Arranging your own excursions is certainly cheaper than taking the ones sponsored by the cruise line. However, if the port is located far enough away from the nearest city, you might be better off to take the cruise’s official excursions rather than risk missing your boat. Budget travelers might instead choose to walk around the port city for free, or head to the nearest available beach rather than go on prepackaged excursions. Some people might even opt to stay on the boat during their stay in port in order to have all the ship’s attractions to themselves.