Travel Past 60

Nikki and I just got home about a week ago from a voyage aboard the Regent Seven Seas Mariner, sailing from Barcelona to Athens through some of the most historic ports in the Mediterranean.

One of the big selling points of an ultra-luxury line like Regent is that practically everything is included—including shore excursions in every single port. When you look at the upfront price tag, you naturally think: “If excursions are included at every stop, that brings the real average daily cost down compared to paying out of pocket on lines where every tour is an add-on.”

On paper, that sounds like a massive win. In practice, the reality of how you experience a destination depends entirely on the style of tour you take. Between this cruise and our past adventures around the world, we have tested just about every way to see a port.

At 72, I’ve learned that mobility, pacing, flexibility, and personal space matter far more than just ticking off sights. If you are planning an upcoming cruise—especially if you are traveling past 60—here is an honest, boots-on-the-ground comparison of the five main ways to explore shore excursions, including the pros and cons of each.

1. Ship-Sponsored Big Bus Tours

This is the standard cruise excursion format. You gather in the ship’s theater or lounge, receive a numbered sticker for your lapel, and file onto a full-sized 45-to-55-passenger motorcoach. Often, four or five buses head to the exact same spot at the same time.

What It Was Really Like

On our recent Regent sailing, most of the included tours used these large buses. While the coaches were modern and comfortable, the logistics quickly piled up:

• The “Seating Lottery” and Health Concerns: You have zero control over who sits directly around you. On a bus with 40-plus people, if someone is coughing, sneezing, or sick, you are breathing that air for hours.
• The Boarding & Disembarking Churn: Moving 40 people off a bus, through a turnstile, into a site, and back onto the bus takes 15 to 20 minutes every single time you stop. Multiply that by three stops, and an hour of your day vanishes just stepping on and off the coach.
• The “Whisper Radio” Distance: Because the group is so spread out, you have to wear those little single-ear radio receivers with the plastic earpieces. If you fall behind to look closely at an artifact or take a photo, you lose the guide or get static.
• Mobility Mismatches: On ships catering to older demographics, you will always have varied mobility levels. Cobblestones, steep inclines, and dozens of steps aren’t manageable for everyone. Slower walkers often opt to sit at a café while the main pack continues. But when it’s time to gather again, stragglers get separated, and the entire group waits while the guide hunts them down.
• The Evaporating Free Time: The single biggest casualty of the big bus tour is personal free time. By the time bathroom breaks, headcounts, and straggler searches conclude, the “45 minutes of free time to shop or grab a cappuccino” shrinks to a brisk 10-minute dash to the public restroom.
• Pros: Usually included on all-inclusive lines or easy to charge to your stateroom; guaranteed the ship won’t leave without you if the bus runs late.
• Cons: Rigid pacing, crowds, waiting on latecomers, sacrificed free time, higher exposure to sick passengers, and little personal connection with the guide.

2. Small-Group Van Tours (10 to 14 Passengers)

Small-group tours typically use an extended passenger van or high-top minibus holding roughly 10 to 14 guests. Some cruise lines offer these as premium upgrades, and independent tour operators run them frequently.

Why They Work Better

Nikki and I didn’t take van-based group tours on this specific Mariner sailing, but we’ve taken plenty on previous trips—and the difference is night and day:

• Nimble Navigation: A van can maneuver down narrow city alleys and park much closer to historic centers, eliminating long treks from remote bus parking plazas.
• Quick Loading: Loading 12 people takes 90 seconds. Everyone can hear the guide without needing scratchy radio earpieces.
• Better Pacing: Fewer people means fewer unplanned delays. Group members tend to be more accountable about returning on time, meaning you actually get the advertised free time to wander, browse local shops, or sit for an espresso.
• Pros: Agile logistics, access to tighter spots, less waiting around, manageable group cohesion, intact free time.
• Cons: Still requires compromise on the schedule; van interiors can feel tight if fully booked; costs more than standard bus options.

3. Cruise-Line-Arranged Private Tours

Almost all cruise lines (including luxury lines like Regent, Seabourn, and Silversea) have a “Private Arrangements” or “Concierge Excursions” desk. They will book a private car, driver, and licensed local guide exclusively for you or your travel party.

• Pros: Completely tailored to your physical capabilities and specific interests; seamless shipboard coordination; absolute guarantee of returning to the ship on time.
• Cons: By far the most expensive option. Cruise lines place a hefty administrative markup on private drivers and local guides. You pay a steep premium for the convenience of letting the ship handle the booking.

4. Independent Third-Party Tours & Private Guides

This involves booking your own excursions prior to departure through platforms like Viator, GetYourGuide, or directly with verified local tour agencies and independent guides. You can choose small-group tours (like our walking tour in Dubrovnik) or completely private car-and-driver experiences.

