Top 10 Most Popular Shore Excursions of 2025
In this list I will bring you what was the top 10 most popular shore excursions that were of interest to users of the CruiseHols website.
With the new year’s celebrations now in the past, thoughts for many turn to what is to come this year and that includes their next cruise adventure.
A big part of planning is to research what there is to do in the ports they visit and deciding on any excursions that need to be done.
In this list, I use the number of bookings and the overall number of people to look at excursions in ports across the globe to bring you what proved to be the most popular for CruiseHollers in 2025.
Even if you are not due to go to any of the ports featured in this list, it should hopefully still give you a great insight into what is a great way to spend time ashore, no matter where you are as so many of these excursions are similar to what you can do in multiple places across the globe.
Most Popular Shore Excursions of 2025
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is one of the leading cruise ports in the world and the Sagrada Familia is one of the leading tourist attractions in Europe, so it is no surprise that this tour is the most popular with the users of this site.
You can avoid the big bus experience via your ship and avoid the queues at the top attractions in the city as you head from the cruise port to the beautiful, and famously unfinish Sagrada Familia cathedral.
You also visit other works of Guidi including the Casa Bailo and La Pedrera and all with a your own tour guide.
Amsterdam/Ijmuiden, The Netherlands
If you are heading to Amsterdam or Ijmuiden but transferring to the capital of The Netherlands, you are set for a great time.
I personally love Amsterdam, but it is one of those places where you can only see such a small amount of time during the small period you get on shore that an organised tour is often the best way to maximise your time there.
The country is famed for its food and that is what this tour explores as you are taking on a walking tour of the cities best cheese shops, bars, cafes and eateries that often get overlooked by tourists.
Along the way, you will still see many of the highlights of the city including the Spui, Nine Streets and Jordaan neighbourhoods.
Isafjordur, Iceland
Iceland is simply an incredible place to visit, where every port offers something different and where you will likely get to experience something you have never experienced before.
Isafjordur is a port where you can do just that and this excursion is something that allows you to do it as you explore the Westfjords region which is topped off by a visit to the beautiful Dynjandi Waterfall, where you can climb right up to the foot of the biggest fall there whilst taking in incredible views of a fjord in what is one of the most stunningly beautiful places I have personally visited.
Stavanger, Norway
If you are visiting Stavanger, you are likely to be on a cruise of the Norwegian Fjords but despite sitting in the entrance to a beautiful fjord, visitors to Stavanger often don’t get to see it.
That is because you pull straight into the city from the sea and never actual head into the fjord proper when visiting the port but that doesn’t mean that you need to miss out as this excursion take you to explore the 26-mile-long Lysefjord where you will see some of the best scenery in the country.
From right next to where you dock, you put on a marine suit (a padded, dry suit to keep you warm and dry), board a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) that allows you to travel quickly to the mountains and waterfalls of the fjord whilst still allowing you to get close up to the best sights.
Southampton/Dover/Tilbury, England
London is an incredible city, where the ultra-modern sits next to an ancient monument and where every street has a history to tell.
It also has a great integrated metro system that does make exploring on your own straightforward but if you are only there for a day, it can be overwhelming to get around everything you want to see.
No matter if you are stopping off in the city before heading to one of its airports or you are calling into Tilbury and want to make the most of your time there, one of the best ways to do just that is to jump on a Hop On Hop Off bus.
London has one of the widest ranges of companies all offering that service and with little differences between them, it can be picky to choose which to go for but for the users of CruiseHols.co.uk, it was the Big Bus offering that won out.
Le Verdon, France
This is another one that takes you from Le Verdon to Bordeaux and let’s be honest that is where the majority of the ship will head for or wishes they were once they dock there, but this one strips it back and just offers you a shuttle service between the two.
That makes it a great option for those who love to explore on their own and just want to be taken from a to b as cheaply and professionally as possible.
Le Verdon, France
If you have a long stay in Le Verdon and really want to make the most of your time in the Bordeaux region, this is the excursion for you.
You head from the port to the city the region get its name from and once you arrive, you start with a guided walking tour of the old city, before getting the chance to try some local food and drink that the city is famed for.
Le Verdon, France
I have made no secrets of my disdain for Le Verdon as a cruise port; in fact, it is the worst that I have visited but that is not to say that you cannot have a great time when visiting there.
You will need to do an excursion to achieve that and again the lines know that all to well and will charge a pretty penny to do anything, but there are a few local companies giving you much more for much less.
In this excursion, you get taken to Bordeaux, around an hour or so away and after a guided tour of the cities highlights, you then get lots of free time to explore on your own.
Zeebrugge, Belgium
If you are docking at Zeebrugge, the chances are that you will want to visit the nearby city of Bruges- one of Europe’s greatest medieval cities but getting between the port and the city can be tricky, despite only been around 20 minutes apart.
The lines know that all to well and will charge way to much for there own shuttle but when you book with a local company, you can get a better service, more time to explore all that the city has to offer and perhaps best of all, you can get it much cheaper than booking direct with the line.
Barcelona, Spain
Park Guell is one of the highlights of any visit to Barcelona and with this excursion you get to spend more time exploring all that is on offer and less time queuing just to get in and best of all, you have your own guide to tell you all about what you see as you walk around Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece.
