why not ship sponsored tours?

[Sue4LSU]

My husband and I (50's) along with my parents will be on the RCI Brilliance Meditteranean cruise Nov. 11. We have never sailed in the Mediterranean before, and are looking forward to all the historical sites. I'm concerned however, that so many people on the site seem to be booking outside tours. I don't really have the time to research these, but would like to know "why not the tours that the ship offers?" :confused: If really necessary, I'll start researching instead of worrying about what I'm going to pack!:rolleyes:

Thanks, Susan

[Underwatr]

1. Cost.

2. Cattle-car atmosphere, including the obligatory tourist trap stops.

 

Having said that, the additional background and commentary that can be provided by a professional guide may be worth some of the additional cost. We're pretty much independent tourists no matter where we go but we have taken guided tours when we're more out of our element (e.g., Hong Kong, Bangkok)

[Teeara]

It's just a preference for some people. I, for one, prefer ship-sponsored tours in countries where (1) English is not the official language or (2) it takes over an hour to get to/from the tour location. That's my preference. Do what YOU want. You only need to please yourself and your group, not the people on this board. ;):D

[paul929207]

Have you joined the Roll Call for your cruise? There you may find people planning tours and looking for others to share the cost.

 

To join, go to the boards menu and scroll down to Roll Calls. Click on your cruise line. Then click on your ship. Finally, click on the thread for your sailing.

[lady_cruiser]

I feel the same way as Terrara in that I prefer ship sponsored tours. (1) I like the security of knowing that if our van/bus happens to break down the ship will wait for us. (2) That the majority of the people who are on the same van/bus we are are also from the same ship, giving us something in common to talk about; i.e. - the shows, menu selections, our wait staff, which bar server, in which lounge, is the best, etc. (3) The company conducting the tour has already been researched and approved by the cruise line. etc etc etc

[cruise kitty]

1. overpriced

2. forced shopping "opportunities"

3. not time efficient...you can see more on your own

4. cattle car mentality, waiting while one of the herd gets sidetracked

 

But this is my opinion only, for some people a ship tour is wonderful. I know my Mom would love them, people to share the experience with, & nothing to worry about.

 

We did one ship tour in Hawaii about 10 years ago, never, ever again. The bus stops for a "restroom break" & it's of course at a crappy little souvenir shop. By the end of the day, I wanted to throttle most of my fellow pax, as well as the tour operator. Most of the Med is easy to do on your own. Good train systems exist. If you are not willing to research, then you should just go with a ship tour.

[cb at sea]

There's nothing wrong with the ship's excursions, especially if you don't have time to do the "legwork" required to book on your own. I've never felt "herded" as some say..generally, the ship's excursions are alot of fun.

The extra you may pay will get you a great time, with NO work on your part...all you do is show up, and have fun...they take care of everything else.

So, don't let folks scare you off....while "private" tours can save a bit, it does take alot more work than just booking thru the ship.

[Hlitner]

Susan, You ask a very good question. We have been cruising and doing lots of international travel for over forty years and fit into the category of those who dislike cruise excursions, are warmer towards private excursions, but truly love doing our own thing and being on our own. We agree with a lot of the previous posts and have also been known to call cruise excursions "cattle calls," "overpriced," "too touristy," etc. That being said there are many folks who enjoy being part of an overpriced cattle call because it is the easiest way to travel, you do not need to do any research, and you get that nice safe warm feeling because you are surrounded by other cruisers and can feel snug in your nice bus. Over the years we adopted a personal philosophy of never doing a ships excursion unless it did something we wanted that we could not possibly do on our own but that is just our own preference to only do what we want, when we want, with who we want. Are cruise excursions right or wrong for you? Only you can decide and should not be totally swayed by those of us who have strong opinions. But, if you are looking for specific advice of how to do ports on your own, or where you might benefit from private excursions there are plenty of folks here willing to give you help .

 

Hank

[hubofhockey]

I don't think it would take much effort at all in joining your roll call and seeing if any groups have openings for private excursions. The standard ship excursions on buses have limitations and it would be a shame to miss out on places like Positano (when you are in Naples) because the big buses don't go there. You would also possibly miss the terrace houses in ephesus. As far as tour sharing for private excursions go, they are great for first time Med cruisers and give you a nice personal touch and you won't have to wear headphones and you get personal attention. We met some great people along the way.

