Anemix

On 3/9/2023 at 2:56 PM, cr8tiv1 said:

On one of the roll calls, someone posted about Goodwill Guides.  I apologize for not giving credit where credit is due.  I was so excited to read/find this website that I couldn't sleep.  I had to put a rush on it since one of the requirements is that you book something 21 days BEFORE your cruise leaves.  I begged and pleaded since I am actually inside that time period.  So far, I have had one response that they will try to find me a guide for Nagasaki.  

 

https://www.japan.travel/en/plan/list-of-volunteer-guides/

 

I was just going to wander around the ports so if I can't secure a guide, I will be okay.  But it would be so helpful. They even have one for arrival/departures at the airport.

 

Highlights:

No tipping

You pay for all transportations and entry fees.

You pay for meals.

You offer "omiyage" from your hometown. https://gogonihon.com/en/blog/omiyage-culture-in-japan/

 

Most of the time, these volunteers want to practice their English. They are not "professional tour guides." 

Many times goodwill guides are retirees. We took some “free” tours  in and around Tokyo and Osaka. Some free tour guides are very knowledgeable and some are not. We had a very nice gentleman as a goodwill guide in Kamakura. He was polite and friendly, but we understood less than 10% of what he said. He had a huge English vocabulary, but his sentences just didn’t make much sense. 
The other “localized free tours” we took were with two different individuals who where bilingual. Both of them (one in Tokyo and the other in Osaka) had lived several years in the states. Both were very knowledgeable and entertaining. Even though they were “free” tours, it was clear they expected a nice tip. One of them, spent a good time letting us know he left his technical career to become a tour guide, and then covid happened, etc.  Of course, we didn’t mind tipping them well because they earned their tip. I just mention this because you read everywhere you are not supposed to tip in Japan. It’s true in restaurants, hair salons, massage places, etc. However, this is slowly changing. Specially, when dealing with tourism and foreigners. Some of the private “free” localized tours were created specifically for foreigners and with tips in mind. The “free” tours organized by the cities/towns are run by volunteers (mostly retirees). 
I have been living in Japan since 2016–still doing some “tourism” in this beautiful country, and my observations might be a bit different from locals. 
 

I read in tripadvisor you can get a boat from the port to Lagoonarium which is much faster than driving. Any one knows anything about this? I wonder how could I make arrangements ahead of time if possible, where they are located compared to where the ship docks, etc.

Mahalo in advance for any tip or information!

Wear your uniform with pride...You have earned it and you will look great!

Thank you all for helping me change my mind!

My DH mentioned that he was considering bringing his formal uniform to our upcoming cruise... I wasn't very encouraging. I do not like to be the center of attention, and I thought a uniform will make us more visible. After reading this thread, I will encourage him to wear it proudly!

Thank you all for serving this beautiful country!

We spent four days in Rome after a cruise. The first couple of days we ate poorly and expensively. Then, we visited the USO... got great recommendations and finally were able to eat great Italian cuisine! Also, got tickets for the Papal audience and many great tips! Grateful for the volunteers!