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Reviews 3.7.

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Great value and super efficient cruise

Cruised on Azura in June and we had a fabulous time. Restaurants were very good and theatre shows excellent. Our cabin was deluxe balcony spacious with big balcony. Clean but tired looking. Spa was very good and we used sun bathing area away from noisy pool. Our flights out with Tui were great and the assisted service we received in Malta was superb. I thought staff were not as friendly as other cruises only saw cabin attendant once. Restaurant team were very helpful. Trips very good except for mountain trip on Corsica. A little boring and guide very bossy. Visit Lucca it is truly beautiful. Overall a great week and excellent value for money.

Date of experience : June 06, 2024

We travelled in January with p&o to the…

We travelled in January with p&o to the Carabean. We travelled with tui outbound which was fine but with malleth aero on our return. We had a 5 hour delay! I have contacted malleth on several occasions, initially they would respond with “we are looking into this” the last 4 emails, no reply! Once on the plane it was awful the standard was shocking especially with the whole cost that we paid. P&O do not want to know and are not taking any accountability. As far as I am concerned I booked a package holiday. I did not get any choice in who I flew with that was left to P&O. TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS P&O!

Date of experience : January 13, 2024

Terrible food

Terrible food, can only get a few drinks a day and holy crap they're dumb. And then you have to deal with people that think they're 40,000 pound millionaires. Done of dealing with (so its mentally challenged p that don't understand customer service. I wouldn't wish P&O on my worst enemy Stupidity abounds. Takes 50 minutes to get a drink, everyone hates you. The most ridiculous thing was the poors trying to dress like they belonged. They don't. If anyone was relevant and had money they wouldn't be on a p&o cruise They're horrible liars. Their terrible food is advertised as being available, but their unprofessional liars. Nobody deserves it. That burger from the American restaurant I would be ashamed of recommending to my worst enemy.

Date of experience : June 17, 2024

Amsterdam on Ventura

Overall, very enjoyable. Helpful, friendly staff. Chaotic at times in buffet area and would prefer self service with hot drinks as had to queue each time. Lifts were slow at times as some out of service. Non slip matting needed around pool areas as saw several people of all ages fall on the wet floor - quite dangerous especially by stairs. Food was good with good choices. Entertainment was excellent. Friend's children loved the kid clubs. Cabin was comfortable and roomy. Now looking to book our next adventure!!

Date of experience : June 15, 2024

Enjoyable P&O cruise on Iona to Norway.

P&O cruise on Iona to Norway was great. Modern ship with great facilities and friendly staff. Food of high quality in restaurants and full program of events onboard. Longish voyage from/to Southampton took 3 days of the total but shore excursions were great. Would be good to have had an extra fiords day rather than Stavanger or Haugesund stop.

Date of experience : June 08, 2024

Norwegian Fjords

We have just returned from the Norwegian Fjords on P&O Iona and it was fabulous, we travelled with my son, daughter-in-law and 2 small grandchildren. The ship is spectacular with plenty of choice for everyone where to eat. The food is fresh and plentiful and tables cleared quickly in the buffet. The skydome can become a little crowded at times but there are plenty of other places to sit on the ship. The rooms are spacious (if you choose correctly) The bed was a little firm but all in all a great holiday

P&O ship Brittania was superb

P&O ship Brittania was superb, the staff great, food excellent. Rooms clean, balcony is a win! Great films, service 8/10, entertainment was good for singers, but the magic shows not so good. Sadly, whilst we loved the holiday, when we picked up our car from CPS cruise and passenger services, the parking attendants had stolen £25 from the glove box (lock up any valuables!). Our mistake, too trusting, lesson learned the hard way. Otherwise a great experience and would go again. Thanks P&O

Date of experience : June 14, 2024

Ventura 412 disappointing

6th cruise, first time with P&O. Won’t book again. Poor quality food. Service slow and unfriendly. Buffet limited and uninspiring. Tea/coffee stations insufficient. Poor port choice eg Santander Staff generally too busy to be attentive. Do not make customer feel special and welcomed. Entertainment poor calibre.

Date of experience : June 01, 2024

The Iona was a fantastic ship with the…

The Iona was a fantastic ship with the technology to help make our holiday easy. The facilties catered for all our needs and more with plenty of pools, bars, restaurants cinema and other leisure activities. Embarking and disembarking was smooth as was everything on board, wouldn't even have realised the guest numbers were 5,000 plus! The staff were super efficient too

Iona Norwegian Fjords cruise

Myself, My husband & our 2 youngest children ( aged 12 & 16 yrs ) just returned 2 days ago from my first ever cruise… booked through P&O we did 7 days to the Norwegian Fjords onboard Iona. The whole experience from ship to shore was absolutely fantastic ! Superb service on board from attentive , friendly staff who all work so hard , incredible food , brilliant entertainment & activities onboard ship & stunning port destinations ! Couldn’t fault any aspect of our holiday , in fact we actually rated it as the best one we’ve ever had.., so impressed with it all we’ve booked another cruise for 2025 ! Totally recommend !

7 day norwegian fjords on Iona

7 day norwegian fjords on Iona. Variety of things to do, places to eat and bars to drink at. Lots of options for restricred diets. Food all clearly labelled. Lots of restaurants happy to cook food seperately to ensure no cross contamination and make sure you get similar food experiences to everyone else. Stunning scenery and lots of excursions to do. Staff are amazing and work so hard. They always greet you with a smile and happy to help. Getting on and off the ship was super easy. After arriving at port we were on ship eating and drinking within 30 minutes. Suitcases delivered to our cabin very quickly. A great way to travel and see variety of countries/towns without the stress. Highly recommend.

Lovely boat Ventura

Lovely boat Ventura, lots of options for activities, great food, excellent staff,very good service. Guests all polite apart from one. Youth activities were brilliant with young children 2 & 6 didn't thi k they would want to go but enjoyed and wanted to go all the time

Date of experience : June 11, 2024

Iona Norway

First ever cruise. The ship was amazing, incredibly clean and comfortable. Its friendly hard working staff were attentive, helpful and polite. Entertainment surpassed my expectations. Great locations visited and it all ended to soon. Have returned home relaxed and revitalised. Shout out to our Captain with his daily chirpy address. Wonderful holiday and would recommend the Iona and her crew to anyone who was considering a first cruise.

Great Experience as a First Time Cruiser.

Had never been on a cruise before but came away hooked! Everything was so easy - from embarkation, eating onboard, taking part in the entertainment to leaving the ship. Staff were so friendly and attentive. It was just what we wanted - a relaxing and enjoyable hol. 100% would recommend a P&O Cruise.

Superb week on Azura in the Med

We liked the space & balcony of our superior deluxe cabin. Ship crew were friendly & helpful & food was good. We liked the menus & waiter service (freedom dining in the Meridian & Peninsular restaurants) along with breakfast in the Oriental restaurant. We had fun exploring the towns at the ports in Italy, France & Corsica & we were pleased our flight gave us time on the last day to see Valletta, Malta although we did have concerns regarding P&Os flight carrier Enterair who were not known to us. We also enjoyed the evening entertainment, especially the Headliners theatre shows & we had fun dressing up for the formal Gala nights. Overall a great holiday for the price we paid.

Solo traveller

As a solo traveller the size of the ship and volume of passengers did feel overwhelming at times. Because of the volume of bars and meeting places on board it was very hard to bump into same person again and so was very hard to socialise. I appreciated the people who did take time to socialise with me. Overall though I had a fantastic holiday and felt that p&o were a great company to go with. Would recommend 100% but would not travel solo again on a ship that size.

Is there anyone answering the phone?

Tried several times to contact P&O to book a gift. Waited over 45 minutes each time without getting through. Tried sending an email to customer services which took over 2 weeks to get a response. This is nothing short of poor customer service.

Date of experience : June 12, 2024

Fantastic service

Fantastic service. Jane at P&O phone centre found us the exact cruise to match our requirements and covered all aspects And it turned out to be £1000 less than a travel company advertised in a nation newspaper. So it pays to ring P&O direct if you can.

Not a ship for families

Not a ship for families. Kids club is a joke, they refused my 2 year old at a 6-10pm booking because he was having a nap, then kicked us out because after we were forced to wake him he needed a bottle of milk which apparently are both against health and safety. They then cancelled the booking which meant we didn't get our 1 date night we arranged and had to go back to the room. The dress code rules are ridiculous, casual nite is shirt and trousers in some bars and they will literally tell you your not coming in. It's a cruise company for pensioners plain and simple, they don't want middle age or younger families and make you feel unwelcome. They did 3 activities for younger children all week, that's it. Food I main dining is literally the buffet food brought over, except you had to wait 15 minutes between courses, with 2 children that's an eternity. I've been on royal caribean and tui marrella and they are 10x better. The ship was brittania.

