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Mexico Cruise Excursions

Experience the flavors of mexico.

On Mexico cruise excursions from Princess®, don’t just see the wonders of the Baja Peninsula, meet the people, places and traditions that make the country so special. With Princess, relax on white-sand beaches, tour monumental sights and immerse yourself in the traditions and cultures around you. From beaches and jungles to galleries and museums, wonders await.

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Beach Getaways

From relaxation to exploration, Mexico’s beaches are filled with activities. Sunbathe on the shores of Manzanillo’s beaches, with vibrant waters and palm trees as your backdrop. Or embark on a snorkeling adventure off the coast of La Paz, kayak along the waters of Loreto and let the natural beauty of Cabo’s shores inspire your next love story. With Princess cruise excursions, Mexico’s best is at your fingertips.

Wildlife Encounters

From whale sharks to sea turtles, meet the personalities that call these lands home with our Mexico cruise excursions. Come face-to-face with sea lions during a snorkel expedition. Swim with dolphins in Cabo San Lucas — an exclusive Animal Planet™ recommended excursion. Or watch whales rise above the water’s surface as you explore the Gulf of California’s marine sanctuary near Puerto Vallarta.

Adventure in the Outdoors

Thrill-seekers and nature-lovers unite on our cruise excursions through Mexico’s wilderness. From the mountains to the sea, explore Puerto Vallarta’s beauty in a 4-wheel ATV. Zipline through Cabo’s sierra range, and soar past vast canyons and granite walls. Or embark on an open-air, off-road adventure through Mexico’s lush jungles and traditional villages, where locals share stories of their culture.

Historic and City Highlights

See the Mexican Riviera’s most sought-after sights, from the cathedrals of La Paz to the galleries of Mazatlan. Shore excursions transport you back to the 19th century as colonial towns tell tales of times past. As you pass the 300-foot shipwreck in Manzanillo and the Jesuit Mission Museum in Loreto, expert guides offer insider history of the people, places and pursuits before you.

Tequila Tastings

Our Mexico shore excursions take you to the birthplace of tequila deep in the countryside. See how this beloved liquor is prepared — from agave gardens to your glass — during a chef-led demonstration in Puerto Vallarta. Learn about the cultural significance of tequila during your time at Hacienda Doña Engracia. Or visit some of Mazatlan’s finest distilleries, and sample varieties while enjoying snacks and scenic views.

Local Artisan Crafts

Known for its affluent museums and artisan goods, Puerto Vallarta is brimming with masterpieces. Stroll through galleries and craft shops during a full-day tour crafted by a local artist. Find everything from woven décor to pottery. During a visit to a nearby vista, try your hand at painting, and let our Mexico shore excursions spark your creativity.

Why Book Excursions with Princess

Award Winning Excursions: Discover colorful culture, flavorful food and make local connections with the people lucky enough to call this festive and spirited land home. Experience the very best of Mexico with Princess.

Exceptional Value: Book shore excursions with confidence! We offer competitive pricing, friendly service and unmatched destination expertise.

Guaranteed Return to Ship: Take full advantage of your Mexico cruise activities when you book a shore excursion through Princess. Rest assured that we won’t leave without you, so you can focus more on the moment and less on the clock.

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Shore excursions: What new cruisers need to know

The fun of a cruise is equal parts what you do on board and what you do on shore. Cruise lines offer a full schedule of shore excursions to help you make the most of your time in port. However, the process of choosing and booking tours can be overwhelming for new cruisers.

I've taken shore excursions around the world, both ship-run and independent, and spent many days in port wandering on my own. Allow me to take you through the basics of cruise shore excursions, so you can learn to have the most fun no matter what your budget is.

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

What is a cruise shore excursion?

A shore excursion is a group tour or activity aimed at cruise travelers who can only spend a limited time in each port they're visiting on their itinerary.

A shore excursion could be a sightseeing bus tour, a guided visit to a museum or historic site, an athletic activity (like a hike, bike ride or snorkel outing), a day at the beach or a cooking or dance class. Shore excursions typically highlight the marquee attractions or culture of the destination you're visiting. Sometimes an excursion will take you to sites within walking distance of your cruise; on other occasions, they might take you on a day trip to a nearby city.

Some shore excursions are targeted at families or can easily accommodate children. Some can accommodate passengers with mobility issues or other disabilities . Others may require a minimum level of fitness and are not suitable for everyone.

Shore excursions may be sold by your cruise line and organized with a partner provider. They can also be purchased through independent operators or third-party tour sellers.

Do you have to buy shore excursions on a cruise?

In most cases, you don't need to book a shore excursion to explore a port of call. You can simply walk off the ship and stroll into town or catch a cab to take you wherever you want to go.

However, in some destinations, a shore excursion, or independently operated guided tour, is highly encouraged. This could be in places where it's difficult to navigate as a foreigner who can't speak the language or understand street signs or where the tourism infrastructure is not yet fully developed.

Can I book a shore excursion on my own instead of through my cruise line?

Yes. I use many factors to decide whether to take a ship's tour, book an independent excursion or explore on my own in port. However, if you're a novice traveler, you might want to book ship tours exclusively because they're the simplest, easiest and most convenient options.

The benefits to a cruise line's shore excursions are that they depart from and return to the ship; you don't need to figure out where to meet a guide in a port you've never visited. Better still, should an unexpected problem (traffic, a medical emergency) occur during your outing, the ship will not leave port until all of its own tours have returned.

Independent tours, on the other hand, can be cheaper than cruise ship tours. I once saved hundreds of dollars organizing a group to go on an overnight, independently operated excursion to see Cairo and the Pyramids of Giza from Port Said, Egypt; the ship's tours were incredibly marked up. Also, if you have a particular interest, the ship might not offer a tour for the activity or attraction you're excited about.

Related: Ship-sponsored vs. independent shore excursions on cruises: Which should you book?

Some third-party operators will customize a tour for you or your group, so you can spend more time at the places you most want to see. Sometimes these tour groups are also smaller than the large cruise ship tours — which can carry 30 to 60 people in a bus — so you will spend less time waiting for everyone.

Finally, some ports are simply wonderful to walk around, popping into shops and local restaurants or bars, going where you will. I've skipped tours in places like Key West, Florida; Tallinn, Estonia; Monaco; Nassau, Bahamas; Skagway, Alaska; Geiranger, Norway; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. A map and a guidebook got me where I wanted to go.

How much are shore excursions on a cruise?

Cruise shore excursion prices vary widely depending on the cost of living in the cruise destination, what type of activity is involved and whether it's a full- or half-day tour. Young children often pay a reduced rate for tours.

Looking at Princess Cruises ' shore excursions in Grand Cayman, a 2.5-hour stingray swim costs $70 per person, a 5-hour scenic island drive costs $100, and a 4-hour, two-tank scuba dive costs $180. In Juneau, Alaska, a 3-hour tour to the Mendenhall Glacier visitor center costs $50 per person. A 3-hour gold panning activity and salmon bake costs $125, while a 2.25-hour tour to take a helicopter ride to the top of the glacier, where you can walk around on the ice for half an hour, costs $420.