[DanJ]

It depends on the excursion. Some you just can do on your own. I think back to our last ship-based excursion in St Maarten, the Explorer boat and bus tour. Sure, the Explorer website advertised you can do this on your own, but when I called, it was totally booked by the cruiselines for the day we were there.

 

A lot of the excursions you see advertised as "beach and shopping". You can do that on your own with a taxi for 2 people for probably less than half of what the ship charges for one person. Similar with the typical 2-3 hour highlight tour. You can usually find these pierside and you'll ride in a van instead of a bus, and the driver will accomodate your wishes if you want to stop somewhere for a few minutes. He'll also usually know the route the busses take, and try to hit the tourist spots when the busses are gone or haven't been there yet.

[grand isle joe]

Having been on 3 cruises in the Med. we enjoy the ship sponsored excursions and use them all the time. You are given a local well versed guide that lectures on the bus as well as at the sites. You are also given priority in entering a number of historical sites and your tickets are taken care of beforehand. We were in a group (ship sponsored) that had a private tour (80 people) of the Sistine Chapel after hours. We have pictures and videos that are not allowed during regular hours.Last time we were in Rome (DCL) we had a private train transport us to and from Rome to the port. It was wonderful. Resturaunts are booked and ready for your dining. Plus the bus drops you off usually right in front of the area you are to tour and picks you up.And you don't have to worry about returning to the ship on time.Also you meet a number of your fellow cruisemates you pass on the ship.

I can't say I have ever had a tour we regretted. Some people don't like the ship sponsored tours but for us it has given us access that few people have on any trip. Hope you have a wonderful cruise.:)

[junglejane]

I agree with those who say join your Roll Call. We have done private tours in the Mediterranean and the British Isles. For our next Med cruise, we may feel more adventurous and try some DIY now that our kids are older. But for me, the ship's tours are the last resort. You generally can see a lot more on a private tour, and if you can get 6 people together, it's almost always cheaper than a ship tour. With a ship tour, you just inevitably move more slowly. You have to wait for 50 people to load and unload from the bus. You're always a prisoner of the slowest person.

 

Doing private tours requires a little bit of research to find a reputable operator. But that's not really very difficult in this internet age. And if you're lucky, someone on the Roll Call will do all that work for you, and all you have to do is hop onboard.

[chipmaster]

We did our first Med and our third cruise a couple years ago.

 

Go indpendent or DIY for equal or less money you just get so much more.

 

Join rollcalls and hook up with someone else doing independent if you can't find the time or energy to do the research yourself.

 

The other is go to the European ports of call and ask for recommendations.

 

Have no fear about missing the boat, if you choose a reputable guide/tour their livelyhood depends on you making it back. The cruise ship wants you to believe you will miss the boat so they can earn 30-50% of the tour fee from you.

[Happy ks]

On our Med cruise we did some private tours and 2 ship sponsored tours.

 

Our favorites were the private tours. We had professional guides who took us to places we would not have thought of ourselves. They spoke English. We had time to stop for lunch when we wanted to and shop if we wanted to. All of the tour guides got us back to the ship in plenty of time before the ship set sail. The cost was approximately half of what a ships somewhat similar tour would have cost us. If we ever go to the Med again, we will only do private tours.

 

One of our ship sponsored tours was actually kind of fine, a lot more crowded than we would have preferred. We went to a farm where they showed us ancient olive oil processing and we had a great meal, they called it a snack. We saw a few other things along the way, difficult to hear and understand the tour guide when on a bus with 50 other "chatting" people. This was out of Dubrovnik, Croatia.

 

Our other ship sponsored tour was horrible. It was in Sicily and we went to Taormina and Mt. Etna. She promised us time to spend wandering after the tour of Taormina...it ended up we had 10 minutes to find a potty instead. Most of the time was spent having a horrible lunch up at Mt. Etna, seeing the lava and a gift store the size of half our garage. Back on the crowded bus for the ride down. I had read in other places to only go to Taormina, even the CD on the ship recommended it and now I know why. Mt. Etna was interesting, but only if you had several days in Sicily and could go at your leisure.

 

Over the course of the years and 19 cruises, we prefer the private tours hands down to the crowds on the buses. You really get less of a tour as well, since there is limited time at each stop and less information since it is so difficult to hear the tour guide.

 

I remember seeing the huge bus tours from the ships at Pompeii, we saw where they were going and went in the opposit direction from the herd with our lovely tour guide, we each got private time to chat with her since there were only 7 of us.