Date of experience : June 07, 2024

Oh what a cruise Iona didn't…

Oh what a cruise Iona didn't disappoint!! Amazing staff all helpful and friendly. Ship was spotlessy clean and great entertainment and activities. So much food choice in main dining rooms and all delicious. Specialty restaurants were incredible. What can I say well done p&o for an epic cruise.....Will be back next year !!

P&O Arvia Caribbean Cruise Excursion – Escape to Saona Island, Dominican Republic

For our second shore excursion on our P&O Arvia Caribbean cruise, we’d picked to do the P&O excursion to Saona Island in the Dominican Republic.

It promised a full day with all the things we’d hoped for on a day trip in the Caribbean – boat rides, snorkelling, all food and drink catered and remote island beaches – and we weren’t disappointed.

We left the ship at 8.15am and made our way to the clearly sign-posted excursion meeting point.

While we do a mixture of independent excursions and P&O’s own ‘official’ excursions on our cruises, one big benefit of the P&O ones is that it’s very clear and simple where you need to go and what you need to do.

You may pay a premium when you book an excursion with P&O, but there’s no stress or uncertainty of having to find your own way around – you simply step off the ship, follow the shore excursion signs and step straight onto a bus without any hassle at all.

The bus soon set off for Bayahibe, the departure point for the speedboat leg of the tour over to Saona Island.

The tour guide ‘Rocky’ gave an entertaining commentary over the bus tannoy during the drive, which was only about 15-minutes or so, at which point we reached a beach where we got off and boarded a speedboat.

There were just under 60 people on our excursion (which is an extremely popular one with P&O and was booked up almost immediately on being released).

We all fitted comfortably on the boat, which made its way out to sea as the morning sun heated up, with a welcome sea breeze from the speeding boat.

We followed the Dominican Republic coastline, over crystal clear blue water, until we reached the first stop on the excursion – a ‘sandbank’ that sits between the Dominican Republic coast and the island of Saona.

At this point, the water is shallow (about waist deep) and you can get out of the boat and wade / swim around in the perfectly clear water, whilst Rocky the tour guide and the boat’s crew dished out rum and other drinks (all included in the price) from a floating ‘bar’ in the sea.

If you have snorkels / masks, it’s worth bringing them (none are supplied on the excursion) as there are tropical fish, starfish and even a few stingrays (small, friendly and harmless) swimming around the boat at the sandbank.

One of the boat’s crew was a professional photographer and he was wading around, photographing people with the stunning Caribbean backdrop, for photos which you could buy from him if you wanted to do so (they were decent photos so we did buy some as they made our own amateur holiday photos look pretty lame in comparison).

After about half an hour at the sandbank, we were back on board the boat and headed for the main destination of the excursion – Saona Island.

The boat pulled up at a sandy beach, where we climbed out and were lead through a small patch of “jungle” to the main beach area on Saona.

This was our first taste of the Caribbean as you imagine it to be. The pure white sand, the clear turquoise water, the coconut trees leaning over with a bright blue sky behind.

It was the kind of place we’d dreamed of coming to when we booked the cruise – and with only a few other excursions here at the same time as us, the beach was quiet enough to find plenty of secluded places to sit in the sun and swim in the warm sea.

The photographer was back and taking pictures if you wanted them – and a very decent lunch was being prepared that was all included in the cost, along with unlimited drinks – rum, beer, coffee and soft drinks.

We helped ourselves to lunch from the buffet at one of the beach bars – chicken, pork chops, rice, spaghetti, salad – and much more to choose from, then spent the rest of the time relaxing on loungers (all provided as part of the excursion) under the coconut trees.

We had about 3-hours enjoying the peace and beauty of Saona Island before we were rounded up to head back to the boat for the final leg of the excursion.

We got back on the speedboat, which took us just offshore where a catamaran was anchored – and climbed from the speedboat onto the catamaran, which set sail back to the Dominican Republic mainland on a journey of about an hour and a half or so.

This was a more relaxed journey – with the crew dishing out plenty of rum to anyone who wanted it, music playing over the speakers and the crew encouraging passengers to get up and dance with them.

We sat looking out over the Caribbean Sea as the catamaran sailed leisurely along, watching flying fish leaping out of the sea and flying through the air next to the boat.

Eventually arriving back at Bayahibe, we climbed onto another speedboat for the short trip (2-minutes or so) back to shore, where the bus was waiting to take us back to Arvia at the La Romana cruise terminal.

The final ‘all aboard’ time on Arvia was 5.30pm and we arrived back at 5.10pm, which was a bit close for comfort for our liking.

However, as it was the P&O official excursion to Saona Island, if you do happen to be late back to the ship, the ship is guaranteed to wait for you before leaving – unlike with an independent excursion, where there’s a risk you could be left behind if you miss departure time.

Because we like to avoid the risk of that ever happening, we always leave a good few hours’ margin for error when we’re doing our own thing, so we wouldn’t have wanted to do the Saona Beach Escape excursion independently, if arrival back to the ship was so close to the departure deadline.

This excursion was a brilliant day. We felt like we’d got to experience the real Caribbean as you imagine it to be, with the stunning natural beauty of the islands, hot, sunny weather – and ample amounts of food and drink all thrown in too.

Really well worth spending the money on and it gave us a day we’ll always remember. We definitely highly recommend it.

• P&O Cruises ( UK )

Caribbean excursions

By firsttimer086 , October 18, 2021 in P&O Cruises ( UK )

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firsttimer086

Looking through the excursions they mostly seem to start at 8.30, maybe 9.30 at the latest.

If it's only a 3hr trip for example (a lot seem to be this short for 40 odd quid!) then you'll be back on board before lunch, but seeing as some ports will only allow you to leave the ship on an excursion, why can't I find any that start at midday or the afternoon?

Also, do people really want to go sit on the beach at 9am, seems a bit early? When you factor in potentially having to queue for an antigen test in the morning before breakfast the timing feels a bit tight.

I've never cruised before so maybe this is normal, but outside of COVID you would be able to go explore the local town at your leisure, for free of course.

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I noticed this too and, like you, wondered why so many were such an early start especially when you are on holiday. I’ve booked a couple but am going to wait and see if things change and we can use the local taxi/ tour buses to the beaches. 🤔

yorkshirephil

1 hour ago, firsttimer086 said: Looking through the excursions they mostly seem to start at 8.30, maybe 9.30 at the latest.   If it's only a 3hr trip for example (a lot seem to be this short for 40 odd quid!) then you'll be back on board before lunch, but seeing as some ports will only allow you to leave the ship on an excursion, why can't I find any that start at midday or the afternoon?   Also, do people really want to go sit on the beach at 9am, seems a bit early? When you factor in potentially having to queue for an antigen test in the morning before breakfast the timing feels a bit tight.   I've never cruised before so maybe this is normal, but outside of COVID you would be able to go explore the local town at your leisure, for free of course.

At the moment I don't think the cruise lines know what to do for the best due to the constantly changing rules. With winter coming who knows how things will pan out. We cancelled our Jan Caribbean cruise because of the uncertainty, P&O were assuring people that affordable tours would be added later, however we saw no evidence of this before our balance was due. I wish you the best of luck with your cruise.

Regarding going ashore, I am also concerned that any port excursions booked  on board requiring coach travel, some of which are required by the cruise line to disembark, inevitably have the risk that if someone on it later tested +ve , then P&O might well go rounding up all the others who had booked on same tour bus - as of course they would know everyone who had been on board so deemed as close contact.  So you could well end up being offloaded through no fault of your own even if negative at the next port or isolated for a time onboard.

Interestedcruisefan

4 minutes ago, watsonbeau said: Regarding going ashore, I am also concerned that any port excursions booked  on board requiring coach travel, some of which are required by the cruise line to disembark, inevitably have the risk that if someone on it later tested +ve , then P&O might well go rounding up all the others who had booked on same tour bus - as of course they would know everyone who had been on board so deemed as close contact.  So you could well end up being offloaded through no fault of your own even if negative at the next port or isolated for a time onboard.

