Shore Excursions
Best
tip I've heard for first-time cruisers is not only to research tours
offered by your cruise line before leaving home to be sure
you get on a ship that offers what you want. And book any tours
you would like on the first day on board to be sure you get the excursions
you want at your preferred times. Shore excursions are very popular
and fill up quickly. It's better to book and cancel a few days in advance than to miss the tour all together. (Another tip is to avoid
Many ships offer shore excursions that rival any adventure travel outfitters, depending, of course, on where you go. You can kayak, dive, snorkel, zip-line through a jungle, all of which would require advance reservations and guides. Or you can shop and visit antiquities, in which case you can decide if you want to book through the ship's concierge or go it alone, and then you have to decide if you can get back to the ship on time. You need to find out if the ship actually is in port, or if passengers are ferried to/from, which means you will be behind anyone that has booked their excusions through ship personnel.
Really important: Get to boarding area a little early. Don't wait for announcements that a tour is ready to go. If you lag behind, especially when they are ferrying passengers ashore, you could be left behind.
Bring water . . . although Princess Cruises will have it available near the exit doors. Ground is really uneven in many older European towns, so be sure your feet can handle the shoes you are wearing. (Shoe recommendations.)
Always have an extra sweater, light jacket, shawl. You just never know when you're going to need that.
Reading departure signs in some big airport