The Best Shore Excursions In The 10 Most Popular Caribbean Cruise Ports
By Yvan Junior Blanchette, Travel Advisor & Cruise Specialist | ÆRIA Voyages
Cruising the Caribbean means accepting a beautiful truth: every port has its own personality. Its own color, rhythm and kind of magic. When you step off the ship, you usually have two options: wander around and see what happens… or choose an excursion that turns a simple port day into a memory you will talk about for years.
I’ve put together 20 exceptional experiences offered by Venture Ashore and Shore Excursions Group, two of the most trusted and loved independent shore excursion providers among cruisers.
From Mayan ruins to hidden caves, from translucent beaches to marine encounters, every excursion here earned its place for one simple reason: it makes people say “wow”.
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ARUBA (ORANJESTAD)
Shore Excursions Group: The Antilla Shipwreck Sail & Snorkel Trip
The Antilla is one of the largest shipwrecks in the Caribbean that you can explore by snorkeling. You float above a giant steel skeleton that has been resting on the seabed since the 1940s, now covered in colorful corals and teeming with fish. Light filters through the water and turns the whole scene into an underwater cathedral. Sailing out to the site on a sailboat adds an extra layer of gentle adventure to the experience.
Venture Ashore: Aruba Highlights Tour
This panoramic tour captures the essence of Aruba, a surprising mix of desert landscapes, wind-sculpted rock formations, bright beaches and local culture. You cross the island from one side to the other and discover landmarks like the California Lighthouse, the ruins of the Natural Bridge and other iconic sites that make Aruba such a unique gem in the southern Caribbean. It is the perfect excursion for a complete first impression of the island.
BRIDGETOWN (BARBADOS)
Venture Ashore: Rihanna Drive & Beach Escape
A modern cultural wink to Barbados. This tour takes you along Rihanna Drive, the street where the star was born, then continues to one of the island’s beautiful beach hideaways. Between local pride, contemporary history and time to relax on a golden beach, it is an excursion that blends emotion and downtime with a lot of charm.
Shore Excursions Group: Barbados Beach Day & Turtle Swim
Barbados also has a very intimate relationship with the sea. This outing combines a day on a turquoise beach with a magical swim with sea turtles. The encounters are gentle, respectful and often unforgettable. It is one of those moments that reconnects you with the living world in a very simple way.
BELIZE CITY (BELIZE)
Venture Ashore: Belize Cave Tubing Tour
Here, the scenery changes completely. You put on a helmet and headlamp, sit back in your tube and let the river carry you through ancient caves. There is silence, echoes, stalactites and shafts of light. The whole experience feels a bit like drifting through a waking dream. Cave tubing in Belize is one of the most iconic adventures in Central America, halfway between exploration and meditation.
Shore Excursions Group: Altun Ha & Belize City Overview
This is a journey back in time, following in the footsteps of a fascinating civilization. Altun Ha, a carefully restored Mayan site, reveals its temples, plazas and quiet, mysterious atmosphere. The tour then continues with a short overview of Belize City, where colonial architecture meets modern Caribbean life. Culture, history and discovery come together in a very satisfying trio.
BERMUDA (KING’S WHARF)
Venture Ashore: Twilight Glass Bottom Boat
At dusk, the boat glides over crystal clear water. Through the glass bottom you see corals glowing softly, fish hovering as if suspended in blue, and the light changing from minute to minute. The Twilight cruise is a gentle, poetic way to experience Bermuda from another angle.
Shore Excursions Group: Hamilton Shopping & Tobacco Bay Beach Stop
A nicely balanced escape. First, a taste of city life in the pastel streets of Hamilton, then a peaceful break at Tobacco Bay, famous for its unusual rock formations and calm waters. You move from the elegant rhythm of the capital to the quiet of the beach in no time.
COSTA MAYA (MEXICO)
Venture Ashore: Chacchoben Ruins
This excursion focuses entirely on what matters most here: the silent grandeur of Chacchoben. After leaving the port, you drive into the jungle of Quintana Roo until you reach this Mayan site, still wrapped in vegetation, where temples suddenly appear between the trees. Terraced pyramids, stone staircases, ceremonial plazas and traces of ancient paint all tell the story of a brilliant and mysterious civilization.
With no stop at the beach or lagoon, this version of the tour really highlights the historical and archaeological side of Costa Maya. It is ideal for travelers who want to dive deep into the Mayan world without distractions.