Imagine the cost of insuring yourself against any of the 49 companions on each of your Caribbean shore excursions catching Covid and forcing you to disembark? 

Thats a hell of a lot of potential  quarantine and flight costs from just one Covid case 

13 minutes ago, watsonbeau said: Regarding going ashore, I am also concerned that any port excursions booked  on board requiring coach travel, some of which are required by the cruise line to disembark, inevitably have the risk that if someone on it later tested +ve , then P&O might well go rounding up all the others who had booked on same tour bus - as of course they would know everyone who had been on board so deemed as close contact.  So you could well end up being offloaded through no fault of your own even if negative at the next port or isolated for a time onboard.

Given that it can take up to 3 days for someone to test positive,  anyone sharing a coach, taxi, dining table, etc with the infected person over that period could theoretically be disembarked. However,  that could involve hundreds of people,  so, in practical terms,  very unlikely. 

1 hour ago, yorkshirephil said: At the moment I don't think the cruise lines know what to do for the best due to the constantly changing rules. With winter coming who knows how things will pan out. We cancelled our Jan Caribbean cruise because of the uncertainty, P&O were assuring people that affordable tours would be added later, however we saw no evidence of this before our balance was due. I wish you the best of luck with your cruise.

I think I'd have done the same if we were in your position. Unfortunately for us we had already paid the balance in full before it got cancelled & rebooked so our options were more limited (and it's supposed to be our honeymoon so we still wanted to go!)

It's clear they still don't know full details of the winter season, the A-Z guide has TBA listed against several destinations regarding the testing & excursion policy, and after watching Ollie's video we should apparently be able to book speciality restaurants by now but still can't?

I just find some of the excursions availability strange, there's one that is just an hours duration, however it's only offered once at 8.30am and seems like it could easily be run at multiple times throughout the day to give more options.

Affordable tours that’s a matter of opinion, to me they was expensive but we booked them now some of the islands are beginning to lift restrictions and you can book independently, but we chose not to go down that route.

The early start is still the strange thing especially the beach tours going at 8.30am and back before 12.0.  If we have to go on the ship tours that’s fair enough but there’s not that much choice and I’ve had a couple cancelled already. Could be the islands cancelling them 🤔 but I’ll use the local ones where I can and just play it by ear. Just keeping my fingers crossed that we go 😊

• 2 weeks later...

Just noticed that you no longer have to do a ship excursion in Antigua. Last time there we just wandered to the bus station & got a bus to the beach.

We are on Ventura on 3rd Jan.

Host Sharon

Early tours could be to avoid the hottest part of the day. Sometimes, they also allow you to fit in another afternoon tour if available.

1 hour ago, jipsy said: Just noticed that you no longer have to do a ship excursion in Antigua. Last time there we just wandered to the bus station & got a bus to the beach. We are on Ventura on 3rd Jan.

Hi, where did you see this? We are onboard this Thursday and the A-Z destinations hadn’t been updated. That would be so much better if we could go ashore  independently, we got married in Antigua 

Gettingwarmer

20 minutes ago, tattydog said: Hi, where did you see this? We are onboard this Thursday and the A-Z destinations hadn’t been updated. That would be so much better if we could go ashore  independently, we got married in Antigua 

Click on Click here. Updated 26 October 

https://www.pocruises.com/travel-health-advisories?otprrf=direct

Off topic but this reminds me of an American cruiser who just wandering past us one morning and asked his family in an unintentional loud voice. "Would someone remind me why I am standing in a theatre at 6.45am with a load of other people and worn out and this is my on holiday"

Had to laugh as he said exactly what everyone else was  thinking ....

beryl patricia

9 hours ago, Gettingwarmer said: Click on Click here. Updated 26 October  https://www.pocruises.com/travel-health-advisories?otprrf=direct  

Thanks for the link  - am I right in thinking that if we have booked an excursion and the country requires a test then that’s extra to pay on top of the excursion price  and not included 😳

12 hours ago, beryl patricia said: Thanks for the link  - am I right in thinking that if we have booked an excursion and the country requires a test then that’s extra to pay on top of the excursion price  and not included 😳

Other infornmation

COVID-19 vaccine and testing requirements

For holidays to the Caribbean from 22 October 2021 - 27 March 2022

Given the long-haul destinations and the number of different countries visited, combined with the current health protocols and entry requirements in the Caribbean, all guests (irrespective of age) must have completed their vaccination course at least 14 days prior to travel. This can either be two doses of the currently approved COVID-19 vaccines or the approved single-dose Janssen COVID-19 vaccine (approved by the MHRA). A single dose of any other vaccine will not be accepted. All guests of all ages must meet the requirements of the COVID-19 vaccination policy. 

All guests on a Caribbean fly-cruise will also need to organise and pay for a private PCR test within 72 hours before arriving in Barbados. The test must be administered at an accredited or recognised laboratory by a healthcare professional. You’ll present your negative PCR result at the airport as well as complete a complimentary antigen test organised by P&O Cruises. 

For guests setting sail in Southampton, you will complete a complimentary antigen test at the terminal and must pay for a PCR test on board at a cost of £25 within 72 hours of arriving in the Caribbean.

We also organise testing that may be required to go ashore in various destinations on your itinerary. These tests will be available to purchase on board at a cost of £18 per antigen test per person and £25 per PCR test per person. Currently, the majority of ports we visit this year do not require entry testing. For the latest information on the requirements of the ports we visit,   click here . All requirements are subject to change. During your holiday, destinations on your itinerary may have various documentation requirements. You are responsible for meeting the entry requirements of each destination you plan to visit, regardless of whether you have booked a P&O Cruises shore experience or are exploring independently; however, we will be happy to guide you through all testing and documentation needs on board. P&O Cruises cannot accept responsibility if you are denied entry to a country because you do not meet its entry requirements.

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P&O Cruises   Reviews

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Reviews 3.7.

3,611 total

Most relevant

Great value and super efficient cruise

Cruised on Azura in June and we had a fabulous time. Restaurants were very good and theatre shows excellent. Our cabin was deluxe balcony spacious with big balcony. Clean but tired looking. Spa was very good and we used sun bathing area away from noisy pool. Our flights out with Tui were great and the assisted service we received in Malta was superb. I thought staff were not as friendly as other cruises only saw cabin attendant once. Restaurant team were very helpful. Trips very good except for mountain trip on Corsica. A little boring and guide very bossy. Visit Lucca it is truly beautiful. Overall a great week and excellent value for money.

Date of experience : 06 June 2024

We travelled in January with p&o to the…

We travelled in January with p&o to the Carabean. We travelled with tui outbound which was fine but with malleth aero on our return. We had a 5 hour delay! I have contacted malleth on several occasions, initially they would respond with “we are looking into this” the last 4 emails, no reply! Once on the plane it was awful the standard was shocking especially with the whole cost that we paid. P&O do not want to know and are not taking any accountability. As far as I am concerned I booked a package holiday. I did not get any choice in who I flew with that was left to P&O. TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS P&O!

Date of experience : 13 January 2024

Terrible food

Terrible food, can only get a few drinks a day and holy crap they're dumb. And then you have to deal with people that think they're 40,000 pound millionaires. Done of dealing with (so its mentally challenged p that don't understand customer service. I wouldn't wish P&O on my worst enemy Stupidity abounds. Takes 50 minutes to get a drink, everyone hates you. The most ridiculous thing was the poors trying to dress like they belonged. They don't. If anyone was relevant and had money they wouldn't be on a p&o cruise They're horrible liars. Their terrible food is advertised as being available, but their unprofessional liars. Nobody deserves it. That burger from the American restaurant I would be ashamed of recommending to my worst enemy.

Date of experience : 17 June 2024

Amsterdam on Ventura

Overall, very enjoyable. Helpful, friendly staff. Chaotic at times in buffet area and would prefer self service with hot drinks as had to queue each time. Lifts were slow at times as some out of service. Non slip matting needed around pool areas as saw several people of all ages fall on the wet floor - quite dangerous especially by stairs. Food was good with good choices. Entertainment was excellent. Friend's children loved the kid clubs. Cabin was comfortable and roomy. Now looking to book our next adventure!!

Date of experience : 15 June 2024

Enjoyable P&O cruise on Iona to Norway.

P&O cruise on Iona to Norway was great. Modern ship with great facilities and friendly staff. Food of high quality in restaurants and full program of events onboard. Longish voyage from/to Southampton took 3 days of the total but shore excursions were great. Would be good to have had an extra fiords day rather than Stavanger or Haugesund stop.

