Beach clubs & beach breaks: ship vs independent, port by port
Carnival charges a median $87 and NCL charges a median $123 per adult for beach break / beach club excursions, against $75 per person for independent versions (53 ports, November 2026). Booking independently is cheaper in 89% of the 36 ports with both prices.
Beach clubs & beach breaks in 53 cruise ports, with the cruise line's own price next to the median of the top independent tours of the same type. Booking independently was cheaper in 89% of the 36 ports where we have both prices.
| Port | Carnival | NCL | Independent | Best saving for 4 | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ReykjavikEurope | – | $365 | $202 | $653 | 3/5 |
| MykonosEurope | $170 | – | $56 | $457 | 5/5 |
| CartagenaCentral and South America | $140 | $148 | $44 | $415 | 3/5 |
| SplitEurope | – | $182 | $80 | $408 | 5/5 |
| Maui (Kahului)Hawaii | $155 | $276 | $178 | $394 | 5/5 |
| CozumelWestern Caribbean | $113 | $123 | $26 | $389 | 5/5 |
| Cabo San LucasMexican Riviera | $121 | $158 | $66 | $365 | 4/5 |
| MalagaEurope | – | $117 | $46 | $284 | 5/5 |
| Montego BayWestern Caribbean | $108 | $123 | $55 | $273 | 5/5 |
| RoatanWestern Caribbean | $88 | $143 | $75 | $272 | 5/5 |
| Messina (Taormina)Europe | – | $138 | $73 | $260 | 5/5 |
| Puerto VallartaMexican Riviera | $166 | $69 | $108 | $234 | 5/5 |
| St. MaartenEastern Caribbean | $80 | $128 | $70 | $233 | 5/5 |
| NassauBahamas | $91 | $174 | $119 | $218 | 5/5 |
| BonaireSouthern Caribbean | $67 | $94 | $49 | $179 | 5/5 |
| MazatlanMexican Riviera | $100 | $99 | $56 | $176 | 5/5 |
| CorfuEurope | – | $99 | $55 | $176 | 5/5 |
| San JuanEastern Caribbean | $73 | $99 | $55 | $174 | 5/5 |
| Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)Eastern Caribbean | $104 | $118 | $77 | $164 | 3/5 |
| FalmouthWestern Caribbean | – | $138 | $99 | $156 | 5/5 |
| ProgresoWestern Caribbean | $103 | – | $69 | $136 | 5/5 |
| St. KittsSouthern Caribbean | $70 | $79 | $45 | $135 | 5/5 |
| Grand CaymanWestern Caribbean | $87 | $128 | $100 | $113 | 4/5 |
| SantoriniEurope | $110 | $59 | $84 | $105 | 4/5 |
| St. ThomasEastern Caribbean | $71 | $118 | $96 | $89 | 3/5 |
| BarbadosSouthern Caribbean | $55 | $108 | $90 | $76 | 5/5 |
| EnsenadaMexican Riviera | $82 | – | $64 | $72 | 5/5 |
| CuracaoSouthern Caribbean | $80 | $89 | $75 | $55 | 3/5 |
| Ocho RiosWestern Caribbean | $80 | $108 | $99 | $38 | 5/5 |
| TortolaEastern Caribbean | $85 | $118 | $110 | $33 | 3/5 |
| HuatulcoMexican Riviera | $76 | – | $72 | $16 | 5/5 |
| DominicaSouthern Caribbean | $85 | $58 | $82 | $12 | 5/5 |
| ArubaSouthern Caribbean | $82 | $79 | $95 | −$52 | 5/5 |
| AntiguaSouthern Caribbean | $107 | $118 | $135 | −$66 | 5/5 |
| MartiniqueSouthern Caribbean | $50 | – | $88 | −$153 | 3/5 |
| Grand TurkEastern Caribbean | $85 | – | $142 | −$230 | 5/5 |
| FreeportBahamas | – | – | $71 | – | 5/5 |
| La RomanaEastern Caribbean | – | – | $119 | – | 3/5 |
| BarcelonaEurope | – | – | $18 | – | 5/5 |
| Piraeus (Athens)Europe | – | – | $22 | – | 5/5 |
| Porto (Leixões)Europe | – | – | $33 | – | 5/5 |
| Costa MayaWestern Caribbean | $94 | $143 | – | – | 3/5 |
| BiminiBahamas | $80 | $140 | – | – | 5/5 |
| St. CroixEastern Caribbean | $90 | – | – | – | 5/5 |
| St. LuciaSouthern Caribbean | $75 | $94 | – | – | 5/5 |
| GrenadaSouthern Caribbean | $97 | – | – | – | 5/5 |
| Puerto LimonCentral and South America | $82 | – | – | – | 5/5 |
| PuntarenasCentral and South America | $185 | $221 | – | – | 5/5 |
| JuneauAlaska | $80 | – | – | – | 5/5 |
| SitkaAlaska | – | $306 | – | – | 5/5 |
| BermudaBermuda | $172 | $163 | – | – | 5/5 |
| KonaHawaii | – | $325 | – | – | 4/5 |
| Palma de MallorcaEurope | – | $158 | – | – | 5/5 |
Ship prices: median adult "starting at" price of that line's excursions of this type (NCL converted from euros). Independent: median per-person price of the top GetYourGuide matches. Methodology.
Ship beach breaks usually include the round-trip transfer and often lunch and drinks. Many independent beach-club passes cover entry and a chair only, so add a taxi when you compare.
Questions
How much does a beach break / beach club excursion cost on a cruise?
Across the ports we track, the median ship price for this tour type is Carnival $87, NCL $123 per adult. Independent versions have a median of $75 per person.
Is it cheaper to book beach break / beach club tours independently?
In 89% of the 36 ports where we have both prices, the independent version is cheaper. The ship was cheaper in Aruba, Antigua, Martinique, Grand Turk.
Is it safe to book a beach break / beach club excursion on your own?
It depends on the port. 44 of 53 ports score 4 or 5 out of 5 for this tour type; tender ports and long transfers score lower. Always finish at least an hour before all-aboard.
Other tour types
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