Our Dubrovnik Experience

In Dubrovnik, Croatia, Nikki and I booked an independent walking tour meeting right outside the city gates. The entire tour was just four people: Nikki and me, plus a mother and daughter.

Our guide had actually been an extra and cast member on Game of Thrones, which used Dubrovnik’s medieval walls as the primary set for King’s Landing. He carried a binder full of behind-the-scenes production photos, matching the exact stone staircases and bastions we were standing on to frames from the show. At the end, we headed into a square where we could hold and pose with replica swords and Dothraki blades. It was intimate, rich with insider stories, and easily our favorite tour of the cruise.

The Gold Standard: A Dedicated Private Guide

The finest excursion Nikki and I have ever taken anywhere in the world wasn’t in Europe—it was in Rio de Janeiro. We hired a private guide named Rodrigo for two full days. His father had been a guide before him; Rodrigo literally knew everyone in town.

Because Nikki and I were both over 60, Brazil’s senior priority laws kicked in. Rodrigo treated us like absolute VIPs—he escorted us straight past hundreds of people to the front of every single line, from the Christ the Redeemer train to Sugarloaf Mountain. We learned intimate family history, moved at our exact pace, and saw twice as much without feeling rushed. In my book, a truly great private guide is worth every penny (though Nikki might weigh the budget a bit more cautiously than I do!).

• Pros: Exceptional value compared to ship private tours; bespoke itineraries; smaller footprints; authentic local connections and insider access.
• Cons: Requires independent research and vetting; you must track your own schedule to guarantee you are back aboard before the “all-aboard” horn sounds.

5. Completely on Your Own (DIY Exploration)

Sometimes the best excursion is no excursion at all. When the ship docks directly in a picturesque harbor or provides a short shuttle or tender ride right into town, you simply walk off the gangway and explore at your own speed.

Our Day in Kotor, Montenegro

When we dropped anchor in Kotor, we skipped the organized tours entirely. We hopped on the tender boat to shore and simply began walking.

Kotor’s Old Town is enclosed within dramatic Venetian walls backing up against sheer mountain cliffs. We climbed up along sections of the ancient fortifications, browsed local boutiques, and soaked up the scenery without listening to an itinerary countdown. When we got hungry, we didn’t eat at an organized banquet hall; we discovered a cozy local tavern tucked into an alleyway and enjoyed a quiet meal.

The trade-off? You don’t get the architectural or political history of what you’re seeing unless you keep your nose buried in your smartphone or a guidebook. But for charm and relaxation, it’s hard to beat.

• Pros: 100% free; completely zero-pressure schedule; sit down whenever your knees or feet need a rest; eat and drink where locals eat.
• Cons: No structured historical commentary; limited range (unless you hail a local taxi); entirely your responsibility to manage port return times.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Excursion Type	Group Size	Physical Pacing & Mobility	Flexibility & Free Time	Price Range	Best For
Big Bus Tour	40–55	Slowest; dictated by the group’s slowest walker	Minimal; easily eaten up by delays	Included or $75–$200/pp	First-time cruisers seeking an easy overview
Small-Group Van	10–14	Moderate; efficient loading and stops	Good; balanced itinerary	$100–$225/pp	Travelers wanting access without large crowds
Cruise Private Tour	2–6	Tailored entirely to your physical needs	Total; adjust on the fly	High ($800–$2,000+ per party)	Worry-free luxury with guaranteed ship return
Independent Tour	2–8	Moderate to high customization	High; personalized stops	Moderate to High ($150–$600 total)	Cultural depth, specialized topics, and VIP access
DIY / On Your Own	Just you	Completely your own pace; rest as needed	100% control of your day	Free (just local transit/lunch)	Compact, walkable port towns (Kotor, Corfu, etc.)

4 Practical Rules for Cruisers Over 60

1. Check the Port Geography First: Before booking anything, look up where the ship actually docks. Ports like Kotor, Dubrovnik, and Valletta let you tender or walk almost immediately into the heart of the action—ideal candidates for DIY exploration or short private walking tours. Ports like Livorno (Florence/Tuscany) or Civitavecchia (Rome) are 75 to 90 minutes from the city center, making transportation reliability essential.
2. Weigh the “Included” Value Honestly: On luxury lines with bundled excursions, don’t feel obligated to take the big bus tour every single day just because you “already paid for it.” Sacrificing half a day to waiting on 40 people just to get your money’s worth can ruin the port experience. Skipping one or two included tours for a bespoke walking tour or a relaxed café morning is well worth it.
3. Inquire About Local Senior Policies: Many countries (Brazil, parts of the EU, etc.) provide dedicated priority lanes or discounted admission for travelers over 60 or 65. Private guides know how to leverage these laws to help you bypass brutal lines in the heat.
4. Buffer Your Return Time: If you hire an independent guide or explore solo, build in a 90-minute safety window before the published “All Aboard” call. If an independent tour encounters traffic, the ship will not wait.