Date of experience : 08 June 2024

Norwegian Fjords

We have just returned from the Norwegian Fjords on P&O Iona and it was fabulous, we travelled with my son, daughter-in-law and 2 small grandchildren. The ship is spectacular with plenty of choice for everyone where to eat. The food is fresh and plentiful and tables cleared quickly in the buffet. The skydome can become a little crowded at times but there are plenty of other places to sit on the ship. The rooms are spacious (if you choose correctly) The bed was a little firm but all in all a great holiday

P&O ship Brittania was superb

P&O ship Brittania was superb, the staff great, food excellent. Rooms clean, balcony is a win! Great films, service 8/10, entertainment was good for singers, but the magic shows not so good. Sadly, whilst we loved the holiday, when we picked up our car from CPS cruise and passenger services, the parking attendants had stolen £25 from the glove box (lock up any valuables!). Our mistake, too trusting, lesson learned the hard way. Otherwise a great experience and would go again. Thanks P&O

Date of experience : 14 June 2024

Ventura 412 disappointing

6th cruise, first time with P&O. Won’t book again. Poor quality food. Service slow and unfriendly. Buffet limited and uninspiring. Tea/coffee stations insufficient. Poor port choice eg Santander Staff generally too busy to be attentive. Do not make customer feel special and welcomed. Entertainment poor calibre.

Date of experience : 01 June 2024

The Iona was a fantastic ship with the…

The Iona was a fantastic ship with the technology to help make our holiday easy. The facilties catered for all our needs and more with plenty of pools, bars, restaurants cinema and other leisure activities. Embarking and disembarking was smooth as was everything on board, wouldn't even have realised the guest numbers were 5,000 plus! The staff were super efficient too

Iona Norwegian Fjords cruise

Myself, My husband & our 2 youngest children ( aged 12 & 16 yrs ) just returned 2 days ago from my first ever cruise… booked through P&O we did 7 days to the Norwegian Fjords onboard Iona. The whole experience from ship to shore was absolutely fantastic ! Superb service on board from attentive , friendly staff who all work so hard , incredible food , brilliant entertainment & activities onboard ship & stunning port destinations ! Couldn’t fault any aspect of our holiday , in fact we actually rated it as the best one we’ve ever had.., so impressed with it all we’ve booked another cruise for 2025 ! Totally recommend !

7 day norwegian fjords on Iona

7 day norwegian fjords on Iona. Variety of things to do, places to eat and bars to drink at. Lots of options for restricred diets. Food all clearly labelled. Lots of restaurants happy to cook food seperately to ensure no cross contamination and make sure you get similar food experiences to everyone else. Stunning scenery and lots of excursions to do. Staff are amazing and work so hard. They always greet you with a smile and happy to help. Getting on and off the ship was super easy. After arriving at port we were on ship eating and drinking within 30 minutes. Suitcases delivered to our cabin very quickly. A great way to travel and see variety of countries/towns without the stress. Highly recommend.

Lovely boat Ventura

Lovely boat Ventura, lots of options for activities, great food, excellent staff,very good service. Guests all polite apart from one. Youth activities were brilliant with young children 2 & 6 didn't thi k they would want to go but enjoyed and wanted to go all the time

Date of experience : 11 June 2024

Iona Norway

First ever cruise. The ship was amazing, incredibly clean and comfortable. Its friendly hard working staff were attentive, helpful and polite. Entertainment surpassed my expectations. Great locations visited and it all ended to soon. Have returned home relaxed and revitalised. Shout out to our Captain with his daily chirpy address. Wonderful holiday and would recommend the Iona and her crew to anyone who was considering a first cruise.

Great Experience as a First Time Cruiser.

Had never been on a cruise before but came away hooked! Everything was so easy - from embarkation, eating onboard, taking part in the entertainment to leaving the ship. Staff were so friendly and attentive. It was just what we wanted - a relaxing and enjoyable hol. 100% would recommend a P&O Cruise.

Superb week on Azura in the Med

We liked the space & balcony of our superior deluxe cabin. Ship crew were friendly & helpful & food was good. We liked the menus & waiter service (freedom dining in the Meridian & Peninsular restaurants) along with breakfast in the Oriental restaurant. We had fun exploring the towns at the ports in Italy, France & Corsica & we were pleased our flight gave us time on the last day to see Valletta, Malta although we did have concerns regarding P&Os flight carrier Enterair who were not known to us. We also enjoyed the evening entertainment, especially the Headliners theatre shows & we had fun dressing up for the formal Gala nights. Overall a great holiday for the price we paid.

Solo traveller

As a solo traveller the size of the ship and volume of passengers did feel overwhelming at times. Because of the volume of bars and meeting places on board it was very hard to bump into same person again and so was very hard to socialise. I appreciated the people who did take time to socialise with me. Overall though I had a fantastic holiday and felt that p&o were a great company to go with. Would recommend 100% but would not travel solo again on a ship that size.

Is there anyone answering the phone?

Tried several times to contact P&O to book a gift. Waited over 45 minutes each time without getting through. Tried sending an email to customer services which took over 2 weeks to get a response. This is nothing short of poor customer service.

Date of experience : 12 June 2024

Fantastic service

Fantastic service. Jane at P&O phone centre found us the exact cruise to match our requirements and covered all aspects And it turned out to be £1000 less than a travel company advertised in a nation newspaper. So it pays to ring P&O direct if you can.

Not a ship for families

Not a ship for families. Kids club is a joke, they refused my 2 year old at a 6-10pm booking because he was having a nap, then kicked us out because after we were forced to wake him he needed a bottle of milk which apparently are both against health and safety. They then cancelled the booking which meant we didn't get our 1 date night we arranged and had to go back to the room. The dress code rules are ridiculous, casual nite is shirt and trousers in some bars and they will literally tell you your not coming in. It's a cruise company for pensioners plain and simple, they don't want middle age or younger families and make you feel unwelcome. They did 3 activities for younger children all week, that's it. Food I main dining is literally the buffet food brought over, except you had to wait 15 minutes between courses, with 2 children that's an eternity. I've been on royal caribean and tui marrella and they are 10x better. The ship was brittania.

Date of experience : 07 June 2024

Oh what a cruise Iona didn't…

Oh what a cruise Iona didn't disappoint!! Amazing staff all helpful and friendly. Ship was spotlessy clean and great entertainment and activities. So much food choice in main dining rooms and all delicious. Specialty restaurants were incredible. What can I say well done p&o for an epic cruise.....Will be back next year !!

14 Epic Shore Excursions in Tenerife You Can’t Miss (P&O Cruises 2024)

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There are a wide range of shore excursions available in the port of Tenerife, that show off the Spanish culture , gastronomy , and the volcanic landscapes that make up this beautiful island.

These cruise experiences are available on the new Fly-Canaries cruises starting in October 2022, the No-Fly cruises from Southampton and the maiden cruise of the new Arvia ship in December 2022.

Before deciding which shore experiences to do, make sure you check out this post on what you need to know before booking Tenerife cruise excursions with P&O Cruises .

Now onto a lowdown of the best P&O Cruises shore experiences in Tenerife that I’ve experienced first hand.

Disclaimer: My trip was sponsored by P&O Cruises . As always, all words and opinions are my own.

Whilst in Tenerife , you might also like to check out:

• Ultimate Guide to Booking the Best Shore Excursions in Tenerife
• Best Winter Sun Destinations in Europe

Best Tenerife Cruise Excursions

The cruise excursions can be split by type of traveller so it’s easy to find something that suits your tastes.

For Adventurers

Tenerife is known for its dramatic landscapes and miles of coastline, which provide a playground for nature lovers.

Explore Mount Teide National Park

First up is my favourite excursion!

Tenerife is home to Spain’s highest point, Mount Teide, standing at 3715m. It is an active volcano , and the surrounding National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site .

This half day shore excursion includes stops at several viewpoints above the clouds that really let you experience the Mars-like landscapes of this volcano, alongside the 8 minute cable car ride to the peak .

Note: If there are high winds (over 55 km per hour) the cable car will close, but the viewpoints along the way are incredible on their own so I would still suggest booking it.

For me it was the highlight of my 4 days in Tenerife.

Mount Teide reminded me of the week I spent in Atacama desert in Chile , the otherworldly landscapes are so similar, but Tenerife is so much closer to home and I can see myself visiting again, to do the overnight hike to the peak.