Some cruise lines, such as Viking and Regent Seven Seas Cruises , include the cost of basic shore excursions in their cruise fares. If you don't care to do any specialty tours, you might be able to get all your port activities for free. Other lines, such as Norwegian Cruise Line , offer discounted tours or shore excursion credit as booking promotions .

Related: 8 tips for booking the best cruise shore excursion for your money

What's the best way to book shore excursions?

If you plan to book shore excursions through your cruise line, you have a couple of options of how to book them.

You can book your tours online in advance, or have your travel agent do it for you. This is the best route if there's a ship's tour you absolutely want to take and you don't want to risk its selling out. Book your tours the minute they open for reservations. When my parents traveled on a luxury Regent Seven Seas cruise, they said that waiting until the next morning to book tours meant that some of their choices were sold out.

The downside to booking tours in advance is that some cruise lines require that you pay for the tours in full, rather than putting them on your final cruise bill. It means you're out the money in advance and it can be difficult to use onboard credit to cover the cost of excursions booked online.

Related: Avoid these mistakes when booking cruise shore excursions

Alternatively, you can wait until you're on the ship and book your excursion in person at the shore excursions desk. You'll be able to ask the staff questions about the tours, and the charges will be added to your final cruise bill. However, you do run the risk that a popular tour might be sold out by the time you're ready to book.

The same is true with independent tours. Most people organize these ahead of time through a tour operator or travel agent. However, in popular cruise ports, there are often representatives waiting at the port or at a tourist office who can book you on same-day tours if space is available.

Is it cheaper to book shore excursions on the ship?

No. Most cruise lines either charge the same prices for shore excursions booked online and on board or offer a discount for tours purchased in advance. For example, Royal Caribbean often advertises up to 30% off select tours reserved ahead of the sailing.

Do I need to tip on shore excursions?

Whether you're on a cruise line sponsored or independent shore excursion, a best practice is to tip your tour guides at the end of the tour. Exceptions are if tips are included in the price or if you're visiting a country with a non-tipping culture, where offering cash would be awkward.

Related: Ultimate guide to tipping on cruise ships

Tipping is a personal matter, and there are no hard and fast rules. I canvassed TPG's cruise team and we agreed that we give roughly $5 to $10 per person for half-day tours and $10 to $20 per person for full-day excursions, adjusted for service and quality. Tip non-guide drivers roughly $2 per person in your party.

You'll likely want to tip more for customized, private tours — consider 5 to 20% of the cost of the tour.

How do I get the most from my cruise shore excursion?

The key to getting the most from your cruise shore excursion is to know what you want and make sure the tour description matches your expectations. I find that the more I cruise, the less I take ship-sponsored shore excursions because they don't offer exactly what I want.

For example, if you're considering a bus tour, make sure you understand how much time will be spent sitting on the bus and how much time will be at the destination or attraction, whether you will be looking at or going inside key attractions and whether there's free time to explore. If it's an activity, like snorkeling or a helicopter tour, read up on how much time is spent in transit and prep and how much time you will spend actually doing the activity.

Be sure to note the fitness level required and don't try to take on more than you're able to do. If you struggle with mobility, check to see if there's a lot of walking on uneven ground like cobblestones.

Related: 11 cruise ship excursions to avoid

If the tour takes place over lunchtime, check to see if a meal is included or if you have time to pick up something to eat.

Personally, I find that organized tours are best when the excursion is an activity I can't do on my own (such as kayaking, zip lining or a winery tour); when long distances are involved where I don't want to bother with public transportation or renting a car on a one-day visit; or when the culture is foreign enough that independent exploration would be tricky. Sometimes you also need an expert guide, such as in Pompeii, to know what you're seeing.

Bottom line

Shore excursions are a great way to make the most of your time in port, but you might get the most value out of a mix of guided tours and independent exploration. Choose the best option based on your budget and interests, and remember to look at both ship-sponsored and independent tour and activity options. And if you feel like staying on board one day while your ship is docked in a port that doesn't interest you, that's okay, too.

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
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

• Princess Cruises

12 night British Isles Cruise - Your experiences with excursions at each port

By luvtocruise52 , April 23, 2022 in Princess Cruises

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luvtocruise52

We are looking at the 12 Night British Isles Cruise and wonder whether the amount of time in port (usually about 12 hours) allowed you to get a good feel for the area, especially Belfast and Dublin. We're curious what people were able to see and do in each of the ports. (I've read the descriptions of excursions but think personal experience is valuable.) Also, which excursions were the most enjoyable in any of the ports, and was it easy to arrange your own excursion instead of taking the ones offered by the cruise line? Thanks in advance for your feedback.  

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I have been on this cruise twice. Dublin- Princess shuttle to town, HOHO bus, walked around town, many sites right there.

second time saw a taxi driver dancing a jig right after we got off ship. Hired him for the day. Loads of fun. Told him to take us where the big red bus didn’t go. Off to the countryside, nature area, pub lunch.

Belfast- shuttle to town, HOHO bus, walked around town.

First time- hired taxi driver for a day tour to see the Troubles- muralist, neighborhoods .

we did not go further like many other on tours.

ask ? About other ports

This is best posted on the "Britain" board.

In Dublin - shuttle into town and walked to Trinity College with the hopes of seeing the book of Kells.  If you want to do this you might want to get there much, much earlier than we did.  They had 2 pages of the book on display in a little room and that room was packed in like sardines.  There wasn't even a moving line.  The folks at the front just stood there and stood there.  I think I got to see it for about 10 seconds.  The library, on the other hand, was spectular.  That alone was worth the trip.  We ate in some little pub off a side street which was really cool.

In Belfast we took the shuttle to town and then got on the HoHo bus.  We got off at the Titanic Museum which was awesome, but again very crowded.  Ate lunch there and then back on the bus.  We went all the way around but there was no time to visit any other sites.  Well, we could have gotten off at the murals which I thought was really interesting but my sisters didn't want to.  The next stop was the Crumlin Gael.  They have guided tours only and we would have missed the last bus so didn't stop.

This was our second time in Belfast.  The first time we took an excursion to the Giant's Causeway.  Typical bus trip out there with a guide and a few stops for photo ops.  I really liked the Causeway.  It's maybe 1/2 walk from the visitor's center although you can take a little shuttle.  Very scenic.

I used toursbylocals to book my time in Dublin and Belfast.  I researched the sights I definitely wanted to get to, then said beyond that I am in your hands.  Worked well.

Definitely recommend the HoHo in Dublin.

We also purchased tickets on our own to Guinness, best views of Dublin from the Gravity  bar.

https://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en/gravity-bar

Just be aware that the British Isles cruise in 2022 does not dock in Dublin but Dun Laoghaire which you need a tender to get ashore and then a train into Dublin. This impacts on your actual time in Dublin and what you are able to see.

I had to think for a bit about the other ports.  I've done this cruise twice. But, it was a few years ago.

Guernsey - 1st time we just walked around the little town.  It is very walkable.  The 2nd time we took a local tour I found online.  

Cork - Both times we visited the Blarney Castle.  Once on a Princess shore excursion.  Afterwards we walked into the town, which is right there, and got something to eat.  The other time we hired a taxi from a line of taxis right on the pier.  For a set price the guy took us to the Castle and back with a little tour of the town before he dropped us off.

