This paper argues that a gap exists between the marketing of shore excursions and cruise tourists’ expectations of ‘local flavor’ experiences. The paper first establishes that this discrepancy exists, then aims to refine the focus of marketing and promotion, and finally proposes strategies for improving cruise tourists’ satisfaction. Amsterdam, a city eager to attract more cruise tourists, is chosen as the case area to evaluate the alignment of marketing and passenger expectation. The study is based on an analysis of tours proposed by cruise companies, using a word frequency analysis of their narratives, and on structured interviews with 228 passengers. The result indicates that marketers should more effectively focus on and promote ‘local flavor’ experience. They could place a stronger emphasis on local identity by cooperating with more local partners and engaging tourists in product design.