It depends on where you are going and how much time you will have in port. We are very familiar with the Caribbean so when we are there and we have the time we book tours on our own and don't worry much about it. You always, always, always have to allow plenty of time to get back to the ship as they will not wait for you. If we are in Hawaii or Europe, we take the ships tours. That way, we know if there is a delay they will hold the ship. The only exception would be if we had an overnight stop. In that case we might go off on our own. The ships tours are nice but they do cost more than an independent tour. You will always find a lot of taxis in port who will give you a nice tour for a fraction of the cost of a ships tour. But again, be very careful of your timing. Negotiate the price before you leave the port. If you are going to a beach and want to be picked up at a certain time, you pay them when they pick you up, not before.