Dublin - I mentioned that in my first post.  The other time we missed it due to weather.  Also Belfast as in my previous post.

Once in Greenock we took a ship's excursion.  The other time we walked into town and caught a train to Edinburgh to see the tattoo.  We did not take a ship's tour because by the time I even knew they were open for reservations the tour was sold out.  So I bought tickets online and arranged our own transportation.  For the return trip (2 hours) we hired a private car.  I was worried about trying to catch the train back at such a late hour.  Worked out perfect.

In Invergorden the first time was a private tour.  Just us and the driver.  It was a fun day.  The second time we took a ship's excursion.  

In LeHavre both times we took a ship's excursion to the beaches of Normandy and the American Cemetary.

In answer to your question regarding ease of arranging tours yourself;  the internet makes everything easy.  The tour operators we contacted were great at communicating.  It does take a bit of a leap of faith that it's all going to work out.  But, the driver of the private car was right where he said he would be.  The driver of the private tour in Invergorden not only was easy to find but very mindful of the time she needed to get us back to the ship.  Remember these people sells tours often by reputation alone.  And they are not looking for bad reviews.  The taxi driver was a bit of an adventure for a couple of older ladies who aren't well traveled.  But, he was a hoot.  I became very fond of taxi travel on these 2 trips.  My best tip: start your planning with by googling "cruise ship shore excursions in..........."  The shore excursion part is important because those tours will be arranged around your time in port.  Other kinds of tours may run too late or too far from where you need to be.

My favorite tours and excursions are always those we arranged ourselves.  On the train to Edinburgh we sat with an 18 year man from Yorkshire.  We had a great conversation, at least what we could understand LOL.  His accent was thick.  We got along so great with the driver of the tour in Invergorden that she made a stop at her house on the way back to the ship so we could meet her cats.  As I mentioned the taxi driver out of Cork was a hoot.  Imagine the look on our faces when asked us, "Excuse me ladies, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?  What religion are you?"  The tour on Guernsey was run by a young man who was a native of the island.  He drove a safari type open-aired vehicle.  One of the stops he made was at a friend or cousins (can't remember) who had a small roadside shop that sold scones and clotted cream and hot chocolate.  Oh my, so good.  

Regarding the ship's excursions; if I am going to do one at all I like it to be on a longer day, preferrably with lunch and a good guide who will ply you with all kinds of info you're absolutely sure you'll remember and then let you go off on your own.  Of this trip my favorite ones were the one we took out of Liverpool to Chester, and the 2nd one to the beaches of Normandy.  That woman was the most knowledgeable guide I have ever had on a tour, ever.  Lots of time to explore on our own and lunch, yay.  We took other excursions that were OK, and one or 2 that were just Meh.

13 minutes ago, Blondilu said: One of the stops he made was at a friend or cousins (can't remember) who had a small roadside shop that sold scones and clotted cream and hot chocolate.  Oh my, so good.  

How convenient! 

I'm glad you enjoyed your scones,  but I think you are being a bit gullible.  

LeHavre-Paris w/theBateaux Seine cruise w/lunch - I actually did this tour  twice it was amazing and the photo ops are extraordinary (it’s a 3 hour drive each direction-traffic can be horrible so I suggest a ship tour for Paris-Our bus was late getting back but the ship had to wait)

Cobh-Is adorable, the town is the port. We did the 1/2 day tour  to Jameson which was great, and sat outside at a pub in cobh after. 

Cobh has a tourism site- I also visited the church and they have an overlook area for good scenic photos (they had a cute train in the past but seems the pandemic caused them to go out of business) 

http://www.visitcobh.com  

We did this cruise in 2019.I think to get a feel of Belfast you need to get a HOHO bus from the centre as it takes you to various areas including the troubles

.Dublin I think you can get a feel of the place by walking around the centre.

13 minutes ago, wowzz said: How convenient!  I'm glad you enjoyed your scones,  but I think you are being a bit gullible.  

LOL, what a funny thing to say. Gullible?  Not in the least.  We paid a good price for a tour and got a great tour.  We paid a fair price for a snack and got a really good snack.  Isn't that the way it's supposed to work?  How would who owns it make a difference?  We had a great day.  The scenery was awesome, the company was good, the driver was funny and friendly, I loved his safari jeep. The scones and clotted cream were very good and I got to try something I had never had before.  And no one forced us to buy any.  It was just a stop to use the restroom and take a break from the tour.  We could easily have skipped the treats.  But, why would we have?  They were really good, not very expensive and everybody on the tour sat for awhile in a gorgeous location and just enjoyed the moment.  All in all we got our monies worth and this tour was one of our more memorable.  

We did a British Isles tour in August, 2018.  Here are my opinions of the excursions/ports:

Cobb, Ireland: 

There was no problem finding eCoach tour for Blarney castle.   We walked around the Castle gardens; they were very pretty, but I surely could have used my walking stick here.   The ground was uneven and with lots of rocks and pebbles.   We did not wait in line to climb the stairs for the Blarney Stone.   About an hour wait when we got there and 2 hours when we left.

We went across the street for shopping at the Blarney Woolen Mills.   Wished we could have stopped for a snack, but the guide said we did not have time here.

We rode the bus to Charles Fort.   Bill got off and took pictures; it was misting.   We saw lots of country between Blarney and Kinsale.

We went to the small fishing village of Kinsale for lunch at the White House; this was 3:30 pm.   I had beef and Guiness stew, delicious; Bill had Philly beef steak sandwich with fries. 

We arrived back at the ship about 5:30 pm.

Dublin, Ireland:

We did a Princess tour of the Powerscourt Estate Gardens and Dublin.   Powerscourt is an estate in the Wickslow mountains.   It burned down about 1974 and the outside was rebuilt about 1994.   The gardens were beautiful and easier to get around than Blarney gardens.   These had more flowers and statues.

We ate lunch at the café, sandwiches and Diet Coke.   It was good.   The bus returned to Dublin and gave us a tour of the city.   The guide was not very good; she was older than we are, and this is the first time she had worked with this driver (he was nice), maybe the first time for this tour.

Many people did not wish to be dropped off in Dublin, so the driver found the shuttle to the ship for us.   We returned that way about 5:30 pm.

Liverpool, England:

We took a FabFour Beatles 3 hour taxi tour (65 pounds) that I had booked online.  It was very good, but lots of getting in and out of the taxi, hard on knees and shoulders.  He told lots of stories of the Beatles childhood and stopped at the early homes and other sites.

I did not enjoy this tour very much, but we took it for my husband.  I would not endorse it.

Belfast, Ireland:

No tour scheduled for today.   We took the free shuttle to the center of Belfast.   Then we took the city bus to the Titanic Museum.   At 2 pm we were at the admission window where the earliest admission ticket for the museum was 4:30 pm.   We went to the restroom and shopped in the gift shop.  Then we took the return bus and shuttle to the ship for a late lunch

If I could change anything, I would arrange for tickets ahead of time, on-line.  We did not know what we planned for this day, but enjoyed what we saw of the Titanic display.

Greenock, Scotland:

This is why I chose this time of year for our cruise.  Wonderful, but once was enough.  Strongly endorse Clyde Coast Tours.

Tattoo Day with Clyde Coast Tours

Met the bus at 8:30 am for 9 am departure.  Our guide was James (in a kilt, no less).

