Almagetty Posted August 28, 2013 #1 Share Posted August 28, 2013 It will be our first time on O. We have organized a few private excursions in the different ports of call. In times past on other ships, we've always set a place where our small groups could meet so that we all left the ship together to meet the guide. Is the reception area at the foot of the staircase a good place to meet? Or can anyone suggest a better place? To minimize confusion, I like to stay away from the assembly points for the ship's tours. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanny18 Posted August 28, 2013 #2 Share Posted August 28, 2013 It will be our first time on O. We have organized a few private excursions in the different ports of call. In times past on other ships, we've always set a place where our small groups could meet so that we all left the ship together to meet the guide. Is the reception area at the foot of the staircase a good place to meet? Or can anyone suggest a better place? To minimize confusion, I like to stay away from the assembly points for the ship's tours. Thanks! Yes, that's the perfect place to meet and you can all walk off together. Arlene;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almagetty Posted August 28, 2013 Author #3 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Yes, that's the perfect place to meet and you can all walk off together. Arlene;) Thank you, Arlene! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted August 28, 2013 #4 Share Posted August 28, 2013 There is a small area near reception with sofas & chairs that might be a good place to meet up Ship's tours assemble in the lounge first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted August 28, 2013 #5 Share Posted August 28, 2013 It will be our first time on O. We have organized a few private excursions in the different ports of call. In times past on other ships, we've always set a place where our small groups could meet so that we all left the ship together to meet the guide. Is the reception area at the foot of the staircase a good place to meet? Or can anyone suggest a better place? To minimize confusion, I like to stay away from the assembly points for the ship's tours. Thanks! We do the same thing, but generally speaking we prefer to meet somewhere that is "gangway adjacent" rather than in the heart of the action like the foyer itself, which can be very busy when the Gangway is at Deck 5. I say this because one of the things that we try to accomplish during those early morning meeting times is to collect the money from the various members of our group, so we prefer a slightly more private atmosphere. For us, the Grand Bar works well, because even if the seating gets restricted, we can always overflow into the empty Casino to do our business, and we are still convenient to both elevator lobbies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almagetty Posted August 28, 2013 Author #6 Share Posted August 28, 2013 There is a small area near reception with sofas & chairs that might be a good place to meet up Ship's tours assemble in the lounge first Thanks, Larraine! We do the same thing, but generally speaking we prefer to meet somewhere that is "gangway adjacent" rather than in the heart of the action like the foyer itself, which can be very busy when the Gangway is at Deck 5. I say this because one of the things that we try to accomplish during those early morning meeting times is to collect the money from the various members of our group, so we prefer a slightly more private atmosphere. For us, the Grand Bar works well, because even if the seating gets restricted, we can always overflow into the empty Casino to do our business, and we are still convenient to both elevator lobbies. Hmmmm ... I hadn't considered collecting the money up front. I've never done that before, but then, my private tours have always consisted of family before this cruise. Do you then pay the guide right away at the beginning of the tour? I don't know that I want to be carrying around everyone's cash all day. In some of the ports, it's a rather substantial sum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted August 28, 2013 #7 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Thanks, Larraine! Hmmmm ... I hadn't considered collecting the money up front. I've never done that before, but then, my private tours have always consisted of family before this cruise. Do you then pay the guide right away at the beginning of the tour? I don't know that I want to be carrying around everyone's cash all day. In some of the ports, it's a rather substantial sum. Who is Larraine:confused::confused: If the tour is PP price I let people pay the guide themselves If the tour is priced by the van, I collect the money upfront & pay the guide when they request it usually after the tour YMMV Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted August 28, 2013 #8 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Hmmmm ... I hadn't considered collecting the money up front. I've never done that before, but then, my private tours have always consisted of family before this cruise. Do you then pay the guide right away at the beginning of the tour? I don't know that I want to be carrying around everyone's cash all day. In some of the ports, it's a rather substantial sum. We collect the money first because it is always awkward to do so in front of the Guide at the end of the Tour, and there isn't always a safe place to do it off the ship. We don't need to pay the Guide first because having done our currency exchange on the ship, nobody ashore knows who has the money or how much it is. The basic amount that we collect consists of the Tour cost plus what our Group has worked out to be a satisfactory tip (usually in the 15% range). These two amounts are kept in separate envelopes and at the end of the Tour the holder of the funds (usually Stan in our group) verifies that everyone has been happy with the tour before handing them over. In small groups (we try to stick with 6 or 8) it is amazing often everyone has the exact same opinion. