tui cruises excursions

How to Book Tui River Cruises Excursions

On a Tui river cruise, your ship will visit one or even two ports each day so it’s important to understand how to make the most of every destination using Tui River Cruises shore excursions.

In this post, I explain how to check the shore excursions available for your cruise and how to book.

Tui River Cruises Excursions Prices

Trips and excursions vary in price so it’s definitely worth looking at all of the options for your cruise to calculate how you want to spend.

You can opt to plan your own tours or simply decide to explore on your own.

Tui River Cruises Shore Excursions List

You can access the full list of shore excursions available for any Tui river cruise , which are organised by ship and the date of your river cruise.

You can access this even before your cruise is booked so you can get an idea of the types of excursions available. If the shore excursions aren’t available yet for the dates you plan to cruise, try finding the same itinerary by switching the dates.

There is usually at least one excursion available in every port of call.

The shore excursions are available to view and book approximately six months before your river cruise. Below are some examples of Tui River Cruises excursions. It’s important to note that these may not always be available on every cruise.

Types of River Cruise Excursions

River cruise excursions vary depending on the destinations depending on the history, landmarks and culture.

• Walking tours

In most ports a walking tour will be available. Transport is provided if the excursion visits a landmark or neighbouring town that’s not in walking distance.

Most excursions will be lead by a local tour guide who will have good knowledge of the local area and it’s history. You will need to use the Vox devices found in your cabin and headphones provided. At the start of the excursion, your tour guide will ask you to turn on the Vox device and ensure you are on the same channel as them. This allows you to hear the tour guide throughout the tour without needing to stay by their side.

Other types of excursions to expect on your river cruise:

• City tours (coach and walking)
• Beer or wine tasting
• Local dancing/dinner show
• Visit to historical landmarks
• Local food tasting
• Shuttle to a town/city (free time to explore independently)
• Boat cruises

Step-by-step guide to booking your TUI River Cruises excursions

• Browse the shore excursions available for your river cruise and decide what you’d like to book by visiting the shore excursions page
• For each shore excursion you’d like to book, choose the number of tickets required and Add to Cart , the total price will appear
• If you’d like to book more than one experience per day, simply book and pay for your first one then log out and back into the system to select and book your second. This is if you are visiting two ports in one day
• Once you’re ready to pay, click the Shopping Cart in the top right of your screen, enter your personal details, your booking reference and payment method.
• You will receive a ticket for each shore excursion you book via email
• Print your excursion confirmation tickets and keep them safe

You can book your river cruise excursions by telephoning 0203 451 2688.

You can also book extra shore excursions when you’re on your river (if there is availability) through your Cruise Director.

Shore Excursions Cancellations

You are entitled to a full refund if you cancel a shore excursion up until two days before . If you cancel within two days of the shore excursion you may not be able to receive a refund.

Information about Excursions

You can find out important information about the river cruise excursions on the website and your excursion confirmation tickets . This includes:

• Date and departure time for the excursion
• Meeting point
• What to expect
• What is included in the excursion e.g. lunch, entry to landmark
• Difficulty level and how much walking is involved

The Cruise Director and entertainment staff will also be able to help with any further queries you have when you get onboard.

Experience of Tui River Cruises Excursions

On our Tui river cruise we chose to take three shore excursions and explored independently in the other ports. The quality of our excursions were excellent but it can depend on your tour guides.

You can take a look at the excursions we did with Tui River Cruises on our Eastern Danube river cruise on Tui Skyla in the videos below.

In our ‘Cruising the Iron Gates’ video we took an excursion to the Lepenski Vir archeological site before visiting the Golubac Fortress where the river ship met us.

In the video below, we visit Vukovar, Croatia where we went on a walking tour of the town to learn about its history from a local tour guide.

Tui River Cruises Excursions Tips to Remember

• Book your excursions as far in advance as possible so that you don’t miss out on particular ones you really want to do
• If you have restricted mobility, read the difficulty rating and description carefully to decide if it’s suitable and you will enjoy it
• Take excursions that allow you to try local food, drink and learn about local culture
• Carry some cash for tipping tour guides and bus drivers
• Don’t be scared to ask your tour guides questions, they are usually local and love to tell you about their home town or city
• Pack comfortable shoes for walking. Cobbled streets and uneven surfaces make it important that you are comfortable and safe

• If you are in walking distance from your river ship, you may have the chance for free time after a walking tour but remember to be back onboard before sailaway. You will be left behind.
• Don’t feel obliged to take an excursion with Tui, if you prefer to do your own thing, you can
• Pack for the weather, this may be just an umbrella and lightweight coat or layers depending on the time of year you cruise – read what to wear for a river cruise in Europe

Laura is a UK cruise blogger based in Cornwall, UK. She founded Cruise Lifestyle in 2016 to share useful advice about cruising, destinations and food. Last port visited: Bridgetown, Barbados Next port of call: unknown, but she can’t wait for cruising to resume safely!

