NCL Valletta excursions: are they worth it?
Booking independently in Valletta saves about $190 per person compared with NCL's own excursions (+442% ship markup across 3 tour types, prices checked November 2026). The biggest gap is food & tasting: $303 per person, or $1,214 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 Valletta with the five most relevant independent tours of the same type on GetYourGuide. Across 3 tour types the ship charges about +442% more.
Ship price vs independent price by tour type
| Tour type | NCL priceper adult | Independentper person | Savingper person | Safe to go independent? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food & tastinge.g. "Go Local - Maltese Food" | $365€327 · 1 option | $61$56–$66 · top 4 | $303+494% ship markup | 5/5 Very safe | Compare |
| City / island toure.g. "Best of Malta" | $197€177 · $99–$296 · 6 options | $22$16–$25 · top 5 | $175+784% ship markup | 3/5 OK with buffer | Compare |
| Ruins / historye.g. "Prehistoric Temples & Vi" | $138€124 · 1 option | $45$8–$77 · top 4 | $93+204% ship markup | 5/5 Very safe | Compare |
| Snorkel toure.g. "Cruise, Swim & Snorkel" | $296€265 · 1 option | no close match | – | 5/5 Very safe | Compare |
| Catamaran / sail & snorkel | not recorded | $33$8–$61 · top 3 | – | 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
- 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 Valletta 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.
Food & tasting: 4 tours from $56
- Valletta: Street Food and Culture Walking Tour · $61 · 4.8★ (1,482 reviews)
- Valletta: Street Food Walking Tour with a Local · $66 · 4.8★ (305 reviews)
- Valletta: Maltese Food and Drink Guided Walking Tour · $56 · 4.7★ (690 reviews)
- Valletta: Food Walking Tour with Tastings · $61 · 4.8★ (265 reviews)
City / island tour: 5 tours from $16
- Valletta: Guided City Walking Tour · $22 · 4.8★ (1,847 reviews)
- Valletta: Small-Group City Walking Tour of Hidden Gems · $22 · 4.9★ (1,298 reviews)
- Valletta: 3-Hour Walking Tour · $25 · 4.8★ (2,905 reviews)
- Award-Winning Valletta & Three Cities Boat Tour from Sliema · $16 · 4.7★ (136 reviews)
- Valletta: Half-Day City Walking Tour & Free Afternoon · $22 · 3.9★ (176 reviews)
Ruins / history: 4 tours from $8
- Valletta: Self-Guided Historical Walking Tour (Audio Guide) · $8 · 3.7★ (326 reviews)
- Valletta: Dark History Walking Tour with Untold Stories · $24 · 5.0★ (4 reviews)
- Malta: WWII and British History Including Fort St Elmo and Shelters · $67 · 5.0★ (1 reviews)
- Valletta: Guided Paint and Sip Workshop in Historic Cellar · $77 · 5.0★ (1 reviews)
Catamaran / sail & snorkel: 3 tours from $8
- From Valetta: Catamaran Tour with Hop-On, Hop-Off Gozo Tour · $33 · 3.9★ (205 reviews)
- Malta: Blue Lagoon, Beaches & Bays Trip by Catamaran · $61 · 4.7★ (6,933 reviews)
- Malta: Valletta-Gozo One-Way High-Speed Catamaran Crossing · $8 · 4.6★ (1,062 reviews)
Is it safe to book independently in Valletta?
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.
- City / island tour (3/5): Gozo trips need the ferry from Ċirkewwa, about 45 minutes away by road..
How far is the pier from the main sights?
| From the pier to | Straight line | Approx. travel time |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Barrakka Gardens | 584 m | ~10 min walk |
| Mdina | 10.4 km | ~25 min by road |
| Gozo ferry (Ċirkewwa) | 20.1 km | ~50 min by road |
Distances are measured from Valletta Waterfront. Travel times are estimates for normal traffic, not including ferries or tender queues.
A lift and stairs climb from the Waterfront to the city; Mdina is about 25 minutes by road.
Questions
Are NCL excursions in Valletta worth it?
On price alone, usually not: comparable independent tours cost $190 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 Valletta?
Short tours near the pier are low-risk; Gozo trips need the ferry from Ċirkewwa, about 45 minutes away by road.
How far is the Valletta cruise pier from Upper Barrakka Gardens?
About 584 m in a straight line, roughly 10 minutes on foot.
Best Valletta excursions, ranked
More to compare
Food & tasting in other ports City / island tour in other ports Ruins / history in other ports Snorkel tour in other ports Catamaran / sail & snorkel in other ports
Other NCL ports nearby: Messina (Taormina) Salerno (Amalfi Coast) Naples Corfu Civitavecchia (Rome) Dubrovnik
Work out your family's saving All cruise lines in Valletta · All NCL ports