Are You Ready For Your Cruise Line Shore Excursions? 12 Items To Consider!

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Shore excursions comprise a wide variety of activities from easy walking tours to water adventures to riding a camel! There are some things that will make your excursion even more enjoyable if you plan ahead and bring them from home!

a blue and black scuba mask and snorkel

Your own mask and snorkel – Really? Don’t they provide these for this type of activity? Many times these items are provided, but if your mask doesn’t fit well and leaks constantly or the snorkel doesn’t reach your mouth comfortably it can ruin your experience. Best to get these ahead of time and make sure they will work well for you.

a bag full of clothes

Beach Bag – You will end up with a lot of stuff to carry along for a beach day or snorkeling trip, including your own towel from the ship! Select a good, sturdy bag that will hold it all and make it easy to carry. If it folds flat it will be easier to pack as well.

a phone case with a strap

Dry-Bag for your phone – If you’ve taken all those fabulous photos with your phone on your excursion and then you drop it in the sea there’s no amount of rice in the world that will solve that disaster. Keep your phone in a dry bag inside your beach bag to ensure this doesn’t happen to you!

two blue bottles with yellow text

Sunscreen – Everybody loves lobster night, unless they are the lobster! Even if you sit under an umbrella all day the reflection of the sun off the sand and water will burn you even in the shade.

a green and yellow vest with a cartoon crab on it

Swim Vest or Floaties for kids – If your child hasn’t developed strong swimming abilities yet, make sure they will be able to enjoy the water both onboard and on any excursions at the beach you plan. You never know how deep the shallow end is going to be or if the beach will have high surf or rip currents. Better to make sure your kiddo’s can enjoy the water safely!

a group of colorful clothes pegs

Towel Clips – There is always a breeze of some strength on a ship, and some beaches can be quite windy as well. Nothing is more irritating than sitting and trying to enjoy that gorgeous view than having your towel blow over your head!

a collection of different colored socks

Beach Shoes – Most beaches included on excursions are nice, beautiful sandy places, but some can be a bit on the rocky side or there might be a lot of seaweed that isn’t so nice to have squish between your toes! The last thing you want is a cut or injury to ruin your day.

a close up of a sandal

Good Walking Sandals – There are many excursions that involve moderate walking where flip-flops would not be very comfortable for the duration of the tour. Some activities require closed-toe footwear, but for those that don’t a good pair of walking sandals are the perfect item!

a group of water bottles

Water Bottle – Just before you leave the meeting area for your excursion you will likely see a table where you can purchase a bottle of water to take with you on your tour. Why not save the $$$ by bringing your own bottle you can refill again and again to stay hydrated?

a pair of sunglasses on a white background

Sunglasses – Along with protecting your skin it’s a good idea to make sure you won’t be squinting all day as well! You may have your favorite pair of expensive sunglasses, but when you might drop & scratch them or lose them in the sea, better to bring a pair you wouldn’t mind so much if they get damaged!

a woman wearing a hat

Sun Hat – Even with sunscreen, having the sun beat down on your head and neck for a few hours can get really hot and uncomfortable!

a close up of a wallet

Mini-Wallet – You will be informed that the only thing you need to disembark the ship for your excursion is your key card and a photo ID. It’s also a good idea to bring a credit card, insurance card, and a little cash. You will also be warned in many ports of pick-pockets so rather than have all of these important items loose in your pocket, these mini-wallets keep it all together and fit easily in a front pocket securely.

So there you have it, these items can really go a long way to help make your shore excursion more enjoyable and help make your cruise vacation truly memorable! – René

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Advertiser Disclosure: Frequent Floaters is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.

Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

René de Lambert
René de Lamberthttp://www.FrequentFloaters.com
René de Lambert has been a travel blogger for over 10 years covering the travel industry - including cruising.

3 COMMENTS

  1. As someone with large 15-size feet, I must bring my own snorkel/scuba fins as the vendors don’t usually have my large size. I recommend a compact set like the “SeaDive Traveler Snorkeling Fins” and I also like a high-quality surf sock like the “Tilos Osmos Water Sport Swim Shoe w/Vented Sole, Aqua Grip Socks”. I also like the “Sawyer Products Premium MAXI DEET, 100% DEET Insect Repellent” for anywhere with bugs. These are available at Amazon or other retailers. The Deet product is not only high Deet level but TSA compliant as well.

  2. I always use a neck wallet when traveling to put my credit card, health card, Etc. plus some cash. That way, I don’t have to worry about pickpockets at all. I got one from AAA.

  3. Agree that water shoes are a must and probably my #1 item. If you’re doing wet landings on zodiacs, if you’re getting in and out of a kayak, if you’re taking a beach excursion…I only added the dry-bag for my phone on my last cruise and it made a huge difference. While in the past I might have forgone taking pictures while kayaking for fear of drowning my phone I know have it on a lanyard around my neck which is super convenient.

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