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TUI Cruises

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TUI Cruises fleet

Mein schiff 9, mein schiff relax, mein schiff 7, mein schiff 2, mein schiff 1, mein schiff 6, mein schiff 5, mein schiff 4, mein schiff 3, tui al horeya, review of tui cruises.

TUI Cruises GmbH (tuicruises.com) is a 50-50 Joint venture company between TUI AG (Germany) and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (US corporation). The Hamburg -based company was founded in 2008 and operational since 2009. On April 22, 2018, the cruise line celebrated its 10th anniversary. In 2018, TUI fleet's capacity was 14,784 berths, serving 0,5+ million passengers annually. By year 2024, TUI will have annual capacity ~800,000 passengers - compared to 2017 (500,000), 2018 (550,000) and 2019 (650,000, berths 17,500),

TUI Group fully owns three England-registered subsidiary companies (TUI UK Ltd, TUI Airways Ltd, TUI Ireland Ltd) plus one Ireland-registered (Adehy Ltd).

On February 7, 2020, TUI AG announced that Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (valued ~EUR 1,2 billion) becomes part of TUI Cruises. The contract with RCCL was signed in Hamburg (Feb 7), the cash transaction from RCCL (~EUR 700 million) was closed on July 6, 2020.

The Hanover Germany-based TUI Group (British-German multinational) is currently ranked the world's largest leisure and travel company. It was founded in 1923 and until 2002 was named "Preussag AG". TUI Group's companies specialize in hospitality and tourism services worldwide, with a portfolio including passenger airlines, cruise shipping (shipowner), package vacations, hotels and resorts, travel agencies, retail shops. TUI Group's current CEO is Sebastian Ebel, who (in October 2022) succeeded Fritz Joussen (2013-2022).

TUI Cruises GmbH's current CEO is Wybcke Meier (since 2014). In March 2023 was created the "Mein Schiff Destinations Department". Other executives include Marcus Puttich (director of destinations), Dennis Tetzlaff (VP of fleet operations and newbuilds), Denis Wiechert (VP of product management and guest experiences).

For 2021-Q1, TUI Group reported 2,8 million bookings (all brands/subsidiaries), or 56% of 2019's, with 20% higher average prices and overall loss EUR 698,6 million (EUR 146,7 M loss in 2019). Cruise shipping revenue was EUR 0,6 million (EUR 238,4 M in 2019). TUI Group secured 3x financing packages (with its major shareholders, banks and Germany's Economic Stabilization Fund). The 3rd package (EUR 1,8 billion) was completed in late January.

For FY2021 (fiscal year), TUI Group reported EUR 27 million (~USD 30,6M) in cruise revenues (~EUR 445,6M less than FY2020), EBIT loss EUR 277,5M (~USD 314M), avrg ship occupancy rates ~40%. By brand, the number of passenger days was 1,227M (TUI), 0,114M (Hapag-Lloyd), 0,153M (Marella). Average daily rates by brand were EUR 132 (TUI), EUR 514 (Hapag-Lloyd), GBP 124 / EUR 145 (Marella).

In September 2023 TUI signed with VIKAND Solutions (Dania Beach Florida-based medical group specializing in maritime healthcare) to deliver fleetwide biomedical equipment and provide support (lifecycle asset management, preventative maintenance, repairs, support).

In January 2024, TUI signed a partnership with Marquard & Bahls (1947-founded, Hamburg-based company specializing in energy and chemicals) to supply with methanol Mein Schiff 7 (fleet's first methanol-powered vessel vessel). The deal was signed by Wybcke Meier (TUI's CEO) and Volker Ebeling (Mabanaft's Senior VP of New Energy, Supply & Infrastructure).

(new brand) TUI River Cruises UK

In April 2019, the shipowner TUI AG terminated the charters of its 3 riverboats and established the UK-focused brand "TUI River Cruises" (tui.co.uk/river-cruises). The new brand was scheduled to start operations in summer 2020 but due to the global health crisis, its inauguration was postponed for August 2021 (delayed ~1,5 years).

