If you’re cruising to Barbados, you’re in for a treat! Even though the island is small, there are some incredible Barbados shore excursions available to make your visit memorable. In this post, we’ll look at some of the best Barbados cruise excursions so you can make the most of your time in paradise.
Related Post: What are the closest beaches to the Barbados cruise pier?
Boatyard Beach Club Barbados Excursions
Boatyard Beach Club is located on the famous Carlisle Bay in Bridgetown, Barbados. Its close proximity to the cruise terminal makes this a popular Barbados shore excursion for people who want to enjoy the beach without being too far from home.
Boatyard offers great bang for your buck. Every visitor pays a set admission fee and gets access to the entire Boatyard facility. This includes beach loungers, umbrellas, bathrooms, a bar, a restaurant, and plenty of beach activities like volleyball and water inflatables.
Additionally, guests can go on a snorkel boat trip included in the price! This boat trip lasts around 45 minutes and includes two stops in Carlisle Bay. Usually, you’ll stop at a popular sea turtle area and one of the many shipwrecks to see wildlife. Snorkels and life vests are included.
Considering that many snorkeling tours just take you out on the water and don’t have beach facilities included, Boatyard is a great choice for cruisers who want to save money and have lots of options for how to spend their day.
- Type of Activity: Beach Day, Snorkel
- Activity Level: Light for a beach day, Medium for the optional snorkel trip
How to get to Boatyard Beach Club from the cruise terminal
The best way to get to Boatyard from the Bridgetown cruise terminal is to take a taxi. When you depart the cruise terminal area, head to the taxi stand and let them know you’re going to Boatyard. Your fare should cost around $5 USD per person.
When you’re ready to go back to the ship, let the staff at Boatyard know and they will arrange your return trip. This is included in the admission price.
How Much Does The Boatyard Barbados Shore Excursion Cost?
Admission to Boatyard costs $25 USD per person. This includes access to all beach chairs, umbrellas, bathrooms, and beach toys. It also includes a turtle snorkel trip and a return taxi back to the cruise terminal.
Learn more about Boatyard Beach Club Barbados in this post.
Harrisons Cave Barbados Tour
When you think of Barbados, you probably think of pristine beaches and impressive shorelines. But one of the most spectacular things to see in Barbados is actually located a bit farther inland. Harrisons Cave is a cave system in the center of the island and is widely regarded as a top Barbados attraction.
In this Barbados shore excursion, you’ll start your day exploring Harrisons Cave and end the day with some fun in the sun at Copacabana Beach Club.
From the cruise ship pier, you’ll be transported to Harrisons Cave where you will take a tram through the cave system. While in the cave, a tour guide will share historical and geological information about the unique formations. On the 35-45 minute tour, expect to see stalagmites and stalactites, streams, and pools.
Then, you’ll head to Copacabana, a beach club located on Carlisle Bay in Bridgetown. You’ll receive a welcome drink as well as a reserved beach chair and umbrella to enjoy the rest of your day in Barbados.
For this Barbados cruise excursion tour, it’s recommended that you wear walking shoes and bring a light jacket since it can be chilly in the cave. Unfortunately, the tour is not wheelchair accessible.
- Type of Activity: Cave Tour, Beach Day
- Activity Level: Medium
How To Get To Harrisons Cave
The shore excursion linked above includes transportation to and from the cruise terminal. The drive to Harrisons Cave takes about 30 minutes and the drive from Copacabana back to the cruise ship takes about 5 minutes.
How Much Does The Harrisons Cave Shore Excursion Cost?
The normal price for the Harrisons Cave Shore Excursion is $99 USD per person. This includes all transportation, admission to Harrisons Cave, admission to Copacabana, and a welcome drink.
Learn more about the Harrisons Cave Shore Excursion here!
Copacabana Beach Day With Turtle Glass Bottom Boat
For this beachy cruise excursion, you’ll spend the day at the Copacabana Beach Club on Carlisle Bay, just a few minutes away from the Barbados Cruise Terminal. When you arrive at Copacabana, you will receive an included welcome drink, a beach chair, and an umbrella. You’ll also have access to bathroom and shower facilities.
This tour also includes a 70-minute glass-bottom boat trip into Carlisle Bay. You’ll be taken to two top-notch snorkel and turtle spots for snorkeling and fun in the water.
While lunch is not included, there is a restaurant on-site with a wide variety of food available for purchase.
- Type of Activity: Beach Day and Snorkeling
- Activity Level: Light for the beach day, Medium for snorkeling
Getting to Copacabana Beach Day Shore Excursion
With this tour, your transportation to and from Copacabana is included in your ticket. You’ll be picked up at the cruise terminal and taken directly to the beach club. You can choose to return 4 or 6 hours later.