Shore Excursions Group: Mayan Family & Seven Color Lagoon
Here you truly connect with living Mayan culture. You visit a local family, learn about their way of life and traditions, then end the day at one of the most beautiful lagoons in Mexico. It is an excursion that feels profoundly human.
COZUMEL (MEXICO)
Venture Ashore: Classic Cozumel Island Tour, Mayan Experience & Beach
Cozumel reveals all its different faces on this tour. You circle the island, get a taste of its Mayan heritage, then unwind on a beach lined with turquoise water. It is a condensed version of what Cozumel does best: history, culture and laid-back beach time, all in one day.
Shore Excursions Group: Atlantis Submarine Adventure
Board a real submarine, descend to about 30 meters below the surface and watch the living reef appear in the deep blue glow. It is rare, spectacular and brings out your inner child in the best possible way. A perfect excursion for those who dream of going “underwater” without actually getting wet.
GEORGE TOWN (GRAND CAYMAN)
Venture Ashore: Around the Island with Visit to Crystal Cave
This tour shows you the natural side of Grand Cayman. You follow scenic coastal roads and cliffs, then head underground into the Crystal Caves, a hidden world where the rock looks frozen in motion. Stalagmites, wide chambers and filtered light make the whole experience immersive and fascinating.
Shore Excursions Group: Stingray City, Barrier Reef & Starfish Beach
This is one of the most famous marine sites in the entire Caribbean. In Stingray City you stand in waist-deep, crystal clear water while stingrays glide around you, gentle and majestic. The trip continues with snorkeling on a vibrant barrier reef, then a stop at Starfish Beach to see bright starfish in shallow water. It is iconic for a reason.
OCHO RIOS (JAMAICA)
Venture Ashore: Dunn’s River Falls
Dunn’s River Falls is a Jamaican icon. These terraced waterfalls are meant to be climbed, hand in hand, in small groups, with plenty of laughter along the way. The activity is refreshing, social and unlike anything else. It is almost impossible to visit Ocho Rios and not experience it.
Shore Excursions Group: Exclusive White River Rafting
Rafting on the White River is pure tranquility. You float downstream on bamboo rafts guided by local captains, surrounded by lush greenery and birdsong. It is a calm, almost meditative excursion, perfect if you want a peaceful break from the buzz of the ship.
SAN JUAN (PUERTO RICO)
Venture Ashore: Sea Trek
Sea Trek lets you walk on the ocean floor while breathing normally. Wearing a special helmet, you follow a path underwater and observe fish, corals and marine sculptures all around you. It feels a little futuristic but remains very accessible. No diving skills needed, just curiosity. It is a magical way to experience the underwater world.
Shore Excursions Group: Historical Walking Tour of Old San Juan
Old San Juan is a living postcard: blue cobblestone streets, massive fortifications, colorful houses and the smell of coffee and spices in the air. A guided walking tour helps you understand its layered history, from the Spanish empire and pirates to battles and modern cultural rebirth. It is a journey through time in just a few hours.
NASSAU (BAHAMAS)
Venture Ashore: Swim with the Pigs & Island Escape
This is probably the most photogenic activity in the Bahamas. You head out to an island where the famous swimming pigs greet you in clear shallow water, then enjoy a relaxed Bahamian-style lunch. The water is transparent, the atmosphere light and the photos practically guaranteed.
Shore Excursions Group: Discover Nassau Town & Atlantis
A complete day that combines heritage, city sightseeing and a visit to the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island. You get a bit of everything, from local history and neighborhoods to the impressive architecture and giant aquariums of Atlantis. It is a great option if you want to “see it all” in one port day.
Conclusion
The real luxury is not your cabin, it is the day you live ashore
A cruise is already wonderful in itself.
But what really stays in your heart are those hours on land when everything shifts a little bit. A wave brushing against your legs, a forgotten temple, a sea turtle passing by, a laugh shared, a waterfall climbed hand in hand.
These excursions, whether cultural, foodie, aquatic or historical, are doors to something bigger than us: connection.
If one of these ports is on your next itinerary, you now have a few ideas to make that day truly count.
If you want help choosing and booking the right excursion for your route, or building a trip where the logistics disappear so you can focus on the experience, I am here to guide you.
The world is waiting for you.
Yvan Junior Blanchette
Travel Advisor & Cruise Specialist | ÆRIA Voyages
📞 +1 (450) 820-9720
✉️ yvanblanchette@aeriavoyages.com
🌐 www.aeriavoyages.com
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