The sisterships are named TUI Isla , TUI Maya , TUI Skyla .

In 2024-2025, TUI expands the river fleet with two more boats - TUI Al Horeya (2024/Egypt's Nile River) and TUI Alma (2025/Portugal's Douro River).

TUI River Cruises is a separate company part (fully-owned subsidiary) of TUI AG (British-German travel and tourism corporation). TUI Group also owns the companies Marella Cruises UK and Hapag-Lloyd-Cruises .

River travel aficionados can choose from various itineraries and optional shipboard and land packages. Standard (basic) TUI river cruise pricing is inclusive of alcohol (beers and wines by the glass) and soft drinks with all meals, as well as of gratuities (onboard tips), service charges and bicycles (offered complimentary to all passengers in call ports of the current cruisetour itinerary). Premium drinks packages are optional (offered at extra cost). All TUI riverboats have balcony suites. Shore excursions range from sightseeing tours (guided by local experts) to bike tours.

The new river cruise company offers GBP 120 (~EUR 140 / USD 155) per person in OBC (onboard credit) towards all land tour bookings. TUI river ships are named TUI Maya , TUI Skyla and TUI Isla , each with capacity 155 passengers plus 40 crew, LOA length 135 m (445 ft), 4 decks (3 with cabins). Standard cabins are sized 12 m2 (130 ft2) and with fixed double beds.

TUI riverboats' venues include:

• (Deck 2) cabins, Lobby (Reception Desk, Tour Desk, Library), wellness facilities (Spa, Gym, Hair Parlor)
• (Deck 3) cabins, Observatory Lounge, Bar Lounge, Bow Terrace, 2 restaurants (Bistro Buffet, Verdastro Dining Room). Verdastro Restaurant serves buffet-type breakfast and a la carte lunch and dinner (with waiter service). Bistro Restaurant is for buffet-style dining only (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Observatory is the show lounge with live entertainment in the evenings (musical performances, stand-up comedy acts, crew show, themed dance parties).
• (Deck 4) Sundeck with games area (shuffleboard), shaded seating (Sundeck Lounge), sunbathing area with padded loungers, sunbeds, daybeds.

In December 2019, TUI signed an exclusive partnership with Live Business UK (one of Europe's largest entertainment program developers and suppliers) for the TUI River Cruises company. By this deal, Live Business UK prepared the onboard entertainment programming for the boats and is also responsible for recruiting cruise directors, hosts, ship musicians, guest performers, local tour guides and other experts.

Company history

During the company's 10 years of service (2008-2018), the six Mein Schiffs handled around 2,2 million passengers, visited over 200 seaports and covered around 2,9 million km (1,8 million ml). TUI's sister-brand is Marella Cruises (UK source market).

For FY2018 (fiscal year), TUI Group's earnings (from the 3 cruise brands - TUI, Marella, and Hapag-Lloyd) increased by 10,7% - to EUR 901,9 million. Company's turnover was EUR 324 million (26,8% increase over 2017). Group's average daily rates increased to EUR 178 euro (TUI, up from EUR 173), EUR 141 (Marella, up from EUR 131) and EUR 615 (Hapag-Lloyd, up from EUR 594).

In 2015-2016, TUI Group had a turnover of EUR 17,8 billion (company's record) and operating result of EUR 1B. Corporation's portfolio consisted of 14 vessels (TUI, Thomson-Marella, and Hapag-Lloyd brands), several large tour operators, around 1600 travel agencies (including online portals), over 300 hotels (around 214,000 beds) and 6 airlines (over 150 aircraft).

The list of TUI-owned airlines includes Corsair International (France), TUI Airways (UK), TUI fly Belgium, TUI fly Deutschland, TUI fly Netherlands, and TUI fly Nordic (departures from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway).

In FY2016 (the fiscal year 2016), TUI Cruises had 60% growth (over FY2015) in earnings, with EBITA of EUR 130 million (EUR 81 million in FY2015). The reported growth came from the corporation's two main markets - Germany and UK.

