Are cruise excursions worth it?

For many Mediterranean ports, going independently is a flexible alternative. PortTrip builds a day plan with transport estimates, stops, timing and costs so you can compare it with the excursion price on your own ship.

How do I plan my return to the ship?

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.

Is it safe to explore a port on my own?

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.

What does Cruise Pass cover?

One cruise: a full day plan for up to 10 ports, access until 30 days after your last port day. One payment, no subscription, nothing renews.

What if it’s not for me?

Email us within 30 days for a full refund. No questions.

Don't overpay for your port day.

Enter your port and all-aboard time. Get a free day plan with transport, timings and costs — built around when you need to be back.

Port

All-aboard time

Travellers

Build my free plan

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New: plan your whole cruise from your ship's nameEvery port, timed around the other ships in port with you, plus what you save by skipping the ship's excursions.Try it →New: CrewFind people on your ship to share private tours and taxis, always back before all-aboard.Find my ship →

Cruise excursion vs local costs

How much does your cruise really cost?

Port

Travellers

Port days

Ship excursions

€1,184

€148/person per port × 2 people × 4 ports

429% more than local costs

Local costs

€224

€28/person per port

✓ Bus 150

✓ Colosseum (€18)

✓ Lunch (€12)

You save

€960

€120/person in Rome alone

Rome example · prices from our 2026 port pricing report · estimates, check on the day

Build my free Rome plan

How it works

Enter your port and all-aboard time

Pick your port from the list and set the time your ship leaves.

Get a day plan

Transport, stops, costs and your must-leave time — timed backwards from the ship.

Go on your own

Follow the plan and check ship instructions on the day.

Unlock every port on your cruise

Most cruisers pick this

Pro

$129/yr (≈$10.75/mo)

billed yearly · cancel anytime

Full timed plan for every port, on every cruise you take
Leave-by time on every stop and a running-late Plan B
Cruise Radar: whole-cruise plans from your ship name
AI day optimiser, audio briefings, PDF and offline access

Ultimate

Never miss the ship

€203.88/yr (≈$19.92/mo)

billed yearly · cancel anytime

Everything in Pro
Crowd Clock: passengers ashore hour by hour, and your calmest 90 minutes in every port
Port Day Live: a leave-by countdown from where you are, with alerts at 30, 15 and 0 minutes
Schedule Watch: an email the moment your ship's times or port days change
Return-now mode, all-ports cruise hub, savings tracker, calendar export

30-day full refund, no questions asked · Secure checkout via Stripe

Popular ports

All 26+ ports

Rome

Civitavecchia to Rome

Port guide →

Barcelona

City and architecture

Port guide →

Santorini

Tender port

Port guide →

Naples

Pompeii access

Port guide →

Dubrovnik

Old Town gem

Port guide →

Athens

Metro to Acropolis

Port guide →

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.

Frequently asked questions

80 cruise port guides, checked against official sources

Each guide gives the leave-by time for every part of the port, how to get to town, what it costs and where people go wrong. Every fact links to its source.

Western Mediterranean

Sicily and Malta

Adriatic

Greece and Türkiye

Atlantic Europe and Islands

Northern Europe

Caribbean

Mexican Riviera

Canada, New England and Bermuda

North Africa

Tunis

See how all 80 ports rank in the Cruise Port Index

Plan your port day

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