Masca Valley, Quad Biking & Rustic Lunch

Perfect for adrenaline seekers , this three part excursion includes a scenic drive up to the Masca Valley viewpoint, a quad biking tour and a traditional lunch.

We only experienced the first part of this tour but the viewpoint (over a thousand metres high) was absolutely stunning, and a great place to capture just how beautiful the island is.

From the top you’ll be surrounded by cacti and see the winding roads that help you navigate this part of the island.

It is one of the best photo spots on the island so make sure your phone and camera battery is charged!

Stargazing at Mount Teide

With the new Fly-Canaries cruises , you’ll be able to spend a night docked in Tenerife meaning you can experience stargazing as an evening shore excursion.

You may not know this but Tenerife is the best place to stargaze in Europe due to it’s low light pollution and high altitude.

It is one of the reasons why Mount Teide is home to a number of international telescopes.

In this unmissable tour, you’ll have an expert guide share their knowledge of astronomy , and you’ll be able to observe the Milky Way , stars and the constellations in all their glory.

We even got lucky enough to see the Hubble Space Telescope whizz past us in the sky!

This cruise excursion is really special and reminded me of the Northern Lights tour I did with P&O Cruises in Norway a few years back.

Remember to dress up warm and bring gloves , the mountain does get cold at night and you’ll be outside for the duration of this magical experience.

For Culture Vultures

Tenerife has so much history , from colonial cities to pristine gardens, the cultural shore excursions cover so much.

Wind Cave & Garachico Village

This interesting excursion visits the wind cave (Cueva del Viento), the largest volcanic tube in the EU.

It is 18km long, and to explore the cave you must have suitable footwear and long trousers.

After the wind cave, you’ll head over to Garachico Village , in the northwest of Tenerife.

This tiny colonial village dates back to the 15th Century is one of the Canary Island’s oldest villages, and is surrounded by natural pools which are a tourist favourite!

The village itself is characterised by cobbled streets , colourful buildings and a quaint plaza, and you can see why it used to be a popular trading port between Europe and the Americas.

UNESCO Forest Walk & La Laguna World Heritage

This half day heritage tour visits the beautiful and UNESCO World Heritage site of San Cristobal de La Laguna.

This charming city located in the north of the island (close to the cruise terminal) was once the capital of the island.

There are plenty of pretty buildings and colonial architecture and interestingly the layout of the city was used a blueprint for a number of South American cities , that’s why it felt so familiar to me!

Make sure you visit the cathedral and step inside the buildings to explore the courtyards – they will surprise you!

After visiting La Laguna, you’ll head to Anaga Rural Park , where you can experience the Mirador Cruz del Carmen viewpoint and a walk through the laurel forests (these were a favourite of mine in Madeira! ).

Gardens & Puerto De la Cruz

This shore experience visits the city of Puerto de la Cruz in the north of the island, followed by a visit to the unique botanical gardens of Sitio Litre.

It is the oldest garden in Tenerife , over 220 years, and has plenty of exotic plants from Africa and the Americas, including the largest collection of orchids on the island and the oldest dragon tree in Puerto de la Cruz.

There have been many famous visitors in the past including Agatha Christie, the Beatles, and William Wilde, and there is a cute cafe which is the perfect place to relax and take in the stunning scenery.

For Foodies

There are several food and drink shore experiences with P&O cruises , including wine tasting at Monje, lunch at Abaco Mansion, dinner at Hard Rock Cafe, fresh mojitos on the beach and a cooking demo with the Torres brothers.

Wine & Food Canary Style

Tenerife’s culinary traditions are best experienced with this half day Wine & Food Canary Style tour.

Firstly you will visit El Calderito de la Abuela , a local restaurant in the north of the island, run by two brothers, Mario and Fabian.

Here you will first experience an interactive cooking show, where you will see the brothers make a traditional Canarian “mojo verde” sauce .

At the same time you will learn about the history of the cuisine and the story of their family.

I was especially pleased to see most of the ingredients for their dishes were grown locally in the garden right next to the restaurant, so the food was as fresh as possible!

The restaurant itself, has stunning views of the Tenerife coastline , and after the demo you will get to enjoy the spoils as well as a traditional Canary Island lunch, full of local favourites.

After lunch you’ll head over to Bodegas Monje , a local family winery, where you will tour the wine cellar before tasting a few of their most popular wines on the outdoor terrace overlooking the vineyard and sea.

Beach Yoga & Mojitos at Las Teresitas Beach

This fun excursion is located on Playa de las Teresitas, an incredible 1.5km long crescent-shaped beach with golden coloured sand (due to it being imported from the Sahara desert !).

It is one of the most beautiful beaches in Tenerife and a firm favourite with visitors who want to relax and take in some sun in a wonderful setting.

The excursion starts with beach yoga under the palm trees (yoga is one of my favourite ways to exercise on a cruise, not too impactful but a great way to get moving) before enjoying a tasty mojito at a local beach bar , and soaking up those holiday vibes.

Abaco Mansion Lunch & San Pedro Walk

This historic shore excursion lets you take a stroll back in time at Abaco Mansion before exploring San Pedro.

Firstly you will visit Abaco Mansion , an 18th century building in Puerto de la Cruz that is now a museum and event space .

You’ll get the chance to learn about the history of the building whilst touring the property and grounds (with a Sangria in hand).

After the tour, enjoy a local lunch on the deck infront of the pool.

After the meal, you will burn off some calories on the San Pedro walk (also known as Rambla de Castro ).

It is a relatively easy hike and has incredible coastal views along the whole way.

Hard Rock Café Dinner & Show

This is a new offering for the Fly-Canaries cruises that are docking in Tenerife, meaning you have an evening on the island and can enjoy a night out.

Situated on the Golden Mile in the south of the island is Hard Rock Cafe Tenerife.

There is no official cruise shore excursion to this venue but dinner and a show can be booked via Musement , click here to read more about how Musement works.

This is a popular spot for tourists so booking in advance is required , but you’ll be treated to delicious American classics like burgers, ribs, fries and shakes, as well as a live rock show.

For Water Lovers

There are four fabulous excursions that are perfect for those who love the water , from sea kayaking to whale and dolphin watching on a catamaran, to whizzing around on a Jet ski and even getting drenched at the worlds best water park!

Sea Kayaking at Los Gigantes Cliffs

This was the first half day excursion we did in Tenerife, and it was a great way to explore these 600m high cliffs.

We drove to Puerto de Santiago and then paired up at the harbour before spending two hours kayaking up to the rugged cliffs and back.

It was not as strenuous as that sounds, it was actually really good fun, and we had plenty of photo stops and breaks, so we weren’t tired at the end of it, but we did work up an appetite!

We had a guide to show us where the best spots were and we even got to spot some rocks covered in crabs!

If you want to make the most of it, I would suggest bringing sunglasses, water shoes , a waterproof dry bag , waterproof phone case or a Go Pro , so you can capture the experience.

Catamaran Adventure & Whale Watching

The best way to witness the beautiful coastline of Tenerife is from the water.

This half day trip from Puerto Colon Harbour allows you to spend several hours with the wind in your hair, on this luxury catamaran.

We had time to lounge around on the comfy day beds , swim in the sea , enjoy a paella lunch and even spot some whales!

Whale watching is popular all year round in Tenerife as it is possible to see over 20 different whale species across the seasons.

We visited in June and were lucky to see a pod of short finned pilot whales.

Jet Ski Safari and Beach Time

One of the best adrenaline rushes you can have in Tenerife is by jumping on a jet ski!

Having only ever jet skiied once (as a passenger) in Thailand , back in 2008, this was a half day excursion I was both excited and slightly nervous about!

After a safety briefing and an explanation of the controls, we had a choice single or double jetski.

Pairing up felt like the right choice this time round, and my buddy and I, took it in turns to take control and ride the jet ski for a total of two hours , and we both really enjoyed it, by the end we had the confidence to ride alone, so watch this space for next time!

After the jet ski safari, you can relax on the beach and take in the sun.

Siam Park Water Kingdom

Dubbed one of the best water parks in the world , Siam Park is the largest in Europe.

With a Thai theme, there are 4 acres of rides, slides and lazy rivers to enjoy!

This is a great choice for families but we visited as a group of adults and absolutely loved it!

Tickets to Siam Park can be booked via Musement , so you don’t have a certain pickup or drop off time and you can choose how long to spend at the park.

Though I would suggest getting their early so you have the entire day and aren’t rushing to fit in as many rides as possible.