TUI Cruises started operations by acquiring Celebrity Galaxy from Celebrity Cruises - another RCCL subsidiary. The ship left Celebrity's fleet on March 16, 2009. After buying Celebrity Galaxy, the vessel was refitted at Lloyd Werft shipyard ( Bremerhaven, Germany ) arriving on March 27 for 38-day, EUR 50 million conversions. Galaxy was re-christened on May 15th in Hamburg and renamed "Mein Schiff" (meaning "My Ship" in Deutsch)

. TUI planned to build two 100,000 GT, 2500-passenger ships in 2011 and 2012.

• On May 27, 2010, was revealed that Celebrity Mercury joined TUI fleet as "Mein Schiff 2"(renamed in 2018 to Mein Schiff Herz/now Marella Voyager ). Before the refit, "MS Mein Schiff" was renamed to Mein Schiff 1 (now Marella Explorer ). Schiff 2 entered service in February 2011 after an extensive drydock reconstruction .
• On September 27, 2011, TUI and STX Finland announced a shipbuilding contract for a 97,000 GT vessel ( Schiff 3 ) with delivery in 2014. The vessel has LOA length 295 m/968 ft, 1250 staterooms (mostly balconied) and capacity 2500 passengers and 1000 crew. The contract included an optional second ship, that was ordered on November 5, 2012 ( Schiff 4 ). Schiff 3 entered service on April 22, 2014.
• In March 2015, RCI ( Royal Caribbean International ) announced selling Splendour of the Seas to TUI Cruises in 2016-Q2. TUI leased the vessel to Thomson UK (now Marella) replacing MS Island Escape (now Ocean Gala ).
• In May 2015 TUI Group announced that as part of fleet modernization strategy, Schiff 1 and 2 will be transferred to Thomson/Marella over the next few years to upgrade TUI's UK fleet.
• In 2018, TUI signed a partnership deal with "Merkur Casino Mare" (part of Gauselmann Group) for the onboard gambling on Schiff 1 (since 2018), Schiff 2 (since 2019) and Schiff 3 (since 2021). The ship Casino features 6x electronic roulettes plus 14x other Merkur gaming machines, and a separate gambling lounge with 4x M-Box Buzzer (multi-gaming machines) and a blackjack table for live gaming. For 2020, Gauselmann AG reported revenue EUR 2,56 billion (~USD 3B / ~GBP 2,2B). Since 2012, Gauselmann owns the British company Praesepe Ltd (now Merkur Casino UK) which owns the Cashino brand (street gambling arcade chain).
• In mid-October 2021, TUI announced that Schiff Herz will be transferred in 2023 to Marella Cruises UK . Following a drydock, the boat will be renamed "Marella Voyager", starting operations for Marella on June 3, 2023.

The Hannover travel group TUI AG (listed at London Stock Exchange) keeps an upbeat outlook of cruise shipping activities. The company owns 100% of Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten and 50% of TUI Kreuzfahrten.

In August 2015, TUI announced EBITA growth (Q3) by EUR 11 million, which reflected the full-year profit of Schiff 3 (operated since June 2014) and the launch of Schiff 4 (June 2015). In addition, Hapag-Lloyd's remarkable turnaround and EUR 4 million benefits from refinancing ms Europa 2 meant that TUI had EUR 21 million increase in underlying EBITA (earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization).

In May 2015, TUI AG Supervisory Board and RCCL-Royal Caribbean confirmed the purchase options for Schiff 7 and Schiff 8 (later renamed "Schiff 1" and "Schiff 2", delivered respectively in 2018 and 2019), as the German market reported further growth. The new liners are slightly larger (2860 lower berths each), built by Meyer Turku Finland . The deal was fully financed within TUI Cruises (joint venture) - without further contribution from TUI AG and RCCL.

Schiff 5 was launched on January 15, 2016, following the 14-month construction period. Around 1500 employees are involved in the building of each TUI vessel.

In mid-July 2018, TUI ordered two new ships (161,000 GT-ton, 4000-passenger) - this time from the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. Their scheduled deliveries are in 2025-Q1 ( Schiff Relax ) and 2026-Q2 ( Schiff 9 ). TUI's "Italian" liners are LNG-powered and from the company's new InTUItion-Class (fka TUI XL-Schiff).

In October 2018, TUI announced the "Wasteless" initiative aimed to eliminate disposable plastic products fleetwide (and also in land-based operations - provision suppliers and office staff) by the year 2020. Plastics will be replaced by alternative products made from renewable resources. The eco-initiative started with the newbuilds, on which in all cabin bathrooms, shower gel and shampoo dispensers are refillable, terry slippers are bathrobe's pockets (not packed in plastic), laundry bags are from bio-based plastic, coffee-to-go cups for crew are from bio-based plastic, drink stirrers are wooden. In November 2019, TUI reported ~30 million single-use plastic items replaced with renewable/sustainable materials-made alternatives.

