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If you go on shore during a cruise trip, these are called shore excursions, and you can take them at the ports your ship docks in during the cruise. The service is offered by the cruise lines, and many independent tour operators because of how popular they are.
Mediterranean cruises, in particular, offer tourists a unique opportunity to visit some of the best locations that our planet has to offer. That’s because these dock in ports that give access to iconic destinations. All you need to do is to get off the ship and head to the Roman Colosseum in Italy, the Acropolis in Athens, or even the Familia Sagrada in Barcelona, provided you return before it heads out to sea again.
So, how can you visit so many locations at once if you go on a Mediterranean cruise? Simple. The Mediterranean Sea is outlined with Europe, Africa, and Asia in the north, south and east respectively. That’s more than 20 countries you can visit just by going on the cruise! However, you cannot visit all of them at once, especially if you are on a budget.
Some Cruise lines offer shore excursions as part of the cruise (all-inclusive package), but most of them sell you the shore excursions at the time you book your cruise. If you need to save money and want a full experience, you can always join a group that wants to explore areas that are not offered by the cruise line.
However, whether you want to go off the beaten path or visit unique places onshore, you should book a shore excursion trip from the local tour company (local tour operator). If you take this course of action, be advised that the cruise liner will not be responsible for the experience you have. To prevent issues, loop up reviews of the independent tour operator and choose one that comes with recommendations.
Additionally, you can choose to head out without a group if you don’t want to tour with strangers or prefer to explore without waiting for them to catch up. The tour operator will create an itinerary to that effect and this includes the time you want to spend at different locations. This way, you will get a personalized tour experience and a chance to talk to the locals and save a lot of money in the bargain. The below tour companies, travel agencies and tour operators are recommended from our previous clients. Please feel free to browse their websites.