Shore Excursions · SHORE EXCURSIONS
A ship gives you eight hours and a quay to be back at. These 15 are the days ashore that use them properly, from the ports that appear on almost every itinerary, each with what it costs a head and how much slack it leaves before all-aboard.
Review of a private Kusadasi shore excursion to Ephesus, the House of Mary, and Artemis, with port pickup and on-time return.
“Ayse was a wonderful, warm and knowledgeable guide. I have walking difficulties and she tailored the day to suit my abilities. I was so grateful for her help and knowledge.”
Review of a Kusadasi cruise excursion to Ephesus, Mary's House, Temple of Artemis, Turkish lunch, guides, tickets, value, and shopping stops.
“Book this experience! Funda is a phenomenal guide—knowledgeable, engaging, and excellent at explaining history in a way that resonates with all age ranges. As cruisers, we were initially nervous about exploring a new country, but the communication during the booking process was seamless and kept us updated every step of the way. This tour completely relieved our worries. My daughter and I share a love for history, culture, and architecture, and this was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The logistics were perfect: transportation was quick, and Funda tailored the itinerary to our preferences so we saw everything on our wish list. The food was delicious, and the carpet demonstration was a...”
Review of a private Ephesus shore tour from Kusadasi, with flexible sightseeing, local guides, cruise-safe return, and optional lunch.
“Excellent tour with very knowledgeable guide, Fatima. Weave market was incredible. The Ephesus was enchanting. Great knowledge and information.”
Review the Kos three-island cruise to Kalymnos, Plati, and Pserimos, with swimming stops, lunch, dolphins, practical tips, and value advice.
“We had a wonderful day with the Odyssey crew! Island were beautiful, saw dolphins by the fish farms, and to top it off the swimming spots were stunning with crystal clear water! Cocktails were great on board (€6 with a good selection). Food was simple but good - Kebab, coleslaw, and bread. We had around 30 minutes at the first island due to dolphin detour which was worth it and an hour at the other stops. TIP - Last island doesn't accept card at any restaurants so take some cash with you”
Review of Hilo’s six-hour volcano shore excursion, with Kilauea, lava tubes, black sand beaches, macadamia nuts, and practical tips.
“Our driver and tour guide Hannibal was outstanding and both educated us as well as entertained us. He was super helpful and patient. Highlights included terrific views of an active volcano and a fascinating walkthrough of a lava tube.”
Explore Timanfaya, La Geria vineyards, the Green Lagoon, and camel rides on a well-organized Lanzarote shore excursion.
“Our guide was great! She was friendly and very informative. Also, the communication prior to the tour was very clear.”
Explore Dutch and French St. Maarten by ATV, with coastal views, beach stops, French Nature Reserve sights, and practical cruise tips.
“Good, fun way to see the entire island - both Sint Maarten (Dutch) and Saint Martin (French). Anthony, our guide, did a very nice job.”
Review of a private Kusadasi cruise tour to Ephesus, Mary's House, Artemis Temple, with flexible timing and guaranteed ship return.
“Beautiful amazing excursion. Our tour guide was very historically knowledgeable of the area and history.”
Explore Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis from Kusadasi Port with entry tickets, lunch, a local guide, and guaranteed return.
“Great tour, but the carpet store and the leather store were a waste of time. The guide was very good and knowledgeable”
See Florence and Pisa from Livorno with coach transport, free time, optional Accademia entry, and a guaranteed on-time return.
“Our experience with driver Lucco and tour guide Alexander was absolutely wonderful. Lucco got us everywhere safely, quickly, and smoothly—even through the steep hills and twirling roads of the town. His driving was confident and precise, making us feel secure the entire way. Alexander was knowledgeable, patient, and kind. I was traveling with three elderly companions who were a handful to say the least, yet he guided us with such grace and understanding. His explanations were clear, engaging, and filled with genuine passion for the places we visited. I would gladly return and take this tour again—but only if it’s with these two gentlemen at the command.”
Review of Kos’s 3-island boat cruise, with Kalymnos, Plati, Pserimos, dolphin sightings, lunch, swimming, costs, and practical tips.
“Excellent day out would definitely recommend this boat for the more relaxed crowd. Avoid the party boats if you can.”
Review of the Chacchoben shore trip from Costa Maya, with jungle ruins, small-group transport, guide tips, timing, value, and practical advice.
“Knowledgeable guides and an all around authentic experience....even stopped by a roadside place to eat that was SO GOOD! Worth every penny👍🏼”
Explore Ephesus, the House of Mary, and the Temple of Artemis on a small-group cruise tour with lunch and port transfers.
“Book with Tas for your Ephasus tour to get the best experience. Seeing Ephasus and the Virgin Mary house was one of the highlights of our cruise. Our tour guide Tas had so much knowledge of the biblical history of the area. His explanations really helped us understand what it was like to live in those times. Tas was interesting and informative, entertaining and patient with all our questions. Tas has traveled extensively around the world and so he understands what it’s like to be a tourist, which makes for an excellent guide. Tas is very organized and a very good communicator, so we knew exactly where and when to…”
Review of the La Spezia to Pisa shore excursion, with transport details, free time, Leaning Tower options, value, and practical tips.
“our guide Alex & driver Marco were spot on - so organised & Alex was so informative all the way about what we were going to see - the sight of the Leaning tower of Pisa was amazing - the day was brilliant from start to finish x”
Review of the $52 Florence and Pisa shore excursion from Livorno, including transport, free time, tasting, walking demands, and cruise return tips.
“We did several excursions during my trip to Europe and this was definitely one of the most organized ones! Igna did a great job managing 50+ people and making sure everyone got to and from the monuments in time and made most of their day trip. He also accommodated the older folks on our tour by calling them a cab when we first got to Florence. We spent about an hour in Pisa which was enough to climb the tower and visit a shop. Then we had 3 hours in Florence and Igna had different routes highlighted on maps so people could make the most of their time. He also…”
Pick a berth, a ruin or a boat.