We stopped at the town of Luss (home of the Colquhoun clan) to admire Loch Lomand, nice lake.  Beautiful scenery and some shopping.

Next we stopped at the viewpoint Inveruglas for another view of Loch Lomand; there were lots of steps and stairs.  At the top most everyone enjoyed a taste of Scottish whiskey.

We stopped at the Drover’s Inn for refreshments (diet Coke).  This is an old coaching inn still in use.  It had a lot of stuffed animals.

We stopped at Kilmahog to see the Highland Coos (cows).  They are cute and very shaggy.  I did some shopping at Trossacks Park.  This was the only place I found golf towels in all of Scotland, a big item on my souvenir list that was limited to only one towel.

We arrived at Stirling Castle about 2:15 pm.  We used the restrooms and had lunch (fish sandwiches) in their café.  We toured the castle with a free tour guide; it was very interesting.  I had purchased the Historic Scotland Pass on-line (strongly recommend), so no waiting in line for tickets.

4 pm the bus left for Edinburgh and arrived about 5:15 pm.  James walked us to the front of St. Giles Church where we would be meeting up with him after the Tattoo at 9:30 pm this night.

It was very crowded with people attending not only the Tattoo, but also the Fringe Festival.  We walked around, but did not shop, too crowded.  I did not find any golf stuff.  All of the restaurants were prior reservations only.

We picked up a sandwich and diet Coke for Bill, pastry for me, and a couple of candy bars, just in case, at The Little Inn.  It was cash only, about 20 pounds.  They cleared off some seats and table for us outside.

We joined the long queue across the street on Johnston Terrace for entrance to the Tattoo about 6:10 pm.  It started moving about 6:20-6:30 pm and moved consistently.  We picked up programs (included with our tickets), and went through bag inspection.  Stopped by the restrooms, then found our seats.  They were way up high on row R.  We were seated by 7 pm.

The pretalk started about 7 pm with the dignitary being the Prime Minister of Scotland (a lady in high heels); she walked all the way to the top of the stadium in those heels.

7:30 pm was the start of the show with bagpipes, bands, dancing, drum corps, and other displays.  It was wonderful.  The show concluded about 9:15 pm with fireworks and a lone piper.

We walked back downhill (easier) to our meeting place in front of St. Giles Cathedral.  We were a few minutes late, but not the last ones to get there.  We left the meeting place about 9:50 pm and walked 15-20 minutes to get to our bus.  There were a lot of buses parked on the street in front of the national museum.

The bus left Edinburgh about 10:10 pm and arrived at the ship about 11:50 pm.  We had beautiful weather, cool and warm.  It drizzled a bit on the way to the ship.

Invergordon, Scotland:

One of my favorite days:  We walked off the ship about 11:20 am with no tour planned.  We walked around the cute town taking pictures of the wall murals.  We stopped in their museum and went to the craft market; I bought a few things.  We walked down the street and shopped for souvenirs.  The people were very friendly and welcoming.

Edinburgh, Scotland:

Of any day, I would change this one to a tour out of town.

We took the tender to shore and caught the shuttle bus to the center of town about 10 am.  It was 20 pounds each which included trip in and return from town and the Hop On/Hop Off bus.   The shuttle delivered us to St. Andrews Square, and the driver showed us where to walk to catch the Hop On/Hop Off bus.

We got off at the Castle stop.  I had prepurchased tickets with the Historic Scotland Pass, so we went right into the Castle.  We used the restroom and had lunch (pizza) at the café.

We stood in line for the Crown Jewels, just a crown, scepter, and sword, not as much as England’s.  The road up into the castle was very steep and wet with the rain.  It was wet and windy with steep cobble stone paths in the castle.  We walked through the area where the Tattoo had performed before.

We shopped a little, asking in several stores, but could not find any St. Andrews golf stuff.

We went in St. Giles Cathedral where we had met our guide the other night.  It was lovely.

We caught the Hop On/Hop Off bus back to St. Andrews Square where we caught the shuttle to the 4 pm tender back to the ship.

LeHarvre, France

Beaches of Normandy Spearhead Tours (recommended)

Our tour left at 8 am.  There was a mini-van with 3 couples.  We had enough room.

We visited the American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, and a couple of churches.  We had lunch at a café Le Roosevelt at Utah Beach.  Our guide and driver Florin had good commentary and stories.  He had a book with pictures of events.

We were not able to visit the museums and no shopping time.  There was a long ride back to the ship, arriving about 5 pm.  We did a lot with the time that we had.

Sorry for the length.  I would do it again with little changes.  I loved this cruise.

On 4/23/2022 at 5:49 PM, Blondilu said: I had to think for a bit about the other ports.  I've done this cruise twice. But, it was a few years ago.   Guernsey - 1st time we just walked around the little town.  It is very walkable.  The 2nd time we took a local tour I found online.     Cork - Both times we visited the Blarney Castle.  Once on a Princess shore excursion.  Afterwards we walked into the town, which is right there, and got something to eat.  The other time we hired a taxi from a line of taxis right on the pier.  For a set price the guy took us to the Castle and back with a little tour of the town before he dropped us off.   Dublin - I mentioned that in my first post.  The other time we missed it due to weather.  Also Belfast as in my previous post.   Once in Greenock we took a ship's excursion.  The other time we walked into town and caught a train to Edinburgh to see the tattoo.  We did not take a ship's tour because by the time I even knew they were open for reservations the tour was sold out.  So I bought tickets online and arranged our own transportation.  For the return trip (2 hours) we hired a private car.  I was worried about trying to catch the train back at such a late hour.  Worked out perfect.   In Invergorden the first time was a private tour.  Just us and the driver.  It was a fun day.  The second time we took a ship's excursion.     In LeHavre both times we took a ship's excursion to the beaches of Normandy and the American Cemetary.   In answer to your question regarding ease of arranging tours yourself;  the internet makes everything easy.  The tour operators we contacted were great at communicating.  It does take a bit of a leap of faith that it's all going to work out.  But, the driver of the private car was right where he said he would be.  The driver of the private tour in Invergorden not only was easy to find but very mindful of the time she needed to get us back to the ship.  Remember these people sells tours often by reputation alone.  And they are not looking for bad reviews.  The taxi driver was a bit of an adventure for a couple of older ladies who aren't well traveled.  But, he was a hoot.  I became very fond of taxi travel on these 2 trips.  My best tip: start your planning with by googling "cruise ship shore excursions in..........."  The shore excursion part is important because those tours will be arranged around your time in port.  Other kinds of tours may run too late or too far from where you need to be.   My favorite tours and excursions are always those we arranged ourselves.  On the train to Edinburgh we sat with an 18 year man from Yorkshire.  We had a great conversation, at least what we could understand LOL.  His accent was thick.  We got along so great with the driver of the tour in Invergorden that she made a stop at her house on the way back to the ship so we could meet her cats.  As I mentioned the taxi driver out of Cork was a hoot.  Imagine the look on our faces when asked us, "Excuse me ladies, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?  What religion are you?"  The tour on Guernsey was run by a young man who was a native of the island.  He drove a safari type open-aired vehicle.  One of the stops he made was at a friend or cousins (can't remember) who had a small roadside shop that sold scones and clotted cream and hot chocolate.  Oh my, so good.     Regarding the ship's excursions; if I am going to do one at all I like it to be on a longer day, preferrably with lunch and a good guide who will ply you with all kinds of info you're absolutely sure you'll remember and then let you go off on your own.  Of this trip my favorite ones were the one we took out of Liverpool to Chester, and the 2nd one to the beaches of Normandy.  That woman was the most knowledgeable guide I have ever had on a tour, ever.  Lots of time to explore on our own and lunch, yay.  We took other excursions that were OK, and one or 2 that were just Meh.    