How much does the Copacabana Shore Excursion Cost?
This Barbados cruise excursion costs $74 USD per person. It includes transportation, admission to the beach club, a welcome drink, and a glass-bottom boat snorkel trip.
Learn more about the Copacabana Beach Day and Boat Tour here!
Take A Catamaran Trip With Calypso Cruises
Want to spend more time out on the open water? A catamaran tour is a great way to see some incredible spots around Barbados and Calypso Cruises won’t disappoint. With over 500 excellent reviews on Tripadvisor, a Calypso Catamaran Tour might just be the highlight of your trip!
Calypso Catamaran Cruises run from 10:00am – 3:00pm and the captain can arrange transportation to and from the cruise terminal. When you arrive at the Catamaran, you’ll be welcomed on board with snacks, drinks, and an open bar that will flow for the entirety of your trip.
You’ll spend the day snorkeling, exploring shipwrecks, swimming, and maybe even meeting some sea turtles! A delicious lunch is included and you’ll be cared for by a knowledgeable, friendly crew. The boat is comfortable and the group size is kept smaller to provide a more personalized experience.
- Type of Activity: Catamaran Tour
- Activity Level: Medium if snorkeling
How much does a Calypso Cruise Catamaran Tour cost?
Catamaran cruises with Calypso cost $110 USD per person. This includes transportation to and from the pier, lunch and snacks throughout the day, snorkeling gear, and an open bar.
Book your Calypso Catamaran tour by contacting the captain here.
Related Post: 8 Best Catamaran Cruises in Barbados
Mount Gay Rum Tasting Tours
Barbados is the birthplace of rum, so what better way to explore this tasty history than with a Mount Gay rum tasting? With this Mount Gay Rum tasting, you’ll first be taken to the Mount Gay visitors center in Bridgetown. There, you’ll learn about the history of Mount Gay and watch a video about the distillery.
Next, you’ll taste several Mount Gay rums while learning about them from an experienced guide. Finally, you’ll enjoy a local lunch and rum punch with your tour mates before heading back to the ship.
- Type of Activity: Rum Tasting and Lunch
- Activity Level: Light
How much does the Mount Gay rum tasting cost?
The Mount Gay Rum tasting costs about $48 USD per person. It includes transportation to and from the Mount Gay visitors center, a guided tour, a rum tasting, and a Bajan lunch.
Book your Mount Gay Rum tasting on Viator here.
Barbados Natural Wonders Shore Excursion
Want to experience the natural beauty of this tropical paradise? The Barbados Natural Wonders shore excursion is the place to be!
On this tour of the island’s natural highlights, you’ll start the day with a trip to Harrisons Cave. Next, you’ll head east and see Hunte’s Gardens or the Flower Forest, both of which contain lavish botanical gardens and impressive biodiversity.
Then, you’ll drive along the east coast of the island in an area called Bathsheba. Bathsheba is one of the most rugged landscapes on the island. After an included lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll head to your last stop: the Barbados Wildlife Reserve. Here, you might see tropical birds, reptiles, and maybe even monkeys!
- Type of Activity: Island Tour
- Activity Level: Medium
How much does the Natural Wonders of Barbados Cruise Excursion cost?
This Barbados cruise excursion costs $165 USD per person. It includes round-trip transportation from the cruise terminal to all destinations, a knowledgeable guide, admission to all attractions, and lunch at a local restaurant.
Book your Natural Wonder Shore Excursion here!
Tips For Barbados Shore Excursions
As you prepare for your Barbados shore excursions, keep the following Barbados travel tips in mind:
- In Barbados, the official currency is Barbados dollars (BBD) but United States dollars are usually accepted everywhere. The exchange rate is $2 BBD = $1 USD.
- All beaches in Barbados are public, which means anyone can visit them! If you wanted to go off on your own for the day, this guide covers some of the best Barbados beaches on the island.
- Consider bringing water, sunscreen, and sunglasses with you for your excursion. The heat can sneak up on you in the tropics and it’s good to stay hydrated.
- If you’d like to try a local dish, a Roti (a wrap curried ingredients inside) is a traditional lunch favorite!
- You can learn more about visiting Barbados in this post!
Best Barbados Tours For Cruise Ship Passengers
Barbados has some incredible experiences and tours for cruise ship passengers!
- Best Barbados Beach Day Excursions: Boatyard and Copacabana
- Top Barbados Catamaran Tour: Calypso Cruises
- Best Barbados Nature Excursions: Harrisons Cave Tour and Natural Wonders Tour
- Top Food and Drink Experience: Mount Gay Rum Tasting
No matter what you choose, you’ll love spending the day in beautiful Barbados!
