Use the cruise line's website to plan and book your excursions.

First-class cruise ships are more than just floating luxury hotels, they also offer fine dining, sports and exercise equipment, entertainment, and spectacular views. But even with all these options, activities aboard ship are only half of the fun of taking a cruise. When booking a cruise, it's important to think beyond your on-board experience, and consider how you would like to spend your time on shore at the various ports of call. To help you make the most of your destination towns and cities, cruise lines offer a wide range of shore excursions that take you to all the most exciting locations on land.

Here are a few expert tips to help you book shore excursions for your next cruise, courtesy of Celebrity Cruises:

• Excursions priced separately.
  Shore excursions are almost always priced separately from the cruise itself, and are available on an a la carte basis.
  
• Book early, book online.
  Popular excursions may fill up fast, so the earlier you book, the better. Online booking makes it easy to customize your vacation.
  
• Choose easy or adventurous.
  Excursions can range from relaxing sightseeing to outdoor adventures. Think about what type of experience you'd like to have on-shore, and choose the excursion accordingly.
  
• Allow for travel time.
  If you're booking more than one excursion in a single day, be sure to allow for enough time to get from one departure point to the next. To be safe, plan for an hour of travel time.
  
• Last-minute booking is possible.
  If you have your heart set on an excursion that is sold out, check back online or with your agent for cancellations. Also know that there are often a certain amount of spaces reserved for on-ship booking, so you might be able to book the excursion once you arrive onboard.