Thanks so much for taking the time to write such a thorough response. We had planned to tour Ireland and visit a friend near London in 2020 but Covid stopped that and now we have some other life circumstances that might stand in the way of a a land tour so we decided to look at a cruise that would give us a taste of Ireland and return later for a land tour. I've booked excursions and hired private drivers on previous cruises and they have always turned out well. We're having to plan this very last minute and I'm used to taking months to plan!

On 4/23/2022 at 4:24 PM, majortom10 said: Just be aware that the British Isles cruise in 2022 does not dock in Dublin but Dun Laoghaire which you need a tender to get ashore and then a train into Dublin. This impacts on your actual time in Dublin and what you are able to see.

Thanks for the reminder!

On 4/23/2022 at 6:35 PM, Blondilu said: LOL, what a funny thing to say. Gullible?  Not in the least.  We paid a good price for a tour and got a great tour.  We paid a fair price for a snack and got a really good snack.  Isn't that the way it's supposed to work?  How would who owns it make a difference?  We had a great day.  The scenery was awesome, the company was good, the driver was funny and friendly, I loved his safari jeep. The scones and clotted cream were very good and I got to try something I had never had before.  And no one forced us to buy any.  It was just a stop to use the restroom and take a break from the tour.  We could easily have skipped the treats.  But, why would we have?  They were really good, not very expensive and everybody on the tour sat for awhile in a gorgeous location and just enjoyed the moment.  All in all we got our monies worth and this tour was one of our more memorable.  

I enjoyed reading your response. Many tour guides make stops at places where they have connections, and these can be enjoyable as you pointed out.

On 4/24/2022 at 1:19 PM, georgiacat said: We did a British Isles tour in August, 2018.  Here are my opinions of the excursions/ports:   Cobb, Ireland:  There was no problem finding eCoach tour for Blarney castle.   We walked around the Castle gardens; they were very pretty, but I surely could have used my walking stick here.   The ground was uneven and with lots of rocks and pebbles.   We did not wait in line to climb the stairs for the Blarney Stone.   About an hour wait when we got there and 2 hours when we left.   We went across the street for shopping at the Blarney Woolen Mills.   Wished we could have stopped for a snack, but the guide said we did not have time here.   We rode the bus to Charles Fort.   Bill got off and took pictures; it was misting.   We saw lots of country between Blarney and Kinsale.   We went to the small fishing village of Kinsale for lunch at the White House; this was 3:30 pm.   I had beef and Guiness stew, delicious; Bill had Philly beef steak sandwich with fries.  We arrived back at the ship about 5:30 pm.   Dublin, Ireland:   We did a Princess tour of the Powerscourt Estate Gardens and Dublin.   Powerscourt is an estate in the Wickslow mountains.   It burned down about 1974 and the outside was rebuilt about 1994.   The gardens were beautiful and easier to get around than Blarney gardens.   These had more flowers and statues.   We ate lunch at the café, sandwiches and Diet Coke.   It was good.   The bus returned to Dublin and gave us a tour of the city.   The guide was not very good; she was older than we are, and this is the first time she had worked with this driver (he was nice), maybe the first time for this tour.   Many people did not wish to be dropped off in Dublin, so the driver found the shuttle to the ship for us.   We returned that way about 5:30 pm.   Liverpool, England: We took a FabFour Beatles 3 hour taxi tour (65 pounds) that I had booked online.  It was very good, but lots of getting in and out of the taxi, hard on knees and shoulders.  He told lots of stories of the Beatles childhood and stopped at the early homes and other sites.   I did not enjoy this tour very much, but we took it for my husband.  I would not endorse it.   Belfast, Ireland: No tour scheduled for today.   We took the free shuttle to the center of Belfast.   Then we took the city bus to the Titanic Museum.   At 2 pm we were at the admission window where the earliest admission ticket for the museum was 4:30 pm.   We went to the restroom and shopped in the gift shop.  Then we took the return bus and shuttle to the ship for a late lunch If I could change anything, I would arrange for tickets ahead of time, on-line.  We did not know what we planned for this day, but enjoyed what we saw of the Titanic display.   Greenock, Scotland: This is why I chose this time of year for our cruise.  Wonderful, but once was enough.  Strongly endorse Clyde Coast Tours. Tattoo Day with Clyde Coast Tours Met the bus at 8:30 am for 9 am departure.  Our guide was James (in a kilt, no less).   We stopped at the town of Luss (home of the Colquhoun clan) to admire Loch Lomand, nice lake.  Beautiful scenery and some shopping.   Next we stopped at the viewpoint Inveruglas for another view of Loch Lomand; there were lots of steps and stairs.  At the top most everyone enjoyed a taste of Scottish whiskey. We stopped at the Drover’s Inn for refreshments (diet Coke).  This is an old coaching inn still in use.  It had a lot of stuffed animals.   We stopped at Kilmahog to see the Highland Coos (cows).  They are cute and very shaggy.  I did some shopping at Trossacks Park.  This was the only place I found golf towels in all of Scotland, a big item on my souvenir list that was limited to only one towel.   We arrived at Stirling Castle about 2:15 pm.  We used the restrooms and had lunch (fish sandwiches) in their café.  We toured the castle with a free tour guide; it was very interesting.  I had purchased the Historic Scotland Pass on-line (strongly recommend), so no waiting in line for tickets.   4 pm the bus left for Edinburgh and arrived about 5:15 pm.  James walked us to the front of St. Giles Church where we would be meeting up with him after the Tattoo at 9:30 pm this night.   It was very crowded with people attending not only the Tattoo, but also the Fringe Festival.  We walked around, but did not shop, too crowded.  I did not find any golf stuff.  All of the restaurants were prior reservations only.   We picked up a sandwich and diet Coke for Bill, pastry for me, and a couple of candy bars, just in case, at The Little Inn.  It was cash only, about 20 pounds.  They cleared off some seats and table for us outside.   We joined the long queue across the street on Johnston Terrace for entrance to the Tattoo about 6:10 pm.  It started moving about 6:20-6:30 pm and moved consistently.  We picked up programs (included with our tickets), and went through bag inspection.  Stopped by the restrooms, then found our seats.  They were way up high on row R.  We were seated by 7 pm.   The pretalk started about 7 pm with the dignitary being the Prime Minister of Scotland (a lady in high heels); she walked all the way to the top of the stadium in those heels.   7:30 pm was the start of the show with bagpipes, bands, dancing, drum corps, and other displays.  It was wonderful.  The show concluded about 9:15 pm with fireworks and a lone piper.   We walked back downhill (easier) to our meeting place in front of St. Giles Cathedral.  We were a few minutes late, but not the last ones to get there.  We left the meeting place about 9:50 pm and walked 15-20 minutes to get to our bus.  There were a lot of buses parked on the street in front of the national museum.   The bus left Edinburgh about 10:10 pm and arrived at the ship about 11:50 pm.  We had beautiful weather, cool and warm.  It drizzled a bit on the way to the ship.   Invergordon, Scotland: One of my favorite days:  We walked off the ship about 11:20 am with no tour planned.  We walked around the cute town taking pictures of the wall murals.  We stopped in their museum and went to the craft market; I bought a few things.  We walked down the street and shopped for souvenirs.  The people were very friendly and welcoming.   Edinburgh, Scotland: Of any day, I would change this one to a tour out of town. We took the tender to shore and caught the shuttle bus to the center of town about 10 am.  It was 20 pounds each which included trip in and return from town and the Hop On/Hop Off bus.   The shuttle delivered us to St. Andrews Square, and the driver showed us where to walk to catch the Hop On/Hop Off bus.   We got off at the Castle stop.  I had prepurchased tickets with the Historic Scotland Pass, so we went right into the Castle.  We used the restroom and had lunch (pizza) at the café.   We stood in line for the Crown Jewels, just a crown, scepter, and sword, not as much as England’s.  The road up into the castle was very steep and wet with the rain.  It was wet and windy with steep cobble stone paths in the castle.  We walked through the area where the Tattoo had performed before.   We shopped a little, asking in several stores, but could not find any St. Andrews golf stuff.   We went in St. Giles Cathedral where we had met our guide the other night.  It was lovely.   We caught the Hop On/Hop Off bus back to St. Andrews Square where we caught the shuttle to the 4 pm tender back to the ship.   LeHarvre, France Beaches of Normandy Spearhead Tours (recommended) Our tour left at 8 am.  There was a mini-van with 3 couples.  We had enough room.   We visited the American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, and a couple of churches.  We had lunch at a café Le Roosevelt at Utah Beach.  Our guide and driver Florin had good commentary and stories.  He had a book with pictures of events.   We were not able to visit the museums and no shopping time.  There was a long ride back to the ship, arriving about 5 pm.  We did a lot with the time that we had.   Sorry for the length.  I would do it again with little changes.  I loved this cruise.  

