After reading all the excursion descriptions, I think we're going to mostly go independent.

Nagasaki - sounds like the city is fairly compact and easy to do on your own or with a local guide.

Pusan - considering the tour to Gyeongju - it sounds interesting (I've seen it described as sort of the "Kyoto of Korea") but I think with the short time in port and the travel time involved (over 1 hour each way) along with lunch and a folklore show, I'm not sure we'd really see that much. We'll probably explore the city and nearby beaches.

Dalian - Walking Tour with Kite Flying looks good.

Shanghai - I think we can hit the major sites on our own. We love to walk a lot and move at our own pace. :) And we won't have to worry about missing the ship until the last day...

Dena