What is a Shore Excursion?
Shore excursions are optional, guided tours in a cruise ship's port of call. They are offered in all Alaska ports and cities and are a great way to enhance your cruise experience while seeing more of the places you visit.
An organized Shore Excursion can maximize your time ashore and eliminate the need for making time-consuming arrangements while in port. These tours are led by local residents, who's expertise and first-hand knowledge of the history and folklore of a local attraction can offer colorful insights and anecdotes that you just cannot experience on your own with a city map and guide-book.
Every cruise line has guided tours available in each port of call, highlighting the places to sightsee, shop and experience local culture. As a convenience to their passengers, they provide a complete list of shore excursions, descriptions, and prices in advance with your cruise documents and on their websites to help you decide which tours you can take. You can them pre-book them prior to leaving home or wait until you board your ship.