Booking a shore tour yourself can cost less than the cruise line’s own excursion, but not every time. We compared 9 independent tours on Viator with Norwegian Cruise Line’s own excursions at the same ports: same main sight, similar length, adult prices in pounds.
On four like-for-like tours we checked on 1 Nov 2026, booking independently was £15 to £151 cheaper per adult than Norwegian Cruise Line’s own excursion. It isn’t always cheaper, so compare before you book.
Prices checked 1 Nov 2026, 3:25 to 4:08pm UK time. Prices change, so check both on the day you book.
Ships don’t wait for independent tours
If an independent tour runs late, the ship can sail without you, and getting to the next port is at your own cost. So:
Choose a tour with a back-to-ship guarantee. Only 4 of the 9 tours below list one; each section says what its listing promises.
Plan to finish at least 2 hours before all-aboard time, not the ship’s departure time.
Check the meeting point, and keep the all-aboard time and the ship’s port agent number with you.
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Reykjavik: the Golden Circle
Like-for-like match
Small Group: Golden Circle Tour from Reykjavik Cruise Terminals
On Viator · 6 hr 30 min · rated 4.5/5 from 155 reviews · free cancellation listed
Viator tour, per adult
£119.80
Norwegian Cruise Line: The Golden Circle (8 hours)
£271.38
Saving on this check
£151.58 (55.9%)
What’s different
Same three sights: Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss.
Viator tour: 6.5 hours, small group (up to 19), leaves from the cruise terminals.
Cruise line tour: 8 hours by coach and includes a two-course lunch.
Meals not included on the Viator tour, while the cruise line tour includes lunch. The saving is still large after allowing for lunch.
Back to the ship: Guarantees a timely return. The Viator page says: “This tour guarantees a timely return to your vessel”.
Cruise line price from Norwegian Cruise Line’s UK website, excursion REY_01 (source). Prices checked 1 Nov 2026: Viator 3:25 to 3:35pm, cruise line 3:28 to 3:29pm UK time. Not always cheaper: compare first.
Civitavecchia: a day in Rome
Like-for-like match
Best 7 Hour Rome Shore Excursion from Civitavecchia Cruise Port
On Viator · 6 to 7 hours · rated 4.5/5 from 36 reviews · free cancellation listed
Viator tour, per adult
£74.77
Norwegian Cruise Line: Rome & Leisure (8.5 hours)
£135.69
Saving on this check
£60.92 (44.9%)
What’s different
Viator tour: certified English-speaking guide, with stops at St Peter’s Square, the Colosseum (outside), the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona.
Cruise line tour compared: its cheapest Rome option, a coach and orientation drive with about 3 hours’ free time and no guide, and no lunch. So the Viator tour offers more here, not less.
The cruise line’s guided Rome - Highlights tour (CIV_61, 8.5 hours, adds a St Peter’s Basilica visit) was £211.07. We compared with the cheaper trip.
Meals not included: neither tour includes a meal.
Back to the ship: Guarantees a timely return: “Timely return guarantee” is listed on Viator (the operator’s own promise).
Cruise line price from Norwegian Cruise Line’s UK website, excursion CIV_54 (source). Prices checked 1 Nov 2026: Viator 3:25 to 3:35pm, cruise line 3:28 to 3:29pm UK time. Not always cheaper: compare first.
Naples: Pompeii
Like-for-like match
From Naples: Pompeii Shore Excursion for Cruisers with Guide
On Viator · 5 hours · rated 4.5/5 from 186 reviews · free cancellation listed
Cruise line price from Norwegian Cruise Line’s UK website, excursion NAP_56 (source). Prices checked 1 Nov 2026: Viator 3:25 to 3:35pm, cruise line 3:28 to 3:29pm UK time. Not always cheaper: compare first.
Funchal: Cabo Girão and Câmara de Lobos
Like-for-like match
Half-Day Small-Group Madeira Village Safari from Funchal
On Viator · 3 hours · rated 4.8/5 from 334 reviews · free cancellation listed
Viator tour, per adult
£37.39
Norwegian Cruise Line: Scenic Madeira (3 hours)
£52.76
Saving on this check
£15.37 (29.1%)
What’s different
Same main sights: the Cabo Girão sea cliff and the fishing village of Câmara de Lobos. Both are 3 hours.
Viator tour: small group (up to 8) in an off-road jeep, adds the Boca dos Namorados viewpoint.
Cruise line tour: adds a Madeira wine tasting.
Back to the ship: No return-to-ship guarantee: leave a big time buffer. The Viator page says there’s no refund if the ship is late.
Cruise line price from Norwegian Cruise Line’s UK website, excursion FNC_56 (source). Prices checked 1 Nov 2026: Viator 3:25 to 3:35pm, cruise line 3:28 to 3:29pm UK time. Not always cheaper: compare first.
Barcelona: Sagrada Família and the city
Partial match: some differences
Best of Barcelona Shore Excursion & Sagrada Familia Skip the Line
On Viator · 6 hours · rated 4.4/5 from 156 reviews · free cancellation listed
Viator tour, per adult
£58.63
+ €26 entry ticket paid on the day = £80.31 all-in
Norwegian Cruise Line: Best Of Barcelona (7.5 hours)
£134.94
Saving on this check
£54.63 (40.5%)
What’s different
Viator tour: guided Gothic Quarter, Montjuïc and Sagrada Família (inside). The Sagrada Família ticket (€26, £21.68) is paid on the day, so we compared the all-in price.