I would also suggest getting the fast pass tickets , as the queue jumps meant we didn’t have to wait more than 5 minutes for a ride.

I would also suggest going in groups of even numbers .

We were a group of 3 and sometimes had to split up, this wasn’t a big issue but groups of 2 or 4 will find it easier.

There are tonnes of rides but my favourites were the adrenaline rides namely, The Dragon, Singha, Mekong Rapids, Kinnaree, Patong Rapids, and the Vulcano.

After these we had lunch at the park and then joined the lazy Mai Thai river to digest our food.

My top tip for this ride is to make sure you choose the route that goes through the shark tank , it is definitely worth the short wait!

If you want to just relax there are plenty of sun loungers found throughout the water park.

For this day trip make sure you bring a towel, change of clothes, and water shoes !

That’s my Lowdown on the Best Tenerife Shore Excursions you have to Book

I hope this list has been helpful, feel free to email me if you have any questions about the shore experiences or visit the P&O cruises website for further details.

Planning a Trip to Tenerife?

If you want to read more, check out some of my  most popular related posts below:

• Ultimate Guide to the Booking Tenerife Shore Excursions
• Best Hidden Gems in Europe
• Best European Winter Sun Destinations

Save Best Shore Excursions to do in Tenerife to Pinterest for Later

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Volcanoes, submarines & cheese making: Best cruise excursions in the Canary Islands

Canary Islands excursions are a brilliant way to explore ashore in safety with the wisdom of experts – and P&O Cruises has a super array of shore excursions to choose from.

P&O Cruises excursions come with a wealth of benefits; they offer complete peace of mind they cater for everyone, they work with pros, booking is simple and prices are transparent (no nasty shocks at the end!).

Trips ashore are offered with all of P&O Cruises’ destinations but there’s no denying the popularity of the Canary Islands among veteran and first-time cruisers. The archipelago off Africa offers fantastic winter sun as well as brilliant beaches, delicious cuisine and excellent opportunities for adventure *packs walking boots*.

P&O Cruises to the Canary Islands all stop at multiple islands so you can enjoy everything these hotspots have to offer, whether that’s exploring fascinating flora and fauna, enjoying a spot of sightseeing or (bear with us) cheese making.

To make life easier for you when planning your Canaries break, we’ve rounded up some of the best P&O Cruises excursions in the Canary Islands for Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Tenerife and La Palma. All you need to do is brush up on your Spanish. Hola!

P&O Cruises excursions: Best for…Nature

In Lanzarote, a must-see sight on your Canary Islands excursions is the Fire Mountains at Timanfaya National Park. Like something out of Lord of the Rings, these peaks were created during a series of volcanic eruptions between 1730 and 1736, irrevocably changing Lanzarote’s landscape and covering almost a quarter of the island in thick lava and ash.

Today you can enjoy the incredible landscape and witness the volcanic activity first-hand, although you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d accidentally been transported to Mars due to the park’s red and black terrain, volcanoes and fields of virgin lava. Just don’t go dropping any precious jewellery in…

You can even sample food cooked using the heat of the volcano in the El Diablo restaurant, designed by Spanish architect and artist César Manrique. Talk about putting fire in your belly!

La Palma is one of the smallest Canary Islands but it’s pretty mighty when it comes to natural wonders. On P&O Cruises’ Volcanic Cave Exploration experiences, travelers can delve into a hidden subterranean world of caves and volcanic terrain, all formed by lava flow from San Juan volcano after its last eruption in 1949.

As for other P&O Cruises excursions in La Palma, visitors can check out the National Park of La Caldera de Taburiente – the number one tourist attraction on the little island – which is blanketed in dense Canarian pines and crisscrossed by deep ravines.

The park is also home to a colorful waterfall; the magical ‘Cascadade Colores’ features green hues from the algae and mosses as well as orange and yellow tones from the iron in the ravine’s water, which has one of the highest concentrations of the metal in La Palma. No jokes about drinking it making you Iron Man, please.

Signposted trails make exploring the park on foot simple and viewing points offer superb vistas on this P&O Cruises experience.

P&O Cruises excursions: Best for…Adventure

Adventure is easy to come by in the Canary Islands , but it doesn’t always have to involve hard work (hooray!). In both Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, P&O Cruises shore experiences offer 4×4 adventures so jet-setters can feel the thrill of speed while admiring lesser-seen areas of the islands from a comfortable seat.

In Fuerteventura, you’ll explore tranquil villages, farmland and the volcanic region of the island on a four-hour excursion, and in Lanzarote you’ll be treated to a three-and-a-quarter-hour tour of the island’s south, taking in natural wonders, a winery and local villages.

Wine production in the Canaries dates back to the mid-15th century – it’s even mentioned frequently in Shakespeare’s plays! Farmers had to adapt after the volcanic eruptions in the 18th century and make the most of the fresh layers of lava and volcanic ash known as picon, so they planted the vines underneath this black soil in order for moisture to be locked in and protect the hardy vines (you’re welcome if this ever comes up in a pub quiz).

Another influencing factor on the island’s unique wines? Lanzarote escaped the phylloxera plague which destroyed almost all of Europe’s vineyards in the 19th century which means local vines are ungrafted and can live longer (hoorah!).

These days, the island produces white, rosé and red wines, with the volcanic Malvasía grape variety standing out the most thanks to its balance and quality. Yup, you’ll definitely want to sample some on your Canary Islands excursions (and nope, no judgment if any bottles you buy are entirely for you).

With P&O Cruises excursions over in Tenerife, passengers can visit the summit of Mount Teide by cable car (no sweating required). Mount Teide, set in Teide National Park, is Spain’s highest volcano and offers a thrilling and otherworldly landscape of craters and lava flows.

The cable car enables visitors to soar above this magnificent array of unique colors and shapes and ascend to the top in just eight minutes – although you’ll have to hike the final part via one of three routes if you want to get to the highest peak.

From the summit you can even spot the nearby islands of La Gomera, El Hierro, La Palma and Gran Canaria on a clear day as well as the great caldera of Las Cañadas del Teide.

P&O Cruises excursions: Best for… Aquatics

Yes, Canary Islands experiences offer incredible experiences on terra firma but there’s plenty to be enjoyed out on (or rather in) the water.

In Gran Canaria, P&O Cruises shore excursions include a five-hour submarine dive – yes it’s yellow (and environmentally friendly). Remain dry as you explore the lively underwater world off the coast of Puerto de Mogan – look out for Trumpet fish, moray eels, sea urchins, starfish and even shipwrecks through the large portholes as your captain reveals the secrets of the deep.

Another unique experience awaits vacationmakers in Lanzarote where you can enjoy a sea trek. Impressive technology and a nifty helmet offering impressive vision (and a continuous air supply, phew), allow you to walk along the sea bed and admire the delights of the marine world, from angel sharks to barracudas.

If you want to get in on the watery fun literally, then you’ll love the seven-hour Water Kingdom cruise excursion in Tenerife. At Siam Park, thrill-seekers can tackle the 28-metre drop at Tower of Power, the 200-metre mega slide Kinnaree and many other vertiginous slides. Eek!

The water park is also home to the world’s largest artificial wave pool, rapids and child-friendly zones. Should hurtling through water at high speeds not appeal, why not relax on the longest lazy river in the world or laze on Siam Beach?

P&O Cruises excursions: Best for…Leisure

If you want to take it slow then P&O Cruises still has plenty of Canary Islands experiences to suit your needs.

In Gran Canara, it really says it on the tin with the Leisurely Gran Canaria Trip which sees globetrotters soak up the sights of the island at a sedate pace over four and a half hours. There’s also a cheese workshop if you fancy learning about the history and culture of cheese production as well as chowing down on the dairy goodness (yes please).

Over on La Palma, a good way to explore the island with minimum exertion is the four-and-a-half-hour P&O Cruises excursion to Santa Cruz by Open Top Minibus on which you’ll enjoy a panoramic tour of the city with the wind in your hair.

Santa Cruz was once a vital port on the voyage between Europe and the Americas, becoming the third largest port on the continent after Antwerp and Seville in the 16th century. The churches here house a significant collection of Flemish religious art and the carved wooden balconies overlooking the sea are worth keeping an eye out for, as are the colonial-style houses lining the cobblestone streets.

Canary Island with P&O Cruises

Duration: 14 nights

Where: Southampton | Madeira | La Palma | Tenerife | Gran Canaria | Lanzarote | Seville | Lisbon | Southampton

Ship: Ventura

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Become the first to know about win-a-cruise competitions, on-trend vacation inspo and don’t-miss travel advice from the experts.