In 2018, the German travel market reached ~2,2 million cruisers, of whom ~26% were served by TUI.

TUI Schiff Restaurants and Bars

TUI Schiff sonnenbereiche und poolbereiche (sundeck and Lido-deck pool areas)

(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID pandemic, TUI River Cruises suspended passenger shipping operations by canceling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures March 15, 2020, through August 15, 2021. TUI Cruises Germany ("Mein Schiff" fleet) suspended operations on March 23 and restarted on August 21 with Schiff 1 (7-day Norwegian Fjords roundtrip from Kiel) and Schiff 2 (7-day Norway from Hamburg). Schiff 6 started on September 13 (through November 7) with 7-day roundtrips from Heraklion (Crete) to Piraeus-Athens and Kerkyra (Corfu Island).

TUI River Cruises were planned to resume on November 26, 2020 ( Christmas and New Year itineraries ) but were eventually canceled through August 2021 (the brand was inaugurated on August 15, with TUI Maya from Frankfurt).

All affected bookings were automatically canceled and fully refunded in FCC (future cruise credit) notes for the full cost of the cruise. The FCCs can be used for paying a new voyage (with rebooking) or fully refunded (100%) in cash after 12 months.

Next are listed all TUI liners and their first departure dates/homeports/regions in 2021 - Schiff 3 (May 10/Norway from Bremerhaven), Schiff 4 (Apr 23/UK-Baltic from Hamburg), Schiff 5 (May 13/Mediterranean from Heraklion Crete), Schiff 6 (May 9/Mediterranean from Palma de Mallorca), Schiff Herz (Sept 3/Mediterranean from Palma de Mallorca). Schiff 1 and Schiff 2 started Canary Islands cruises in January, with 7-day and 14-day roundtrips from Gran Canaria.

The latest cancellations affected Schiff 5's Asian program (Hong Kong) and Schiff 6's Arabian Gulf program (from Dubai).

Itinerary of TUI Cruises

The next table provides a concise review of the TUI fleet's deployments (as homeports and destinations/regions). For detailed itineraries (call ports, port dates-times, and cruise prices) just follow the ship links.

TUI River Cruises

"TUI River Cruises" is a 2019-founded (operational since 2021) brand and a subsidiary of TUI AG. The new company specializes in passenger river shipping in Europe and is generally UK-focused (as source market).

TUI's riverboat fleet consists of three fully refurbished ships - TUI Maya , TUI Skyla , TUI Isla . The boats usually operate roundtrips from the homeports Passau and Frankfurt (Germany), Amsterdam Holland and Budapest Hungary .

In January 2022, TUI announced the restart dates of the riverboats after winter 2021 season was suspended due to Europe's increasing COVID Omicron cases. TUI's Rhine program was first halted before Christmas 2021 when Germany's government imposed travel restrictions on UK tourists.

TUI's river operations were planned to resume with TUI Skyla on March 28th. The "Magic of the Danube" itinerary (7-night roundtrip from Budapest ) visited ports in Slovakia, Austria, and Germany. Prices started at GBP 1120 per person with double occupancy.

TUI's first 14-night voyage started on April 8 ( TUI Isla ). The "European Icons" itinerary started in Amsterdam and visited ports in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary, ending in Budapest. Prices started at GBP 2010 pp.

TUI's Rhine voyages started on April 8 with the "Rhine Germs" itinerary visiting Koblenz and Speyer (Germany Rhineland-Palatinate) along with Basel Switzerland . The 7-day roundtrip is from Frankfurt am Main (Germany Hesse) , fares started at GBP 1170 pp.

Themed voyages started on April 1st ( TUI Maya ) with the "Vines and Valleys" Moselle River itinerary.

In December 2023, TUI River Cruises announced a fleet expansion with two new vessels - TUI Al Horeya (Nile River boat/inauguration in 2024) and TUI Alma (Douro River boat/inauguration in 2025).

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• Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

Marella Discovery Excursions - are they value for money?

By Stuarthoy , March 20, 2019 in Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson)

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Came back from the Asia cruise that took in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia and Vietnam. I have to say that the cruise ship was very good but some of the Shore Excursions at the various ports appear very poor and not value for money.

