All Things Travel Podcast · Ryan Hedstrom and Julie Shaffer

Top Caribbean Shore Excursions for Your Next Cruise

·22 min·2 clips

Explore Cozumel's underwater world in a U.S. Coast Guard certified submarine diving 100 feet to see vibrant reefs.

This episode focuses on top shore excursions for Caribbean cruise ports, hosted by travel advisors Ryan and Julie. Ryan is a self-described "travel professor," while Julie is a family travel specialist and Disney enthusiast. They draw from their professional experience planning trips for clients to recommend specific activities. The hosts begin with Western Caribbean destinations, starting with the Atlantis Submarine Adventure in Cozumel to explore a major reef. For Nassau, they highlight the Discover Nassau with Atlantis tour combining a walking tour with resort time. In Costa Rica's Caldera port, they describe a jungle zip line and river cruise excursion with a small group size. The Chacchoben Extreme Tour in Costa Maya, Mexico, involves visiting ancient ruins and kayaking on a lagoon. At Jamaican ports, the Dunn's River Falls and River Tubing excursion is presented as a must-do activity. The Grand Cayman recommendation is the Stingray City, Barrier Reef, and Starfish Beach snorkeling trip. For the Eastern Caribbean, the Quick Zip and Waterfalls of Damajagua tour in Amber Cove features zip lines and waterfall swimming. In San Juan, the Old and New Tour covers historical sites and Condado nightlife. The Baths discovery tour in Tortola involves ferry transfers to Virgin Gorda's rock formations. St. Martin's Sites, Shopping and Sand Tour includes lookout points and Orient Bay. A Curacao complete island tour visits a liquor factory and the Queen Juliana Bridge. The Antilla Shipwreck Sail and Snorkel in Aruba explores a wreck via catamaran. The Soufriere Sail in St. Lucia offers catamaran views and botanical gardens. St. Thomas features a half-day snorkel focused on swimming with green sea turtles. Barbados has a Beach Day and Turtle Swim that also explores shipwrecks. Puerto Plata's tour includes a historic drive and beach resort time. A surprising moment is Julie's revelation that she is getting married the weekend this episode releases. Ryan expresses his distaste for the popular "swimming with pigs" excursion in Nassau, noting a local guide also questioned its appeal. The hosts briefly mention a client booking a 14-night transatlantic cruise shortly after their first voyage, illustrating how cruising can quickly captivate travelers. They note that Costa Rica's excursion requires closed-toed shoes, a practical detail advisors frequently remind clients about. The tone is conversational and educational, blending personal anecdotes with straightforward activity descriptions. The style is advisory, with hosts speaking as experienced planners giving friendly recommendations. This episode is ideal for cruise passengers planning their port days or travelers curious about Caribbean activities. Listeners seeking deep cultural analysis or critiques of cruise tourism might find it too promotional.

As heard by us

Practical cruise planning with island-specific ideas that stay grounded in what travelers need.

Top Caribbean shore excursions fit this show well. Ryan and Julie keep the conversation practical, and each stop gets its own shape: reef time, Starfish Beach, and Grand Cayman marine-life outings all feel distinct.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Plan your Caribbean port days with fewer guesses and island-specific excursion ideas.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from All Things Travel Podcast