cash on hand as it will be appreciated.
How to Choose the Best Cruise Shore Excursions
After seven destinations and seven different ways to experience them, the thing I keep coming back to is that the best shore excursion is the one that matches where you are in your trip, not just where you are on the map.
An arrival day calls for something that lets you ease into the trip. A busy day with multiple stops that are spread out calls for someone else to do the driving. A walkable city you want to explore calls for the freedom to wander. There is no single right answer, but there is a right answer for each day. I hope this breakdown helps you find yours.
Best Shore Excursion Types for Families
My family loves cruising together, and over the years we’ve learned what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to choosing shore excursions as a group.
Half-day or shorter excursions tend to work best for families. We try to avoid very early start times when possible and always leave plenty of buffer to get back to the ship without stress.
Some of our favorite family-friendly shore excursion types include walking food tours, catamaran snorkel and beach tours, bus tours to local aquariums, and active options like kayaking or jet skis, depending on the ages in your group.
My biggest piece of advice when choosing affordable shore excursions for families is to consider ages and abilities first, then build your itinerary from there rather than defaulting to the most popular options. A tour everyone can actually enjoy will always beat an ambitious one that leaves half your group struggling to keep up.
If you have questions about any of these experiences or want to know more about a specific port or what to bring on a cruise, please let me know in the comments.
