Shore Experiences

Different parts of the world may have different requirements for disembarking the ship, whether you are on your own or on a booked Shore Experience.

During your voyage it is your responsibility to meet all the entry requirements for that country at the time of sailing. Please check the government website of the country you are traveling to and ensure you are aware of the most up-to-date country requirements, as we can’t accept responsibility if you are denied entry to a country because you don’t meet the entry requirements.

You may cancel or amend the majority of reserved experiences at no cost online through My Cunard or by phoning our customer contact center up to 4 days in advance of sailing. There may, however, be shore experiences that are non-refundable or incur a cancelation penalty or have an earlier cancelation deadline; details of this will be contained in the tour description.

Once on board, if you wish to cancel your shore experiences before the cancellation deadline (generally 48 hours prior to the arrival in port) a 10% cancellation fee will be applied to your onboard account and the full amount paid will be refunded to your original credit / debit card.

As the pioneers of world voyages, no one knows the world as well as us. Our Shore Experiences are tried and tested, and hand-crafted to maximize your time ashore.

Peace of mind

If the weather prevents us from docking, or operating shore experiences, the full price of your Cunard Shore Experience will be refunded (provided the excursion didn’t start). Additionally, if your Cunard tour is running late, your ship will not depart without you.

Your shore experiences team

With a dedicated team on board, you can book, or discuss, shore experiences throughout your voyage. Knowledgeable and well-experienced, they can recommend tours, answer questions, and take care of all the details for you.

Local expert guides

All Cunard tour guides possess a wealth of local knowledge. By sharing their expert insights, you will get a more thorough understanding of the destinations you visit, and find your experiences more rewarding and inspiring.

Booking online

Shore experiences will be available to book on My Cunard from approximately one year prior to departure and will be paid for in full at the time of booking. This method of booking gives you the best chance at getting your first choice of experiences before spaces run out.

Booking on board

You may book shore experiences on board, which will be charged to your on board account, to be settled at the end of your voyage.

The price of a Shore Experience depends on several factors, such as the type of experience you take, duration, and whether it includes lunch or refreshments, To see the full range of experiences available on your itinerary, with prices, please log in to My Cunard with your booking reference.

We are currently working on a new shore experience program with a variety of options, to ensure that we have experiences available for all guests to travel ashore and experience the destination as they choose.

Prices are subject to change without notice and may increase before departure. Experiences have limited availability, so it's worth booking early.

Book early to secure your space and enjoy a 10% saving when you book in My Cunard compared to when you book on board*. 

Shore experiences give you the opportunity to see places you have always dreamt of and try things you have never done before. Experiences vary in length so you can opt for a brief introductory tour, a half-day highlight or an in-depth, full-day exploration.

Log in to My Cunard with your booking reference to browse our experiences, using the filters (including duration) to help find the perfect one to fit your plans.

The time the ship will be in port will vary from cruise to cruise, and port to port. Time in port variations include:

• Half day (approximately 5 - 7 hours)
• Full day (approximately 7.5 - 11 hours)
• Evening Some of our longer voyages have evening departures from port. These usually follow a full day in port, and the ship will depart at or after 9pm local time. Examples include Cape Town, Hong Kong and Sydney.

Please note that the timings above are based on the ship's arrival and departure times, not the length of time you have ashore.

If you require any further information that is not available on My Cunard or our FAQ page (Going ashore section) for shore experiences, please call our Customer Service Department at (800) 728-6273.

Before booking any activity shore experience we strongly recommend that you ensure your travel insurance extends to cover the specified activity. It is your responsibility to obtain adequate insurance.

Standards of transport vary considerably throughout the world. Air-conditioned coaches are not available in some countries, whilst in others local buses are the best that can be provided. Please also bear in mind that cars, taxis or mini-buses may also be used at some ports where coaches are not available, or are limited. Guests are asked to take care when boarding and disembarking vehicles particularly bearing in mind that some vehicles have high steps. 

Guests wishing to travel together should all meet for the experience together as this will help the Shore Experience team allocate places in the same vehicle.