Couple questions on doing a private tour.

[pampaul]

Hubby & I will be on HAL's Veendam this August. This will be our 7th cruise but first with HAL. We've been to Bermuda once before (2006) on our first cruise but the only thing we did was go to Horseshoe Beach. Beautiful, by the way.

 

This time, the ship is docked for like 2 1/2 days. We've never been on a ship before that had an overnight stay so I think it'll be great to not have to worry about getting on the ship in time.

 

Anyhow, I'm wondering if when you book a private tour....

 

1--Do you know ahead of time what you'd like to see or do you just hire the tour guide and let him go. LOL

 

2--I'm a scrapbooker, so I like to take a bunch of pictures. I've read that on these tours, the guide will do as many stops as you'd like to take pictures and such. True?

 

3--After reading many posts on tour guides, I see that a few are recommended over & over. Which is a good thing. But for someone who has never been with a private tour guide before, how do I decide which one to hire? We'd like to have one that is easy to talk to and funny!!! I don't think I'd want one that is very stoic & cold when he talks, ya know?

 

4--And if you did know ahead of time what you wanted to see/do, how did you know ahead of time (if this was your first time there?) Are there lists out there of famous "things to do" or must haves? I'd like to compile a list of things (I'm a huge list maker. LOL) to do and see how any things we can knock off during our stay.

 

We'll be there Aug 21 @ 10am until Aug 23 @ 2pm. So I'm not sure if I'd want to do Horseshoe Bay Beach the first day and take a whole day tour with the guide on the second day. OR do the tour the first day and the beach the second. Any thoughts? Then we'd have to decide, what if anything, we'd like to do for a few hours before getting back on the ship on the third day.

 

Can't wait. Even though this will be our 7th cruise, it'd be the first by our selves. We've brought our boys with us on the other ones along with other people too. So this will be nice and relaxing, just the two of us.

[pampaul]

I forgot to also ask....

 

Since it's only the two of us, how would we go about sharing a taxi with another couple or two? (to cut the cost down on the tour)?

 

Would we have to find another couple from the ship? Or will there be other people looking to do the tour that we could share?

[jackretired]

Hubby & I will be on HAL's Veendam this August. This will be our 7th cruise but first with HAL. We've been to Bermuda once before (2006) on our first cruise but the only thing we did was go to Horseshoe Beach. Beautiful, by the way.

 

This time, the ship is docked for like 2 1/2 days. We've never been on a ship before that had an overnight stay so I think it'll be great to not have to worry about getting on the ship in time.

 

Anyhow, I'm wondering if when you book a private tour....

 

1--Do you know ahead of time what you'd like to see or do you just hire the tour guide and let him go. LOL Eaither way will work, but why not do the research and see what you want to see. Book the guide ahead of time and send him email of what you would like to see. Then he caqn plan a route just for you. I suggest a tour of at least 5 hours with a stop for lunch or snack. One thing you will have to request is round trip or one way (returning on ferry)

 

2--I'm a scrapbooker, so I like to take a bunch of pictures. I've read that on these tours, the guide will do as many stops as you'd like to take pictures and such. True? TRUE

 

3--After reading many posts on tour guides, I see that a few are recommended over & over. Which is a good thing. But for someone who has never been with a private tour guide before, how do I decide which one to hire? We'd like to have one that is easy to talk to and funny!!! I don't think I'd want one that is very stoic & cold when he talks, ya know? You do not, ask here & hope.

 

4--And if you did know ahead of time what you wanted to see/do, how did you know ahead of time (if this was your first time there?) Are there lists out there of famous "things to do" or must haves? I'd like to compile a list of things (I'm a huge list maker. LOL) to do and see how any things we can knock off during our stay. Get a guide book. I have a list you can look at.

 

We'll be there Aug 21 @ 10am until Aug 23 @ 2pm. So I'm not sure if I'd want to do Horseshoe Bay Beach the first day and take a whole day tour with the guide on the second day. OR do the tour the first day and the beach the second. Any thoughts? Then we'd have to decide, what if anything, we'd like to do for a few hours before getting back on the ship on the third day. I suggest Aug 22 at 9am.

 

Can't wait. Even though this will be our 7th cruise, it'd be the first by our selves. We've brought our boys with us on the other ones along with other people too. So this will be nice and relaxing, just the two of us.

 

Have a great cruise and a great tour.

 

Here is my last email to our guide:

> Here are some things

> we would like to see/do that morning & afternoon April 30, 2012.

> Here are some ideas that I have. Would like your input on them and

> other possible stops/views/to do's.

>

> Start tour at 9 AM or ?

> West Whale Bay 0.5 to 1.5 hours

> BUEI, 1 to 1.5 hours

> King's Square Downtown, St. George, Arrive before Noon for the celebration

> Where can we have lunch? Is White Horse Pub & Restaurant or Swizzle Inn a good choice?

> Bailey's Ice Cream Bermuda after lunch

> John Smith's Bay in Smith's Parish before or after lunch? Short stop.

> Birdcage Hamilton Bermuda. before or after lunch? Short stop.

> Tour of Hamilton.

> Bermuda Botanical Gardens, Paget. How long should we stay at this stop?

>

> Return to Enchantment of the Seas.

[jackretired]

I forgot to also ask....

 

Since it's only the two of us, how would we go about sharing a taxi with another couple or two? (to cut the cost down on the tour)? Ask on your roll call if anyone woulg like to join you. We did this in San Juan and it worked very well. That time we had told the guide NO beach time & NO shopping (some thing that cruise line tours are big on).

 

Would we have to find another couple from the ship? Or will there be other people looking to do the tour that we could share? I would stay with your ship.

 

Have a great tour.

[pampaul]

Thanks so much. Out of all the cruises we've done, I've never done the roll call thing.

 

I don't know why but maybe it's something I can check out. Not sure if I'm leary of other people (not knowing them and all) but I'll go take a peek over there and look around.