[wrp96]

Just got back from a transatlantic cruise and have been cured of wanting to take a cruise line ever again. From waiting in long lines, to listening to complaining because it wasn't as long as promised (before we'd even gotten off the bus in Paris) to waiting for 45 minutes for someone who'd gotten on another bus and being forced to skip our next stop completely and shorten our last stop as a result...

 

By comparison the private excursions I did were fantastic and worth every penny (also much less expensive than the cruiseline excursions).

[satxdiver]

My husband and I (50's) along with my parents will be on the RCI Brilliance Meditteranean cruise Nov. 11. We have never sailed in the Mediterranean before, and are looking forward to all the historical sites. I'm concerned however, that so many people on the site seem to be booking outside tours. I don't really have the time to research these, but would like to know "why not the tours that the ship offers?" :confused: If really necessary, I'll start researching instead of worrying about what I'm going to pack!:rolleyes:

Thanks, Susan

 

The cruise ship tours offer a defined tour that has been checked out by the cruise line in advance. The tours offer security since the cruise line stands behind the tour. If the tour is late returning to the ship, they will wait. Pax do not have to worry about pretty much anything. All they have to do is show up at the appropriate time and following the directions. Everyone on the trip will be from your cruise ship. In short no homework is required on cruise line sponsored tours.

 

If you take a private tour, then security on the tour, returning on time to the ship and the possibility of having others on the tour not from your cruise ship are your problem. If you book with a private tour, check out the tour agency. Most are honest but some are not. Private tours are "let the buyer beware". They usually are less than the cruise line tour and smaller in some cases.

 

The decision is yours since it is your vacation. Stay within your personal safety zone in whatever you do.

 

Personally I go on both depending on where I am and what is offered. When in doubt, I defer to the ship's tours. Not all ship tours are "cattle calls" or drop you at tourist traps. I have yet to experience either of these conditions on ship tours.

[Hlitner]

In the spirit of posting some info we are going to list just a few personal reasons why we don't like cruise line bus excursions in specific ports (I could fill a book with more reasons). In Rome there is no excursion that will take you to see the excavations (Scavi Tour) underneath St Peters. In Palermo there is usually no large tour that will take you to the amazing Capuchin Catacombs. On the Amalfi Coast there is no bus tour that can take you down into Positano (they can only give you glimpse from the road above). Most tours ("on your own" bus tours are the exception) do not allow you to enjoy a long lunch at a well-located outdoor cafe....but rather take you to "tourist restaurants" designed to handle bus tours. No tour will take you St Paul de Vence (one of our favorite places in the south of FRance) and give you enough time to enjoy a romantic lunch on a terrace overlooking the valley. In fact that is a big problem with bus tours in general keeping in mind that wine and food are an important part of European culture. In Kusadasi, most bus tours do not include a visit to the Terrace Houses which is something that should never be missed. In Nice most bus tours do not include a visit to the Flower Market. We have also met many local folks over the years when we were simply exploring on our own (and have invites to quite a few places from these folks). Talking to the locals about their town and experiences helps us find new places to visit and always helps us find great places to eat. On a bus tour you get to talk to your fellow passengers which is fine, but we can talk to them on the ship. This is just a few things that have motivated us to generally do things on our own. To be honest, many years ago we did take some bus tours, but had some major issues with a few of those tours which encouraged us to find better ways to explore. Using a combination of our feet, trains, buses, and rental cars has served us very well and given us the opportunity to see and do things not provided on any bus tour (private tours can be really outstanding with a good guide).

 

Hank

[Putterdude]

I would recommend that you try to find the time to do your own research but there certainly nothing wrong with take ship sponsored tours...it really comes down to what you are comfortable with. While we now do mainly independent tours, we will still take ship tours in developing countries and/or those where things are rather unstable.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I feel the same way as Terrara in that I prefer ship sponsored tours. (1) I like the security of knowing that if our van/bus happens to break down the ship will wait for us. (2) That the majority of the people who are on the same van/bus we are are also from the same ship, giving us something in common to talk about; i.e. - the shows, menu selections, our wait staff, which bar server, in which lounge, is the best, etc. (3) The company conducting the tour has already been researched and approved by the cruise line. etc etc etc

 

Same with us. But most of the time we don't do any excursions and just sightsee on our own based on my research. We do take along the ship's newsletter and make doubly sure we're back on the ship way early (we won't go far from the pier in those cases).

