Ditch the Tours & DIY Your Perfect Port Day
Explore at your own pace and get more from your cruise vacation! My detailed practical guides help you confidently explore the best of each cruise port independently.
Let Me Be Your Guide to DIY Cruise Excursions!
- Group Tours or DIY Cruise Excursions? I’ll Help You Decide: Get honest reviews to make the most of your limited time ashore
- Your Port Adventures, Your Way: Step-by-step plans help you break free from generic excursions and craft your own experiences
- Navigating Ports? No Problem: I’ll share my insider tips for smooth & stress-free public transport in each location
Latest Blog Posts
Mediterranean & Canary Islands Cruise Port Guides
Rome Civitavecchia Cruise Port Guide: Docks, Shuttles & DIY Logistics
[I’m in the process of updating this post as of 20 May 2026 – please bear with me! Bookmark this page and come up in a day or so.] Let’s shatter the single biggest illusion about cruising to Italy’s capital…
Corfu Cruise Port Guide: Sun, Sand & Old Town DIY Adventure
Step off at Corfu Cruise Port and into the sun-kissed embrace of Corfu Island (or Kerkyra in Greek). In this guide, I’ll show you how to plan your own DIY shore excursion at Corfu Cruise Port, so you can enjoy…
Mykonos Greece Cruise Port DIY Guide: Windmills, Little Venice & Beaches on Your Own
Calling all cruisers docking at Mykonos! Don’t miss out on exploring this dazzling Greek island on your own. In this Mykonos cruise port guide, I’ll help you find your way from your ship to the iconic Windmills of Mykonos, steer…
Catania Cruise Port: Baroque Heart of Sicily
Many cruisers, on arrival at Catania Cruise Port, rush off on a tour to Mount Etna, Taormina or Syracuse but there’s actually a lot to see in Catania itself! After all, a significant portion of Catania’s historical centre has UNESCO…
Messina Cruise Port: Sicilian Flavours & Storied Streets
Messina Cruise Port may not be far from Italy’s mainland but it’s definitely Sicilian in every way! A DIY shore excursion couldn’t be easier, as Messina Cruise Port is a stone’s throw from the city centre. So in this guide,…
Northern Europe Cruise Port Guides
Olden Cruise Port: DIY Guide to Loen Skylift, Briksdal Glacier & Troll Cars
[I’m in the process of updating this post, as of 21 May 2026, so please bear with me! Bookmark this page and come back with a day or two, with updates!] Docked in Olden Cruise Port and ready to explore…
Andalsnes Norway: Golden Train & Romsdalen Cable Car
Nestled deep within the dramatic Romsdalen valley, Åndalsnes, Norway, is a port that promises adventure and awe-inspiring scenery the moment you step ashore! If your cruise itinerary includes the Andalsnes cruise port, you’re in for a treat. Often dubbed the ‘Alpine Town…
Haugesund Norway Cruise Port Guide: Coastal Walks, City Centre & Viking Village
Don’t dismiss Haugesund Cruise Port as a “filler” port in your Norwegian fjords cruise itinerary! When I was planning my Norwegian fjords cruise (on P&O Iona), Haugesund initially struck me as an industrial town with little to offer compared to…
The Rising Tide: Your Guide to Haugesund’s Famous Horse Sculptures
While many visitors to Haugesund flock to its colourful harbour houses and Viking monuments, a truly unique and hauntingly beautiful sight awaits just north of the city—one that many cruise passengers miss. Imagine four ghostly pale horses and their riders…
Cherbourg France Cruise Port Guide: Titanic & WWII History
Nestled on the tip of the Cotentin Peninsula, Cherbourg France, is a historic port city with a wealth of maritime history, authentic Norman culture and dramatic coastal landscapes. Cherbourg Cruise Port is also the world’s largest artificial harbour! Its official…
Caribbean Cruise Port Guides
Bridgetown Barbados Cruise Port: Beaches, History & Rum
Bridgetown Barbados Cruise Port is more than just pristine beaches! So in this guide, I’d like to share with you how to explore the UNESCO listed Bridgetown historic centre on your own with a DIY walking tour and the other…
Basseterre St Kitts: Beaches, Fortress & Scenic Railway
Officially, your ship is docking at Port Zante in the capital of Basseterre St Kitts and Nevis. Most cruise itineraries just say Basseterre St Kitts, so that’s what I’ll use in this post. The two islands, St Kitts and Nevis,…
Fort de France Martinique:Fort, French Charm & Creole Flavor
Fort de France Martinique, as its name suggests, was founded as a French fort in 1638 and it remains part of France (and the EU) today! Martinique has grown to become a really popular port of call amongst UK &…
Philipsburg St Maarten Guide: Plane Spotting & Beach Bliss
Philipsburg St Maarten Cruise Port is on the Dutch side of the island of Sint Maarten (Dutch spelling!). Christopher Columbus sighted the island in 1493 and named it after Saint Martin of Tours (patron saint of the poor). The Treaty…
Falmouth Jamaica: Dunn’s River Falls & Bamboo Rafting
Falmouth Jamaica was founded in 1769 by Thomas Reid, a planter who envisioned a meticulously planned town (hence the mostly grid layout you still see today). Falmouth’s wealth quickly grew with the sugar trade in the 18th century but its…
