Anyone else prefer staying on the ship over excursions

[Masonmj84]

We do excursions but more for the obligatory aspect of it (i.e., I don't know when/if I'll ever be on this island again so I might as well get off the ship to at least say I've been there).

For example, we're doing the Eastern Caribbean cruise in a couple of weeks and have the Baths reserved at Tortola but just the sky ride reserved at St. Thomas. Even though the Baths look unique, I'm actually probably more excited about the St. Thomas day because it should be more relaxing.

I'm not much of a beach person, am not into shopping, and do not like walking around with a tour group. And a lot of the more exciting looking excursions (para sailing, scuba diving, etc.) are either too expensive for my taste and/or are not appropriate for everyone in our group. I also typically find the excursion food offerings to be underwhelming and not usually as good as the (already-included) food on the ship.

On a cruise, I most enjoy just relaxing on the ship, especially when most everyone else is not on board.

 

[Justacruiser]

we are pretty much the same way, especially being retired military, we saw about 10 countries in Europe and lived in Germany 3 years. Seen one castle you have seen them all, and seen one ruin seen them all IMHO only. We get off the ship if others are with us but did the Panama Canal last September and didn't get off the ship.

 

[crabbygal902]

Me! We have only done the Bahamas itinerary, but we no longer get off the ship at that port.

 

[OKW Lover]

Some ports we love, some we pass up. Nassau we almost always skip. St. Thomas, San Juan and St. Martin we almost always get off. Grand Cayman will probably become one of those stay on the ship ports now that we've been there several times. Cozumel is pretty much a required stop because of good deals on silver.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

We do excursions but more for the obligatory aspect of it (i.e., I don't know when/if I'll ever be on this island again so I might as well get off the ship to at least say I've been there).

For example, we're doing the Eastern Caribbean cruise in a couple of weeks and have the Baths reserved at Tortola but just the sky ride reserved at St. Thomas. Even though the Baths look unique, I'm actually probably more excited about the St. Thomas day because it should be more relaxing.

I'm not much of a beach person, am not into shopping, and do not like walking around with a tour group. And a lot of the more exciting looking excursions (para sailing, scuba diving, etc.) are either too expensive for my taste and/or are not appropriate for everyone in our group. I also typically find the excursion food offerings to be underwhelming and not usually as good as the (already-included) food on the ship.

On a cruise, I most enjoy just relaxing on the ship, especially when most everyone else is not on board.

We enjoy going on a land for a couple of hours to check out the port but are usually back on the ship in time for lunch.

This holds true for CC as well, except we do have lunch at Cookies, then get back on and enjoy an empty ship.

 

[The Sasquatch]

For us this will be #5 to Nassau in April and we only get off on CC. We just booked a Western on the Fantasy in Oct and I am so curious if those ports are the same as Nassau or should we really get off and enjoy them. Are there ones to watch out for?

 

[Sir William]

We enjoy going on a land for a couple of hours to check out the port but are usually back on the ship in time for lunch.

This holds true for CC as well, except we do have lunch at Cookies, then get back on and enjoy an empty ship.

We do much the same in most ports. I like walking around the town for an hour or two for the ambiance, but not the shopping which seems to be pretty much the same in every port.

Last year at CC, I walked the 5K, snorkeled at SB, had lunch, sat on the beach for about an hour, then returned to the ship.

 

[christianweecare]

We have done the 3 day Bahama trips sometimes but never get off the ship. We love just sitting on the deck and "looking at the Bahamas"! LOL!

We are seriously thinking of staying on board at St. Maarteen if we do another 7 night on the Fantasy.

 

[ludari]

I will stay on the ship depending on the port and the shore excursions offered. I typically scuba dive at all the ports if it's offered but sometimes it's not so if I can't find an excursion I like and if I have been to this port multiple times I usually stay on the ship.

 

[Jestocost]

We've skipped Nassau at least twice--maybe three times--and I'm leaning toward skipping Cozumel when we go there for the third or fourth time in October. Otherwise, we usually find something to do in port.

 

[CamColt]

My family falls into that category too. My DSs (16 and 19) never even want to leave the ship, but I feel if we are at a new port we at least have to get off the ship and see it, maybe experience a little something while there. If we do a ship run excursion it is usually one of the shorter ones, but sometimes we will do things on our own just to get a taste of the new island. I feel if we are paying for the cruise we should be enjoying the ship. The exception of course is Castaway Cay. I would stay there all day if they let me.

We have been to Nassau so much now I usually stay on the ship while DH and DSs go to Dunkin Donuts for a Coolata and free wifi.

 

[Quellman]

Our last Eastern Caribbean cruise we got of at St. Maarten to pick up our duty free (back when you could still carry liquor to your room) and then got on the boat. We were off the ship for about an hour and it was the only time we were off the boat until Castaway Cay. Not that we didn't enjoy the ports, but we had dond St Thomas the year prior and didn't need to feel obligated this time. It will porbbaly change as the kiddo gets older and we want him to experience cool things, but yea, we just did a B2B Nassau and only got off in Nassau once, and that was to take pictures of the ship.

 

[Viviene Anthony]

For me, I think it would depend entirely on the location we would be cruising to and the type of excursions that were offered. Our first ever cruise will be to Alaska this coming August. Although I would love to experience everything there is about the ship and just relax on vacation, we've never been to Alaska either, so it's practically a must for us to disembark and explore and maybe participate in a few excursions.

 

[tink1970]

I don't remember the last time I actually left the ship in Nassau...I do love Castaway Cay though!

In most ports I'd prefer to stay on the ship, but DD likes to explore so we have intense negotiations I think I was able to stay onboard for 1 Alaska port day and 1 Western Caribbean (so clearly she's a better debater than I). If I had my druthers, I would never leave (except for CC!).

 

[gumbypee]

No, I always get off the ship - I travel to see other places - I enjoy ship on Sea Days

 

[Bree]

I don't care for Nassau or Jamaica and prefer to stay on the ship. We are on the Fantasy on her western route next year and will not be getting off in Jamaica or Grand Cayman.

 

[diznymom]

It depends on where we are.

If it is in the Bahamas or Caribbean, we stay on the ship. We did an excursion in Nassau on our first cruise. We were very disappointed w/ the excursion.

Now Alaska was different. We did several excursions and were not disappointed on any of them.

Our next cruise is Eastern Caribbean. We will be staying on the ship for the most part. We won't book any excursions. If we get off, it will be on our own.

 

[phinz]

I haven't done an excursion yet. I go ashore for an hour or two then I get back on the boat to enjoy it before the madding crowds return.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

We do go off the ship if it's a totally new or a favorite port. Some that we have done once and don't really care for (like Cayman) next time we would stay on the ship. I think it would be fun to be on the ship when most of the passengers are enjoying the port.

 

[squirk]

I agree with most of the folks above - it depends on the port. We always get off at St. Thomas because, for us, St. John never gets old. Nassau, on the other hand, does not call to us.

That having been said, we tend to do the E. Carib. Fantasy itinerary, so our port choices (not including CC) have really only been Nassau, St. Martin & St. Thomas.

Our next cruise stops in Tortola, and we will probably get off there to hit the Baths.