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Ten Exclusive Shore Excursions
Motorcoach tours are so last century. Today's discerning cruise ship passengers are looking for new experiences and posh surroundings. Like private submarine rides, for example, or guided fly fishing jaunts. The words "tour" and "group" don't enter into the picture.
"Our guests are true 'been there, done that' travelers, so they're looking for adventures that have an element of uniqueness or exclusivity," says Silversea Cruises President Albert Peter.
Try to top Crystal Cruises' MiG-29 jet fighter ride from St. Petersburg, Russia, for a cool $21,900 per person. The 30-minute flights accommodate just two: the pilot and the passenger.
Cruise lines, especially in the high-end market, are racking their collective brains to wow jaded passengers with shore excursions that are truly special; it's not easy in places that are swarming with cruise ships, like St. Petersburg and the French and Italian Rivieras. They've also got an eye on the bottom line: Pricey shore excursions are a huge revenue source for the cruise lines.
See our slideshow of 10 exclusive shore excursions.
"Crystal is designing itineraries with more time in port, allowing for more creative shore options," says John Stoll, Crystal's director of land programs. "Today, we're offering more than 1,300 Crystal Adventures, whereas just a few years ago, we had fewer than 800," he says, adding that many guests are repeat customers, so they want something different the second time around.
Keeping pace with a demanding clientele, SeaDream Yacht Club is sending its twin 110-passenger ships to some 43 countries in 2007, including nearly 30 ports in Italy alone.
"Our guests are looking for excitement and personal accomplishment -- the unusual," says Claudius Docekal, senior director of land adventures and hotel development for SeaDream.
Hang gliding over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, sure qualifies. For $175 a person, SeaDream offers passengers the chance to check out the ultra-picturesque city and its famed beaches from above -- far, far away from pickpockets and tour buses.
For those ports where fighter jets and hang gliding aren't available, some passengers opt for private shoreside lunches arranged at historical sites or in exclusive restaurants, or they chuck it all and go exploring on their own.
"Many cruisers are doing more homework on the destinations and finding out certain things they want to see," says Patrick Schneider, account manager for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity's shore excursions and explorations department. "We notice this especially in Europe, with the demand for private cars."
What's more indulgent than a chauffeur?
Cruisers are also increasingly requesting a private car and a driver/guide, "so guests or a small party can set their own pace and see what they want when the want," says Mark Conroy, president of Regent. Holland America offers a hip version of this concept, offering a private Hummer and tour guide combo in Ketchikan, Alaska.
Though the most exclusive, extravagant shore excursions tend to sell out first, in part because they have limited capacity and often include transport via helicopter or small planes, cruise line executives say the humble bus tour still has its place.
"The traditional motorcoach tour is not dead," says Schneider. "We have plenty of first-time cruisers, or at least first-time visitors to the destinations, and often the traditional motorcoach tour is an excellent overview of a destination."
We arrived at our list of the most exclusive shore excursions by focusing on the traditional full- or half-day excursions offered by cruise lines in ports around the world. We favored tours that accommodate ten or fewer passengers at a time, and we didn't include anything that's part of a pre- or post-cruise land stay or multi-day excursions mid-cruise that require a hotel stay. Prices quoted are per person, and most shore excursions can be booked online through the cruise lines' Web sites.
See our slideshow of 10 exclusive shore excursions.