Thanks so much for your detailed description. The last time we visited Scotland, we just missed the Tattoo and it is on my bucket list! I'm glad to hear positive reviews of the cruise. We have had to put off a land tour of Ireland for two years and are now doing some last-minute planning for a vacation so we thought a cruise might be easier to plan for.   

We loved this port intensive itinerary.  We’ve had very good luck with finding a taxi driver who we could book by the hour.  That way we could see what we wanted to see at our own pace.  We had a great driver on our first time in Cobh, and now we call him in advance of a cruise.  He sets up a flexible itinerary for us.   

We did this cruise a few months before covid. It was fabulous. There were six of us and I used toursbylocals at every port. Our only hiccup was Dublin, because of flight delays- we were lucky that the ship overnighted in Dublin the first night before sailing. But we missed our Dublin tour. The Princess insurance kicked in on that adventure. 

I highly recommend toursbylocals for this cruise. 

On 4/23/2022 at 1:37 PM, luvtocruise52 said: We are looking at the 12 Night British Isles Cruise and wonder whether the amount of time in port (usually about 12 hours) allowed you to get a good feel for the area, especially Belfast and Dublin. We're curious what people were able to see and do in each of the ports. (I've read the descriptions of excursions but think personal experience is valuable.) Also, which excursions were the most enjoyable in any of the ports, and was it easy to arrange your own excursion instead of taking the ones offered by the cruise line? Thanks in advance for your feedback.  

Are you staying in London pre cruise?  If yes, how many days?

• 1 year later...

grammawmoses

I have British Isles cruise booked with Princess for May 2024 and have been trying to find out if Hop On Hop Off has stations near cruise terminals. I believe Belfast does but not sure about the others. I have asked Hop On Hop Off but they don't answer questions. They simply respond to all inquiries with the same paragraph that does not answer the question. I see some blogs refer to a shuttle. Are there shuttles at all ports? Thanks for any information you can provide!

NavyVeteran

What to do in Greenock and South Queensferry depends a lot on when you are traveling. If you are there in August during the Tattoo, then I would highly recommend going to the Tattoo. You can either book the ship's tour (which you need to book way in advance) or arrange it on your own.

Normally you would go to the Tattoo from Greenock (near Glasgow) - not from South Queensferry (near Edinburgh). South Queensferry is a tender port for most Princess ships, and they don't like tendering most of the passengers back to the ship at 1:00 am. Although Greenock is farther away, the ship is docked.

You can tell whether an August itinerary is planned for the Tattoo before they list excursions. If the Tattoo is available, the ship will leave Greenock at 2:00 am to give people time to get back. That is the only reason they ever have the 2:00 am departure.

Even if the ship is at South Queensferry during the Tattoo, you can't usually go from there. The ship leaves in the evening before the Tattoo starts.

In addition to going to the Tattoo from Greenock, you need to plan what to do from South Queensferry. It is not a good time to go in to Edinburgh. Because of the Festival, Edinburgh is very, very crowded during that time. You may want to do something that doesn't actually go into the city.

If you're not going to be there in August, then you can ignore everything I just wrote.

We’ve been to most of these ports at least three times.  The best tours we did were small groups with local companies.  The leaders are so friendly, and will customize your visit.  We find a good guide is invaluable; there’s a huge difference between wandering by yourself, and hearing history, stories, anecdotes etc.    

We did walking tours run by a local in both Guernsey and Cobh; found online.  They were great.   Small tours in other places.   

Also, if you plan to do-it-yourself, get as many tickets beforehand as you can for things like Book of Kells.  

Thanks so much!

fruitmachine

10 hours ago, NavyVeteran said: It is not a good time to go in to Edinburgh. Because of the Festival, Edinburgh is very, very crowded during that time. You may want to do something that doesn't actually go into the city.

"Very crowded" is a somewhat relative term, and many would argue that the best time to visit is when we have the world's largest arts festival in progress with, literally, thousands of performances happening every day.  I've been walking or getting the bus into the Royal Mile all this week and I've been out and about each lunchtime and again yesterday evening.  There is no doubt that Edinburgh is at its busiest in August, but there is still plenty of room!  The busiest attraction - the castle - limits the number of tickets sold for ach time-slot, rear-round.  All that happens during August is that they sell out further in advance.

A bit of preparation and some advance booking - an attribute shown in abundance by most folk on Cruise Critic - will stand you in good stead.

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The 8 best Hawaii cruises in 2024 and 2025

C ruising the Hawaiian Islands offers U.S. travelers an immersive South Pacific escape with all the comforts of home. In fact, the Aloha State is in many ways an ideal cruise destination. It has year-round sunny weather, four main islands featuring varied topographies — including sandy beaches, cascading waterfalls, volcanic mountains and vibrant green valleys — and a wide array of land- and water-based activities.

The main caveat? Hawaii cruise options are somewhat limited — just a fraction of what's available in the Caribbean — and many itineraries involve multiday crossings from the West Coast. Only one cruise line offers Hawaii itineraries throughout the year; most others visit during specific months or when repositioning ships in spring and fall.