Ahoy there!

Avoid these 10 mistakes when booking cruise shore excursions

Editor's Note

Cruise lines offer shore excursions for your convenience. Instead of spending hours reading up on a port, crafting the perfect eight-hour activity schedule or researching local tour guides, you can simply choose from a list of curated tour options. Easy peasy ... except you can still screw it up.

If you want the perfect day in port, you need to be savvy about your tour planning. Avoid rookie mistakes, and never do these 10 things when booking shore excursions for your next cruise.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Don't skip the destination research

Cruise line shore excursions try to cover the most popular sights and attractions in a destination, but your ship might not offer a tour to every interesting spot in or near the port. If you don't do your own destination research and only make your tour decisions based on what the cruise line is offering, you might miss out on an activity you'd enjoy more.

Take the time to do some independent sleuthing for each port on your itinerary before deciding how to spend your limited, precious time ashore. Perhaps you'd prefer a local hike you can do on your own, a religious site that's especially meaningful to you, or an attraction or tour that relates to one of your specific hobbies or interests.

Related: Tips and tricks to make your first cruise go smoothly

Don't ignore the reviews

Can you tell the difference between an overcrowded tourist trap and a fabulous site from the shore excursion description? I can't, and neither can anyone else. The marketing copy is designed to sell the tour.

Read what other travelers have to say about a specific excursion or attraction before plunking down your money and signing up for that tour. You don't even need to seek out a third-party site. Some cruise lines have shore excursion reviews right on their websites.

Don't gloss over the fine print

Cruise lines provide a lot of details about a shore excursion, from how long it lasts to how much physical activity is involved and how you'll be exploring. Yet so many cruisers don't bother to read the full description or the fine print. If you skip this step, you won't realize that the bus tour only passes by, rather than stops at, a famous cathedral or museum. Or, you might miss a note explaining that there's no free time or food included.

I went on a tour in Cagliari, Sardinia, sold as a long morning of walking on cobblestoned streets. One elderly passenger, struggling and out of breath, turned to me and said, "I had no idea this tour would involve so much walking!" I had to bite my tongue. Who would have guessed that about a tour called "Exploring Cagliari On Foot?"

If you want to know exactly what you're booking, take the time to read the complete description.

Related: 11 extra charges on cruise ships that will drive you nuts

Don't neglect the independent option

Cruise line tours are convenient, but they're not always the most customizable or economical options. If you're traveling as a family or with a group of friends, you might be better off hiring your own guide for the day. Not only could it be less expensive than five or six shore excursion tickets, but you'll also be able to create a tour based on your interests.

Even couples traveling alone might find more affordable group tours offered by independent operators or tour options not offered by the cruise line. Online message boards and Facebook groups can be great resources for finding other travelers on your cruise ship interested in joining you on a private tour.

Don't book your excursions too late

Not all shore excursions are large group bus tours with multiple departures. Boat trips and cycling tours might have caps on the number of participants, and some tour times are more popular than others. In some ports, cruise lines might arrange a special experience — such as Cognac blending or pasta making — that is meant for a small group.

If you have your heart set on a particular tour, don't assume it will have space available if you wait to book until you board your cruise ship. Look over the shore excursion options in advance, and be ready to reserve your spot online as soon as they open for booking. If not, you risk losing out on the opportunity to have that cool once-in-a-lifetime experience, such as salmon fishing in Alaska or wagyu sampling in Japan.

Related: What can you do if your cruise cancels port calls?

Don't ignore your personal limitations

Easily carsick? Hawaii's winding Road to Hana is not for you. Not physically fit? Skip the hiking and biking tours, no matter how fun they sound. Usually the first to get seasick? A catamaran ride is the wrong choice.

Don't let the romance of a tour description convince you to overlook your physical limitations. Overdo it, and you'll waste a vacation day feeling miserable — or, worse, end up with an injury. No beautiful waterfall or ancient ruin is worth that.

Don't assume you need an organized tour

Don't feel compelled to take a tour just because one is offered. Plenty of ports don't require a shore excursion. Some — like St. Tropez or Mykonos — are truly lovely places to wander, get lost in the shop-lined streets and end up at an alfresco restaurant for a long, wine-soaked lunch.

Just be sure to read up on the area around the dock so that you know whether you'll be pulling right up to the center of the action or if sightseeing on your own requires a shuttle or a cab. Grab a tourist map, or use a map app on your phone so you don't get lost.

Related: 16 things you shouldn't leave a cruise ship without trying once

Don't go-go-go all day, every day

In a misguided attempt to maximize their vacation time, some cruise travelers make a point to book all-day tours on every port day, exhausting themselves with endless sightseeing or active endeavors in the hot Caribbean sun. Especially on port-intensive itineraries, this can lead to excursion burnout.

Your best vacation is made up of activities that make you happy. When you're in the sun-drenched Caribbean , it's perfectly OK to skip the waterfall hike or the visit to a rum distillery and book a resort pass to spend the day on a cushy lounge chair by a quiet pool, frozen drink in hand.

Don't cancel at the last minute

Most cruise lines allow you to cancel your shore excursion plans with a certain amount of notice. You can take advantage of that flexibility by booking tours early to reserve a spot and canceling if you find a more interesting private tour or decide that you'd rather have a day to wander on your own.

If you don't want to forfeit the price of the tour, however, you need to cancel in advance, usually one or two days before that port of call. If you contact the shore excursion desk that morning to say you're not feeling well and want to skip out, you'll still get charged on your final cruise bill.

Related: 15 ways the cruising newbies waste money on their first cruise

Don't be penny-wise and pound-foolish

If you came all this way on a cruise to see the local sights, don't let the cost of exploring limit that experience. Staying on the ship — or wandering the sometimes-sad area right by a port — is no way to get good value from your cruise vacation.

Budget wisely for in-port exploration when you plan your sailing so you can experience the attractions and activities that sold you on the destination in the first place. If you have to, skip that massage or cocktail — things you can easily get back home — in order to afford a couple of excursions. After all, who knows when you'll be back in that part of the world again?

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
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• P&O Cruises ( UK )

Cost of cruise excursions onboard.

By Centurions , December 8, 2023 in P&O Cruises ( UK )

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As new cruisers with P&O we would like a little information on purchasing excursions.

We have a cruise booked on Arvia in March in the Caribbean 

Having checked out prices of independent vendors online, some of the P&O trips seem to be good value, however my questions are;

Are the trips more expensive when booking onboard?

And will there be any trips left to book onboard?

Any help would be greatly appreciated 

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gsmt47471015

As you are new to P and O you will miss out on the pre booking discount so the price if booking onboard will be the same , if you wait to book whilst on board you may run the risk of your choices not been available as the popular trips are usually full before the ship sails, if you have an idea of what trips you wish to go on and are happy with the price the best option would be to pre book , over the last few years the prices between independent and ships excursions has narrowed considerably.

Whatever you decide have have a great cruise  😎

1 hour ago, gsmt47471015 said: As you are new to P and O you will miss out on the pre booking discount so the price if booking onboard will be the same , if you wait to book whilst on board you may run the risk of your choices not been available as the popular trips are usually full before the ship sails, if you have an idea of what trips you wish to go on and are happy with the price the best option would be to pre book , over the last few years the prices between independent and ships excursions has narrowed considerably. Whatever you decide have have a great cruise  😎

Many thanks for your best wishes. 

Gettingwarmer

I would agree with the above but would add that excursion prices can go up if they are popular so if you are agreed what you want book now. However in the Caribbean there are usually lots of independent vying for your trade at the ports. Lots of cruisers do this and If you are happy to do  this then fine. 

We have some OBC so we're happy to take our chances, or as suggested use local vendors.

On another point, is there a desk onboard to book future cruises and, if so are there any benefits in doing so.

Again many thanks for your help.

5 minutes ago, Centurions said: We have some OBC so we're happy to take our chances, or as suggested use local vendors. On another point, is there a desk onboard to book future cruises and, if so are there any benefits in doing so. Again many thanks for your help.

Yes there is a Future Cruise desk on board. The deposits are small £50, £100 or £150 depending on the length of the cruise. There are also different offers of OBC etc but these change. 

I seem to recall that excursions when booked on board are about 5% more expensive than if they are pre booked.

Have you also looked into doing it yourself when ashore.  We never do excursions, just DIY wherever we go.

