Have you ever slept on a picnic table in the rain? You don’t know what you’ve missed, and one of us might put a different spin on what exactly that means than the other would.
Well, it’s time for my spin, and sleeping on a picnic table in the rain is one of the things that happened because one of us prefers that we be “last-minute, let’s-see-what-happens” travelers. About 30 years ago on a family vacation, we were driving into the evening, because HE said we’d find a hotel/motel a little further down the road.
That’s one reason why once we book a cruise, we make few plans about what we’re going to do in the ports of call.
There are pros and cons regarding how to get the most out of your shore excursion. Of course, booking through the cruise line is the safest way, because you’ll never get left behind, and presumably the tour operators and “their people” have been well-scrutinized by the cruise lines, and are usually first-class. At least, that’s been our experience.
This week, I found one way to go about making a plan…as opposed to cruisers who will have an itinerary booked for every port, and cruisers who will do a little of that and a little of our “let’s-see-what-happens” way.
I read a note about how to find your own “private” guide before leaving home. The suggestion was to “Google” what you’re interested in seeing, followed by the words “tour guide”. Generally, a list of guides will come up that you can research. Then, cross-reference them in Google, and their names should come up in Fodor’s guides, or in some other reputable tourist source.
After compiling a short list, send the guides an email and ask questions, or ask for suggestions. See what happens. If all else fails, you can usually still book excursions on the ship before embarkation, or find the “private guides” once you dock.
However, you could wind up on a picnic table in the rain.