DonMillsCruiser

First, my opinion does matter. I said that we went on a tour by James Tour and had a great time. He asked me to look at the review providing me with his side of the issue. I stated I do not believe either story and the real truth is somewhere between the two stories.

My point is that if you did your research, you would of known that the price quoted was more in line with regular tour prices and not private tours. That would make me question what I was getting.

Your suggestion that James is a dishonest Tour operator has no merit. I don't think you know the damage you could do to James income in a country where making a living is tough. You might want to keep your personal assumptions to yourself.

Hi Vineyard

You make a couple of good points. I use private tour or small size tours for the same reasons you do plus the fact it is more intimate and personal. And the cruise line prices are highly inflated.

The point I was trying to make was with a private tour, you will be charged the same amount, no matter the number of people travelling. That price would be what the operator would get if he sold out the tour that day (possibly discounted). Common sense say you can't get a private tour for the same price as the regular tour if there are only two of you. That would automatically raise a red flag with me. So when I go on a trip with friends (minimum four people), we tend to go private because the cost is spread out over the four people. When it's my wife and I, I tend to look for tours that guarantee a small number of people. For road tours that would be no bigger then a van.

In any booking I make, I would ensure that any correspondence includes the wording "private tour" or "no other quests". I would also call the tour operator and reconfirm that it is a private tour. This is a great as it allows you to build a comfort level with the operator (or a gut feeling). As the tour gets closer (4-6 weeks prior), I would confirm the details of the the tour with the operator as well as advise him of arrival and departure times.

If when I arrived and I found that this was not a private tour, I would definitely try to renegotiate the price. If he refuses to renegotiate or for some reason you are not comfortable with sharing the vehicle with others, I would walk away. With local tour operators, it's a cash business and they rarely take a deposit. I'm not out any money and I wont be spending the day complaining about the tour. I would be disappointed, but I would try to get on another tour or take a taxi to a beach. I wouldn't let it ruin my day or my trip.

I have advise James on what I think he should do; it is now up to him to take the advise or not.

P.S. I know James is a big guy, but he picks you up at the cruise terminal where there is lot of security and a short walk to your ship.

Yes James asked me to look at your post. I would do that for anyone I have done business with and has provided excellent service. I have read Jame's side of the story and your side; and I don't believe either version. The story lies somewhere between the two.

My point was that you were expecting a private tour for the price of a regular tour. In your statement:

• You thought the price was steep and
  
• you question the validity of the return by private boat
  

It is obvious, you had no idea of the going rate for tours in St Lucia and that you had some doubts about the private part of the tour. As a result you had higher expectations for this tour and it is wasn't what you expected.

When I am booking tours for myself and friends, I research the average rates for tours (including private tours), so I can make an informed decision. And when I am going on a cruise, I use the ship's excursions pricing in determining if the pricing is reasonable. If I was in your shoes and did my research, I would question if this was actually a private tour.

And like you, I believe it is my moral duty to inform readers of what prices to expect and to let the reader decide. BTW, in your original post, you never said you missed the ship only that you were the last one on.

When I see a review and responses like this, I just want to :loudcry:. Unlike, the people who have submitted replies, I can actually say that I have gone on a tour with James and we had a hell of a great time. Although we had one of Jame's other tour guides on our tour, we saw James throughout the day and he was always asking if we were having a good time. I would gladly recommend James to anyone who would ask.

So maybe James was having a bad morning, what kind of mood where you in. Remember it takes two to tango. And I also know that you make the best of the situation no matter what hand you are dealt.

And I think you were expecting caviar dreams from the cost of a can of tuna. It is obvious that you did not do a sufficient job researching.

If you had, you would of seen that the average tour cost by land only is approximately $75 per person and the cost of a land/sea tour starts around $100. For land tours, most small tour operators have a van that can fit 6-8 passengers and these operators will not do a tour unless a minimum number of people reserve. So if you are looking for a private land tour, you are looking of at a cost of at least $300 in total. And if you are looking for a private land and sea tour, expect to pay at least $500 plus in total. Note: In 2013, I paid four hundred dollars for a four hour private snorkeling tour in St Croix and $1200 for a four hour private whale and dolphin watch in Hawaii last year.

You also mentioned you had excellent tours on other islands but you did not mention the price, type of vehicle (cars are cheaper than vans) or how many ships are in port (the more ships, the higher the price).

I am truly sorry that you did not enjoy your tour with James, but in all reality I do not think you asked the right question of James. If you had done your research, you would have known more about the pricing and the questions to ask.

As for the boat portion, did you ask James who you would be sailing with? With Catamarans, there are few places for shade. And for smaller ships, like sloops, the only place is below deck.