Ship's Tours vs Private Tours in Egypt, Jordan, Israel

We will on a Costa cruise to the Middle East in November. I was somewhat surprised that Costa has some competitive pricing on their shore excursions.

However, here is my thinking of why I'm choosing private tours over the ship's tours in the various ports.

Ashdod - Jerusaleum and Bethlehem Tour - we are trying to do a private group tour but if we don't get enough people we may have to do a shared private group tour or ship's tours. This tour is only a few dollars cheaper than the ship's tour.

Aqaba - Petra and Wadi Rum tour - we will be doing a private group tour as this tour is mostly walking and a ship's tour will be only going as fast as it's slowest passenger. Also, ship's tour will not be able to visit Wadi Rum. This tour will probably be more expensive than the ship's tour.

Safaga - Luxor Tour - same logic applies with the Petra tour. Found a much cheaper tour with a private tour company.

I'm not too worried about missing the ship as I will be using quite reputable tour operators. Please chime in with your opinion.

We will on a Costa cruise to the Middle East in November. I was somewhat surprised that Costa has some competitive pricing on their shore excursions.

 

However, here is my thinking of why I'm choosing private tours over the ship's tours in the various ports.

 

Ashdod - Jerusaleum and Bethlehem Tour - we are trying to do a private group tour but if we don't get enough people we may have to do a shared private group tour or ship's tours. This tour is only a few dollars cheaper than the ship's tour.

 

Aqaba - Petra and Wadi Rum tour - we will be doing a private group tour as this tour is mostly walking and a ship's tour will be only going as fast as it's slowest passenger. Also, ship's tour will not be able to visit Wadi Rum. This tour will probably be more expensive than the ship's tour.

 

Safaga - Luxor Tour - same logic applies with the Petra tour. Found a much cheaper tour with a private tour company.

 

I'm not too worried about missing the ship as I will be using quite reputable tour operators. Please chime in with your opinion.

Would you please share the link to the tour companies you will used for Aqaba and Safaga?

Thanks,

Wes

Well, I will using Golden Egypt Tours for my Safaga/Luxor tour and Best Shore Trips at Aqaba, but both are really the same company though different names (because I was dealing with the same person at the other end). They are on tripadvisor.com and are highly rated.

Thanks for your response.

Wes

We used the ship's tour for Petra and it was excellent. No waiting for slow people. We were glad we used the ship's tour, as our bus was the last one back. Had we been on a private tour, the ship would have sailed without us, as our bus was late.

We will on a Costa cruise to the Middle East in November. I was somewhat surprised that Costa has some competitive pricing on their shore excursions.

 

However, here is my thinking of why I'm choosing private tours over the ship's tours in the various ports.

 

Ashdod - Jerusaleum and Bethlehem Tour - we are trying to do a private group tour but if we don't get enough people we may have to do a shared private group tour or ship's tours. This tour is only a few dollars cheaper than the ship's tour.

 

Aqaba - Petra and Wadi Rum tour - we will be doing a private group tour as this tour is mostly walking and a ship's tour will be only going as fast as it's slowest passenger. Also, ship's tour will not be able to visit Wadi Rum. This tour will probably be more expensive than the ship's tour.

 

Safaga - Luxor Tour - same logic applies with the Petra tour. Found a much cheaper tour with a private tour company.

 

I'm not too worried about missing the ship as I will be using quite reputable tour operators. Please chime in with your opinion.

I am also stopping at Aqaba in April. Which reputable tour companies can you recommend?

Pacific Princess has cancelled its stop at Safaga, Egypt on April 2, 2015. They indicated they were concerned for passenger safety. We're still on for Aqaba, Jordan.

Wes

The only one of your stops we had experience with was Israel. We opted for an overnight tour, booking our room in Jersusalem, along with the 2 other couples we were traveling with. We used: http://www.guidedtoursisrael.com, for our tour. Our guide was originally from the US, so we only had to get past his Brooklyn accent.

You may want to check your rollcall for others to join your group. 6 is all you want for a minivan. Our driver got us in and out of most places quickly, so we got to see much more than the big bus tours did.

The only one of your stops we had experience with was Israel. We opted for an overnight tour, booking our room in Jersusalem, along with the 2 other couples we were traveling with. We used: http://www.guidedtoursisrael.com, for our tour. Our guide was originally from the US, so we only had to get past his Brooklyn accent.

You may want to check your rollcall for others to join your group. 6 is all you want for a minivan. Our driver got us in and out of most places quickly, so we got to see much more than the big bus tours did.

We are going to be in Israel in November and are also using guidedtoursofIsrael. They told us they didn't offer overnight tours. So did you have them drive you to Jerusalem after your day from Haifa(port), book the hotel yourselves, and then had them pick you up at the hotel for your second day/tour?

I appreciate any info since my TA says I have to have "special permission " from the cruise ship to spend a night offshore!

Candy/Sunshine

We are going to be in Israel in November and are also using guidedtoursofIsrael. They told us they didn't offer overnight tours. So did you have them drive you to Jerusalem after your day from Haifa(port), book the hotel yourselves, and then had them pick you up at the hotel for your second day/tour?

 

I appreciate any info since my TA says I have to have "special permission " from the cruise ship to spend a night offshore!

 

Candy/Sunshine

We booked our own hotel, along with our 4 traveling companions. They did provide a few hotel suggestions. Prior to dropping us off at the hotel, our driver/guide showed us a restaurant within walking distance of the hotel for dinner. We did need 'permission' to stay overnight in Jerusalem. I think our TA might have contacted Princess in advance, but part of me remembers filling out a form while on board ship. It wasn't a big deal. They wanted contact info for our tour company, and the name & number of our hotel.

My husband still says this was the best shore ex we have ever taken. If you'd like to contact me I still have the emails I got from GTI with details for our days, and can forward them to you. I could go into more detail of what we considered highlights then. Just add '@aol.com' to my screen name.

 

Aqaba - Petra and Wadi Rum tour - we will be doing a private group tour as this tour is mostly walking and a ship's tour will be only going as fast as it's slowest passenger. Also, ship's tour will not be able to visit Wadi Rum. This tour will probably be more expensive than the ship's tour.

Hi Deadzone. How satisfied were you with your Peta/Wadi Rum tour? Would you use the Best Shore Trips operator again?

Thanks.

I would do a private tour for Petra if you can because in a large group you get far less from the visit then on a private tour.

Egypt I would only do a ships tour these days.

Keith