We booked several trips before we left because we weren't sure of how far the docking was from the ship, if there would be any alternatives on shore for us to explore etc.

we found from talking to other more experienced Travellers on board that they went to the same places that we had been to, stayed longer at others and had paid a lot less ( in some cases up to £30-£60). I know people will say that on the organised trip you have a guide and that the trip will be safe, having been selected by Tui.

i thought so myself but our visit to Sihanoukville by Tuk Tuk still sends shivers down my spine. Not only was the excursion was a shambles

( Guide went to one Temple, the 10 Tuk Tuks went to another, after being taken to the wrong Tuk Tuks)

our Tuk Tuk was when we started ok but we were cramped , we sat facing each other, with our feet on the spare tyre as the driver drove whilst watching a Kung Fu movie on his phone, which was propped up behind the steering wheel. We thought at first he had the radio on but he was watching a film! On the way back the exhaust blew, we got off the Tuk to find ourselves covered in paint from gripping the sides so hard, we had to tell to follow the other Tuks because had no mirrors to see. If we moved we banged into him because the screen separating us from him was plastic.

the point was the excursion was unsafe, the Tuks were not roadworthy and the Guide admitted that the company was not the usual one they used.

if we had gone on our own we could have found a sound Tuk, agreed a price and gone round all the places for half the price.

When we asked for our money back from Tui, they offered 30% as a goodwill gesture which we turned down. Having got back home we complained to Head Office at Tui who said " that's what aTuk Tuk is like in Cambodia! Not true, we saw some very safe and fancy looking Tuks.

from this we concluded that we would do our Excursions independently or with others to lessen the cost and went to many of the same destinations as the organised tour and stayed longer at the places we liked and didn't visit Temple after Temple.

all our forays were good, cheaper, and we felt safe. The drivers all had a sheet with pictures of the places that you wanted to visit and you just pointed to them and off you went.

what are other travellers experience of the Organised Excursions that Ships offer? Do you think they are worth the money?

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There are lots of options, you just have to work out which is the best for you. Marella excursions are probably not the best, but in some cases they are the only option and they, at least,  get you back to the ship on time. Private excursions, if possible, are great and tend to be smaller groups. Lots of ports are DIY possible. We have done both options and luckily we have been very lucky with our choices. 

Cristaltips

I agree about the Marella trips not being value for money. I feel that we were very much used as guinea pigs for their first Asia cruises. 

We also did a Tuk Tuk  trip in Cambodia. It was sold as 4.5 hours. We left ship at 9.00 to transport to Tuk Tuk then sat on it for at least 15 mins while they got everyone together. The traffic was awful and I did fear for my life over the state of the vehicle. However, we lived to tell the tale and were back on the ship by 12.30. Doesn’t need a mathematician to work out that wasn’t 4.5 hours! 

The Penang trip. We visited a temple (of course!) and a batik factory which was very good. The rest of the trip ( in a coach with no apparent rear suspension) went downhill. A visit to see a fruit and spice stall on the side of a busy road, and the finale was to see , in the distance, a bridge linking Penang to the mainland! 

Bangkok. We drove for 2 hours ( had a comfort stop at motorway services) into Bangkok. Drove round passing Chinatown and Flower Market and stopped for a temple visit for about 30 mins. Then drove back, another 2 hours,another comfort stop. 

As it was our first trip to this part of the world, we were wary about doing things on our own and getting back on time. However, we feel we missed seeing a lot on the trips we did. Marella really need to review their trips in my opinion.

• 1 month later...

cruisevirgin66

Just back from Red Sea Odyssey and thought the excursions were overpriced and very rushed, also poorly described in terms of ability, accessibility, and duration.  Destination Services were terrible, giving out wrong information beforehand and very confrontational and rude when we complained afterwards.  Don't get me wrong, we we're thrilled to be able to visit these places, and having never been in that area before we're glad to have the "safety" of being on a ships excursion, but if you are more confident and can arrange an alternative I'd do it!

We did a ships tour in Civitavecchia As we had done several previous trips in to Rome. We thought it was very good value and definitely much cheaper than the American lines. 

