A cruisetour gives a traveller the ability to attach a land tour to a cruise. Some of the cruise lines have developed land tours that fit perfectly with cruise itineraries. Of course, a savvy traveler can make her own arrangements for a land tour before or after a cruise; however, sometimes it is nice to just let the cruise line make all the transportation and lodging arrangements.
My Tips for a Cruisetour:
- Tour first then cruise. During a cruisetour there is a lot of packing and unpacking while traveling from one location to the next. Luggage is required to be placed outside the door early in the morning and it appears later in the day. This part of the trip is action-packed. Once on the ship, unpack once and relax for the rest of the trip.
- Some cruisetours fill up quickly, especially in “bucket list” locations. An Australia cruisetour I scouted was already full one year in advance.
- Study all options and book the type that fits your personality.
- “On your own” cruisetours handle transportation and lodging only. It is up to the traveler to plan excursions and all meals. This is nice if you have specific interests you want to book in advance and still want to leave a little room for spontaneity. Just remember, they still control the time-frame.
- “Planned Itinerary” cruisetours include the lodging and transportation and a detailed itinerary. If you like the planned excursions, you might be better off scheduling a planned tour. They will arrange transportation at times that better fit the activities on the schedule and usually leave the traveller with some free time built in. Unless meals are included in the planned itinerary, be prepared to purchase meals.
- “Guided”/or “Connoisseur” cruisetours include an escort that travels with the group or meets the group each day during the itinerary.