Cruise lines hold the ship for their own tours. Royal Caribbean says it won’t do the same for guests exploring on their own. So people book the coach tour, not because they want it, but because nobody tells them when to start back.
“Two hours before” is too much in Split and nowhere near enough for Florence. Here’s how early you need to leave, before all-aboard:
PortTrip is built by Elke, in Maastricht. I started it after watching cruise passengers pay for a coach tour to a city they could have reached on a €3 bus — and after seeing how stressful the return to the ship is when you're doing it alone. PortTrip plans the day around your all-aboard time so you can go on your own with a clear plan. If something in a guide is wrong, email hello@porttrip.com and I'll fix it.
Elke
Every port day has different rules. Pro plans each one around your ship’s times, so every morning you know where you’re going and when to turn round. Add your ship and the ports fill in for you.
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Something else? Email hello@porttrip.com. Elke answers.
In many ports you can reach the town yourself by bus, train or on foot. PortTrip gives you the route, the cost and the time to start back, so you can compare it with the excursion price on your own ship and decide.
Your plan is built around your all-aboard time, with a must-leave time and a return buffer. Tender ports get extra time. Always verify final instructions onboard.
Many major ports — Barcelona, Dubrovnik, Athens, Naples, Lisbon — have public transport from the cruise terminal, and every plan includes a backup option. Check conditions on the day and your ship’s instructions.
Pro plans every port on every cruise you take for a year, with a leave-by time on every stop and a Plan B if you are running late. Ultimate adds help on the day itself: a live leave-by countdown with alerts, hour-by-hour crowd levels in port, and an email if your ship changes its times or ports.
Email us within 30 days for a full refund. No questions.
149 cruise ports, each checked against official sources: how to get to town, what it costs, and when to head back.
How all 149 ports rankPort fees, taxes and visitor caps 2026–27
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