You may have heard that you can save money by arranging an independent shore excursion, instead of booking through the cruise line. But watch out, some ports are better than others to make that happen.

If you book your own shore excursion, the cruise line is not obligated to hold the ship if you run late. Meaning it’s your responsibility to get back on time.

And if you don’t get back in time, don’t expect the ship to be waiting or expect any help on figuring out some type of alternate arrangements now that you’re stuck in a foreign cruise port.

The trick is to arrange independent activities in ports that are easily accessible, which minimizes the risk of returning late.

On an Alaskan cruise, the dock in Ketchikan is in the center of town, and it’s a walking city that you can easily explore on your own.

The port in Juneau is also close to town, but some of the major activities can take place several miles away.

On a Caribbean cruise, the dock in Belize is close to the city center, but passengers have to be tendered to and from the ship, which can take about 20 minutes. So plan accordingly.

The cool thing about European cruises is that they hit the major cities which is great opportunity to hire your own private guide.

However, in cities like Barcelona and Athens, the ports are a few miles from the city center—so leave plenty of time to catch a ride back to the ship.

Here’s one offbeat idea: learn more about Birding in Belize on an Independent Shore Excursion.

For more helpful tips check out the Cruise Travel section.

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