So what’s the difference between a cruise tour and a traditional cruise? For starters, on a traditional cruise passengers typically arrive at a port and they take off on their excursions on their own. On a cruise tour, tours of islands, cities and other points of interest are typically guided. Cruise tours can take place entirely onboard a ship or other watercraft, mostly on land or a combination of both. Cruise tours can take place as close as your own backyard, such as an architectural tour or full city tour, and they can also take place as far away as India.
Types of Cruise Tours
There are so many different types of cruise tours available, that no matter what your interest, you will have no trouble finding a cruise tour to match. City tours, wildlife tours, glacier tours, dinner cruises, and historic site tours are just a few of the different types of cruise tours on the market today.
A good example of a typical cruise tour is Princess Cruises’ escorted Alaska cruise-tours. These tours feature the same itineraries as Princess’s most popular traditional tours — the major difference is the addition of a full-time escort to accompany visitors throughout the entire land portion of the journey. In addition, there are around a dozen different land itineraries ranging from three to six days. Other cruise tours, such as Royal Caribbean’s escorted Alaska Tour lasts from 10-13 nights.
There are many popular domestic cruise tours on the market today including: San Francisco Bay cruise tour, San Diego City Tour and Harbor Excursion, Miami City Tour, New Orleans City Tour and New York City Tour, and Washington D.C., Potomac River Tour. Just a few popular overseas cruise tours include China Luxury Cruise Tours, India Cruise Tours, African Safari Cruise Tours, and Russia Cruise Tours.
Cruise Tour Accommodations
If you choose a large cruise line for your cruise tour vacation, accommodations and onboard activities will be much like a traditional cruise. A smaller vessel may not offer elaborate accommodations or a full menu of onboard options, but most will have cozy rooms or an intimate setting as well as meals. Keep in mind that the point of these types of tours is guided exploration.
Booking Cruise Tours
The sheer number of cruise tours makes these types of cruises among the easiest to find and book. A great place to start your search is online. Even if you don’t have a cruise line or tour company in mind, a simple search highlighting your interests will return hundreds, possibly thousands of results. Keep in mind that most major cruise lines offer cruise tours if you’re interested in a large vessel. If you’re looking for a smaller cruise line with, smaller groups most of the smaller cruise lines and cruise tour companies can also be located by a simple search online.
Another option is to contact your local travel agent, preferably one that specializes in cruises. A cruise travel agent can help you find the best cruise line or tour company for you as well the best deals. To find a travel agent in your area check out: www.locateatravelagency.com.