NCL Split excursions: are they worth it?
Booking independently in Split saves about $96 per person compared with NCL's own excursions (+183% ship markup across 6 tour types, prices checked November 2026). The biggest gap is nature / waterfall / park: $197 per person, or $788 for a family of four. Going independent is reasonable with a buffer here if you are back at the pier 60 minutes before departure.
We compared NCL's own shore excursion prices in Split with the five most relevant independent tours of the same type on GetYourGuide. Across 6 tour types the ship charges about +183% more.
Ship price vs independent price by tour type
| Tour type | NCL priceper adult | Independentper person | Savingper person | Safe to go independent? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nature / waterfall / parke.g. "Secrets Of The Vranjaca" | $236€211 · $118–$472 · 6 options | $39$29–$44 · top 5 | $197+505% ship markup | 3/5 OK with buffer | Compare |
| Kayak / paddlee.g. "White Water Canoeing on" | $177€159 · 1 option | $54$51–$56 · top 2 | $124+231% ship markup · small sample | 5/5 Very safe | Compare |
| Beach break / beach clube.g. "Trogir & Beach" | $182€163 · $89–$276 · 2 options | $80$17–$95 · top 5 | $102+127% ship markup | 5/5 Very safe | Compare |
| City / island toure.g. "Split Old Town & Trogir" | $113€101 · $69–$394 · 6 options | $25$17–$56 · top 5 | $88+352% ship markup | 5/5 Very safe | Compare |
| Food & tastinge.g. "Scenic Dalmatia, Village" | $128€115 · $128–$265 · 3 options | $93$50–$125 · top 4 | $35+38% ship markup | 5/5 Very safe | Compare |
| Ruins / historye.g. "Historic Split Walking T" | $49€44 · 1 option | $22$17–$39 · top 5 | $27+121% ship markup | 5/5 Very safe | Compare |
Ship price is the median "starting at" adult price of NCL's excursions of that type, recorded 2026-11-02. Independent price is the median per-person price of the top GetYourGuide results of the same type (checked 2026-11-02). Family of 4 multiplies the per-person gap by four; child prices are often lower on both sides. How we compare.
NCL prices were read from NCL's European website in euros on 2026-11-02 and converted at the ECB reference rate of 1 EUR = 1.1172 USD (2026-10-30). NCL's US site may show slightly different dollar prices.
What to check when comparing
- Nature / waterfall / park: Theme-park and national-park trips vary a lot in what the ticket covers. Check whether transport and entry fees are included on both sides.
- Beach break / beach club: 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.
- City / island tour: City and island tours vary from short trolley loops to full-day drives, so compare durations too.
- Ruins / history: Ruins trips differ most in how far they go: a nearby site and a full-day mainland trip both count here.
Independent Split tours we compared
These are the GetYourGuide tours behind each independent price, in GetYourGuide's own relevance order. Prices are per person "from" prices in USD.
