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Cheap but Good Under Water Digital Camera on Sale Now!

Written by T.I. Cruiser on November 30, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Figured I would pass this deal along on an under water snorkel digital camera that I just saw at Amazon.com. Kodak Playsport underwater digital camera for less than 100 dollars. Being that this is one of their lightning deals it is only going on until noon or until they sell a certain undisclosed number at this price. I have one of the older version of the Kodak Playsport underwater unit and its been on over a dozen snorkeling trips with me without any problems. So, if you ever wanted an underwater digital camera this is a great opportunity to pick one up on the cheap. I have linked to the blue version but the red and black versions are also on sale for the same price.

If you don’t see the price when clicking on the picture you will see a tab on the right side of the amazon page that says lightning deal price. If you click that it will take you to the correct pricing. To make it easier just click this highlighted link or one of the ones that say Kodak Playsport and it will take you straight to the correct lightning deals page.

Should You Book Your Shore Excursion Independently or Through the Cruise Line

Written by T.I. Cruiser on May 14, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Although one of the biggest reasons to take a cruise as for the actual ship, it is doubtful that you want to stay on board the ship for the duration of your vacation. Most passengers choose to get off the ship at each port of call and you will probably be no different. This brings us to one of the most important questions that each cruiser will have to answer, what to do when you leave the ship. Some of the more adventurous passengers choose to go it alone while others choose an organized activity more often referred to as a shore excursion.

All cruise lines have gone to great lengths to select a number of tours and activities that passengers can enjoy. Onboard each cruise ship is a shore excursion desk or someplace you can sign up for a shore excursion. Most cruise lines even give you the option of booking your excursion before your ship even sets sail. Another great convenience the cruise lines offer is the ability to book your cruise excursions from the comfort of your cabin. In short they make booking your shore excursion as convenient as possible. The question is the cruise line’s excursions your best option.

The other choice we as cruisers have is booking an independent shore excursion. If you’re up for doing a little bit of research often times this will provide you with the best bang for your buck and a superior experience. While there are a few caveats to booking your shore excursion independently, a well researched independent shore excursion will usually get you a better tour or activity than the cruise lines can provide. The reason for this is simple, the cruise lines design their excursions to appeal to the widest range of passengers possible while an independent shore excursion can be tailored to suit your personal style.

Pros and cons of booking an excursion through the cruise line:

Pro – it doesn’t get any easier than booking your excursion from your cabin or suite
Pro – if you’re excursion is running late the cruise ship will wait for you
Pro – many of the other participants in your shore excursion will be from your cruise ship
Pro – cruise line excursions have great insurance in case of an injury
Con – cruise line excursions are typically more expensive
Con – cruise line excursions usually travel in large packs
Con – cruise line excursions have a pretty rigid itinerary

Pros and cons of booking an independent shore excursion:

Pro – independent shore excursions usually are cheaper or if the same price offer you a more robust experience
Pro – independent shore excursions can be customized to fit your personal needs
Pro – independent shore excursions usually provide smaller groups and a more intimate experience
Pro – independent shore excursions sometimes offer more exotic choices
Con – if your independent shore excursion is late, the ship will leave without you
Con – you will need to do all the research it takes to find a reputable company
Con – if you are injured on an independent shore excursion the providers insurance may not be up to your standards
Con – you will need to book your independent shore excursion prior to boarding the ship
Con – some of the better known independent excursions have only a few slots that fill up quickly

As you can see both ship sponsored an independent shore excursions have pros and cons. While I have never experienced missing the ship due to a late shore excursion, one must be advised that it is a very real possibility. However, most reputable independent providers have an excellent track record of both safety and efficiency. The trick is to do adequate research in order to find out which providers are indeed reputable. The absolute best way to find a reputable shore excursion provider is through referrals from past customers, however if you are not connected to a fairly large group of avid cruisers this may not be possible. If this is the case I would suggest you join one of the large cruise centered message boards. The more adventurous cruisers can usually find a great independent tour provider by using the Internet for research and then contacting the provider via the phone or e-mail. Once you get a good feel for whether or not the provider is someone you can trust, I would advise you to spend 20 or 30 minutes searching through Google to see how others have enjoyed their experience, don’t trust the testimonials on their websites.

Wow, that does seem like a lot to think about. I guess it never really thought about the actual process one uses to decide which options is best. In all reality, it all blows down to your personal comfort zone. Both of these options have advantages as well as drawbacks. Depending on what type of cruiser you are most likely one will fill to you more than the other. My advice to you is to just go with what feels right.

Shore Excursions: Independent or Ship Sponsored?

Written by T.I. Cruiser on January 14, 2009 · Leave a Comment

We spend a lot of time talking about the actual cruise ship, which makes sense, after all the ship itself is a destination. However, some times we lose sight of the fact that the ship is also a mode of transportation. Half the fun of cruising is that it allows us to visit many different countries or regions over the course of a few days or weeks. This begs us to answer another question, what to do when we get to our destinations.

Some of the more adventurous cruisers may like to get off the ship and just explore on thief own. If you are adventurous, this article may not be for you. Now, for those of you still reading I will examine the two types of excursions, cruise ship sponsored and independently booked.

Independent Shore Excursions

If you have the time and ability to do your own research, you can save money booking an independent excursion for each port. However, you have to make sure you are booking with a reputable company or you may be risking both your money and more importantly your safety. Many reputable companies provide excellent shore excursions, just be sure to do your research first. While it is true that you will occasionally hear about a safety incident or someone on an excursion not making it back to the ship on time, be advised that these are in most cases urban legend. The truth is most independent excursion providers advertise solely through word of mouth and stake their business on their reputations. In my experience, I have found independent excursion providers to be every bit as reliable and knowledgeable as those booked through the cruise lines.

You should choose an independent excursion if:

You desire a more exotic excursion
You are comfortable making your own arrangements
You desire a smaller group setting
You wish to cruise as economically as possible.

Ship-Sponsored Shore Excursions

All cruise lines have special ship sponsored shore excursions. These excursions are outsourced to companies that have great reputations for both safety and customer satisfaction; the drawback is the cruise lines charge a “finder’s fee”. Since all of the excursions have been pre-screened, you can be certain they provide the highest levels of safety. Ship-sponsored shore excursions are usually listed on your cruise lines website and advertised in the ships daily newspaper. Usually you can book ship-sponsored excursions either before you board or while onboard. Ship-sponsored excursions will be charged to your shipboard account.

You should chose a ship-sponsored excursion if:

You want to have the cruise line make all the arrangements
Money isn’t really a concern
Your desired excursion is fairly common
You want to do an excursion with friends you met onboard the ship
You don’t want to have to worry about anything

Whichever way you choose just remember that cruise lines are businesses, they intend to make money whenever possible. As far excursions go, cruise ships make money by being the middleman, so in order to save money it is possible to cut out the middleman. Since a majority of cruise excursions are merely outsourced to local companies with a bit of research you can find those companies and take the very same pre-screened excursions at a significant savings by booking directly.