I recently returned from two cruises across Africa, where we split our time between cruise-organized excursions and independent activities like private tours or exploring on foot. After this experience, I’ve decided to stop booking excursions through the cruise line.
The ship-organized tours were consistently overcrowded and felt rushed. In one Moroccan town, instead of properly exploring the historic walls and souks as advertised, the guide hurried us through just to bring us to a shop. In Senegal and Ghana, large groups of over 300 people were packed into historically important slave trade sites, which made the experience feel overwhelming and impersonal.
Logistically, every excursion involved repeatedly loading and unloading groups of 30–40 people onto buses, sometimes multiple times per trip. In Maputo, a walking tour included three visually impaired participants with only one escort and no proper support. Given the poor infrastructure and unsafe walking conditions, the situation slowed the entire group significantly, and several planned highlights were missed.
Meanwhile, some fellow travelers who chose taxis or private tours had much better experiences. They were able to avoid crowds, spend more time at key locations, and enjoy a more personal connection with the destinations.
After returning home, I cancelled several upcoming cruise excursions in cities like Tallinn, Gdansk, Lisbon, Bruges, and Guernsey. Instead, I plan to explore independently using options like car rentals, trains, or simply walking. I’ve kept a few included excursions in Iceland for now, but I may reconsider those closer to the trip.
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