Nature / waterfall / park: 5 tours from $29
- Split: Krka Waterfalls Trip with Boat Cruise and Swimming · $39 · 4.8★ (13,690 reviews)
- From Split & Trogir: Krka Waterfalls Day Tour with Boat Ride · $29 · 4.6★ (903 reviews)
- From Split: Krka Waterfalls Cruise & Trogir Walking Tour · $44 · 4.7★ (981 reviews)
- Split/Trogir: Krka National Park Day Trip & Boat to Skradin · $29 · 4.6★ (1,332 reviews)
- From Split: Krka Waterfalls Tour with Boat Ride & Swimming · $39 · 4.8★ (1,449 reviews)
Kayak / paddle: 2 tours from $51
- Split: Illuminated Evening Guided Kayaking Tour · $51 · 4.8★ (2,452 reviews)
- Split 4-Hour Guided Sea Kayak Tour · $56 · 4.5★ (23 reviews)
Beach break / beach club: 5 tours from $17
- Split: Blue Lagoon, 3-Island Cruise with Mediterranean Lunch · $95 · 4.7★ (485 reviews)
- Split Pub Crawl: Nightlife, Shots & Club Entry · $17 · 4.9★ (1,067 reviews)
- Split: Blue Lagoon & 3-Island Hopping with Lunch & Drinks · $84 · 4.4★ (207 reviews)
- Split: Blue Lagoon & 3 Islands – Premium Speedboat Trip · $78 · 5.0★ (4,277 reviews)
- Split/Trogir: Trogir, Blue Lagoon & Šolta with Snorkeling · $80 · 5.0★ (25 reviews)
City / island tour: 5 tours from $17
- Diocletian's Palace - Split Old Town Guided SMALL GROUP Tour · $17 · 4.9★ (5,854 reviews)
- Split: Diocletian's Palace & Old Town SMALL GROUP Tour · $17 · 4.9★ (1,032 reviews)
- Split: Hop-On Hop-Off Official Sightseeing City Tour · $25 · 4.1★ (496 reviews)
- Split and Trogir SMALL GROUP Tour with Cruise Ship Drop Off · $56 · 4.8★ (122 reviews)
- Split, Diocletian’s Palace & Trogir – 5h Small-Group Tour · $56 · 4.8★ (242 reviews)
Food & tasting: 4 tours from $50
- Split’s Ultimate Walking Food Tour with Full Meal & Drinks · $87 · 4.8★ (119 reviews)
- From Split: Krka Waterfalls, Food & Wine Tasting Tour · $50 · 4.9★ (8,513 reviews)
- Split: Local Mediterranean Food Tasting Tour · $98 · 5.0★ (6 reviews)
- Split: Old Town Food Tour with 9 Tastings & Local Wines · $125 · 4.9★ (18 reviews)
Ruins / history: 5 tours from $17
- Split: Diocletian's Palace History & Heritage Walking Tour · $17 · 4.9★ (706 reviews)
- Split: History Walking Tour in French with the Local Guide · $17 · 4.9★ (89 reviews)
- Split: Walking Tour Led by a History Professor · $22 · 5.0★ (241 reviews)
- Split: Modern history tour - Wars, Politics & Everyday life · $28
- Experience Split History Walking Tour With Local Historian · $39 · 5.0★ (28 reviews)
Is it safe to book independently in Split?
Ships here dock alongside. All-aboard is normally 30 minutes before departure on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL and MSC (check your daily planner). Plan to be back at the pier at least 60 minutes before the ship sails.
- Nature / waterfall / park (3/5): Krka waterfalls are about 1h15 each way..
How far is the pier from the main sights?
| From the pier to | Straight line | Approx. travel time |
|---|---|---|
| Diocletian's Palace | 585 m | ~10 min walk |
| Trogir | 15.5 km | ~40 min by road |
| Krka National Park | 51.2 km | ~115 min by road |
Distances are measured from Split city harbour. Travel times are estimates for normal traffic, not including ferries or tender queues.
The harbour is right next to Diocletian's Palace, so the old town is a short walk. Some ships tender in busy weeks.
Questions
Are NCL excursions in Split worth it?
On price alone, usually not: comparable independent tours cost $96 less per person on average. The ship's main advantage is the guarantee that it will wait for its own tours if they run late.
Is it safe to book an independent excursion in Split?
Short tours near the pier are low-risk; Krka waterfalls are about 1h15 each way.
How far is the Split cruise pier from Diocletian's Palace?
About 585 m in a straight line, roughly 10 minutes on foot.
Famous sights from Split
Diocletian's Palace: ship vs independent Krka waterfalls: ship vs independent
More to compare
Nature / waterfall / park in other ports Kayak / paddle in other ports Beach break / beach club in other ports City / island tour in other ports Food & tasting in other ports Ruins / history in other ports
Other NCL ports nearby: Dubrovnik Kotor Salerno (Amalfi Coast) Naples Civitavecchia (Rome) Livorno (Florence and Pisa)
Work out your family's saving All cruise lines in Split · All NCL ports