I think booking prior to departure has a small discount but not huge. Trips do sell out, especially those that cannot take large numbers and it may not be possible to put on more. If comparing P&O trips with independents, P&O use reputable companies to operate their excursions which lessens the chance of you booking with a ‘rogue operator’ whose attitude to health and safety may be questionable. If your P&O trip returns late for any reason, the ship will wait for you. If an independent tour operator/ taxi is delayed, you may get back in time to see the ship disappearing into the distance. My advice is to stick with the P and O trip, book in advance, especially for popular activities that may sell out quickly and enjoy whatever you choose.

We always book any trips that we intend to take before boarding and have never used independent operators because on our first cruise a man and his daughter were left behind in Cozumel and they had to make their own arrangements to fly to the next port.  The wife/mother was walking around the ship complaining bitterly.  On another cruise a man strolled down the road to the ship as it pulled away from the dock in Lisbon, the ship left the port and stopped outside the port, the pilot boat brought the man out to the ship and those of us with balconies on the side where the pilot boat came to stood cheering him as he climbed a rope ladder.

I suppose it is up to the captain to decide how these situations are handled.

The ships involved were Carnival Holiday in the Cozumel and Canberra in Lisbon.

We have seen this on  three different occasions the idea of missing the ship is never intentional, however one incident last year highlighted how things can go awry, we joined a few other couple's on the quayside to visit a beach via minibus and arranged a return  pick up time , driver duly arrived and as we set off the minibus broke down ,never to start again, eventually (Caribbean time) a replacement arrived and we got back with half an hour to spare, having original allowed 3 hours to get back and have a drink portside before boarding

2 hours ago, Josy1953 said: the pilot boat brought the man out to the ship and those of us with balconies on the side where the pilot boat came to stood cheering him as he climbed a rope ladder.

I can’t imagine them doing that any more. Highly dangerous, even for pilots who are trained in doing it. 

20 hours ago, Centurions said: Hi all.   As new cruisers with P&O we would like a little information on purchasing excursions.   We have a cruise booked on Arvia in March in the Caribbean    Having checked out prices of independent vendors online, some of the P&O trips seem to be good value, however my questions are;   Are the trips more expensive when booking onboard?   And will there be any trips left to book onboard?   Any help would be greatly appreciated 

You're right some of them are good value (we're doing the Caribbean in Jan). I say good value as we're frequent visitors to the Caribbean and taxi prices have shot up. We've also seen some of the vehicles used and so called 'operators' at the usual tourist traps so need to use a degree of caution.

I've booked two P&O tours so far (Tortola and St Lucia), two Independents with a decent rep (St Maarten & St Kitts), will use our usual taxi service in Antigua (Petes Taxis). Nothing yet planned for La Romana, Martinique (may do Botanical Gardens) or Barbados, just looking at those now. 

As we're a couple of months ahead of you I can tell you that a few tours are already showing sold out on the P&O website, so yes book in advance. If you change your mind on a tour and want to go elsewhere you can cancel it and get an immediate refund.

I am now wary of the " on your own" P and O tours where a bus takes you to a town or beach and picks you up at a pre arranged time to return to the ship. I booked 2 of these in the Canaries on my recent Iona cruise. Both pick up buses were late, leaving people waiting with no seats or shade. One was just late because of traffic,  the other broke down and it was nearly an hour before a replacement was sent. The only good thing was that the ship waited for us. But the shine was taken off 2 otherwise enjoyable days out by a hot, tiring wait with nowhere to sit and no shade. I shan't  do it again. 

Interestedcruisefan

Never done the P and O tours

But we organise entire Holidays for clients so sorting out our own excursions is second nature

Sometimes in advance and sometimes just with operators at the port

We remove the risk of missing the ship by normally leaving the ship early and planning to be back a good 2 or 3 hours before the ship is due to leave

Nice to be back on the ship mid afternoon as well

One tip for anyone stopping at Martinique is that visiting one of the islands on ferries immediately next to the ship are really popular and big queues are there for the ferries as a result

I particularly suggest early disembarkations on those days to avoid the big queues if you want to visit one of the islands

We tend not to book excursions anymore as my wife can now only do the wheelchair accessible ones, which are few and far between and very expensive.   

However, for our 65 night Caribbean cruise I have booked quite a few excursions as a solo, with the idea that my wife and I will explore the port together for part of the day and then I will get to see more of the island whilst my wife stays on the ship reading on our balcony (which suits her). We had contemplated taxi tours but my wife wasn’t keen, so as a solo the P&O tour is probably more cost effective and obviously removes any risks, however slight they may be.   

As for price, I managed to make a few bookings during the Black Friday offer (a couple that I’d booked before I simply cancelled and re-booked) and obviously the 10% loyalty discount helps, but I’ve been keeping an eye on them since and a couple that I wanted to do that were fully booked have since become available, so I’ve nabbed them, and another has dropped in price since I booked (regular, not promotional price) so I cancelled and re-booked that one also.

• 2 weeks later...

CaptainPedantic

Just back from a fabulous Caribbean cruise on Britannia, and despite normally preferring DIY, we booked more P&O excursions than we would have done previously. Mostly snorkelling / catamaran trips.

We found the prices to be reasonable - similar to what was available independently - and most of the trips were brilliant, well-organised and good value. A few were sold out before we embarked, and I did notice some of the prices had increased onboard slightly (but not all). If there's a specific excursion you want to do, I would recommend booking now to avoid disappointment.

I'm sure we could have done the same with independent vendors - and without P&O taking their cut therefore helping the islands more - but the added security of getting back to the ship, especially for the longer trips, was a big plus for us. On the negative side, we did have a couple of trips cancelled at short notice (including Barbados on our last day 😞 ) and we did sometimes feel herded around to meet a schedule (e.g. only having 45 mins on the beach in Curacao was a shame) but then that could happen with independent tours too.

We heard from plenty of people who had great trips with independent vendors and also lots of people who did their own thing, and I can't remember hearing anything particularly negative about any of them.

23 minutes ago, CaptainPedantic said: Just back from a fabulous Caribbean cruise on Britannia, and despite normally preferring DIY, we booked more P&O excursions than we would have done previously. Mostly snorkelling / catamaran trips. We found the prices to be reasonable - similar to what was available independently - and most of the trips were brilliant, well-organised and good value. A few were sold out before we embarked, and I did notice some of the prices had increased onboard slightly (but not all). If there's a specific excursion you want to do, I would recommend booking now to avoid disappointment. I'm sure we could have done the same with independent vendors - and without P&O taking their cut therefore helping the islands more - but the added security of getting back to the ship, especially for the longer trips, was a big plus for us. On the negative side, we did have a couple of trips cancelled at short notice (including Barbados on our last day 😞 ) and we did sometimes feel herded around to meet a schedule (e.g. only having 45 mins on the beach in Curacao was a shame) but then that could happen with independent tours too. We heard from plenty of people who had great trips with independent vendors and also lots of people who did their own thing, and I can't remember hearing anything particularly negative about any of them.    

This is great to hear. We stopped doing P&O excursions once my wife became a full time wheelchair user and tend to DIY. My wife is just happy to spend a couple of hours ashore to see the port and then return to the ship. However, for our upcoming Caribbean cruise I am doing quite a few half day P&O tours on my own, as I want to see more of each island than just the port, and we shall take a look around the port together for the other half day. We contemplated taxi tours etc but my wife wasn’t keen. I’m not interested in beaches or water activities, so my trips are more sightseeing ones. 

On 12/10/2023 at 11:56 AM, Interestedcruisefan said: Never done the P and O tours   But we organise entire Holidays for clients so sorting out our own excursions is second nature   Sometimes in advance and sometimes just with operators at the port   We remove the risk of missing the ship by normally leaving the ship early and planning to be back a good 2 or 3 hours before the ship is due to leave   Nice to be back on the ship mid afternoon as well   One tip for anyone stopping at Martinique is that visiting one of the islands on ferries immediately next to the ship are really popular and big queues are there for the ferries as a result   I particularly suggest early disembarkations on those days to avoid the big queues if you want to visit one of the islands  

Exactly what we do.  One time we went to Taormina from Messina.  Walked down to the train station, 6 Euros to Giardini Naxos, then 1.5 Euro on the bus up to Taormina.  Had a good wander round, super lunch in a little cafe, then the same route back.  I think we left the ship about 0845 and were back on board by 3.30.   Super day and cost peanuts.

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