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almagetty Posted August 28, 2013 Author #9 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Who is Larraine:confused::confused: If the tour is PP price I let people pay the guide themselves If the tour is priced by the van, I collect the money upfront & pay the guide when they request it usually after the tour YMMV Lyn Sorry Lyn! How embarrassing to call you by the wrong name! <blush> Thanks for the further advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almagetty Posted August 28, 2013 Author #10 Share Posted August 28, 2013 We collect the money first because it is always awkward to do so in front of the Guide at the end of the Tour, and there isn't always a safe place to do it off the ship. We don't need to pay the Guide first because having done our currency exchange on the ship, nobody ashore knows who has the money or how much it is. The basic amount that we collect consists of the Tour cost plus what our Group has worked out to be a satisfactory tip (usually in the 15% range). These two amounts are kept in separate envelopes and at the end of the Tour the holder of the funds (usually Stan in our group) verifies that everyone has been happy with the tour before handing them over. In small groups (we try to stick with 6 or 8) it is amazing often everyone has the exact same opinion. :D Good reasoning all the way around. I'll talk to my groups about it. They are all small 6-8 person groups. Thanks!! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_uk Posted August 29, 2013 #11 Share Posted August 29, 2013 Good reasoning all the way around. I'll talk to my groups about it. They are all small 6-8 person groups. Thanks!! :) How on earth do you know they are all small ? Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted August 29, 2013 #12 Share Posted August 29, 2013 How on earth do you know they are all small ? Brian Because they are HIS groups? :) And here I just said recently that you knew everything - should I take that back? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountain grandma Posted August 29, 2013 #13 Share Posted August 29, 2013 There is a small area near reception with sofas & chairs that might be a good place to meet up/quote] This area has a picture of the Marina's Godmother, Mary Hart, and makes a wonderful, private area to meet. If you tell people to meet by Mary Hart's picture near the Concierge Desk, everyone will know exactly which seating area you mean (there is also another area across the lobby from that one). The foot of the stairway can get very crowded with people lining up to meet with the port information people -- his/her desk is usually in that vicinity also. We found it too confusing and started using the adjacent seating area instead. Have a wonderful cruise! Billie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almagetty Posted August 29, 2013 Author #14 Share Posted August 29, 2013 There is a small area near reception with sofas & chairs that might be a good place to meet up/quote] This area has a picture of the Marina's Godmother, Mary Hart, and makes a wonderful, private area to meet. If you tell people to meet by Mary Hart's picture near the Concierge Desk, everyone will know exactly which seating area you mean (there is also another area across the lobby from that one). The foot of the stairway can get very crowded with people lining up to meet with the port information people -- his/her desk is usually in that vicinity also. We found it too confusing and started using the adjacent seating area instead. Have a wonderful cruise! Billie Thanks, Billie, that's a wonderful suggestion. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted August 29, 2013 #15 Share Posted August 29, 2013 There is a small area near reception with sofas & chairs that might be a good place to meet up/quote] This area has a picture of the Marina's Godmother, Mary Hart, and makes a wonderful, private area to meet. If you tell people to meet by Mary Hart's picture near the Concierge Desk, everyone will know exactly which seating area you mean (there is also another area across the lobby from that one). Have a wonderful cruise! Billie Yes that is the space I was referring to right near reception ..guess I never noticed another area across from the Mary Hart picture Will have to look for it next trip;) Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredFL Posted August 29, 2013 #16 Share Posted August 29, 2013 How on earth do you know they are all small ? Brian You have to be under 5'5" to sail on Oceania!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_uk Posted August 29, 2013 #17 Share Posted August 29, 2013 Because they are HIS groups? :)And here I just said recently that you knew everything - should I take that back? :D Oh boy PaulChilli......how did you miss the joke...........I was not referring to the number of people but their size......."small " I hope your faith is now restored. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted August 30, 2013 #18 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Oh boy PaulChilli......how did you miss the joke...........I was not referring to the number of people but their size......."small " I hope your faith is now restored. Brian You are just too clever for me - or is it your dry British humor? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almagetty Posted August 30, 2013 Author #19 Share Posted August 30, 2013 How on earth do you know they are all small ? Brian Because I insisted on it as a requirement for allowing anyone to join my groups. I was able to contract a smaller vehicle that way and save some money. Haha. :p Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_uk Posted August 30, 2013 #20 Share Posted August 30, 2013 You are just too clever for me - or is it your dry British humor? :D Both !!!! Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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