Done a few excursions via Tui from cruise ships.  Found some great, some quite poor.  You will probably get cheaper and better value through other companies.    The reason I go through Tui is for the protection.  If something goes wrong whilst on their excursion eg. bus breaks down or something, the ship will wait till your back on board.  I wouldn't be too confident if you went through ACME Tours, bus broke down and there was no way you would reembark the ship before it was due to leave port.

ollienbertsmum

I am reading this because I am considering a Marella cruise and want to hear what people say about the whole experience.  However I am never keen on ship tours.  They are usually overpriced.  They have to be.  If a tour operates usually prices a tour.  The ship negotiates a price,  There has to be a commission.  

I understand nerves though when going on a first trip to Asia.  Once you have done your first trip you will know what it is like and be braver about independent tours ..  and Tuk Tuks!!

MAke sure that you leave the ship early and allow an hour or so extra to get back.  I think that one important consideration is how easily you will get to your next destination if you should miss the ship (and I am sure it rarely happens).  

If your next port is reached after 4 days at sea, you need to be very careful.  If your next port is 200 km up the coast, you can be braver.  

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11 cruise ship excursions to avoid

You have eight to 10 hours in port, and you might never return to that destination. How do you make sure you don't blow your chance at an amazing vacation day by choosing the wrong cruise ship shore excursion ?

It's a daunting task for sure, but some close reading and a little bit of thought can steer you away from making bad tour choices. Here are some general tips to follow:

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Tip 1: Be honest with yourself about the personalities and abilities of your travel party and what they actually will be happy doing.

Tip 2: Don't feel obligated to take a ship-sponsored tour. Independent options are often better.

Tip 3: Read the following list of types of cruise ship shore excursions that aren't worth your time, money and the risk of mid-tour meltdowns.

Panoramic sightseeing tours

"Panoramic" is cruise speak for "you will view key attractions exclusively from inside a bus." You might want to see that historic cathedral interior or step outside to enjoy the scenic overlook. However, if you prefer to spend more time on the ground than inside a coach, avoid any tour with "panoramic sightseeing" or "island tour" or "[destination] by coach" in the title.

Most shore excursion descriptions will tell you how much time you'll spend at each attraction, so look for those clues to ensure you're actually experiencing the sites you want to see.

Note that you should ignore this advice if you have mobility challenges; these sightseeing tours are a great way to see the top sights without worrying about navigating cobblestone streets or stairs.

Tourist trains and trams

Unless you're cruising with Thomas the Tank Engine-obsessed toddlers, please maintain your dignity and avoid the tourist trains and trams that chug around cruise destinations. I'm not talking about actual scenic railways; I'm talking about the cutesy painted mini locomotives pulling open-air carriages through the streets of places like the Royal Dockyard in Bermuda, Belize City and Piraeus, Greece.

Frankly, it's embarrassing and tags you as a clueless American tourist. Hop-on, hop-off coach tours are much preferred for easy transportation between key tourist attractions.

Related: Avoid these 10 mistakes when booking cruise shore excursions

All-day marathon tours

I'd love to see the Yukon. However, I have no interest in taking a seven-hour tour that combines a trip on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway into British Columbia, a bus ride to the border of the Yukon and then another bus ride down the Klondike Highway back to Skagway. It's too much sitting.

I have done the marathon tour from Livorno to Florence in Italy, and I can assure you that I fell asleep exhausted on the coach ride back every time.

All-day marathon tours might be the only way to cram everything you want to see into your one day in port. However, the breakneck pace might not be worth the sore feet, missed ship dinner and information overload. Worse, sometimes these long tours involve more driving than sightseeing.

For example, Royal Caribbean 's "Grand Tour of Florence and Pisa" features two hours of independent exploration in Florence and an hour in Pisa. However, the tour takes 10 hours. At least three of those hours will be in transit, with more time spent waiting for tardy tourists and walking from bus parking to the actual attractions.

You might be better off focusing your time on one area during your cruise. If you want to see more, return for a land visit at a more relaxed pace another year.

Related: 5 great cruise vacations that combine a cruise with a train trip

Short tours with a long transit

In a similar vein, and with a nod to the Cake song, any tour that spends more time in transit than at the actual tour destination might not be the best use of your time. If you're going to schlep out somewhere on a daytrip, you want it to be worth your while. Otherwise, you might get more value from staying closer to port to sightsee, shop and dine on your own.

Museum tours

Do you take tours of museums when you're home? No. You simply go to the museum, perhaps pick up an audio guide and wander through on your own. So why would you take a tour of a museum on a cruise?