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

Looking for the Hawaiian Islands sailing that's right for you? Here's a look at the eight best Hawaii cruises for every type of traveler.

Norwegian Cruise Line's 7-night Inter-island Hawaii

For travelers who want more aloha time than the typical eight-hour port call allows, Norwegian Cruise Line has a solution. Its 2,186-passenger Pride of America lets vacationers sample four Hawaiian islands over seven days, with overnights in Maui and Kauai, plus port calls on both Hilo and Kona on the island of Hawaii. In total, this itinerary offers nearly 100 hours of shore time.

Pride of America sails round-trip from Honolulu every Saturday year-round. As a U.S.-flagged ship, it's the only large vessel permitted to sail this way. Not only do you skip the long Pacific crossing that most cruise ships do to reach Hawaii, but passports are not required for U.S. citizens, and you can tack on pre- or post-cruise stays on Oahu.

The overnights on Maui and Kauai also mean it's possible to try several of Hawaii's signature experiences that most port calls don't allow. Passengers can catch dusk or dawn from atop Maui's massive 10,023-foot dormant volcano with sunrise and sunset excursions to the Haleakala Crater. And with the ship in port all night on Kauai, guests who want to enjoy traditional Hawaiian cuisine, music and hula performances can book the Luau Kalamaku for a fun evening out.

Pride of America, which has been cruising Hawaii since 2005, doesn't have the onboard thrills (race track, virtual-reality gaming, waterslides) of Norwegian's newer ships , but that's okay because the islands, not the ship, are your main destination. Its American-themed decor celebrates U.S. cities in a vibrant, and at times, kitschy way, but a 2021 refurbishment left its cabins and public spaces feeling refreshed.

Many of Norwegian's specialty dining venues (which incur a surcharge) are on board, including Cagney's Steakhouse, Le Bistro (here, it's Jefferson's Bistro), Moderno Churrascaria and Teppanyaki.

Who should go: Anyone seeking a convenient way to island-hop — and see a lot of Hawaii — by making the most of the generous shore time with a combination of independent exploration and shore excursions. Most sailings attract couples ages 50 and older, although summer and holiday sailings have plenty of families on board.

Related: Best time to cruise Hawaii

UnCruise Adventures' 7-night Hawaiian Seascapes

Cruisers seeking a less traditional, more carefree Hawaii experience can have it from November to April aboard UnCruise Adventures ' 36-passenger Safari Explorer. The seven-night Hawaiian Seascapes itinerary, which begins either on Molokai or the island of Hawaii, is an unconventional one designed for those who enjoy going off the beaten path in an intimate and more authentic setting. U.S. passports aren't required to sail.

UnCruise visits four islands — Maui and Lanai plus Molokai and Hawaii — and focuses on not only their striking landscapes and underwater beauty but also the cultural traditions, cuisine and music of the Hawaiian people. On Molokai, where there's not a single traffic light and the lifestyle is slow-paced, passengers get a chance to "talk story" with locals and enjoy a pa'ina (feast) and evening jam session. Lanai activities range from snorkel, paddleboard and kayak excursions to off-road adventures exploring the privately owned island's dramatic sea cliffs, red rock formations and vast fields once filled with Dole pineapples.

Most UnCruise sailings are during Maui's humpback whale season, so sightings while cruising off the coast of Maui are possible. You might also catch glimpses of dolphins and sea turtles. A "Captain's Choice" day is a wild card determined by the weather, marine life in the area and other factors, while the final two days are spent exploring the Big Island of Hawaii — including a hike up Hualalai volcano and a skiff ride along the rugged coast.

Constructed in 1998, Safari Explorer was designed with adventure itineraries in mind (in summer the U.S.-flagged ship repositions to Alaska). Its size allows it to navigate areas larger ships can't reach, which in Hawaii means bays and coves ideal for snorkeling or watersports.

With such a small number of passengers aboard, guests get to know each other — and Safari Explorer's friendly and knowledgeable crew — quite well. Passengers come together over meals featuring locally sourced ingredients, and as all UnCruise fares include unlimited wines, spirits and microbrews, shipmates can raise a glass without worrying who's buying a round. It all lends itself to an exclusive yet utterly relaxed week of cruising.

Who should go: The ship's laid-back onboard vibe paired with its land- and water-based activities make the Hawaiian Seascapes itinerary ideal for active travelers seeking a nature-focused itinerary — although cruise fares (which start around $5,900 per person) are among the priciest for a Hawaii cruise.

Related: Why it's easier to meet new people on a smaller cruise ship

Holland America's 17-night Circle Hawaii

Travelers who have more than two weeks to spare and who prefer to arrive in Hawaii via ship rather than an airplane can do so on Holland America 's 17-night Circle Hawaii itinerary. They'd better also love sea days because crossing the Pacific from San Diego or Vancouver to Honolulu and back requires 10 days.

That means passengers enjoy five or six days in Hawaii on Kauai, Oahu, Maui and the island of Hawaii. Some itineraries stay in select ports overnight. Cruises departing from San Diego also call on Ensenada, Mexico. With either departure port, passports will be required.

The itinerary is offered in 2024 and 2025 on the 2,650-passenger Koningsdam and 1,432-passenger Zaandam.

Travelers with more time on their hands can also visit Hawaii as part of longer Pacific island cruises with Holland America. Koningsdam will sail a 35-night Hawaii, Tahiti & Marquesas itinerary in 2025 that combines visits to four Hawaiian islands with calls on five islands in French Polynesia and Fanning Island, Kiribati (and 20 sea days).

Related: Holland America unveils epic cruise to Hawaii and Alaska for 2025

Zaandam will also sail 51- to 56-night Tales of the South Pacific itineraries that visit multiple islands in Hawaii and French Polynesia along with ports in the Cook Islands, American Samoa and Fiji.

Holland America is popular with cruisers ages 60 and older, many of them retired, who have time to enjoy longer itineraries on ships that offer good value with a focus on culinary and musical enjoyment. Two of Koningsdam's most popular venues are its live entertainment area with three venues — B.B. King's Blues Club (for Memphis-style rhythm and blues), Billboard Onboard (for chart-topping hits played by a live pianist) and Rolling Stone Rock Room (for a live band playing classic rock), and World Stage, a theater with a 270-degree screen used for both special BBC Earth in Concert and theatrical productions.

Onboard specialty dining options (at an added cost) include Pinnacle Grill for steaks and seafood, Tamarind for Pan-Asian cuisine and Rudi's Sel de Mer for French Brasserie specialties and seafood.

Who should go: Mature travelers who prefer not to fly and who enjoy a more traditional cruise experience. They should also love sea days as much (or even more so) than port exploration.

Related: 16 mistakes cruisers make on cruise ship sea days

Princess Cruises' 15- or 16-night Hawaiian Islands

Princess Cruises is also a good option for longer sailings. The cruise line offers numerous round-trip itineraries to Hawaii from Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego in the fall and winter.

The majority of sailings are aboard the 3,080-passenger Crown Princess and Ruby Princess from San Francisco, and the 2,600-passenger Grand Princess and 3,080-passenger Emerald Princess from Los Angeles.

