Shore Excursions for Active Travelers

One of the great things about a cruise is that you can spend the entire time doing very little – or, you can pursue some of the things that you’ve always wanted to do. Whether your idea of a perfect getaway is to snooze in a deck chair every afternoon, to wander through the historic streets of an exotic port of call, or to indulge your taste for adventure, a cruise will accommodate you.

For the adventurous, many cruise lines offer shore excursions that are made for active travelers. Active shore excursions take you closer to the natural beauty and attractions of the area you’re visiting – in a way that gets your blood pumping.

Zip line adventures are popular active excursions in the Caribbean, Hawaii and Alaska. Enclosed in a sturdy harness, you’ll ride along high-tension steel cables through a forest canopy or down a scenic mountainside. You definitely need to be comfortable with heights, as zip lines can soar hundreds of feet above the ground, which makes for an exciting ride.

If you like your adventure closer to the ground, try riding a 4x4 all-terrain vehicle that will take you where more conventional rides can’t go – to secluded waterfalls, high-country lakes and little-seen wildlife habitats, for example. Or, try a kayaking adventure that will stretch your muscles as you mingle with the local sea life.

If you’re an adventurous hiker, many ports of call offer opportunities to trek and explore off the beaten path. You could take a challenging hike in the mountains of Chile; across the crevasses of an Alaskan glacier, or among ancient Greek or Mayan ruins. In some locations, a helicopter might give you a boost by transporting you to high altitude for a truly breathtaking hike.

If you’re planning a day or two of adventure on your next cruise, you may want to make an appointment for a spa treatment afterward. A massage or hydrotherapy session can do wonders for tired muscles and provide quiet time to reflect on all you’ve seen. Ask your personal cruise expert about the best way to make reservations for a spa treatment on your cruise.

Finally, if you’d like your entire cruise to be an extended adventure, your personal cruise expert can help with that, too. Adventure cruises on specially equipped ships can take you to see the wonders of Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands, among other unusual destinations.