SpencerCruiser

Check flat rate tours with Best Guides. They don't require any deposit and limit the number of people to a maximum of twelve. We did their Best of the Best tour. Had eight people in the group and paid on the second day. The tours, the vehicle, the service were excellent.

I haven't considered Best Guides but they deserve a look for sure!

I'm with all of you that the number of people in a group is an essential factor. Check the spreadsheet I made to compare flat rate tours run by top local operators - how many people in a group, the prices, what sightsare on the itinerary, etc. The link is https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BgxA9lzzPpaV58Rhh-11N-JrsPu9vya7/view?usp=sharing

Thanks for sharing your hard work!

Thanks for the replies! I am debating between forming private tours or doing the flat rate tours. So most likely the flat rate tours will be full but the group size isn't all that bad.

If you have done tours with SPB-tours, do the flat rate groups reach their maximum size(16)? Or on average do they end up being smaller 8-12. Of course, it's hard to predict future groups, but just wondered what experience people had with their flat rate groups.

Thanks for the many replies on how far out you booked, I have plenty of time yet. SPB says groups are 16-24 for flat rate groups. Did you book a "flat rate group" and they ended up being smaller than 16 persons?

Darrel

We booked Alla 3.5 months before the cruise. Have fun!

Thanks

How far out did you book with SPB or ALLA? I am booked on the Regal at the end of July 2018 for a Baltic cruise. Thanks for any recommendations you might have.

In January on the Royal there were towels available as we left the ship at the ports.

When I disembarked from the Royal Princess last year I left my phone on the table in the disembarkation lounge. I was going on a post cruise tour on the way to the airport. After getting on the bus I noticed my phone was missing. I had my wife call my phone thinking it was misplaced in my bag, it wasn't. Panic feeling developing! About 1 minute later someone got on the bus and called my wife's name. They had my lost phone and were looking for the owner. Her name popped up on the the screen of my phone when she called me. I was impressed that they made an effort to get my phone to back to me. They had already brought it out the the area they knew I would be in and fortuately the call to the phone made identification easier. That was good customer service and made my day.

We currently have cabin E228 which looks like it's between two lifeboats. Cabins E414 abd E418 are available but I'm concerned that they are right by the elevators. This is a holiday cruise and I'm wondering about the noise that might be in that area.

Which cabin would you choose?

 

We are booked on the Caribbean Princess E228. Did you take this cabin or switch? Did you take a picture of the view?

 

We picked E228,and yes we took the picture. We didn't have any noise concerns...but we are not too sensitive to it. I think E228 is a good room. In fact on my Ruby Princess cruise last year I would have booked E228 again, but it wasn't available. Had E628 good view but not as good a location...that is for the things we like access to.

Thanks for the picture. It looks like you get alot of light and a view. I have a choice of E228 or E230 the cabin next to it.

 

Do you think E230 would have the same view? Did you like the cabin?

I would expect E230 to be very similar. We loved the location. Very quick access to the theater, for the elevator or stairs up to the front of the ship (we frequent the gym and lotus spa pool). I love to walk outside on the Promenade deck, it's just one deck down. Also doesn't take long to get to the atrium area. Emerald deck offers a good value and good location. There is plenty of light and you can see what is going on outside.

Does anybody have a picture for E228 obstructed oceanview cabin on the Caribbean Princess? This cabin is between 2 lifeboats, I am wonder what the view would be like.

This is a view out the window of Emerald 228/Caribbean Princess