[paul929207]

We take mostly private tours. We find that they are much cheaper. We go with a small group (usually people from our Roll Call). We can customize the tour. As we go along if we see a photo op, the driver pulls over, everyone hops out takes pictures and hops back on - all in five minutes or so. Unless we want to, we don't go to the gem, carpet, etc factory.

[KirkNC]

First off you need to do what fits your style and desires. As you can see from the responses there are a pretty good variety of what everyone is comfortable with. We are in the camp of virtually never doing a ships tour. Others have explained why; crowded, herding mentality, forced shopping, very expensive, listening to others gripe plus you just can't see as much. We occasionally do private tour groups; better pricing, smaller groups, more control over where you go and what you see. Our choice is to do tours on our own which has many positives; much cheaper, you are in complete control on what you do and see, you would be amazed how much you can see. The only negative (for some but not for me) is that it takes a lot of work which I enjoy. Some have the what I consider, overblown fear of missing the ship but proper planning will make that about as likely as a lightning strike. So pick your poison and enjoy;).

 

Kirk

[hubofhockey]

Susan, I just want to add one thing. Using the ports of call boards right here on CC enhanced my first Med cruise to a great extent. The regulars on the Med boards like Hank (who posted here) are great sources of information whether you want to do touring on your own or even use a private driver guide service. I can't even begin to think how much added enjoyment and enrichment we got from using all of this great advice rather than just hopping on the cruise sponsored motor coach tours (not to mention all of the money we saved). I thought it was a once in a lifetime trip for my wife and I. Well, a funny thing happened. We had such a great time that we booked a cruise with our kids (13 & 11) for next summer after getting a great ES rate on Carnival. We will do more things on our own (rather than driver guide trips - may still do Pisa/Florence private from Livorno) next time around as we are more confident. But using the advice that is on the ports of call boards and joining up on roll call tours will enhance your trip. Who knows? You may get lucky like we did and make some friends among those on your roll call whom you share trips with. Doing tours with groups of 8 people is very social and a great way to get a very personal trip even if you don't have the time to do all of the brain damage needed to do these ports on your own.

[Bowie MeMe]

I have done private, independent, rental car, and joined groups from roll call (THIS YEAR AND LAST). All were picked for a reason or Not! I like excursions sold by the cruise line. Top price but most that I have been on have been top quality and excellent. On a Baltic cruise many on that roll call were enthusiastic about a private tour. Our ship tour had a lunch with caviar, vodka, excellent singers and dancers, and immediate entry to the museum lead by a guide with a vox (microphone system). The private tour had sandwiches and "unknown drinks" in the back of the van, the guide was English challenged and the van had lots of wear on it (including the tires).

 

Cruise Critic regulars tend to be real lovers of private or DIY tours. That is part of the fun for them and saying they got cheaper for better is purely opinion (most conveniently forget the tours that were dicey at best and scary at worst). May be their opinion and their experience but the possiblity is there that things can and do go wrong. It is VERY acceptable to do ship excursions. Wonderful to prebook them on-line through the personalizer and you will have a good time. If you have a higher risk tolerance and like to plan then do some of your own or private tours. The ship tours are probably not as bad as protrayed nor the private/diy tours as wonderful as touted and always it is not apples to apples or oranges to oranges that you are comparing -- each tour no matter who provides can be different from another because of the guide, the traffic, the participants (that person who never gets back on time can be ship trip or private trip just hope not on MY trip), or the fickle finger of fate. Choose what you want and don't worry about what others think -- you will never see them again and they are NOT your mother who gets to tell you what to do.

[donaldsc]

Nobody has mentioned that on a ship tour, it takes 10 minutes or more for the group to get off the bus, especially if you have a bunch of people on the bus who think that they are mobile but really are not.

 

DON

[Taxguy77]

We have done all three, ship, private, DIY. Each of them have strong and weak points. I'm a little slow walking now and can't hear the guide on big group (ship) tours, but one time we met another couple and hired a car for a tour. We passed the bus from the ship when the driver said he knew a lookout spot just a little ways from there big busses couldn't get into. Stayed ahead of the tours all morning and were dropped at a great place for a drink and snack just walking distance from the ship. On several occaisions we have met fellow passengers and shared rides after docking.

I think planning the vacation (Cruise or other type) is a lot of fun, but DW doesn't. Everyone is different, just let these suggestions be guides.