For many cruise passengers, the ports of call on a ship's itinerary will be one of the primary reasons for choosing one cruise over another. In virtually every port you will sail to, there will be the opportunity to take a port excursion (at extra cost--they are rarely included in the cruise price). Taking the excursions offered by the cruise line will often give you the opportunity to get an "overview" of the port. They can vary in length from a couple of hours to 8 or more hours, and in cost from $20 or so to well over $100.

You will usually be given an opportunity to get more information about the port excursions early in the cruise so that you can make decisions (and book) the various tours that will be offered. Some will fill up quickly, so it helps to have a good idea what you are looking for in a particular port. If you have specific things you want to see you may want to do a self-guided tour, but be sure to take common sense safety into consideration.