Ships are in port for nine to 11 hours in Hawaii (Hilo), Kauai and Maui and for 16 hours in Oahu. Itineraries include a stop in Ensenada, Mexico (so passports are required), plus nine or 10 sea days.

The ships feature many of Princess' popular dining venues, including Alfredo's Pizzeria (a sit-down venue serving personal-size pizzas), Crown Grill for steaks and Sabatini's Italian Trattoria. There's plenty of outdoor space for soaking up the sun — including an adults-only sun deck — and a dazzling Piazza for enjoying cocktails, gelato and pop-up street performers.

Fans of Princess' Movies Under the Stars poolside screenings (with free popcorn) and Discovery at SEA enrichment programming will have ample time to enjoy these perks on a Hawaii sailing.

Who should go: These sailings will appeal to couples or groups of friends who prefer to have a wide choice of sailing dates, can take the time to enjoy a leisurely Pacific crossing and appreciate Princess' focus on quality cuisine and a sun deck designed for relaxation rather than thrills.

Related: Best Hawaii cruise shore excursions

Celebrity's 9- to 12-night Hawaii Cruise

Travelers seeking modern interior decor on a ship designed with couples in mind can visit Hawaii aboard Celebrity Cruises ' 2,852-passenger Celebrity Solstice or 2,918-passenger Celebrity Edge on itineraries ranging from nine to 13 nights — but only if the timing is right. That's because the line offers only two sailings per ship each year (in spring and fall) as the ships reposition between Alaska and destinations in the Pacific. The itineraries are one-way (Vancouver to Honolulu or vice versa) with passports required.

These cruises call on three ports on two islands: Honolulu (Oahu) and Hilo and Kona (Hawaii), with one or two overnights in port and 10 hours ashore on one-day visits. All include five days in a row at sea. Since the itineraries either begin or end in Honolulu, there's also a chance for some pre- or post-cruise exploration.

Sea days offer opportunities to enjoy the chic, grown-up ambience and amenities aboard these ships. Each vessel offers multiple complimentary and extra-fee specialty restaurants. Celebrity Solstice features Tuscan Grille for Italian specialties and steak and Murano for modern French cuisine, while Celebrity Edge offers the whimsical Le Petit Chef and the international Eden Restaurant.

Celebrity's signature Martini Bar and many other onboard watering holes keep the grown-up vibe going day and night. Choose cruise fares that include alcohol and Wi-Fi, or pay a lower rate and pay for your drinks as you go.

Who should go: The slightly shorter one-way sailings and the ships' contemporary ambience make these itineraries ideal for couples and groups of friends seeking a relaxing escape — especially Gen Xers in their 40s and 50s, who are Celebrity's target market.

Related: 6 national parks you can reach by cruise ship (and 2 are in Hawaii)

Carnival's 14- or 15-night Hawaii from Los Angeles

If fun is your cruise mantra, the "Fun Ship" brand Carnival Cruise Line offers a handful of round-trip sailings to Hawaii from Los Angeles (Long Beach) aboard the 2,984-passenger Carnival Radiance. Like other roundtrips from the West Coast, these itineraries spend just five days in Hawaii, offering eight to 14 hours of shore time in ports on four islands: Maui, Kauai, Oahu and Hawaii. Along with enjoying eight sea days, guests will also call on Ensenada, Mexico, so passports are required.

Carnival Radiance first sailed under that name in 2021, but it's not a new ship. Before an epic makeover, it sailed for the cruise line as Carnival Victory. Ship features include many of Carnival's signature complimentary and extra-fee dining venues, including Guy's Burger Joint and Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse, BlueIguana Cantina, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse and Bonsai Sushi Express.

Additional guest favorite destinations on board include the RedFrog Pub, Alchemy Bar and WaterWorks aquapark. Expect high-voltage theater shows from Playlist Productions at night and poolside interactive contests by day.

Who should go: Socially inclined cruisers who love Carnival's emphasis on onboard fun and can appreciate a colorful ship with a lively ambience and lots of day and evening activities.

Related: Best Hawaii cruise tips for getting the most from your island-hopping trip

Royal Caribbean's 9- to 13-night Hawaii Cruises

A megaship cruise experience to Hawaii is available, too — with pricing that's quite affordable. Royal Caribbean cruises there on two vessels in one of its newer classes of ships: the 4,180-passenger Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas.

All are one-way cruises just before or after the Alaska cruise season (so late April or early October) between Oahu and Vancouver (or vice versa). The ships call on two Hawaiian islands and spend four or five days in a row at sea. Passports are required since these itineraries begin or end in Vancouver.

Ovation of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas feature a mix of thrills for all ages. These include RipCord by iFly simulated sky diving, FlowRider simulated surfing, bumper car racing in the SeaPlex indoor activity complex and the North Star sightseeing capsule, which ascends 300 feet above the top deck for 360-degree views.

Both ships also offer 14 dining venues, including the innovative Wonderland, Jamie's Italian by Jamie Oliver and kid-favorite Dog House, as well as bar options that include Schooner Bar for by-request piano tunes, Boleros for mojitos and merengue and Bionic Bar for drinks poured by robotic bartenders. Entertainment includes live cover bands in the Music Hall and multimedia music and dance performances in Two70.

Who should go: Cruisers who love a big ship with a wide array of dining choices, all kinds of evening entertainment and plenty of exciting activities to pass the time on sea days. Quantum-class ships are great for families, but the sail dates might not work for those with school-age kids.

Related: Do you need a passport for a cruise?

Viking's 16-night Hawaiian Islands Sojourn

For a guaranteed adults-only sailing in a relaxed, boutique-style setting, upscale cruise line Viking also offers round-trip Hawaii cruises from Los Angeles in late 2024 and early 2025 on its 930-passenger Viking Neptune.

What sets Viking apart from most of the other lines offering Hawaii cruises is that it includes a free shore excursion in every port. These include a highlights tour of Honolulu and Pearl Harbor on Oahu and a visit to a scenic waterfall and the Kilohana sugar plantation on Kauai. Additional excursions can be booked at an extra charge.

The 16-night Hawaiian Islands Sojourn sailings visit four islands — Hawaii (Hilo), Oahu, Kauai and Maui — and like other round-trip sailings from the West Coast include 10 sea days and a call on Ensenada, Mexico, so passports are required.

Viking Neptune will also do 32-night Grand Hawaii and Polynesia sailings round-trip from Los Angeles in late 2024 and early 2025 that visit four islands in Hawaii and four in French Polynesia.

The ship, which debuted in 2022, features sleek Scandinavian-inspired decor, a soothing spa with a complimentary thermal area, an aft infinity pool and hot tub, a panoramic Explorer's Lounge and five onboard restaurants. Specialty restaurant Manfredi's serves an extensive menu of Italian specialties, while The Chef's Table offers rotating five-course themed menus, including Asian, French and California-inspired.

In addition to the free shore excursions, pricing includes complimentary wine or beer with lunch and dinner, specialty dining at no extra charge, crew gratuities and transfers.

Who should go: Couples who prefer the quieter ambience of a ship that doesn't allow anyone under 18 onboard, doesn't have a casino and offers presentations by regional experts that enhance immersion into local culture. Viking cruisers are generally over age 55.

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
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.