Port pickup only: there is no drop-off back at the ship (the guide helps you find a taxi), so allow for a taxi fare back.
Cruise line tour: 7.5 hours, adds Poble Espanyol and a Montjuïc drive, with a coach both ways.
Back to the ship: No return-to-ship guarantee: leave a big time buffer.
Cruise line price from Norwegian Cruise Line’s UK website, excursion BCN_10 (source). Prices checked 1 Nov 2026: Viator 4:03 to 4:08pm, cruise line 4:05 to 4:06pm UK time. Not always cheaper: compare first.
Dubrovnik: the Old Town
Partial match: some differences
Best Dubrovnik Tour for Cruise Passengers
On Viator · 5 hours · rated 4.6/5 from 72 reviews · free cancellation listed
Viator tour, per adult
£55.23
Norwegian Cruise Line: Walking Tour & Cable Car (4 hours)
£82.92
Saving on this check
£27.69 (33.4%)
What’s different
Same guided Old Town walk and free time.
Viator tour: adds port pickup and drop-off. Food and drink not included on either.
Cruise line tour: adds the cable car up Srđ Hill, which the Viator tour doesn’t include.
Back to the ship: Guarantees a timely return: “Timely return to the port guarantee” is listed on Viator (the operator’s own promise).
Cruise line price from Norwegian Cruise Line’s UK website, excursion DBV_10 (source). Prices checked 1 Nov 2026: Viator 4:03 to 4:08pm, cruise line 4:05 to 4:06pm UK time. Not always cheaper: compare first.
Bergen: a fjord cruise
Independent option: not like-for-like
Bergen Mostraumen Fjord Cruise with Live Guide
On Viator · 3 hr 30 min · rated 4.8/5 from 391 reviews · free cancellation listed
Viator tour, per adult
£69.86
Not compared on price
This tour differs from the ship’s tours, so we show no comparison or saving: see what’s different below.
What’s different
An independent option, not a like-for-like match, so we don’t compare it on price.
Different fjord: this boat goes to Mostraumen. The ship’s closest fjord trip goes through the archipelago and Lysefjord instead; the cruise line doesn’t sell a Mostraumen trip.
The ship’s trip includes more: it adds a coach drive back and a walking tour of Bryggen.
Back to the ship: No return-to-ship guarantee: leave a big time buffer.
Cruise line price from Norwegian Cruise Line’s UK website, excursion LIS_24 (source). Prices checked 1 Nov 2026: Viator 4:03 to 4:08pm, cruise line 4:05 to 4:06pm UK time. Not always cheaper: compare first.
Málaga: Granada and the Alhambra
The ship’s tour was cheaper
Best of Alhambra & Granada - for Cruisers only - from Malaga port
On Viator · 7 to 9 hours · rated 4.8/5 from 123 reviews · free cancellation listed
Viator tour, per adult
£101.11
+ €23 entry ticket paid on the day = £120.29 all-in
Norwegian Cruise Line: Granada's Soul Of Andalucía (9 hours)
£97.25
Ship’s tour cheaper by
£23.04
No saving here: compare what each includes.
What’s different
Viator tour: guided Alhambra, Nasrid Palaces and Generalife. The Alhambra ticket (€23) is paid extra, so we compared the all-in price.
Cruise line tour: 9 hours, Carlos V Palace in the Alhambra complex, the Albaicín and the Royal Chapel, but not the Nasrid Palaces. It costs less and does less.
Food not included on the Viator tour.
Back to the ship: Viator’s Worry-Free Shore Excursion Guarantee is listed for this tour.
Cruise line price from Norwegian Cruise Line’s UK website, excursion AGP_10 (source). Prices checked 1 Nov 2026: Viator 4:03 to 4:08pm, cruise line 4:05 to 4:06pm UK time. Not always cheaper: compare first.
How we compared
Prices were checked on 1 Nov 2026, 3:25 to 4:08pm UK time (each port shows its own check times): adult “from” prices in pounds, per person.
For each port we took one Viator tour and the closest Norwegian Cruise Line excursion on its UK website: same main sight, similar length. Norwegian Cruise Line was the cruise line we found that shows excursion prices in pounds publicly, without a booking.
Where a Viator tour charges an entry ticket on the day, we added it before comparing (euros converted at the European Central Bank reference rate of 30 Oct 2026).
Saving = the cruise line’s price minus the Viator price, as a share of the cruise line’s price. These are single checks on one day with one cruise line, not a rule for every port or every line.
We left out tours that weren’t a fair match (a post-cruise transfer, a private tour priced by party size, and one with very few reviews).
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Ahoy Fares is an independent cruise deals guide covering the whole UK market. Independent means we're not a travel agent, and no cruise line or agent owns us. Some links may be affiliate links: if you book through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Commission doesn't decide which deals we show; our own rules do (the whole market, cheapest cabin first). Prices are per person in GBP based on two sharing.