Unless you need a tour for transportation, skip the overpriced shore excursion and head to that museum of interest on your own. You can spend as much or as little time in the rooms that interest you, and you can skip around large groups crowding a particular artwork or display. You also don't have to reduce yourself to meekly following behind a sign-toting guide. You can usually find English-language audio tours if you need more information or can't read the display signs.

Related: The best credit cards for booking cruises

Beach breaks

Do you want to go to the beach? Hail a cab and go to the beach. The locals know that cruisers want to go to the beach, and you'll find shuttles, trams and vans all waiting to take you to the beach and back. You don't need a tour to get there.

Similarly, if you want to spend the day at a local resort, using its beach, pool and facilities, you can often find cheaper options if you book through the property directly rather than via your ship's shore excursion desk. Just check to see if transportation is included and factor in the price of a taxi if it's not.

Related: Best Caribbean cruise shore excursions

Shopping tours

The same mindset applies to shopping tours. If you want to go shopping, all you need to do is walk off the cruise ship. If there aren't a bevy of souvenir and jewelry shops right at the port, you'll be able to find plenty in town. It's rare that a shopping tour is going to take you to special or local secret galleries where you can find amazing art or spectacular buys.

Are you a shopaholic or a connoisseur of a particular product? Your best bet is to do your research in advance, find the shops or galleries you wish to visit and take a taxi or hire a private guide to take you to the merchants you most want to see.

Booze cruises

I'm a huge fan of catamaran sails — getting out on the water to feel the breeze in your hair and watch the scenery go by, maybe getting in some snorkeling or beach time. However, I avoid any shore tour labeled "party cruise" or "open bar" like the plague.

If you're choosing a tour because you want to snorkel or see the sunset over the water, know that someone on the boat is bound to over-imbibe, become belligerent or end up barfing because they don't know when to stop with the free rum punch.

Looking for a party? Have at it. Just be careful because those fruity drinks are stronger than they taste; the heat, alcohol and sugar combination makes for a crazy time with some consequences. Do you really want to miss the next port or ship nightlife because you're hungover from your tour?

Related: How to get free or cheap drinks on a cruise

Glass-bottom boat rides

I admit — I went on an amazing semi-submersible ride in Maui, where we actually saw incredible sea life. All of the other glass-bottom boat rides and "submarine" tours I've done have been murky and unimpressive.

Unless you're claustrophobic, it can't hurt to try, but the chances of you having an amazing underwater experience on one of these tours are low. If you cannot snorkel or scuba dive, you might prefer to try your luck with a land-based tour.

Tours involving maltreated animals

You might have a life goal to swim with dolphins or ride on an elephant, but please do not support any organization that does not treat their animals well. If you can't verify that the animals are getting superb care, avoid shore excursions that have you interacting with captive wild animals.

Instead, choose tours that allow you to see animals in the wild, such as whale-watching tours in Hawaii , bear-viewing excursions in Alaska, or hikes or boat rides through the jungle where you can spot birds or monkeys in the trees.

Any tour you're not fit for

Haven't gotten on a bike in years? Now is not the time to book that cycling tour through Valencia, Spain, or go speeding 25 miles down the Haleakala volcano in Maui. Have mobility issues? A walking tour through a cobblestoned old town is not for you. Afraid of heights? For the love of God, do not zip line.

The person you wish you were (or the strapping youth you once were) will not be taking the tour — only you in your current level of health and fitness. Avoid any shore excursions you can't handle, and you will be much happier with your time spent in port rather than at the local hospital.

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• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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Tui River Cruises has launched its first trade incentive for independent agents making package bookings.

The cruise line has opened a competition running until the end of the year called ‘Make it on Tui River Cruises’, where five agents can win a spot on the seven-night Legends of the Nile trip on board refurbished ship Tui Al Horeya.

Agents will need to register online and submit their Tui River Cruises package bookings via a digital form.

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Tui River Cruises will also put together a leader board so agents can track their place in the competition.

The trip will sail from Luxor on March 20, 2025, and call at Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan, including flights, transfers, tips and an all-inclusive full board-plus option.

The cruise will be hosted by Tui River Cruise representatives.

Katy Berzins, head of Tui River Cruises, said: “This is a first for us and a really great step as independent agents are hugely important to us.

“It gives our trusted travel agents the opportunity to experience a unique trip to immerse themselves in the products first North African ship down the river Nile whilst also experiencing the complete end-to-end customer experience provided by Tui.”

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